My very own grapples!

tnpete · Jul 14, 2008

3RRL said:
You guys are too kind.
You can see I'm a fast learner ... Loretta taught me well.
Thank God for pictures so a tedious little detail like that draws some interest.

Yellow paint ... Swiss cheese hahaha. I'm sure Loretta will react to that one. I can't take all the credit, since Loretta wanted more lightening holes.
BTW, I just weighed those jaws and you won't believe it ...they are exactly 50lbs all welded up like that.

That is pretty light for being 24" wide and compared to what they would be without holes. I was planning to add a plate on top of her bucket and also one on the back to add strength and rigidity to it. I calculated the top plate (1/2 x 6 x 32") to be 27.2lbs. The pivot brackets and pins (all) weigh 10.8lbs and the cylinder weighs 15.9lbs. So that's 103.9lbs for the whole shebang! If I decide to use the back plate behind the bucket lip, add another 27.2lbs for a grand total of 131.1lbs.

But that is not really what it will weigh because I'm planning to use only 6" x 6" squares under the pivots instead of the entire plate across the top to cut the weight down. If I do that for the top and back, the plates will weigh 30.6lbs. That will make the entire assembly weigh 107.3lbs with top and back stiffening plates. Her loader lift capacity is less than 1000lbs, so for what she wants to do, the grapple weight won't hurt that too much.

WOW I Think a kit for that grapple would sell good. I know I would like to own one like that.
Pete

3RRL · Jul 14, 2008

tnpete said:
WOW I Think a kit for that grapple would sell good. I know I would like to own one like that.
Pete

Hi Pete,
When I get settled into our new Log Home and get the shop set up, I will consider making the kits.
I've had many requests now.
Thanks,

Eagleview · Jul 14, 2008

Legends , the pair of you .

tnpete · Jul 15, 2008

3RRL said:
Hi Pete,
When I get settled into our new Log Home and get the shop set up, I will consider making the kits.
I've had many requests now.
Thanks,

Thanks that I think will keep you busy for a while. Hope to order one when you start making the kits.
But the way metal prices are going up. IT may cost more then the bucket LOL
Pete

Defective · Jul 15, 2008

If THAT kit costs less than the bucket, I'd lose all respect for Rob. Buckets are simple things.

Eagleview · Jul 17, 2008

Hey Rob , i'd get them Cadmium coated instead of painting them . They'd look like they where out of a Terminator movie

.

JustGary · Sep 2, 2008

Great work (both of you), and thanks for the detailed narration and great photos!

I do have one question that I didn't see answered in the posts so far (but maybe I missed it): Where did you break your hydraulic system to install the new valve? Did you put it after your FEL spool (with power beyond), or somewhere else? I'm ready to start on a grapple for my Kubota L2800, and I just can't figure out where to break the system using only one valve (I'm pretty sure my spool does not have power beyond).

Regards,

- Just Gary

3RRL · Sep 3, 2008

Good question Gary, I don't know if that was explained or not?
In fact you can break the system in any convenient place as long as this valve is fed via a power beyond sleeve from the last valve. It is always best to feed another valve with power beyond, and I try not to deviate from that practice. Having said that, I've seen many systems that feed another valve without the power beyond that work too. I would check to see if indeed your valve does not have power beyond or if it needs the plug removed and a sleeve inserted to make the port active.
What I did on this tractor was feed this solenoid valve from the dumptrailer valve's power beyond port. In my case, it was the most logical and required the least amount of hose to connect it into the system in relationship to where I located the valve.
But like I said, it can be put in anywhere and work the same.

JustGary · Sep 3, 2008

Rob -

Thanks for the prompt reply.

After some more research here on TBN, it looks like my Kubota LA-463 FEL may well have power beyond. I had been led to believe that it didn't have it. I'll check it when I get home tonight.

The other thing I am curious about is if you are both still satisfied with your choice of electric solenoid valves. Specifically, do you miss having the ability to feather the speed of movement on the grapple as you use it? I would think that slower motion could be a benefit sometimes (like working near things you can't move but don't want to hit). After watching the video you posted, it looks like it moves pretty fast.

You could add speed control to your valve with a simple pulsed DC circuit, but you would have to work out how you want to set the speed. Three choices come to mind:

1. Just use some slower, fixed speed instead of wide-open valve action. A flow restrictor would do just as well or better for this, I suppose.
2. Add a dial somewhere to set the speed. This could be anywhere from conveniently located to buried under the hood.
3. Change the joystick switch to a tophat style so that the more you push it, the faster the grapple moves. Elegant, but perhaps the most trouble mounting the switch.

Regards,

- Just Gary

3RRL · Sep 3, 2008

What a lot of guys do is plumb the work ports to the grapple cylinders with 1/4" lines, which helps slow it down. Others use flow control or inserts inside the fittings with a small orifice ... same principle. Personally, I like having the speed.
It allows me to "catch" some boulders and stuff when I scoop them up. Like when I'm trying to position the bucket and grab before I lose the position I was in. That is a personal choice though. Most of my grapple work has not required feathering as I thought it might, so in my case, I'm happy about that. This tractor is faster than my Kama tractor. My Kama is a little slower and sometimes I wish it were as fast as this one. The Kama has dual bucket grapples on it with the valve powering both in series. So the when the line is split into two, it is slower.
Here is the Kama grapple thread. there is also a video of it working in there.
Tatro Grapples with WR Long Valve
There are also a lot of threads where I've shared photos of some grapple work done with it. Let me know if you are interested in viewing them.