A grapple for fabrication challenged folks like me

[VT_Kioti]

When last I posted, I was a bit dismayed by the fact that the grapple did not close all the way. This of course required some reengineering, something we non-fabricators are not known for. So I followed David Greene and PineRidge’s suggestion to rotate the tube forward. This worked and all is now well.
However, for those fabrication challenged folks like me, I would suggest following the procedures I have read here in others posts on this subject, the first time through. It will save you a lot of work.
Tack weld the pieces and then test as you go. If I were to do it again I would drill the cross brace and bolt the grapple mount to it. Then I would tack weld the end plates to the cross brace. Place the entire assembly on the bucket and drill one bolt hole in each side piece at the front top and bolt to the bucket. Mount the grapple and cylinder to it. Then, with the cylinder extended, tip the cross brace until the grapple touches the bottom of the bucket. Clamp and drill the remaining holes in the sides. After you are sure it works remove and weld it permanently
If you are like me, a beginning welder, you will find that the one weld that will be stronger than anything you have ever welded before is the one you have to take apart.

So here is the reengineered mount. Note the tip toward the front and the extended side plates. I had to add two inches to the bottoms to have enough to bolt on to the bucket.

 

[VT_Kioti]

The remounted grapple open.

 

[VT_Kioti]

The remounted grapple closed.

 

[VT_Kioti]

And finally, the grapple at work.

 

[VT_Kioti]

One more
And yes it does work very well. Mike, it is already my favorite addition to the tractor implements. That did not take long

 

[VT_Kioti]

Here is another shot of the joystick handle from WR Long I used. This handle makes using the grapple very easy.
I used ¾” wire loom from Radio Shack on the joystick because I wanted the wire protected. I tried tying the wire loom off with wire ties but did not like the looks of it. I ended up wrapping it with commercial black tape. I like the looks much better.
I slid a piece of ½” under the ¾” at the bottom of the joystick rod and ran it through a ½” hole I drilled behind the joystick boot. Using the small wire loom included in the kit from WR Long I covered the wire under the tractor and ran it inside the ½” loom for about 2 inches. I trapped it with a wire tie pulled tight. All wiring is enclosed in wire loom to protect it.
Note: I lengthened the remote handles 4” to make easier to control. Now I can feather the remote cylinders. Before they very hard to use and wanted to jump into the detents almost every time

 

[PineRidge]

Al I had full faith that you would work through your problem and figured that you would fall in love with the grapple once you had a chance to use it.

 

[trlong]

Al,

Very clean looking job and looks as though you now have it tweaked to perfection.

I know the 10 acre reclamation route. I'm at it, slowly, up here in Waterbury Center, VT.

I am trying to decide which way to go, first. I could add a grapple/thumb to my BH, or to the FEL. The BH is more versitile in the respect that I can reach off my started wood trails, pick up rocks or brush, and then swing it back onto the trail(s) and take it where needed. However, the FEL is more often, and more likely to be on the tractor, therefore used more often. The BH has more lift cabability though. In either event, with fairly narrow wood trails, I'll have to cut up any logs, or brush, to no more than 6-8' lengths or I won't make it up and around the trails without whacking into trees with materials extending more than a foot or two from either side of the FEL, or rear tires.

Any thoughts on this choice, and relative complexity of installation, would be appreciated. I'm leaning toward BH thumb, 1st, as the rocks and stumps need to go before a lot of the brush and small logs.

Again, GREAT JOB! And Mike, Kenny, Bob, et. al. are great resources, and obviously love to see others succeed!

Tom

 

[Highbeam]

I have used the machanical thumb on an excavator. Now it isn't quite as cool as a hydraulic thumb but you can certainly grab things with it and shake them. The mechanical thumb is pretty cheap too. Why not put one on for good measure.

Then to actually haul out big loads of material for disposal, the bucket grapple would work better.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Although I drool over FEL grapples, I have had 100% success with my el cleapo non-foldable (but removable with 2 bolts) mech. BH thumb. When I have a pile of brush/branches/trees, I just use my el cheapo bucket forks to haul it. The thumb and forks were both quick 'n' dirty projects that took a minimum of time but immediately produced the results I needed and continue to do so.