Homemade Stump Grapple

[f150skidoo]

So I've been a long time lurker on this site. I always love checking out the projects that you members have built. So I decided to add my project into the mix, I started building the bucket about 2 months ago and have an entire build thread on Garage Journal. I figured you guys would enjoy checking this out.


So the bucket is made from 1/4"-3/4" steel, and the cylinder is a 2.5" bore x 10" stroke.

First this was to make the SSQA plate then build the bucket portion itself. The bucket is 15" wide and 39" deep (not including teeth)

 

[f150skidoo]

Next was to weld the bucket shell to the Q/A plate then add brackets and gussets.

 

[f150skidoo]

I made wood templates of the grapple arms so i could get my steel yard to cut them out of 3/4" plate on there CNC table. I welded on 4 excavator teeth, did lots of pre heat and 3 passes. Also welded on 2 chain hooks for easy chain points if ever get the skid steer stuck or need to drag something.

 

[f150skidoo]

I was extremely pleased with the cut quality of the 3/4" from the CNC oxy fuel. Drilled the pivot holes with my mag drill and welded in 1.5" DOM tube for bushings/ spacers. Every pivot is greaseable and the grapple arms pivot have zerks machined into the end of the pin so I don't have to worry about breaking the nipple off. The tube were the cylinder end mounts to is 3" .375" tube which goes through the holes flame cut into the arms and welded out on both sides of the arms.

 

[f150skidoo]

Got the bucket all finished paint and assembled. The grapple fully open is parallel to the Q/A plate, the grapple will snap 3" branches in half. That stump in the picture had a 20" trunk, it took me 40 minutes to dig it out. I also tore out 80 cedar trees with stumps up to 6" in diameter. With the cedars I would put the bucket in full dump and lower the boom down over the stump. Then clamp the stump with the grapple then just lift straight up pulling the stump and the roots right out of the ground.

 

[myyaz33]

Very nice build. Glad you shared it here instead of just over on that "Garage Junkies" site!! Just kidding....

What size Hobart did you use on it?

 

[medic3720]

Very Nice, Time for some action vidio?

 

[Rustyiron]

First rate work :thumbsup:

 

[blueriver]

Awesome and great job!!!

 

[f150skidoo]

Very nice build. Glad you shared it here instead of just over on that "Garage Junkies" site!! Just kidding....

What size Hobart did you use on it?

Its a 190