A question of grapples

[ning]

I've owned two styles of grapple.

Don't get hung up on jaw opening dimensions. My old single lid clamshell root rake had a wider opening but my long bottom twin lid grapple will grab twice as much brush and pick and handle heavier loads than the clamshell ever could.

The long bottom grapple has a big advantage of grabbing brush from further away from your radiator grill. That might actually be a minus on smaller machines with limited lift capacity.

The long bottom is also better at grabbing piles of logs. It will also carry larger bunches of logs than the single lid clamshell ever could.

If you have limited lift capacity the single lid clamshell is going to work better for your machine. Grabbing more is meaningless if you can't lift your grab.

My tractor has a pretty high lift capacity, far more than will likely ever be tested by with a grapple by me, particularly as there are few really big trees and I have no intentions of cutting them. Most of my land clearing involves 0-6" trunks; for me it's more a matter of volume.

 

[2manyrocks]

I've tried a couple of things to deal with the volume issue. One was to use the grapple to load my 16' utility trailer to pull a bigger load from point A to point B. Another thing I tried was to pile brush on top of a cattle panel that had been cut down to about 10' long to use as a brush drag sled which in some respects I'd liked more because it seemed easier to unload and there was no hitching/unhitching involved. I laid a piece of sisal rope over the panel before piling brush on it, and then tied the rope around the brush after loading and compacting it on the panel.

 

[Hay Dude]

If you are going to get a grapple, and I use mine often on my BX2680, make sure and put an expanded metal brush guard insert on your front brush guard to protect your radiator. If not it’s not if you will put a limb through the radiator it’s when

Thank you for your distinguished service to our country.
Would love to see you start a thread with some of your experiences as a distinguished military aviator.
Thanks,
HD

 

[Rustyiron]

I have a long bottom twin lid, for over 20 years. A technique that I've learned for grabbing an unimaginable pile of brush is to "roll" your pile. Grapple wide open and a bottom tines @ about 45* just skimming the ground under the pile.
It seems to consolidate the pile after 1 or 2 "rolls".
I usually build my piles where I can allow this rolling space and it's mostly limbs from trimming or removing a tree for firewood.
I'll cut everything at around 14' and alternate to small ends of the branches.
Give it a try.
You're varied equipment and materials make a blanket statement for a particular techniques success is impossible, but I find this rolling works often.

 

[newbury]

I laid a piece of sisal rope over the panel before piling brush on it, and then tied the rope around the brush after loading and compacting it on the panel.

This is 1 step above what I have done.
I had a LOT of cut saplings and cut bamboo to move soon after I got my B7610. Being a spendthrift I chose the method the OP mentioned at first. I bought a pair of clamp on forks ($119 IIRC) and I had a bunch of HF 15' 3/8 chain (~$10).
I'd lay the bucket w/forks down, stretch out 2 chains hooked on the bucket.
Pile the saplings/bamboo on until I couldn't see the tractor.
Hook the chains back over the pile.
Tried using rope or twine to tie bundles, just not as effective.
An 8' cattle panel would sure have helped.

 

[BackRoad]

Folks that have and use a particular style will often say it's the best.

Whatever style you get, it should be a game changer for you. There is very little manual brush work required once you find out how to use it effectively.

You'll need a 3rd function control if you don't have one.

For my requirements, the root rake style works very well for pasture restoration, digging out brush, vines, invasives, trees and dealing with slash piles. It will easily crunch down and pick up a 6 foot high pile of brush, though a lot of that is learned operator technique.

I know some on the forum who work alot with logs to harvest for lumber or firewood mention preferring the fork style grapple.

Pictured is a root style grapple.

 

[oosik]

My Land Pride grapple is slightly narrower than the width across my front tires. This means I can not see the grapple as I attempt to scoop.

I have developed a technique to overcome this. For chunks of tree trunk or large rocks - I come straight down with jaws open. Clamp tight on the object - rotate to the full upright position - carry on.

I will use the upper lid to drag brush into a pile. Then use the same technique as with tree trunks or large rocks.

The grapple and tractor are so heavy - if I try driving forward and scooping - I can't "feel" where the lower lid is. Many times I will end up scooping yards and yards of green grass sod and dirt along with what I actually want to scoop.

 

[Bearsixty7]

One of the best built and lightest grapples are being built again,

https://www.(Temporarily blocked du...der-Root-Grapples-Root-Rake-Grapples-s/64.htm

You probably want the 55" or 60" grapple.