Anyone built their own Cant Hook?

[wahoowad]

I want to build my own Cant Hook to help me roll logs over so I don't cut into the dirt. I have some fairly thick rebar and other scrap steel laying around. Am thinking rebar for the handle and probably rebar for the hook part too, except I won't be able to bend the thick rebar I have the way a can't hook arm is bent.... Trying to think thru how to do it.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Propane torch will heat it. Use a hammer or even a vise to bend it.

Somebody made one out of square tube and posted a pic IIRC.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/37197/

Pics are gone, but maybe the poster could repost. I'd love to save some shots of it myself.

Matt

 

[LLigetfa]

I use my 20 ton log splitter to bend iron.

 

[Gooserider]

I want to build my own Cant Hook to help me roll logs over so I don't cut into the dirt. I have some fairly thick rebar and other scrap steel laying around. Am thinking rebar for the handle and probably rebar for the hook part too, except I won't be able to bend the thick rebar I have the way a can't hook arm is bent.... Trying to think thru how to do it.

I have my doubts about whether rebar would do it - the stuff is usually made from a pretty soft alloy that is intended to be pretty easy to bend as such things go, plus unless it's really huge (and heavy) it isn't going to be that sturdy...

I have one of the cheapo "timberjack" type units that I purchased from Northern. It uses a metal pipe, probably 1-1.5"D, and that bent on me... I would probably use a fairly stout 1/2" or so x 3/4" wide bar stock, bent on the long side for the hook, and try to make something with pipe for the handle.

I don't think you'd get anywhere trying to do this with a propane torch BTW, I've never had any luck using it to bend steel of any size, as the flame just isn't hot enough... Oxy-Acetyline works great though... Hopefully Dune or one of our other "Iron-Beater" members can give some better suggestions...

Gooserider

 

[wahoowad]

Guys, when I say I have pretty thick rebar I mean like 1" thick. I have used a straight piece as pry bar under a log and it is stout. More stout than the wooden handle I see on store-bought cants. And I'm not locked into using rebar, I can use something else if I can work with it, it's just something I have on hand.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I don't think you'd get anywhere trying to do this with a propane torch BTW, I've never had any luck using it to bend steel of any size, as the flame just isn't hot enough... Oxy-Acetyline works great though... Hopefully Dune or one of our other "Iron-Beater" members can give some better suggestions...

Gooserider

I use this torch with propane and have no problems. I picked up a $5 adapter at Walmart to run it off a 20lb tank. I've used it both with a small forge and without. The last work I did was straightening the coil spring from a small car I found at the scrap yard. I'll probably buy the bar stock next time as it was a major PITA getting those coils out.

(broken link removed to http://www.zoellerforge.com/miniforge.html)

Propane is a pretty popular fuel for this sort of thing.

Matt

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Here is a wimpy example from this morning. I'm half moved and my little thimble forge (Made out of a 6" clay thimble, firebrick pieces, kaowool and utility wonder furnace cement) is at the other house. The only thing I have over here to use as an anvil is a piece of trolly track. I have a large 160lb I beam at the other house. The trolly track was jumping all over the place.

Materials:

3lb sledge
trolly track
torch
small piece of leaf spring. The matching leaf is also shown.

Not shown: the medium sized crescent wrench I used to make the bend at the end since the track was jumping all over the place when I tried to do it with the hammer.

Small 4" machinist vise I remembered was out in the garage. It wasn't bolted down and was only used to hold the piece for the big bend.

End of bar is straight:

Final bends;

Sorry to post a wimpy example.

Matt


Edited to make the pictures actually appear.

 

[Gooserider]

I will admit my experience has not included any sort of forge - just the basic hand held Bernz-o-matic propane torch... I found that if the part was big enough that I couldn't bend it cold, I couldn't get it hot enough with the propane to make a lot of difference...

1" rebar might be OK for strength, but I'd think it would be awfully heavy to be hauling around in the woods - one reason I like the wooden handle jobs... I might be tempted to use it for the point and hook, but make the handle itself out of wood...

Actually what I've found does a quite nice job is a felling lever... Mine has a little mini cant-hook on it, and it does amazingly well for it's size, plus it's light enough and small enough not to be a pain to carry around...

Gooserider

 

[Kong]

Rather than build it like a blacksmith I'd build it like a welder. I wouldn't bend it to make the hook, I'd weld pieces together to make the hook and then I'd grind the welds smooth. Barring that if you could get access to some half inch plate and a plasma cutter you could come up with a stout hook in pretty short order I'd think.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

IIRC correctly that's what the guy that built his out of square stock did. I can see where that would be a great way to build it. I have a cheap HF welder, but I do better at burning holes in things than joining them. I really need somebody to teach me how to do it.

Matt

 

[Stubborn Dutchman]

IIRC correctly that's what the guy that built his out of square stock did. I can see where that would be a great way to build it. I have a cheap HF welder, but I do better at burning holes in things than joining them. I really need somebody to teach me how to do it.

Matt

See if your local junior college offers tech classes. Ours has a great welding lab with great instructors. The fees are reasonable and you get to play with a lot of neat equipment. Most courses are only a few weeks long, but you will know the basics when you are done.

 

[Jamess67]

Here ya go.

 

[wahoowad]

thanks for the pic. that helps!