FEL Grapple from Scratch W/ Lots-O-Pics

[GuglioLS]

I know, I know - this is the 10 millionth Grapple project I hope it's a little different / Unique? in some way, so I will try to keep your attention with some entertainment.

During Rob's (3RRL) visit here with me in New Mexico. He said I needed to install a grapple on my FEL. So who am I to argue that? - Having no choice but to say yes, he took it upon himself to design a custom grapple to fit my Koyker 160 FEL bucket from a hand sketched drawing I made on a used crumpled napkin.

After a couple of design prototypes (I kept asking for the impossible) Here are the drawings Rob sent for my final stamp of approval: (Click on any of the thumbnail pictures for a full size image. They will automatically open in a new window, none are more than ~ 50 K in size.)




Notice he has designed in a stop on the end of the jaw to keep the jaws from going past TDC. I thought that was a clever idea. The Jaws look sleek with just the right about of curve, very functional and pleasing to the eye, what do you think?

Rob completed the exact detail of every part in auto-CAD. After he sends me the drawings in electronic format, I'll take them to my local CNC plasma cutter dude, and have them cut from 3/8" plate steel.

The tough part was I wanted the jaws to open wide enough so the jaw tips would be behind the vertical plane of the front cutting edge of the bucket, no surprise he was able pull it off!

Rob believes this is the final installment for 9 minutes of my time to fix the bad ground on his tractor (Of course I had to fly out to California, then drive 6 hours to get to his place). His gratitude keeps overflowing, even though he designed and built the gear box for my back blade, then flew out here as slave labor to help rebuild my Bull Dozer, then plan, survey and help cut in my new road. I guess he feels sorry for me because I have suffered the misfortune of not having a grapple for such a long time it's pathetic - what a guy, I sure am fortunate to have him as a friend.

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

After Rob sent me the plans, I called the plasma cutter dude to get an estimate on cost, he told me the plasma cutter got struck by lightning and was fried. I offered to go down there take a look see and maybe fix it - might be good for a few $ off ?

In the mean time, here are a few of the parts I ordered and received from Surplus center for the hydraulics:



A cylinder, open center solenoid with sub-plate and connectors, some miscellaneous fittings and a few momentary rocker switches.

I have been looking all over creation for a joystick handle with a toggle switch when I finally stumbled across this:

Which one?
This one ? Or this one? -

That last handle is just too cool, you could wire one up for rocket launchers, and even have it make coffee for you. There would even be enough buttons left over for an ejection seat to bail you out of those extreme pucker factor situations.

I ordered the two button model without a trigger to keep it simple and low cost, with a 10mm X 1.5 thread pitch mount bushing.

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

I took Rob's Auto Cad files down to the Plasma cutter, imported the file, verifed all dimensions, then arranged the pieces in the smallest size possible.

Here is the result:



They all fit in a 25"X48" footprint, this will keep material costs to a minimum.

While I was there, I did quite a bit of work for them, I looked at all the equipment that was damaged by the lightning strike last week. I found what was fried on the Plasma Therm Plasma cutter. I will pick up the parts and fix it for them. The computer that operates the X-Y-Z table for the cutter has a fried power supply. I moved the Hard drive over to a replacement computer and got all their old files restored. Then I filled out damage reports for them to file insurance claims for repairs and replacement of some other equipment. So I was in a good position to make a trade.


Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

OK - update on todays progress, I got their Plasma cutter back on-line. They were so happy, they knocked out the grapple parts first thing to test it all out.

Just look at the clean cut it makes in this 1/2" plate!: _____These are the Jaw tip braces cut from 1/4" plate:

_____________________________________________

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

This is the Computer Controlled Plasma cutter, I uploaded Rob's CAD file onto the hard drive, then all the pieces were arranged to fit, Then set the burn through (start of cut) then tag the order they would be cut - holes first!

Upper right is my electronics tool box Holes being cut:

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Here you can see the outline of the grapple jaws starting to take shape.

Just look how crisp the edges are coming out:



Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Three of four jaws complete. Now it's on to small brackets:

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

All the small brackets are now complete, the last jaw is now being cut in the top of the photo.

All done !

It took roughly 20 minutes to burn through all that steel.

Larry

 

[Bill Barrett]

How many amp is that plasma cutter? Clean cut in 1/2" And what did the lightning fry?

 

[GuglioLS]

First pic is a close up of the smaller bracket parts. After all the cuts were complete, & while the metal was still hot, we tapped out all the parts and knocked off the slag. Middle pic is the negative. In the far right pic is the final stack of parts, notice how the jaws stack up and overlay each other perfectly? I forgot to line up all the small parts, but they came out just as perfect.


Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for asking -

How many amp is that plasma cutter? Clean cut in 1/2" And what did the lightning fry?

Up to 55 amps, think they had it set on 45 for the 1/2" plate. ~40 amp for the 3/8" & ~35 for the 1/4". In the Plasma cutter, The lightning fried 2 high current diodes & a variable resistor (the one that sets the current). In the computer that controls the X-Y-Z table the power supply was totaly cooked.



As a bonus to further enhance this thread, I took a few video clips of the plasma cutter in action. This one is cutting the outline of a jaw:




In this clip, the last cut is completed, the torch raises and the table goes to the home position so we could remove the work piece and tap out all the parts:



I need to cut a few more basic parts out in my home shop on the band saw, then bore out a few holes on the plasma cut parts so as to get a little closer tolerance. Other than that, assembly, clamping and test fitting should be pretty straight forward.

So what does everyone think so far?

That's all for now, I'll post a little more later after I get some machining done.

Larry

 

[Ductape]

Since i know he will read this thread, i'm formally insisting Rob fly east to New Hampshire for a visit. Larry, you are welcome to come along too !!!!

 

[GuglioLS]

Since i know he will read this thread, I'm formally insisting Rob fly east to New Hampshire for a visit. Larry, you are welcome to come along too !!!!

Ductape - Yep, Rob (3RRL) will catch up on this soon, Right now He's up at his three rivers camp checking out his new home build & installing chain guards on his rotary cutter. I imagine we should hear from him late Sunday evening. I appreciate the invite to tag along with him to visit you, it would be a lot of fun. When are you going to buy us the tickets?

Larry

 

[curly]

Wow, that is so cool.

 

[glmf]

Nice job, keep us posted on your project please. If Rob makes a visit to New Hampshire, I am just across the way in Maine and feel a visit to Vacationland is in order! Thanks for the posts

 

[shaley]

I've got a couple of extra switch housing left over if you want one. I'ts just 1x1x0.070 tube cut and folded and welded and zinc palted. I needed a switch I could use with work gloves on. I don't have any of the PB switches but they are available from ITW about 5.00/ea.

 

[Ductape]

Ductape - Yep, Rob (3RRL) will catch up on this soon, Right now He's up at his three rivers camp checking out his new home build & installing chain guards on his rotary cutter. I imagine we should hear from him late Sunday evening. I appreciate the invite to tag along with him to visit you, it would be a lot of fun. When are you going to buy us the tickets?

Larry

Larry,
I have been saving up change in a big jar for a special occaision..... this may be it ! All that knowledge and ingenuity (myself excluded) in one room, i'm not sure my house could contain it. Airfare would be a bargain for that. In fact, i'd throw in a lobster dinner (perhaps that would be the trip to Maine?). We can start with a grapple for my tractor.... but there are plenty of other projects i could come up with when you two get bored. I can see by reading threads by both of you that niether of you sits still for long ! Looking forward to more pics of your grapple project.... BTW, if that plasma were mine, i'd have gladly cut your steel for free !


Scott

 

[GuglioLS]

Steve (shaley),

Thats a mighty fine switch assembly you fabricated. Thanks for the generous offer. I ordered that two button joystick handle on page one of this thread, so I should be all set. Thank you much!

Scott (Ductape):

I have been saving up change in a big jar for a special occaision.......

HaHaHa - I hope it's a really BIG jar! LOL, a Maine Lobster dinner sounds mighty fine too.

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Latest progress report:

After stacking similar brackets four at a time, I went through them with a 1" drill bit. The plasma cuts have a taper, so this had to be done to true up the holes.



After completing the 1" holes, it was time to stack the jaws, then index them to center. The holes in the jaws are 1.5" dia so that a piece of 1.0" ID x 1.5" OD, DOM - Drawn Over Mandrel (seamless tubing) can be inserted then welded in place. This is a feature that Rob engineered into the jaw hinges to improve strength.




The 1.5" holes in the jaws will be bored out with a ....boring bar. I've never done this before, I consulted Rob about this he said to "index" on the center - whatever that means, then go as slow as possible, so here goes:



Well not too bad they came out all right and nothing broke, so I guess I done good?



It took several passes, increasing the cut diameter a little at a time for each cut till I got close to test fit the DOM:



It fits, I was hoping for a press fit but will have to settle for a slip fit. Not a problem as I have an idea how to clamp them into position for welding.



Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Next was to cut two pieces of 2" x 2" x 1/4" wall square tubing @ 24" long to span the jaws for support & to attach the cylinder clevis brackets:



Then I needed two pieces of DOM seamless tubing @ 2.395" long for the jaws. Turns out the 3/8" plate is really .395 think vs a nominal .375 so that's cool, the plate is thicker and a little stronger.




After finishing the DOM band saw cuts it was time to insert them into the jaw, clamp then weld. I made the DOM 2.395 long - this was a variation from the Rob's design - I cleared it with him so it's OK. I did this because I knew I had to clamp that DOM and wanted it to be good a square to the surface of the Jaw plates.
Since the plate is .395 thick I went with 2.395 on the DOM that way there was exactly 1" of DOM protrusion on either side of the Jaw which made it very easy to clamp.



I used 1" thick scrap on the both sides of the DOM and some 1/4" scrap to span the face of the DOM like this to make it perfectly square for welding into position:




Larry

After welding, they came nice and square:



I test fit the jaws to see how the brackets are going to work out:



Not to shabby, in fact perfect fit, Between Rob's great design and the decent plasma cuts, It's actually going to work out quite nice




Larry