Grappling fun - A Picture Thread....

markturik · Jun 27, 2015

i have a home made grapple question. i have a new 2" diameter by 8" push hydraulic cylinder. i want to measure the opening distance of my grapple before i install the hydraulic lines. question:? can i extend the hydraulic ram cylinder with out the hydraulic lines attatched? in other words, if i open the in/out ports, can i pull the cylinder out with out damage? thank you for any thoughts and help. mark

4570Man · Jun 27, 2015

markturik said:
i have a home made grapple question. i have a new 2" diameter by 8" push hydraulic cylinder. i want to measure the opening distance of my grapple before i install the hydraulic lines. question:? can i extend the hydraulic ram cylinder with out the hydraulic lines attatched? in other words, if i open the in/out ports, can i pull the cylinder out with out damage? thank you for any thoughts and help. mark

yes, but keep clear of the out port because oil will shoot out several feet.

Jim Timber · Jun 27, 2015

markturik said:
i have a home made grapple question. i have a new 2" diameter by 8" push hydraulic cylinder. i want to measure the opening distance of my grapple before i install the hydraulic lines. question:? can i extend the hydraulic ram cylinder with out the hydraulic lines attatched? in other words, if i open the in/out ports, can i pull the cylinder out with out damage? thank you for any thoughts and help. mark

Yeah, you'll be fine. Just make sure nothing gets in the cylinder when the caps are off.

MinnesotaEric · Jun 28, 2015

Sawyer Rob said:
Jim, I'm not sure why you would want to mount your saw and ammo can like that?? Then create even MORE work trying to protect it?? IF that was on my FX90, a log would have tore it off by now! lol ANYWAY, I much prefer a "single" grapple...as it's much lighter, so as to not take lift capacity away from my loader, Also, a single get's in the way MUCH less when I'm cutting firewood over my wagon, and works better for holding my apple crate for working in high places, AND the single grapple still works just fine for brush or small pieces, It works just as well on brush too... Anyway, my vote is for the single grapple... SR

I bet Jim can reach his can and drawing a saw with a blade that long without a horizontal mount option means mounting it low enough to pull it out of a scabbard or saw press. In short I bet it had to do with being the easiest way to do it.

MinnesotaEric · Jun 28, 2015

I'm making piles eight feet tall every hundred feet along a half-mile of shoreline. Come winter when my neighbors chase off to other parts, I'm lighting up the lake like a Christmas tree.

Jim Timber · Jun 28, 2015

My other big bucking saw is a 2166 that's the equivalent of a muffler modded 372xp, which usually sports a 20" bar (I have a 24" that might end up on that one from time to time). The weight of the power heads precludes my desire to have them in a scabbard or vise without some kind of restraint from horizontal movement. I'd thought about doing a horizontal mount between the back cover and the 3pt/rear tires, but it's kind of crowded back there and putting too much stuff in that area means not being able to access the receiver pin or being able to fuel the tractor from a 5 gallon can. With the way the back cover on the winch is designed, I'd need to build an extensive frame to stabilize the powerhead if I went that route, and that's more work than up-armoring a couple ammo cans. Besides, I like ammo cans for keeping chit out of my stowed stuff. They're easy to modify and water proof if need be.

I haven't decided if there'll be more "armor" for the ammo cans or not. The mounting brackets aren't even built yet. The bottom supports for the cans aren't done either. I was taking measurements for how things lined up with the part of the mounts I had done, prior to making more components of the system.

Luke'sScreenName · Jun 28, 2015

All this unsolicited advice for Timber has taken over Piston's grapple thread. Maybe move the discussion to the 'tractor in the woods' thread?

woodchipper · Jun 28, 2015

Sawyer Rob said:
I haven't found that to be true at all... I can push the forks together and load them with small brush, grappleing it, OR leave them further apart and driving right under brush piles, grappleing the pile as I pick it up to move it...no problem at all!

As for stones, what size ??, Smaller ones,

Medium size?,

OR big ones ?,

Heck, I can drive the forks right under the rock in the ground, grapple it and pull it right out of the ground!

That single grapple is just about perfect!

SR

Sawyer Rob,
Your pictures do talk for themselves. A real eye opener as to what a set of pallet forks can accomplish with the addition of a single well designed clamp.
Thank you.:thumbsup:, and Happy Tractoring :tractor:

Gordon Gould · Jun 28, 2015

That's quite a beast you have there Rob :thumbsup:

I do a lot of small scale logging so there is plenty of logs and brush to move. But I also need to be able to make and maintain woods roads and landings which involves dirt and rocks. I don't have a quick attach bucket so my bolt-on grapple works out well for me. I have a bucket and grapple with me all the time. Here is an example. I had an old skid trail that was made before my time that I wanted to use. It went thru an old rock wall. The skidders just drove over the wall and broke it down but I had a lot of trouble getting my little tractor over the mess they made. To fix it I pushed a tractor road thru there with the dozer and windrowed all the wall rocks and dirt.

Then I got the tractor/grapple and picked out the rocks to rebuild the wall and make a decent opening. Largely in respect for the old timers that built these nice rough wall by hand. And I like the looks of them.

Then I used the bucket to clean up the dirt and finalize the road.

That was a while ago with the original ATI grapple. Since then I have added a tooth bar and made some other grapple improvements.

gg

Luke'sScreenName · Jun 28, 2015

Gordon Gould said:
That's quite a beast you have there Rob :thumbsup:

Then I used the bucket to clean up the dirt and finalize the road.

gg

:thumbsup:

markturik · Jun 28, 2015

i have 2 days on my home made grapple. i have to run hydraulics and clean up welds and of course get out the kubota orange enamel. thanks to those in this thread who helped me learn about my hydraulic cylinder.

Xfaxman · Jun 28, 2015

markturik said:
i have 2 days on my home made grapple. i have to run hydraulics and clean up welds and of course get out the kubota orange enamel. thanks to those in this thread who helped me learn about my hydraulic cylinder.

I like the sweeps, clever use of steel on hand.

Luke'sScreenName · Jul 9, 2015

Using the tree puller to clear and over grown rock wall

And the grapple to load the dump trailer to transport to the burn pile.

Before

After

IslandTractor · Jul 9, 2015

Nice work with the tree puller. I am jealous of the ability to grab the trunk of saplings as a grapple can only dig under roots which can be more difficult around walls and fences.

I'd love to figure out a simple adapter attachment for a grapple that would allow the vertical closure of the grapple be converted into a sideways clamping motion like your tree puller. Are there any mechanical engineers out there? How about Leonardo DaVinci? Hey Leo, design us a simple mechanical adapter for our grapples!

Luke'sScreenName · Jul 9, 2015

I have been completely amazed at what it will pull up.

Luke's new tractor: https://youtu.be/9rQS6wh7ZW8

Jim Timber · Jul 9, 2015

What would you do with a horizontal grabber over the bottom teeth of a root grapple?

Xfaxman · Jul 10, 2015

Speaking of tree pullers, I have used it as a grapple. :thumbsup:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/334806-when-tree-puller-grapple.html?highlight=

Picked up a dead limb.

And a tall cedar tree, after it pulled it.

A long chunk of concrete.

And a short chunk of concrete.

IslandTractor · Jul 10, 2015

Jim Timber said:
What would you do with a horizontal grabber over the bottom teeth of a root grapple?

Certainly there is overlap between tree puller and root grapple. However, a tree puller would be more selective when removing saplings. You can select just the target tree specifically rather than gouge a four to six foot wide area when using a root grapple. Also, there is typically less disturbance of turf when pulling a tree out compared to digging underneath it. A grapple can do the same thing if you can push the tree over and then move 90 degrees so the tree/rootball can be grasped by the grapple but that doesn't work against fences or walls where you cannot easily reposition the tractor.

I'd certainly want a grapple first but the tree puller can do some jobs more efficiently and cleanly. That's why I want some sort of adapter that could easily convert a typical vertical up/down closing grapple to be able to securely clamp a single standing tree trunk in horizontal jaws.

Jim Timber · Jul 10, 2015

I'd just make another implement. You lose your breakout force the farther from the pins you get so by the time you get out in front of your bottom tines you've reduced the leverage applicable considerably.

Building a tree puller is a very basic project. One cylinder, only one moving jaw. Shouldn't take more than a weekend.

IslandTractor · Jul 10, 2015

Jim Timber said:
I'd just make another implement. You lose your breakout force the farther from the pins you get so by the time you get out in front of your bottom tines you've reduced the leverage applicable considerably. Building a tree puller is a very basic project. One cylinder, only one moving jaw. Shouldn't take more than a weekend.

You're right but I do love the idea of giving the noble grapple the Swiss Army knife treatment. One less implement to store, an adapter that could be carried on the tractor etc etc.