How to Create Your Own Skidder

Bend one of the sides of the steel plate with the mallet, about 1 inch in from the edge, into a curve coming up from the rest of the sheet, which will be the body of the skidder. Shaping it with the mallet against a curved surface will help to keep a smoother curve for more efficient movement over the ground. This raised edge will help to hold the log in place by digging into the bark as you drag the log.

Make a hole at each of the two corners opposite from the curved edge with the hole saw, about 1 inch in from the edges. Be sure that the holes are large enough for the heavy-duty chain to fit through, but small enough to keep the chain from moving too freely through the holes. These will be for the dragging chains that attach to the vehicle.

Make two holes in each of the sides perpendicular to the bent edge, about 1 inch from the edges. Position the first holes at the midpoints of the sides, and the second holes about 6 inches from the bent and curved edge. Be sure that the heavy-duty chain fits through the holes without moving too freely in them.

Link two lengths (about 2 feet each) of chain through the holes in the corners opposite the bent edge. Hook the ends back to the chains to make fastened loops around the corners of the steel plate. Hook the other ends to one longer length of chain (at least 3 feet), which will attach to the vehicle for dragging the loaded skidder.

Link two lengths of chain (each long enough to wrap around your logs plus another foot or so) through the holes at the midpoints and the holes above the bent edge. These chains should be open-ended above the steel plate with hooks on one end, and run parallel to each other on the skidder's underside.

Hook the assembled skidder to the back of your ATV, tractor or pickup truck. Hook the chains running over the skidder together once the logs are loaded, tightly enough to hold down the log.