Homemade Log Grapple

FAZTRAC · Jan 3, 2012

Here are some photos of log grapple just finished, but not painted yet, that can be used on the front or back of the PT425. Attaches with standard tow bar square tubing and pivots in all directions as needed. It pivots 90 plus degrees depending on needs by just opening the jaws and nudging the end of the claw against a tree or log, the horizontal and vertical pivot tension is adjusted with 1" nylock nuts. The pivot mechanism is made from a four inch pipe 90 and blind flanges with one inch studs and nylocks. It opens about 36 inches and will pick up brush or logs as much as the PT will stand.
Used thin plywood patterns and finish nails to work out the geometry before cutting metal. Got the hydros from Surplus Center. Being articulated,the PT is excellent at small scale logging work

J_J · Jan 3, 2012

Nice work, innovative.

Are you considering a swivel head on the grapple?

KMA · Jan 3, 2012

Looks great!

Clumber · Jan 3, 2012

FAZTRAC said:
Here are some photos of log grapple just finished, but not painted yet, that can be used on the front or back of the PT425. Attaches with standard tow bar square tubing and pivots in all directions as needed. It pivots 90 plus degrees depending on needs by just opening the jaws and nudging the end of the claw against a tree or log, the horizontal and vertical pivot tension is adjusted with 1" nylock nuts. The pivot mechanism is made from a four inch pipe 90 and blind flanges with one inch studs and nylocks. It opens about 36 inches and will pick up brush or logs as much as the PT will stand.
Used thin plywood patterns and finish nails to work out the geometry before cutting metal. Got the hydros from Surplus Center. Being articulated,the PT is excellent at small scale logging work

Very nice! But I don't understand how it can be used on the back of the PT 425?

KMA · Jan 3, 2012

Clumber said:
Very nice! But I don't understand how it can be used on the back of the PT 425?

Maybe for clamping down and dragging logs?

BobRip · Jan 3, 2012

Nicely done. Can we see a picture of it on the back.

washita · Jan 3, 2012

:thumbsup:

BobRip · Jan 3, 2012

You could put a bucket on that and make a minihoe.

FAZTRAC · Jan 3, 2012

Back attachment gear is not finished. The grapple will definitely be on a swivel on the back end (see padeye welded at balance point) and will operate off a small hydraulic derrick that just lifts it up and down for lifting and dragging logs with wheels on the back end of the logs since the PT doesnt have much ground power. Will use electric solenoid valves for the back end connection with two joy sticks on the over head of the ROP/ One stick for the derrick up and down and the other to open and close the grapple. A guy gave me the 12VDC tandem solenoids, so ready to go with that, will just hook them into the hyd. circuits back in the engine room so will just have to run a couple of wires up forward to the overhead spring centered switches. Its all fun.

smilindave · Jan 3, 2012

Just curious, how much do you think it weighs?

woodlandfarms · Jan 4, 2012

OK, you just can't put up a cool device like that and then walk away without telling us how you made it.

FAZTRAC · Jan 4, 2012

No scale to measure weight but guessing about 65 lbs without the square tubing extension. The main body side plates and top are aluminum alloy so that helps a lot.

In answer to how its made....just saw a picture from sweden or norway and couldn't see the innards, so I just used doorskin for patterns to figure it out, and mocked it up full scale and used finish nails as the center of the pivots, so I could open and close it with the connecting links and used a 6 inch stroke hydraulic cyl. I had bought in anticipation of project and used that in mockup too, and then cut out the steel and aluminum and drilled to suit. I waited until it was operational before welding in the flat bar reinforcement of the jaws to make sure jaws passed by each other OK. It actually opens up almost 40 inches. It is unreal fast picking up and moving logs around, even big logs around and loading trucks etc. When cutting up whole trees you can use it to pick up an end and support the tree to cut it up into managable chunks. If someone else wants to build one I can share the patterns. Head scratchin's the hard part.

woodlandfarms · Jan 5, 2012

Dude I am so IN!

I would love your templates. I am "logging" my 40, trying to get alders out and firs (redwoods, cedars) in. I have to get off the PT, do a chain wrap and drag trees out of a ravine. This would be a tool I would use a lot..

All the best

Carl

FAZTRAC · Jan 5, 2012

Carl
PM me with your e mail and I'll be glad to help you out. For your larger machine you can just scale up by 50% to 75% and be there.:thumbsup:
FAZ

Red Zebra · Jan 6, 2012

Totally righteous! I'm in the planning stages for a graple but mine will look nothing that nice. Great job.

MossRoad · Jan 6, 2012

Pretty sweet! :thumbsup: I like the head design. I am considering a grapple similar to that for firewood harvesting in our woods. I am just working out the swivel details in my head. The only thing that I would be worried about in your design is it doesn't seem to bend on all three axis. It appears from the photos that it will rotate parallel to the ground and rotate perpendicularr to that tractor but will not rotate parallel to the tractor without the use of the curl/dump function of the FEL. That could cause some serious torque, which, in the case of the PT, just means it will do the PT pucker, which most of us find acceptable anyway. :laughing:

smilindave · Jan 6, 2012

I'm impressed! I would have thought it would have weighed a lot more. Ive been thinking about building one of those myself.

FAZTRAC · Jan 6, 2012

Hey Moss

I opted for more control in just two planes when using the FEL facing the grapple forward. , but I do have a separate swivel to attach to balance point (see padeye welded on pipe 90) when I need free movement in three dimensions, (or I will just add another plate on my attaching tube with one more horizontal pivot bolt) without the FEL control, or when I get round to mounting on back of PT and I'm towing logs. With the FEL you have surgical control with this thing. Build one.... its a game changer in the woods!

MossRoad · Jan 6, 2012

Right now I just have a ring hitch that I put in my 2" receiver that I mount on the QA and use a chain. There is too much off and on of the tractor when doing it myself. Drive to log, get off and chain, get back on and drive to landing, get off and unchain, get on and drive to next log. 50 trees = 100 times off and on the tractor and 100 times the parking brake. Makes for a long couple hours.

The one I'm thinking of making will use rear wheel hub from a minivan for horizontal swivel and U joint from pickup truck drive shaft for the other two axis. That part is easy. The part that is hard is the grapple. I like your design. Now I gotta ponder... :laughing:

3238dpw · May 15, 2012

Man I hate to be a pest, but... How is this working for you? Did you ever get it set up for theback of the machine? Anymore action pics? How is the winch working out and any more pics of it in action?