Homemade Grapple project

[Steve_Miller]

Here's where I will have another set of outlets in the future.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Run along loader frame to the front.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Front outlets.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Front view of grapple.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Side view of grapple. Had it out for a test run (engineering run as I call it) today. It showed weakness at a couple of points. I'm going to reinforce a couple of spots tomorrow. Will try to get some pics in operation if possible, maybe next weekend.

Steve

 

[bird1968]

Hi Steve,

I'm sorry to hear, that you lost your brother so soon /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

P.S. Keep up the good work!

Richard

 

[toy]

Sorry to hear of your loss. good looking project.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Steve,

So sorry to hear about the unexpected loss of your brother. I find tractor & yard projects great therapy.

I sure do enjoy following the fabrication on your projects. Thanks for keeping us 'posted'.

Don

 

[PineRidge]

Steve add gussets to strengthen the tips of your grapple. We added them to our grapple and they made quite a difference.

Sorry for the loss of your brother. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[jimmysisson]

Steve - very sorry about your brother dying so young.
I wonder about your grapple, what happens when you grab onto something that's uneven, more dense on one side of your grapple than the other. Will the strain show up stressing the welds or the steel of the movable arm? I'm planning my own, so I'd be obliged if you made the mistakes first!
Jim

 

[Steve_Miller]

Jim,
I haven't done hardly anything yet with it other than grab a pile of old fence posts. I found a few weak spots in my design and the more I use it the more i'll probably find. I got some more metal at work today to reinforce it. The next thing I noticed is that I may need a double pilot operated check valve to hold the grapple in place when carrying a mouthful as the long length of hose to the back of the tractor allows the grapple to pop back a bit when I let off clamping. As far as stressing my welds, that could create some problems as I don't show too many up-close shots of my welding. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif


Mike,
I actually thought of that and I guess I was waiting to bend one before I did this on the premise that weight was going to be an issue. It is a very light duty grapple on my part, but it has been fun to build which is the best part for me.

Steve

 

[Steve_Miller]

Did some reinforcing tonight on cross members and arm support. I broke the weld where the rod connects three times before I decided to brace it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif It still bows a bit, but it will have to do for now.

Steve

 

[Steve_Miller]

Here's a few action shots, it was starting to get dark in the last couple. I had it in the back of my mind that I could also rip out some small trees and roots as well with it, that's why I added the teeth to the bottom rippers and didn't extend them too far out to still have enough power to curl roots out of the ground without putting too much force on the loader arms.

Steve

 

[TSO]

Reviving an old thread... I'm hoping to begin this project myself. It's been a few years, have you tweaked the design at all, noticed any further weak points, scrapped it and started over? I'm interested to hear your long-term results of this and what, if anything, you'd change in the re-design.

The design looks great - my welds are probably not even as pretty as yours, plus I use a small flux welder, so I can only work with 1/4" material, and I have to "double-up" the metal in points that I want to add strength.

Thanks!