Grapple project OPEN SOURCE

   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE #122  
Cool project. In Canada, the price of implements are ridiculous, definitely an advantage to building your own.
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE #123  
Oh ok, this is formula I think: Force = Initial pressure * (3.14 * diameter of cylinder^2)/4
So yes almost 11000 with 2.5", 7065 with 2"



Ok, I am back so many days without electricity. Too excusted to do anything, so many things to catch up. But I will finish that thing, it will be sooo useful. I have so much brush everywhere.
I need a little help. Can someone put a link of the pivot pin One that can take grease? I think I am slow, I cannot find it. Or else I will use just plain bolts. :(

The hinges of my grapple has solid pins, a washer welded on one end and other drilled for lynch pin. The tube of the hinge has a grease fitting at the middle.
My cylinders have greasable pivot pins. Not sure the source.
A lot of loaders have pins that are greasable through the pin (end has grease fitting) you may have to go to tractor dealer and look at their loaders and see if there is a pin you can adapt. This will be expense, probably cheaper to have a machine shop make you greasable pins
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE #125  
The hinges of my grapple has solid pins, a washer welded on one end and other drilled for lynch pin. The tube of the hinge has a grease fitting at the middle.
My cylinders have greasable pivot pins. Not sure the source.
A lot of loaders have pins that are greasable through the pin (end has grease fitting) you may have to go to tractor dealer and look at their loaders and see if there is a pin you can adapt. This will be expense, probably cheaper to have a machine shop make you greasable pins

I prefer your style and consider them stronger.
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE #126  
Sorry, I'm a little bit late to this conversation. I just saw this thread and read a few of the early posts and thought I'd add my 2 cents. I'm kind of coming at this from a slightly different angle. I have a Kubota M4700 with a LA1001 FL. I have screw on (pinch) forks that I have used for years for carrying brush to and fro. A few years ago I had the dealer add a grapple to the loader and have this kind of frankenstein set up that has worked OK for some time.

Finally, I am converting my loader to skid steer hookup. I am removing the bucket, attaching a SS hookup plate and installing a SS plate to the bucket. With this conversion, I will be taking my forks and grapple and creating a new more (brush-centric?) efficient setup. I have been looking at many images of brush/root grapples on the internets and believe I will end up with a far better setup than I currently have. I will post pictures of the completed unit and will be happy to share any info I learn along the way...
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE
  • Thread Starter
#127  
The hinges of my grapple has solid pins, a washer welded on one end and other drilled for lynch pin. The tube of the hinge has a grease fitting at the middle.
My cylinders have greasable pivot pins. Not sure the source.
A lot of loaders have pins that are greasable through the pin (end has grease fitting) you may have to go to tractor dealer and look at their loaders and see if there is a pin you can adapt. This will be expense, probably cheaper to have a machine shop make you greasable pins

I would like something that will be easy replicable. Something that whoever wants to replicate it, will see the link, and just buy it. I want to avoid that route that you mention. Thanks for your input, but I want to make it as easy as possible for someone that wants to copy this design.
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE #128  
Easiest is solid pins, and drilled bushings. For the cheapest SAE grease fittings, available at any auto parts store, the drill is 7/32, and the tap is 1/4-28. You can drill with a corded or cordless hand drill. You will need a tap handle, but you can get those at hardware stores or HF. Try to find a HSS tap instead of HC (carbon steel) which break easier.

There are metric thread grease fittings which should be just as easy, but I don't know the tap and drill sizes off the top of my head. There is a lso a size fitting that uses 1/8" pipe thread, but a straight thread is probably easier to find. And lastly, there is a type of grease fitting that you just pound in a drilled hole, but I have never used them...my local stores carry the threaded ones.
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE #129  
The drive in fittings are ok until they pop out or you need to replace one, then they won't stay in as well and you end up threading the hole anyway.

For pins and bushings I buy that kind of stuff at tractor supply in the 3 point hitch/drawbar section. Between the different categories of hitches they have a decent selection from 5/8" or so through 1-1/4" diameter.
 
   / Grapple project OPEN SOURCE
  • Thread Starter
#130  
The drive in fittings are ok until they pop out or you need to replace one, then they won't stay in as well and you end up threading the hole anyway.

For pins and bushings I buy that kind of stuff at tractor supply in the 3 point hitch/drawbar section. Between the different categories of hitches they have a decent selection from 5/8" or so through 1-1/4" diameter.

Nothing 19" long though. How about to use rod?
 

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