Grapple Bucket Improvement? Power Trac PT425

[FOURTEEN]

I was just wondering if adding a 1/4" X 3" plate to the Grapple teeth would improve it's performance when picking up small or loose material??

Stabilize and reinforce the teeth??

Provide a larger contact area on uneven materials like tree branches??

 

[FOURTEEN]

Picture.

 

[FOURTEEN]

Picture. Closed.

 

[J_J]

nice looking grapple bucket, but i think you are defeating the purpose of the grapple teeth, which is to dig in and hold, especially in picking up brush, etc.

j.j.

 

[FOURTEEN]

Good point. (no pun intended!)

In operation, do the teeth spear through the brush pile to grab it, or do the teeth and bucket surround the pile from above and below to keep the branches from slipping loose?

The 2nd action is for the plate to sweep the smaller stuff into the bucket as it closes, like a hand moves crumbs into a dust pan. That being done with the flat of the hand - not in a clawing action of 3 fingers.

The 3rd action is to pick up individual oddly shaped items in a pincher action where the item can be grabbed anywhere along the 3" X 45" plate, rather than by just hit or miss on 1 or 2 narrow teeth, such as trying to grab the end of a branch to remove it from a large pile.

The plate would not interfere with grabbing and holding a log, and would spread the downward force among all 3 teeth, even if only 1 tooth was in contact with the log.

The plate would reinforce the teeth laterally, the direction in which they are weakest, when an item is pulled to the side, or an uneven load twists in the jaws.

The negative aspect of the plate is that it spoils the prehistoric saber tooth tiger grin of the beast! Ever see a big cat with braces??!!?? But, if it works better, I could live with the wimp look!


PS: These are just the theoretical musings of an idle mind!! I do not own, and have never operated, a grapple!
But, if all goes well in Tasewell, I hope to rectify that situation in the near future!!

 

[FOURTEEN]

Would it help to cut out the sides of the bucket to allow the brush and logs to get deeper into the throat of the grapple bucket, and allow the lower lip of the bucket to get further under the pile without the sides pushing it away??

The bucket would be weaker if it was used for digging, but this setup is for gathering and moving brush piles and light logs. Perhaps some reinforcement along the bottom outer edges would help.

 

[J_J]

this is what i think a true grapple unit should look like.
i would not cut anything out of the bucket that is used for dirt or rocks.

j.j.

 

[CRJCaptain]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( this is what i think a true grapple unit should look like. )</font>

I believe what you speak of is commonly known as "grapple forks"...useful for picking up long logs or big boulders.

 

[FOURTEEN]

I've seen that style and think in some cases they would work fine. My only reservation is losing leaves and small stuff between the forks.

I'm thinking that the cutout bucket would slip under a pile like the forks, but not lose the little stuff.

Conversely, while attacking a large log, the bottom of the cut out bucket would reach far enough forward under the log to move it into it's throat, and prevent it from rolling forward as the lift begins.

I have moved many logs around the yard with a 2 wheeled hand cart like this: Lo . But, if the log is too large in diameter, it rolls forward and escapes as I start to lift it like this: LO .

It seems that each design has it's advantages and drawbacks. Perhaps we are asking too much for one grapple design to do everything well. For me it's cleaning up the forest floor as efficiently as possible.

But, the search for the perfect, or at least more perfect, Grapple goes on. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks for your critique.

PS: I purchased the large bucket, potato digger, and MiniHoe for the dirt work; and the grapple bucket, forks, and stump grinder for the forestry. The only dual purpose tool would be the MiniHoe, if I decide to rig a thumb for it, which, of course, would produce a new round of research! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[MossRoad]

Isn't that John's mini-hoe with thumb in that picture?