Grapple styles?

[JCoastie]

I went with a Homestead clam shell type, 60" ~310 pounds, AR450. Had it a few years, no complaints.

 

[mikester]

I started with a single lid clamshell and have upgraded to a twin lid long bottom style.

If you have the loader capacity the twin lid and long bottom works better for grappling everything IMHO.

Another benefit to the long bottom is if you are handling brush, the branches are a lot further away from your radiator. Get yourself a grill guard if you plan on handling brush.

Long bottom grapples work better for grabbing bunches of logs, firewood, rocks, better visibility.

Long bottom grapples are harder on your tractor because it pushes the load forwards. If you don't have the loader capacity the clamshell single lid will give you more lift capacity.

 

[oosik]

I think most everyone who has a grapple has their own technique. MY rock & root grapple does not work well - trying to "slide under" anything. It will pick up too much dirt and this dirt will not fall off.

I come over the object - rotate the grapple, straight down - drop the grapple down over the object and clamp shut. Then I rotate the object/grapple to an upright position. Works for me.

 

[ruffdog]

I come over the object - rotate the grapple, straight down - drop the grapple down over the object and clamp shut. Then I rotate the object/grapple to an upright position. Works for me.

Yep, that is what I do too. I can compress down and grab a big bunch of branches that way.

 

[LouNY]

I think most everyone who has a grapple has their own technique. MY rock & root grapple does not work well - trying to "slide under" anything. It will pick up too much dirt and this dirt will not fall off.

I come over the object - rotate the grapple, straight down - drop the grapple down over the object and clamp shut. Then I rotate the object/grapple to an upright position. Works for me.

That is how I have to operate mine as well, it tends to irritate me when I end up having to grab just one or if lucky two small logs at a time. I have the size and hydraulics to handle several 6-8 inch logs at time, getting just one and traveling to drop it and then travel back for another is aggravating to me.

 

[EddieWalker]

Any grapple is better then not having a grapple. Whatever you buy, you will adjust to it and figure out how to do what you need it to do.

Mine has two lids on it, which I think is very important when picking up a large variety of things. Stumps are probably the hardest to get ahold of, and having two lids gives me a better grip on them in my opinion. I also pick up a lot of branches and trees. Being able to have two lids allows me to hold it more solid since each lid closes as far as it can, and it's rarely the same.

 

[JCoastie]

That is how I have to operate mine as well, it tends to irritate me when I end up having to grab just one or if lucky two small logs at a time. I have the size and hydraulics to handle several 6-8 inch logs at time, getting just one and traveling to drop it and then travel back for another is aggravating to me.

odd, in my clamshell, I can easily carry (2) 10-12" logs at a time, 3 if they are smaller.
I do have to usually stack them to get 3 in there, with a smaller on on top of a pyramid. If a big one is at the top, then yes, the lid won't close down enough to grip the bottom log of 3, but stacked right, no problem with (3) ~8" logs, and 2 larger ones all day long with no issues.

 

[LouNY]

odd, in my clamshell, I can easily carry (2) 10-12" logs at a time, 3 if they are smaller.
I do have to usually stack them to get 3 in there, with a smaller on on top of a pyramid. If a big one is at the top, then yes, the lid won't close down enough to grip the bottom log of 3, but stacked right, no problem with (3) ~8" logs, and 2 larger ones all day long with no issues.

Lot different styles.

 

[oosik]

Lots of styles that work - everybody has the grapple that works best for them.

The one thing we can all agree on - having a grapple is far better than not.

My grapple has allowed me to take on projects that I would not even consider - without a grapple.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Any grapple is better then not having a grapple. Whatever you buy, you will adjust to it and figure out how to do what you need it to do.

Mine has two lids on it, which I think is very important when picking up a large variety of things. Stumps are probably the hardest to get ahold of, and having two lids gives me a better grip on them in my opinion. I also pick up a lot of branches and trees. Being able to have two lids allows me to hold it more solid since each lid closes as far as it can, and it's rarely the same.

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This!

I had both styles up until last year. Bought the first one after a hurricane in 2008. My daughter didn't have a grapple and I don't think she and son-in-law thought they really needed one. So I gave them the dual clamp, which I found works better for odd size loads, logs, etc. They had a lot of fence row cleaning and land clearing to do on a couple hundred acres. Needless to say they fell in love with it immediately. I found I could use either one for just about anything but yeah, some things work better with one or the other style. You will absolutely learn to use whichever one you get and will wonder how you ever survived without one.