Homemade Log Grapple

[FAZTRAC]

Hi Scott

I just got back up to the mountains last night and have not been on the forum for a while.
The grapple works great. You can pick up a twig with it in the pincers and place logs wherever you want. you can pick up multiple logs or individual logs. To change direction of pick you just open the grapple, put one side against the ground or any object and pivot the PT and rotate the pick 90 degrees. I have not rigged it for the back end yet, may do that this Summer.
I attach a pick of it coming up a steep hill with a 15 foot log. If you want to build one I can lend you the patterns for the steel grapple parts.

 

[MossRoad]

Oh that's nice! :thumbsup:

 

[cqaigy2]

Very nice! That should make it easier to cut the logs up too.:thumbsup:

 

[johnrush]

Love the grapple design. Would you be willing to share you drawings?
Thanks
John

 

[Raw Dodge]

Love the grapple design. Would you be willing to share you drawings?
Thanks
John

Great work! I too would love to have the drawings,this,looks like a great design,I've been trying to find time to design one myself,but it looks like yours is better than what I would have come up with.

 

[ernemats]

Looking at your 425 do you have the wheels reversed as there looks to be more space between the tires and the pt frame than I have on mine?

 

[IH606logger]

I just signed on, as I am building(or should I say trying to build) a similar grapple. At this point I have not figured out the way to have one "claw" by-pass when they close. The variables seem to be the length of each "claw" from the pivot to the tip, and from the pivot to the cylinder and cross bar. Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks. For now I will keep playing with my mock ups.
IH606logger

 

[MossRoad]

Welcome to TBN. The original poster hasn't been active for about 6 years. But maybe he'll come back.

Look at the 3rd picture he posted. You can see that one claw is narrower than the other and fits inside it when closed. Hope that helps.

 

[IH606logger]

Welcome to TBN. The original poster hasn't been active for about 6 years. But maybe he'll come back.

Look at the 3rd picture he posted. You can see that one claw is narrower than the other and fits inside it when closed. Hope that helps.

I did notice that, but the problem comes when you bring the tips together the narrow one must come up first soas not to hit the tip of the other. This means that you either make it considerably shorter, or it needs to come up faster than the other. Tomorrow looks to be a wonderful day to work on that puzzle. Thanks for the reply.

 

[MossRoad]

Hmmm... gotcha. How to make them close in the same order each time you close them?