Was just looking for some grapple bucket ideas

grinder71 · Feb 13, 2013

Murph
Did you buy the double clam style grapple or the single? If so I am curious is there really a greater advantage to the double verse single grapple. If so what are you usually moving with it . I am kind of on the fence with this one since I move a lot of trees and brush, the single clam seems more practicle.
Thanks Mark

mroldstyle · Feb 14, 2013

[ I have seen alot of great ideas on here about grapples, How many of you have cut out your own tines instead of having them cut out on say a cnc plasma table to keep more uniformity in the tines. thanks Mark[/QUOTE]

I built my own, use it for logging and moving brush. Single clamp. Youll wonder how you ever did without it after the first day!

Xfaxman · Feb 14, 2013

This is what I use, works good on cedar trees, you don't have to be parallel to the trunk, like most grapples.

Pulled this dead tree out of the ground.

Big chunk of concrete

It is a Gorrilla Grapple

grinder71 · Feb 14, 2013

Xfaxman that looks like it does an awesome job! would you have gone wider with the grapple after using it or does the weight of the bucket limit that. Thanks Mark

Xfaxman · Feb 14, 2013

grinder71 said:
Xfaxman that looks like it does an awesome job! would you have gone wider with the grapple after using it or does the weight of the bucket limit that. Thanks Mark

No, the width is good for me. It doesn't need to be wide, to pick up wide things.

Or long things, these are sticking straight out front

The grapple weighs 900 pounds, so that isn't a problem. They do make a wider 10 tine version.
6 Tine Gorilla Grapple - attachments for skid steer loaders, small compact construction equipment - Sidney Manufacturing Co. LLC

And the 10 tine narrow, for short pieces of debris that would fall through these wide spaced tines.

trktrman · Feb 15, 2013

That grapple is probably fine for an industrial machine but it seems that it would be very stressful on a tractor's loader arms.
I think a wider(than 44") grapple would be much better for tractors because the weight can be more evenly distributed.

Xfaxman · Feb 15, 2013

trktrman said:
That grapple is probably fine for an industrial machine but it seems that it would be very stressful on a tractor's loader arms.
I think a wider(than 44") grapple would be much better for tractors because the weight can be more evenly distributed.

I don't see it that way. If I pick up the heaviest rock a tractor can lift with this 44" grapple, the weight is between the arms. If I pick up the same rock in the center of a 72" grapple, same thing. If I pick up that rock at the side of a wide grapple, it will stress the loader arms.

If I pick up a 30' long tree by the root ball with either grapple, the stress on the arms will be the same.

mmurphydds · Feb 15, 2013

Xfaxman said:
I don't see it that way. If I pick up the heaviest rock a tractor can lift with this 44" grapple, the weight is between the arms. If I pick up the same rock in the center of a 72" grapple, same thing. If I pick up that rock at the side of a wide grapple, it will stress the loader arms.

If I pick up a 30' long tree by the root ball with either grapple, the stress on the arms will be the same.

Yes, Xfaxman, you are correct. An object that has its center of mass located between the lift arms should not over torque the loader arms (assuming the object is light enough to be lifted by the loader...but the farther you get that mass laterally away from between the lift arms (like a tree with a heavy root ball), the greater the torque will be on the loader arms. The width of the grapple, bucket, etc... does not matter, it is the distance away from the centerline of the loader. In physics, the fulcrum is at the centerline of the loader and the length of the lever arm is the distance from the fulcrum. BUT: as a practical matter, it's easier to get fooled into overtorquing the loader arms with a wide grapple, bucket, etc...because the edge of the implement is already out beyond the width of the loader arms...and more so the wider the implement is. Previous photos rightly show the operator lifting an object with it located between the loader arms and extending forward.

Xfaxman · Feb 15, 2013

grinder71 said:
I was doing a search and this website popped up! I found a lot of very useful threads about this topic here. Anyway I do not currently own a tractor, I have had several skidsteers and currently have a bobcat S300 with which I do alot of digging, rock picking and logging but I have been considering buying a tractor to aid in the logging process and maybe some small food plots for the deer. I currently have 75 acres and only 11 of that is tillable which right now has been easier to just rent out because of time and equipment.
Thanks for a lot of useful info. Mark

What size tractor are you looking for?

If you will be picking up brush, I recommend the largest opening, close spaced tines and as wide as the tractor, or slightly wider, (if it will handle the weight of the grapple).