grapple bucket

[plumbstraight]

Several years ago I spotted some grapple buckets in a scrap yard. I was doing some underground and road repair and thought about picking up one as I was there and they kept calling me. I did some haggling and picked the best set up for 200 bucks. They have been lying around since. Cousin asked me about doing some logging on his place. I have a winch in the loader frame and is very handy, also have one on the rear with a boom so I can use tongs to just pick up a log and go. I had a good sized pile of treelength logs to sort and though about that set of grapples. Took the bucket off, quick disconnect type and fabbed the connections on the gapple bucket. Took the hyd hoses from the front winch and plumbed into the grapple. I do have quick disconnects for the hoses and will put them on later. Right now it just get the logging done.

Wow, I should have done this long ago. Being able to pile brush out of the way to get to the logs, being able to sort the wood after limbing and bucking is just amazingly quick and easy.

 

[TomSeller]

Several years ago I spotted some grapple buckets in a scrap yard. I was doing some underground and road repair and thought about picking up one as I was there and they kept calling me. I did some haggling and picked the best set up for 200 bucks. They have been lying around since. Cousin asked me about doing some logging on his place. I have a winch in the loader frame and is very handy, also have one on the rear with a boom so I can use tongs to just pick up a log and go. I had a good sized pile of treelength logs to sort and though about that set of grapples. Took the bucket off, quick disconnect type and fabbed the connections on the gapple bucket. Took the hyd hoses from the front winch and plumbed into the grapple. I do have quick disconnects for the hoses and will put them on later. Right now it just get the logging done.

Wow, I should have done this long ago. Being able to pile brush out of the way to get to the logs, being able to sort the wood after limbing and bucking is just amazingly quick and easy.

Grapples are great. Any pictures?

 

[George2615]

I sure could have used one today. Earlier in the week we had some strong winds. The wind knocked over an old dead pine tree. It was about a 40'er. Snapped it at the base which had rotted and it fell against another tree and hung there on a 45 degree angle till today. I pushed it down with the tractor and cut it up in 5' lengths. A grapple would have come in handy to pick up the cut pieces. Instead I had to roll them into the bucket to move them.

 

[plumbstraight]

Will get some pics up when I get back out there on Monday. The grapple came off a skidsteer so they are built heavy.

 

[TomSeller]

I sure could have used one today. Earlier in the week we had some strong winds. The wind knocked over an old dead pine tree. It was about a 40'er. Snapped it at the base which had rotted and it fell against another tree and hung there on a 45 degree angle till today. I pushed it down with the tractor and cut it up in 5' lengths. A grapple would have come in handy to pick up the cut pieces. Instead I had to roll them into the bucket to move them.

You will hardly ever use your bucket once you have a grapple. Do you have quick attach on your loader?

 

[George2615]

Yes, I have a QA bucket. Already have QA forks and snow pusher box. I have been thinking of buying a hydraulic thumb with two mounting plates. One for my bucket and one for the forks then switch between them.