I have been using this same rock grapple and WR Long 3rd function remote for a few weeks now. This grapple and bucket are awesome. I purchased it to help clear my retirement property that is very rocky and densely wooded. With the intention of first removing the required trees, I will then use the rock bucket to slowly scoop up the large rocks as I am moving forward and dump when full. I will not get to the new property clearing until November, as I am cleaning up my current home site. I am using the bucket as a regular bucket with the grapple all of the way open (~40" open height), assuming your material will not fall through the 3" tine spacing on the bottom. It will dig easily into the ground or a wood pile. Since the 48" grapple bucket is deeper and taller than my 72" standard bucket, it will probably hold 25% - 50% more material volume, depending upon type and then secure it by closing the grapple. I have used it to pickup and move large, downed oak limbs simply by opening the grapple and driving the bucket under the limb and then closing the grapple onto the limb, capturing it. One stop, one movement and then on the move to the dumping area in the woods. Very handy device and never have to leave the tractor to do anything with loading or securing the load. I am moving an old, large wood pile that has old tarps intermingled into the cut firewood and the surrounding ground, which has grown over the tarps over time. It is impossible to remove the tarps by hand. I am putting the grapple bucket slightly under ground level and driving forward to get under all of the old tarps and then close the grapple and lift the bucket to remove them. Due to the large size of the tarps and small area to maneuver in, I usually have to make a couple passes into the wood pile area to get all of the tarp grasped by the grapple before lifting and backing the load out to another pile I am creating for the old tarps, that will eventually be grappled onto a trailer for a trip to the county dump. I then simply dig into the wood pile with the bucket, curl up a tiny bit and close the grapple. Works great. With the 710# rollover BB and this grapple bucket, the vast majority of my work will be accomplished. I also have a Piranah tooth bar coming for the regular bucket and feel that with these implements, along with the CID stump bucket, I will be able to accomplish anything I need to do. As soon as I get the wood pile moved and the old tarps loaded onto the trailer, my next project is to tear down a small, old rotting shed using the grapple bucket to push it over and then to grab the various structural components, separate them by grabbing one side and lifting, which should cause the attached corner to separate and then move to an area where I will simply cut the pieces into manageable sizes with a circular saw and reciprocating saw. I do not anticipate having to leave the tractor seat to get the shed down, separated and moved to the cutting area. This grapple is awesome and for any purpose other than just scooping up loose material or general digging (with the addition of a toothed bar), this grapple bucket will do far more work than a regular bucket with no grapple. And the best part is you do not have to leave the tractor seat, most of the time. I have also used it to load cut trees into as one would a regular bucket. During the last couple of loads that were just mainly small branches, I piled all I could get into the bucket by hand and closed the grapple to compress the branches, which made a lot more room for more branches before having to dump the load and probably saved several trips. The remotes are skid steer 1/2" flat face made in Italy. Bucket weight is ~ 550 pounds. All moveable joints have zerk fittings. The skid steer mounts mate well with my QA mounts and the bucket does not seem to have excess slop/movement noticed when driving nor using the bucket. As another poster noted, the electric/hydraulic switch is spring loaded and only moves the grapple while one's finger is depressing it and can be stopped at any position between full open and full closed. I am extremely pleased with this bucket design, quality and price.
