Making My Grapple Better Suited For Loose Wood

[kennyd]

This is the downside of the "thumb" style versus a regular grapple.

 

[nickel plate]

Yes, it is that model, the smallest, 20" one. I have never measured it, so I am not sure where the 20" comes from. *insert quick trip to garage* It is 18 inches wide and 21" from pivot to tip.

For picking up lager items like stumps, trees, logs. It works fine.

For smaller items, like loose brush or cut and split firewood, you rarely are able to "grab" more than a little because the amount of bucket that it does not cover. Brush isn't too bad as long as you can grab it in a way that it "bunches" pretty well. Loose firewood, it is useless. As you would expect it doesn't cover enough of the bucket to hold it in there.

No, I do not have a toothbar.

I selected this size because I wanted small. My original intent was to be able to pickup logs to split and then the wood would go straight from the splitter into the basement where the stove is. As I am still in phase 1 of this, and I don't have a splitter yet, I need to improvise to make it work for the rest of winter. By summer, I will have a splitter and will just buy whole logs. Then, if it is dry enough, I may not have to buy split wood next winter.

My current plan is to build a "grid" type structure from angle iron that will cover most of the bucket opening. It doesn't have to be terribly strong, since I only intend to pick up loose firewood from a pile with it, but I suspect I will bend/break it at least once. Since I will have a couple feet of unsupported steel out there. But, never know, if all it has to do is scrape it into the bucket, it may not be bad.

From what you say about the shortfall of the grapple, it seems to be more about the lack of being able to handle loose firewood transportation. Please correct me if I am wrong-my needs lean more towards rough brush transportation.

 

[wvpolekat]

From what you say about the shortfall of the grapple, it seems to be more about the lack of being able to handle loose firewood transportation. Please correct me if I am wrong-my needs lean more towards rough brush transportation.

Correct. Firewood is my primary gripe. If not for that, I would be satisfied.

 

[IslandTractor]

Do you curl your bucket when carrying small brush/wood etc? That ought to help by using gravity to keep the load in place. The grapple arm doesn't really need to cover the whole bucket face as most brush is intertwined in a pile so trapping just part of it with the grapple will keep the rest secure. If you are talking about small pieces of wood such as split firewood then things are a bit different.

 

[BHD]

ANBO Manufacturing - Grapple Photo Gallery

http://www.anbomanufacturing.com/Anbovideo.html
click on view video to see it in action, if it does not start,

 

[nybirdman]

I think the addition of a tooth-bar will help,I have a Green's machine thumb and a tooth-bar...but havn't tried it on loose firewood.
Shouldn't be too hard to make it wider.

 

[nickel plate]

I think the addition of a tooth-bar will help,I have a Green's machine thumb and a tooth-bar...but havn't tried it on loose firewood.
Shouldn't be too hard to make it wider.

Can you please tell me the length (size) of the Thumb and the measurement from the bottom factory cutting edge to the top of the bucket. Please use a straight edge on the top for your measurement as I too have a bucket with a large rolled top edge. Also, how high off the top of the bucket is your welded spacer platform?
Thanks

 

[IslandTractor]

Can you please tell me the length (size) of the Thumb and the measurement from the bottom factory cutting edge to the top of the bucket. Please use a straight edge on the top for your measurement as I too have a bucket with a large rolled top edge. Also, how high off the top of the bucket is your welded spacer platform?
Thanks

I obviously don't have that measurement but if you are buying a upper jaw grapple they usually come in 2" increments of "length". The point I wanted to make is that it is preferable to have a slight overbite than underbite.

 

[nybirdman]

Nichol plate

Man that thing is buried in a snow bank............
But I got the measurements
Mine is a 72'Kubota round back HD bucket

cutting edge to top of round 25"
Green's Machine Thumb is a 28"
From the top of the round to the bottom of the angle iron 1" the flat on the top is 4"x2&1/2"
4" out and 21/2'down
I welded nuts on the bottom of the flat on top ,so the base can be removed if needed.I think they are 1/2" not positive.
A little trial and error may be needed,tack up check fit.I wanted the thumb to completely close. Works well ...any more questions just ask.

 

[IslandTractor]

I wanted the thumb to completely close. Works well ....

From your first photo it looks like your grapple has a slight "overbite" (which I think is good). Is that what you meant by "completely close"? An underbite actually allows the upper jaw to close more tightly to the bucket.