Grapple grapple

[ebeacham]

For my birthday early next year, I would like to get a grapple for my FEL. I was wondering if any of you have grapples or grapple buckets and what it takes to install one. I was thinking about a skid steer bucket using a universal " quick tach". I believe I would nead another hydraulic remote?
Does anyone know a good place to get a grapple/ bucket at a reasonable price?
Thanks

 

[Phred]

Eric,

I don't own one yet but its on the list. I looked into it some to get an idea of cost.
You will need a third remote. Thats about $500 on my tractor, not sure how that translates to a mihindra.

My local bobcat dealer keeps grapple buckets in stock. I think the cost is around $2000. The new holland quick attach is compatible with bobcat. So with the third remote you simple attach it and go.

This would be very handy for cleaing up limbs and even small to medium sized trees. Just grab it and carry to the burn pile.

Fred

 

[Scott_in_WVA]

I have a John Deere 4 in 1 loader.I would never have anything other than a 4 in 1.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Are you thinking about the grapple that's just another arm over a front loader or are you thinking of the grapple like they use in demolition contracting?

The one that is just a set of four fingers closing down over a frontloader bucket should be a snap to build yourself. What would be trick for that would be to use a manifold for the different fingers so that you could grasp with any or all and with your desired sequence depending on the situation.

The one like the demolition contractors use would be quite a project and I believe too specialized for the average CUT owner to justify in cost--use.

At five hundred dollars just for the remote it might be worth considering a little creative robbery. You find some poor liftgate down on it's back and pick it up for a hundred and fifty or so. You now have a twelve volt hydraulic pump and cylinder to operate your add on grapple for your frontloader.

 

[Hoeman00]

If u have rear remote it can be plumbed to the front
to use on the loader.
If not can add one or two rear remotes and have them for future use.
My friend got a small log grapple (range of 6" to 60") and put a
tube on it slide on bottom of forks, then clamp to forks.
He uses it to lift logs, firewood sticks, and trees.
It's on 943 bobcat which has alot of lift capacity.

 

[cmsedore]

Why do you say it is quite a project? I was thinking it looked like it wasn't too difficult and was hoping to build one /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. If there's something complicated that I don't see, I'd rather not do my usual and discover it half way through /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.

I'm probably a little lacking in skills (maybe burned 40lbs of stick and 5lbs of MIG wire), but OK in equipment: I have a plasma cutter, MIG welder and an engine drive for stick. I was thinking I might cut the teeth from 3/8" steel with a plywood template, 5 teeth on the bottom and 4 on the top to span 66". Some bracing and weld on faces for teeth, 3x3 1/4 wall square tube to link them, two 2x8 or 3x8 cylinders to pivot and away we go!

I'm hoping to use it to move logs, small trees, brush, and very occassionaly, construction debris. I've also thought that I might be just as happy with a grapple for my regular bucket, and could probably put one together in a day or two.

-Chris

 

[Phred]

Hoeman00,

The ones I have seen need three remotes. Two to work the regular loader functions and a third to close/open the jaws of the grapple.
Like harv says maybe you could get creative and use a 12v pump to run the grapple close/open hydraulics. Or maybe switch one of two remotes that normally run the loader to also operate the closing and opening funtions.

Harv: I think your right about it being fairly striaght forward to make to arms that lower with a hydrauilic cylinder(s). That is all most of these buckets are.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bobcat.com/servlet/TurbineServlet/template/%2Cproducts%2Cattachments%2CPhotos.vm?attname=inbucket&photo=1&mp=3>http://www.bobcat.com/servlet/TurbineServlet/template/%2Cproducts%2Cattachments%2CPhotos.vm?attname=inbucket&photo=1&mp=3</A>

Maybe get the cylinders from a scrap yard?


In my case the third remote makes sense. I will also use it for a bailer. Also I will be able to use attachments like a loader mounted phd, and occasional rental of concrete hammer. All of these will work and I can still use the loader functions.
For most CUTs maybe two is all that you would really need.

Fred

 

[MossRoad]

I'm too cheap to buy one, so I'm attempting to build my own. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=powertrac&Number=187616&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=all&vc=1> Here's a link to the thread over in the Power Trac forum</A> if you're interested.

If you don't want to read the whole thread <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/54-197162-grapple10.jpg> here's a link to a picture of what I have so far</A>.

It is fun to build your own stuff. Hopefully, I'll get this done in the next few weeks.

 

[jimgerken]

Here's an old shot from the forums of my favorite log/limb/brush handler:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-121047-MAR_0027.jpg

It's still on the job and working great.

 

[ebeacham]

Did you make that or buy it?