Grappling up the awkard

[woodlandfarms]

Knocked down a few cedars this week for a proposed shop on the property. Thought it was an intersting pic, wife was moving the cedar logs around. Long, close to lift capacity of the PT. but awkard as all heck. 8 Wheels really helps with these types of loads.

 

[MossRoad]

Nice!

I could lift the small end! :laughing:

 

[coolconnection]

Nice grapple you got there. They do come in useful. I was cleaning up the brush piles from a dead maple tree. Neighbor had a cherry picker and took it down for me because he wanted the bigger wood from it. I just wanted it gone. Took a quick picture of one of the last piles to clean up, dragging it to the fire pit to burn. I made this grapple using the pallet forks and making a small riser for it out of half inch steel plate. Wish I would have gotten a picture moving the logs. It works great.
Work smarter, not harder as you get older.

 

[AVIVIII]

Impressive!

I just found out yesterday why I need a grapple. My tree guy showed up and trimmed the big Silver Maples in front of my house. Apparently they needed more trimming than I thought and I have a wicked mess to clean up. What makes it worse is sawing everything again to fit into the mini-bucket that I have!



Is that the PT grapple? So what do you think, should I get a grapple bucket from PT or the Wicked Grapple from Everything Attachments?

 

[MossRoad]

I'd say carefully look at the weight of the attachments before you order, as it can affect total lift weight.

 

[AVIVIII]

I'd say carefully look at the weight of the attachments before you order, as it can affect total lift weight.

The Wicked Grapple is 400lbs. Not sure what PT comes in at.
Best Rated 60 Inch Wicked Root Rake Grapple from Everything Attachments

 

[woodlandfarms]

So I made my grapple, and it is too heavy. 400Lbs is a lot of lift to loose. As PT lifts only 1200lbs I bet you can get away with a lighter duty grapple. One thing to tell EA if you call them is that while lift is anemic (only1200lbs) the engine is not, and 65HP will bend the heck out of tines when pulling and pushing. Tines should be reinforced.

This said, EA makes AMAZING gear and the price is very good. I would not buy a PT Grapple.

Someone else has an EA Grapple for a smaller machine here. The issue came up with getting a proper angle on the mounting plate. A simple conversation with EA will probably suffice.

And as for me the grapple is my second most used implement. Then again, I have 40 acres of trees I am thinning.

 

[MossRoad]

You going to poke a tiger with that stick?

 

[AVIVIII]

So I made my grapple, and it is too heavy. 400Lbs is a lot of lift to loose.

I thought about that, but I have very few trees left. 90% of its use would be brushy, thorny stuff that i just dont want to handle. I'd build a grapple for this bucket, but i don't really care for it. It's not wide enough and too deep. I feel like I'm using the old 8N with a cable-trip manure bucket...

 

[ponytug]

I am sure that you have great reason to grapple that stuff. But why grapple that stuff, when you can mow it?

That said a dedicated grapple can pick up an enormous amount of brush.

I just hate to do things in two steps, when I can get done in one.

YMMV...

All the best, Peter

I thought about that, but I have very few trees left. 90% of its use would be bqrushy, thorny stuff that i just dont want to handle. I'd build a grapple for this bucket, but i don't really care for it. It's not wide enough and too deep. I feel like I'm using the old 8N with a cable-trip manure bucket...