Home made Grapple

[IslandTractor]

1/2 may be overkill but 3 might be a bit small. I will need to measure but I think mine is 3/8 x 4. Some guys like half inch on the sides but I would put extra steel into an extra bottom tine or gussets for support .

My grapple has curved bottom tines which would be easy with CAD and CNC. I don't understand why more grapples don't use them as I see no advantage to straight except ease of building. That should not be such an issue with computers doing the cutting.

I was wrong about the 3/8 x 4. As the photos below show, 3/8 by 3 is more like it for the middle with even more than 4 inchs in the tips and especially the elbow. However, the bottom tines on my grapple are clearly CAD/CNC fabricated rather than using straight bottom tines like Markham/Gator and WRLong. The "elbow" of the outside tines and the two middle tines are more like 7 inches or so. I presume these variable dimensions were worked out in some engineering program.

After five years of heavy use grubbing stumps and small trees where I often lift the rear of the tractor or ride up trees, the bottom tines have held up without any issue. Rocks and asymmetric loads are the things that cause problems but those tend to cause trouble for the upper arm not the bottom tines.

 

[foggy1111]

I was wrong about the 3/8 x 4. As the photos below show, 3/8 by 3 is more like it for the middle with even more than 4 inchs in the tips and especially the elbow. However, the bottom tines on my grapple are clearly CAD/CNC fabricated rather than using straight bottom tines like Markham/Gator and WRLong. The "elbow" of the outside tines and the two middle tines are more like 7 inches or so. I presume these variable dimensions were worked out in some engineering program.

After five years of heavy use grubbing stumps and small trees where I often lift the rear of the tractor or ride up trees, the bottom tines have held up without any issue. Rocks and asymmetric loads are the things that cause problems but those tend to cause trouble for the upper arm not the bottom tines.

Island....comparing your tines to the Markham design (which I have)....my guess is that your bottom tines are about 6 to 8" less in length or "bucket depth". To me the size you have is a bit better for the average CUT in that is not as "unwieldy" and would not bend as easily with side loads (thus thinner material could be used).

While I lack much seat time with mine.....I've always thought the Markham tine length was a bit much....maybe fine for skid steers....but too much for CUT's....IMO.

It would be neat to have your Milonzi and a Markham side by side to compare the strengths and weakness points.

 

[IslandTractor]

It would be neat to have your Milonzi and a Markham side by side to compare the strengths and weakness points.

If you want to come up with specific camera angles and measurements etc, I will try to provide them for the Millonzi. I know there are a lot of guys with the LD48 Markham so those should not be hard to get either.

 

[IslandTractor]

Island....comparing your tines to the Markham design (which I have)....my guess is that your bottom tines are about 6 to 8" less in length or "bucket depth". .

I measured the Millonzi bottom tines at 32 inches from the back frame. (I don't recall if that included the 3 inch frame depth but probably not).

 

[foggy1111]

If you want to come up with specific camera angles and measurements etc, I will try to provide them for the Millonzi. I know there are a lot of guys with the LD48 Markham so those should not be hard to get either.

I think this would be worthwhile information to post...particularly if someone was out to build a grapple for themselves or for the CUT market. :thumbsup: But.....I'm not the guy to provide the Markham data / pics.....as I keep my tractor 200 miles away from home. Else-wise I would participate.

 

[IslandTractor]

I see most grapples have two upper claws, does anyone think three would be useful?

Do you mean tines or grapple arms? My Millonzi has one arm and two tines. If I ever build another upper arm I think I would scallop the tip so there was a short middle tine in between to help hold logs pointing front/back.

 

[crazyal]

Island....comparing your tines to the Markham design (which I have)....my guess is that your bottom tines are about 6 to 8" less in length or "bucket depth". To me the size you have is a bit better for the average CUT in that is not as "unwieldy" and would not bend as easily with side loads (thus thinner material could be used).

While I lack much seat time with mine.....I've always thought the Markham tine length was a bit much....maybe fine for skid steers....but too much for CUT's....IMO.

It would be neat to have your Milonzi and a Markham side by side to compare the strengths and weakness points.

I see it as what are your plans for the grapple. If you are going to be lifting logs then the shorter length is an asset as you can get the weight closer to the tractor plus the lighter weight of the grapple allows you to lift more. If you are just going to be lifting brush piles then larger would allow you to get more each time, weight shouldn't be as much of an issue.

3/8" seams to be the standard thickness for the tines. I think the Markhams have braces to help support sideways. I think that does more to help keep from bending.

Anyway thanks to all of you guys as talk like this is helping me narrow down exactly what to build.

 

[crazyal]

Do you mean tines or grapple arms? My Millonzi has one arm and two tines. If I ever build another upper arm I think I would scallop the tip so there was a short middle tine in between to help hold logs pointing front/back.

Upper (hydraulically controlled) tines. It looks like all the grapples I've seen so far use only one cylinder. In your case it looks to be centered between the two tines. Are they also 3/8" thick? I was wondering if having a three full tines or two heavy duty ones close to the edge and two lighter ones near the center would be better?

 

[Dieselrider]

I realize this thread is old so I hope some of the ops see this. These all look nice, by the way. I am considering building a grapple bucket myself and have been searching for info, thus my stumbling across this thread. Could someone please tell me what size pins are used where the grapple pivots? Also did you put grease fittings there on your builds?

 

[IslandTractor]

I realize this thread is old so I hope some of the ops see this. These all look nice, by the way. I am considering building a grapple bucket myself and have been searching for info, thus my stumbling across this thread. Could someone please tell me what size pins are used where the grapple pivots? Also did you put grease fittings there on your builds?

I believe the pivot joint on my grapple uses simple bolts, probably 5/8, maybe 3/4. No grease fitting. Working fine on original set after 7 years.