What to build? 72ft of 6" wide flat bar

Xfaxman · May 3, 2016

The gusset is to prevent the top lip from bending, like this shop made fork frame did.

IslandTractor · May 3, 2016

Xfaxman said:
The gusset is to prevent the top lip from bending, like this shop made fork frame did.

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If that is so, why don't we see them on all standard buckets and all grapples etc. I can imagine that perhaps a monster skidsteer could bend the ssqa adapter but a CUT????

myyaz33 · May 3, 2016

IslandTractor said:
If that is so, why don't we see them on all standard buckets and all grapples etc. I can imagine that perhaps a monster skidsteer could bend the ssqa adapter but a CUT????

I don't know why, but I'd say in looking at grapple designs I found more had them than didn't. Many of them incorporate the lid hinge bracket as the gusset. I see Wildkat and EA do it on most grapples. Like I said, bottom line for me was it added a few ounces and felt it was worth doing on my first fabrication project.

IslandTractor · May 3, 2016

myyaz33 said:
I don't know why, but I'd say in looking at grapple designs I found more had them than didn't. Many of them incorporate the lid hinge bracket as the gusset. I see Wildkat and EA do it on most grapples. Like I said, bottom line for me was it added a few ounces and felt it was worth doing on my first fabrication project.

Please be clear that I'm not criticizing at all. I just hadn't seen such gussets used before so am interested in why some use them and most don't.

Xfaxman · May 3, 2016

IslandTractor said:
Please be clear that I'm not criticizing at all. I just hadn't seen such gussets used before so am interested in why some use them and most don't.

I think that you are right about the size of the machine.

The Bobcat one cubic yard bucket has reinforcement to prevent the top lip from bending:

The Monster Grapple:

The Blue Diamond stump bucket:

IslandTractor · May 3, 2016

Those implements all look pretty beefy and likely designed for skid steers. As you implied, maybe that's where the gussets are necessary.

There is no way that my 5000lb CUT with 2700lb lift can destroy the SSQA mount on my light duty 48" grapple. However, a 100hp skidsteer with a pissed off idiot employee at the controls could certainly rip it apart.