Grapple Grapple: 2thumbs or 1?

Slippy · Oct 23, 2006

I have been reading the posts on grapples for days and there certainly is a lot of good information. I hope your not saying, oh no, not another grapple post. But I don't remember one post where someone has said they don't like their grapple.

My question at this point is: What are the advantages v disadvantages of a two thumb v a one thumb grapple. In the two thumb grapple I like the Markham, Millonzi, and Rootgrapple. I anticipate that having two thumbs allows for closing down on uneven loads. I can anticipate that the one thumb will give more coverage on top and holding more smaller material.
The one thumbs I have considered are Long, ATI, Worksaver, and Anbo.
Thoughts, comments, experience, pros, cons, all are appriciated. All of the ones I am looking at are root grapples, not bucket grapples.

I have also noticed different designs in the teeth themselves. Some use a tooth looking bar, some have arrow head, and some are tappered flat steel.
thoughts, uses, pros, cons.
I appriciate your endulgence in one more grapple post.
Thanks.

MrJimi · Oct 24, 2006

I would say width of bucket and width of grapple? I have a 73" wide bucket and I would like 2. Then I have a 15 inch wide tree scoop that I want to make a smaller one for it, pictures in my gallery
Jim

jrock · Oct 24, 2006

Dont forget Bradco. I have the 72inch Root Grapple and it is one tough
unit.

Bradco

BTI · Oct 24, 2006

I like the 2 thumb myself.
Unusual sized material would fit better and if nothing else it wouldn't "tweak" the grapple if it was 2 thumbed.
I have noticed a big difference in grapples.
Some have a bigger bottom "lip" so to speak, with a same sized top "lip", others use a smaller bottom "lip" with a larger top "lip".

Alot of weight differences also.

BTI

leeinmemphis · Oct 25, 2006

I've got the vernig grapple bucket and I haven't encountered anything that I haven't been able to pick up even though I only have one thumb. That bucket has saved me so much time that I can't even begin to think about how long it would have taken without it.

IslandTractor · Oct 25, 2006

I have a single jaw on a 48" root grapple and am perfectly happy with it. There is nothing I have not been able to pick up and I cannot figure out what shape would require two arms to hold. I'd also say that I can pick up enough "stuff" with the 48" grapple to overload my FEL which can lift 1070lbs at pivot pins to full height. I can pick up enough stuff that there is no way I can see where I am going except by lifting the grapple higher and looking underneath it periodically. I would imagine a 48" grapple is all most CUTs really need. Of course there is brush/tree/stump hanging over the sides sometimes but the point is that material is captured and held securely. My point is that you don't need a grapple width identical to your FEL bucket width and for most uses 48" is all you need. If you can do the job with a grapple that costs about $650, why spend more?

Slippy · Oct 25, 2006

All good thoughts. The only reason I can think to get wider is when I am using it to clear trails. It would be the width of the trail and one pass in most cases would do it rather than backing up and getting the other side. But as far a clean up, good point and why eat up the extra weight in grapple rather than brush.

PineRidge · Oct 26, 2006

leeinmemphis said:
I've got the vernig grapple bucket and I haven't encountered anything that I haven't been able to pick up even though I only have one thumb. That bucket has saved me so much time that I can't even begin to think about how long it would have taken without it.

Unrelated question: I noticed the front of your canopy much lower that the back. When it rains doesn't the water shed off, hit the top of the instrument cluster, and end up in your lap?

Maybe you don't work in the rain like I do.