Nuzzy
Well-Known Member
With the new garden tractor almost up and running, I've been on full tilt figuring out useful things to fab. Wanted a log arch for a while and now have an excuse to build one. If you're not familiar, its an arch with a crank/winch to raise logs and tow them behind an ATV or tractor without the log dragging on the ground (or at least the front of the log in some cases). All the cool firewooders have them :redneck:
Well, we had a bunch of 2X3 box tube heading to scrap so I made use of it.
Most was already cut at 45s from building sliders. So I stuck 'em together, braced with tube, and bent up some reinforcing plates for the corners.
Considering I'm still a novice welder, I thought they turned out decent enough to work.
Then gandered up at the steel wall and saw some 2" that looked like it'd do the trick. Popped in the die and went to work.
All the log arches I've seen have the diagonal through braces, so I knocked some out of 1 1/4 and burned them in.
Well. I wanted a little more support where the 2" attached to the top 2x3 rather than just a butt weld, so I drew this up in CAD and sent it over to the plasma.
And bent it up on the Accupress.
Getting everything tacked in straight and plumb was a pain with only me there.
Burned inside and out.
And finally capped and ground.
I still have a few more tubes to go on. Specifically ones from the base of the arch to the long tube to add for/aft rigidity. But I ran out of steam, so that's all for now. Have some 5 lug trailer tires/wheels that will be going on this once I grab some spindles. Will be putting on either a ball coupler or more likely a pintle. And either a hand crank boat trailer style winch or may get naughty and hook up my multi mount Warn for log lifting duty.
:cheer:
Well, we had a bunch of 2X3 box tube heading to scrap so I made use of it.
Most was already cut at 45s from building sliders. So I stuck 'em together, braced with tube, and bent up some reinforcing plates for the corners.
Considering I'm still a novice welder, I thought they turned out decent enough to work.
Then gandered up at the steel wall and saw some 2" that looked like it'd do the trick. Popped in the die and went to work.
All the log arches I've seen have the diagonal through braces, so I knocked some out of 1 1/4 and burned them in.
Well. I wanted a little more support where the 2" attached to the top 2x3 rather than just a butt weld, so I drew this up in CAD and sent it over to the plasma.
And bent it up on the Accupress.
Getting everything tacked in straight and plumb was a pain with only me there.
Burned inside and out.
And finally capped and ground.
I still have a few more tubes to go on. Specifically ones from the base of the arch to the long tube to add for/aft rigidity. But I ran out of steam, so that's all for now. Have some 5 lug trailer tires/wheels that will be going on this once I grab some spindles. Will be putting on either a ball coupler or more likely a pintle. And either a hand crank boat trailer style winch or may get naughty and hook up my multi mount Warn for log lifting duty.
:cheer:
I think it may be a wee bit to big for nuzzikins to handle :redneck:
