FEL Bucket vs Brush Grapple

[HillStreet]

Hi All,

I have a Kubota B2650HST with FEL bucket. I need to remove about 150 apple trees and replace them with newer varieties. I can cut the trees into larger brush lengths and cut the trunk to 18 inch lengths. I have plenty of room to push brush with the FEL bucket. I don稚 want to buy a grapple because it is one time use. Any thoughts?

 

[nybirdman]

At the minimum add a tooth-bar($150 or so)much easier to scrape branches off the ground.With just the bucket edge you will just be pushing them around.I think you would find a "thumb" a huge advantage and many uses down the road.You would increase your bucket volume by 3X.
Biggest expense is the hydraulics to run it.

 

[HillStreet]

Thanks bird man. I am looking at tooth bars now and think that would be a good item. I know a thumb would be handy but it is only one time. Once I get these trees down and replanted, I wont need it any longer.

 

[ovrszd]

I say this with love and respect. Wonder how we did it before we had a loader?

Cut them into whatever size you can handle and start loading/stacking by hand.

I cleared my 20 acres with a Super C Farmall and no loader. In my case I left them whole and dragged them away to the burn pile.

 

[HillStreet]

I know what you mean ovrszd, we get spoiled by the buckets. I am clearing two acres of apple trees that are overgrown and close. I have been cutting with the chain saw to clear all limbs while the tree is standing, then cut the trunk down and into firewood length. That leaves just the stump and brush.

I can push the brush to the burn pile without too much trouble but am afraid of brush/limbs getting caught under or over the tractor and wrecking things. I think just a little bit at a time will do it. Once I get a larger area cleared to have some room I can keep going. Should only be a weeks work, that’s why I don’t want to but a grapple.

 

[oosik]

I can see your thinking. Just a one time thing - the grapple and required hydraulics/electricals are expensive. Some form of tooth bar on the bucket will definitely help with the collecting/pushing business.

Before I had my grapple I cleared a two acre orchard. Everything cut to 72" or less and loaded into the tractor bucket. Its slow but it does work.

 

[flingwing1969]

Hi All,

I have a Kubota B2650HST with FEL bucket. I need to remove about 150 apple trees and replace them with newer varieties. I can cut the trees into larger brush lengths and cut the trunk to 18 inch lengths. I have plenty of room to push brush with the FEL bucket. I don稚 want to buy a grapple because it is one time use. Any thoughts?

Consider buying a pair of forks as you will use them often for many tasks, never a one-time use item like a grapple might be. Easy to build a set of brush forks that slip over the two main forks. Mine are buried under snow right now but maybe this rough drawing gives you an idea of how I built mine.

Pushing your brush around will add a lot of dirt to your debris pile and make burning it difficult. Here is a photo of my debris forks in action lifting a pile of dry pine needles.

 

[mcfarmall]

I think the grapple is like the 4 1/2" grinder. Years ago I thought, "Why should I buy that grinder? I'm only going to use it once to sharpen my lawnmower blades." Well, I bought the grinder and have used the daylights out of it for countless tasks. Aside from the cordless drill, it's the second most popular power tool in my arsenal.

I think you might find many more uses for the grapple than you can imagine at this point. For moving brush, I like the Worksaver Manure fork. It has a solid back plate where it attaches to the loader frame (keeps sticks from poking through and into the grille/radiator area) and it's lightweight. I point the tines toward the ground and proceed slowly...works like a giant heavy duty rake. They are available with or without a grapple function.

 

[flingwing1969]

I think the grapple is like the 4 1/2" grinder. Years ago I thought, "Why should I buy that grinder? I'm only going to use it once to sharpen my lawnmower blades." Well, I bought the grinder and have used the daylights out of it for countless tasks. Aside from the cordless drill, it's the second most popular power tool in my arsenal.

I think you might find many more uses for the grapple than you can imagine at this point. For moving brush, I like the Worksaver Manure fork. It has a solid back plate where it attaches to the loader frame (keeps sticks from poking through and into the grille/radiator area) and it's lightweight. I point the tines toward the ground and proceed slowly...works like a giant heavy duty rake. They are available with or without a grapple function.

My friend has a grapple on his Bobcat and uses it all the time - he has forks as well but finds the grapple to be his favorite tool for moving stuff. The skid steers have more powerful hydraulic pumps (in general) than do our CUTS so having that heavy attachment out front all the time is less of an issue than I would have. I have a 4n1 and it is a touch heavier than I would like for my CUT but still very useful when I need it. If I got a "heck of a deal" on a grapple, I would likely buy one but my forks work nicely. The real benefit I've seen for the grapple for brush is the ability to open the jaws "dump" them and lower them over a pile (like on a trailer) then grab the pile and lift. I can't do that with the forks and a trailer often has a pesky fender in the way for sliding under the load.

 

[teg]

There are a few people who made light weight forks out of wood. I made a set out of steel that worked great for brush piles... once I got the grapple, I've let the weeds cover it up. If you want it, let me know, I think I can still find them

 

[HillStreet]

I can see your thinking. Just a one time thing - the grapple and required hydraulics/electricals are expensive. Some form of tooth bar on the bucket will definitely help with the collecting/pushing business.

Before I had my grapple I cleared a two acre orchard. Everything cut to 72" or less and loaded into the tractor bucket. Its slow but it does work.

Just curious oosik , did you replant the orchard or just use the land for other purposes. I am replanting about 2 acres with somewhere around 300 apple trees, one more year and I知 done.

 

[oosik]

WOW!!! You have a REAL orchard - I have a hobby. There were 18 various types of apple trees on the two acres. Age(30 years) and a rare form of damage - South West Damage - finally killed all the trees. I replanted with four trees. It gives me enough apples - I share with the mule deer and raccoons - its kind of a three way split.

South West damage is actually a mechanical thing. The prevailing wind is out of the SW about 85% of the time. Over many years it will actually damage the bark on fruit trees on the SW side of the tree. It is magnified by the damage the little sap sucker type wood peckers will do to the tree also. The end result is the bark will slowly peel off the SW side of the tree - eventually killing the tree. I have my four new trees wrapped in a burlap type tree wrap which should solve these problems - sap suckers and SW damage.

 

[HillStreet]

WOW!!! You have a REAL orchard - I have a hobby. There were 18 various types of apple trees on the two acres. Age(30 years) and a rare form of damage - South West Damage - finally killed all the trees. I replanted with four trees. It gives me enough apples - I share with the mule deer and raccoons - its kind of a three way split.

South West damage is actually a mechanical thing. The prevailing wind is out of the SW about 85% of the time. Over many years it will actually damage the bark on fruit trees on the SW side of the tree. It is magnified by the damage the little sap sucker type wood peckers will do to the tree also. The end result is the bark will slowly peel off the SW side of the tree - eventually killing the tree. I have my four new trees wrapped in a burlap type tree wrap which should solve these problems - sap suckers and SW damage.

Oosik, it is a real orchard. They family that operated it for decades partially retired, the younger generation still operates a store but obtains apples from other of their properties. I am going to stop at 300 trees of the popular varieties. Also have 300 blueberry bushes and an acre of pumpkins. Two bee hives next spring too. It is fun because I am retired and have something to do.

The University told me I would be better off just to replace the trees as the ones here are overgrown and have vines growing all over the place. That is why I’m taking down the trees, of which there are about 1000. I will remove 300 and replace them, the other trees are fine, nice blossoms in the spring. I could sell that part of the orchard but I wish that it just remain trees.

I think this whole “farm” thing is going to work just fine once things start to grow.

 

[oosik]

HillStreet - I have another problem with ALL trees planted here. The #$%@ pocket gophers. They will eat the roots on a newly planted tree back to where it looks like a cigar. I've put "gopher cages" around the four new trees.

Over the 35 years here - we have lost at least 60 to 70 percent of all new trees to pocket gophers.

Never even heard of gopher cages until I planted these trees. Its a miracle that all four are still alive and kicking.

 

[Captain Dirty]

Hi All,

. . . I have plenty of room to push brush with the FEL bucket. I don稚 want to buy a grapple because it is one time use. Any thoughts?

I'm with Birdman and Flingwing. I bought my tractor with a toothbar as the "poor man's grapple". It worked well for moving brush short distances (like off the trail) and increased the number of logs I could carry in the FEL bucket. About 3 years later I bought QA forks, ostensively to transplant a 40 year-old bird's nest spruce with an 8' crown that nursery pros backed away from (another saga in itself), and now view the forks like Mcfarmall's grinder. The forks will carry a lot more brush than the bucket and toothbar; I can pick up boulders too large or awkward to fit in the bucket; if I cannot lift the boulder I can skid it using the forks as runners faster and with less ground damage than rolling the boulder; I don't have to pay for lift gate service; the list goes on and on. NOTE: I bought forks rated for more weight than the FEL could lift rationalizing the durability of the more robust forks, given the abuse I was likely to heap upon them, would outweigh the reduction in lift capacity owing to the heavier forks.

Captain Dirty

 

[Coyote machine]

Hi All,

I have a Kubota B2650HST with FEL bucket. I need to remove about 150 apple trees and replace them with newer varieties. I can cut the trees into larger brush lengths and cut the trunk to 18 inch lengths. I have plenty of room to push brush with the FEL bucket. I don稚 want to buy a grapple because it is one time use. Any thoughts?

How 'bout a Ratchet Rake? Study the original RR and the newer version 'Forestry Rake' adaptation at same cost as original, at the following link:

Ratchet Rake, LLC - Rip and Dig, All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety, Home fire safety, Fire prevention, John Deere, skid steer attachment, tractor implement

I have one from a number of years ago, when they first came out. I used it mostly on my gravel drive. I later bought a Igland GR-20 Log Grapple and Titan Tree Shear for other uses.

I suggest watching the web site videos to see if you think it would serve your purposes. I would sell you mine if you can wait 'till after April 20th, when I return to VT. You'd either have to travel to VT to pick it up or pay to ship it to your location. If interested, PM me.

 

[newbury]

I can see your thinking. Just a one time thing - the grapple and required hydraulics/electricals are expensive. Some form of tooth bar on the bucket will definitely help with the collecting/pushing business.

Before I had my grapple I cleared a two acre orchard. Everything cut to 72" or less and loaded into the tractor bucket. Its slow but it does work.

Before I had a tractor I cleared about 3 acres of thornapples by hand with my Father and Grandfather. Yes it worked, but was not pleasant.

Hi All,

I have a Kubota B2650HST with FEL bucket. I need to remove about 150 apple trees and replace them with newer varieties. I can cut the trees into larger brush lengths and cut the trunk to 18 inch lengths. I have plenty of room to push brush with the FEL bucket. I don稚 want to buy a grapple because it is one time use. Any thoughts?

My solution was a pair or two of clamp on forks and a chain to wrap around the bundle.

 

[flingwing1969]

I'm with Birdman and Flingwing. I bought my tractor with a toothbar as the "poor man's grapple". It worked well for moving brush short distances (like off the trail) and increased the number of logs I could carry in the FEL bucket. About 3 years later I bought QA forks, ostensively to transplant a 40 year-old bird's nest spruce with an 8' crown that nursery pros backed away from (another saga in itself), and now view the forks like Mcfarmall's grinder. The forks will carry a lot more brush than the bucket and toothbar; I can pick up boulders too large or awkward to fit in the bucket; if I cannot lift the boulder I can skid it using the forks as runners faster and with less ground damage than rolling the boulder; I don't have to pay for lift gate service; the list goes on and on. NOTE: I bought forks rated for more weight than the FEL could lift rationalizing the durability of the more robust forks, given the abuse I was likely to heap upon them, would outweigh the reduction in lift capacity owing to the heavier forks.

Captain Dirty

With my handmade brush attachment (30 seconds to put it on or take it off, if a dawdle) I can easily carry three times the brush as my friend can with his grapple.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I think the grapple is like the 4 1/2" grinder. Years ago I thought, "Why should I buy that grinder? I'm only going to use it once to sharpen my lawnmower blades." Well, I bought the grinder and have used the daylights out of it for countless tasks. Aside from the cordless drill, it's the second most popular power tool in my arsenal.

I think you might find many more uses for the grapple than you can imagine at this point. For moving brush, I like the Worksaver Manure fork. It has a solid back plate where it attaches to the loader frame (keeps sticks from poking through and into the grille/radiator area) and it's lightweight. I point the tines toward the ground and proceed slowly...works like a giant heavy duty rake. They are available with or without a grapple function.

It is a vicious cycle isn't it!

Years ago we had a lumbering 2 wheel drive tractor, and while it had a loader we never used it because it was almost useless. Then we got a 4x4 Kubota and thought we were chopping some tall corn then. Two years ago I bought a log trailer and felt guilty afterwards because it was a lot of money "just to move wood".

Hardly...I use it to do everything from grade logging roads, to split my firewood, to haul gravel and even put in fence posts.

I recently built a feller-buncher head for it and now it cuts the saplings and limbs down, swings it onto the trailer and I am off and running. I am not saying everyone should get one, but it really amazes me how far we have come in terms of working around the farm. I get so much more done,and so much faster!

 

[tmc_31]

Hillstreet, if you have rear remote hydraulics on your tractor you can buy two long hyd hoses with the correct ends that will reach from the remotes to the grapple at the front of the tractor. Then just rent a grapple. Not a whole lot of cash outlay and as said before, you might find other uses for the grapple that make purchase a viable option

Tim