I Want to Build The Ultimate Root rake/Grapple

[MrJimi]

I am looking for the better features to incorporate in this. My machine is 75 inches wide, it will be that wide at the root rake part and I had in mind a 3 foot wide for the top grapple, I have gotten some real good ideas from J_J and its a good design, I would like a double joint for the top, kind like a bending finger, I have seen one and I did not save the picture or site.
thanks
Jim

 

[shaley]

Why so wide? I always thought 60" was more than enough for width. I could maybe see it if you were raking sand at a construction site to gather bricks and debris but other than that it is just added weight to decrease the FEL capacity. My 2 cents, YMMV but I'm open to suggestions. Oh yeah, the ultimate grapple should have a beer cooler as well.

 

[MrJimi]

Well, my Case 1845 C is 75 inches wide and as for the cooler part, only after I'm home and its unloaded. And we live in Florida and we don't have any real dirt here just sand
Jim

 

[jandefirewood]

Well i own a bobcat t300 and have the root grapple made by bobcat on it. the freature i love the most is the dual indepandant top clamps. 2 is better than one because thry both can clamp independantly of one another which is essential when haulin trees and brush.
It is a great design and i strongly suggest you take a look at one and take notes i will send photo's if you want of mine

hope that helps

Evan

 

[MrJimi]

At first I wanted a wide bottom with a smaller top grapple but I've been looking a lot aand I like this design like this I will make something simular to it, what are your thoughts? I like the way it can be curled forward and back drag more brush, here is site and click on the first video and you will see what I mean
Jim

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree with the earlier comment that there is little advantage but substantial penalty for using a grapple bigger than 60". I'd even go lower and say for almost any grapple task a 48" grapple will do fine. The comparison is not similar to bucket capacity where there is an advantage to bigger. You can grapple almost anything with a small grapple that you could get into a larger one. Trees, no advantage for large as they stick out the sides anyway. Brush tends to "stick" together so you can get huge amounts into a smaller grapple just by pushing it in.

I'd guess there is a 500lb weight difference between a 48" and 73" grapple which means 500lbs less payload for the bigger one.

Small is beautiful.

 

[shaley]

Jimi, You know what I don't like about the Skid Solutions GR model. It looks like the unsupported front tines will bend if I push it under say a 6" stump and it wedges between 2 tines and starts prying them apart. The design lends itself to brush and log work but I think it needs longer front supported tines for root/stump/trash rake work.

 

[jmc]

Jimi, You know what I don't like about the Skid Solutions GR model. It looks like the unsupported front tines will bend if I push it under say a 6" stump and it wedges between 2 tines and starts prying them apart. The design lends itself to brush and log work but I think it needs longer front supported tines for root/stump/trash rake work.

I wouldn't be surprised if that model is actually made by Anbo since it looks a lot like their's. Here's a quote from Anbo's web site:

"AR 400 and steel teeth that have over 4 times the strength of A-36 mild steel."

I think many manufacturers use mild steel instead of AR400 or T-1.

 

[shaley]

Let me add also that AR400 is $980 per 4x8x3/8 sheet. What a deal, 4 times the strenght at only 3 times the cost. Too bad it cant be used for structural steel, think of the tall buildings we could build.

 

[jba3520]

I too was interested in the SkidSteerSolutions Root Grapple and I am just about to start to weld mine together. In fact, I based the design off the picture you posted. Mine is 60" wide and about 420 lbs. but could easily be scaled up or down. I had all of the pieces laser cut and I'm just waiting on the last pieces from the machine shop. I purchased the cylinders online and only have the hydraulic hoses and fittings left to buy. I figure I'll have about $1000 into it when I'm done.

I will try and post some pics but I have never done that before so I hope they work.

 

[shaley]

JBA, What type of steel did you use for your tines?

 

[jba3520]

I'm just using mild steel. I debated about what I should use on this and decided for what I wanted to do it would be sufficient. The inner tines are 1/2" thick and the outer tines are 5/8". I also made my tines broader more quickly in order to add strength. I figured the worst case scenario would be that I have to add some bracing but I think this will suffice.

 

[IslandTractor]

Unless you are using it for construction demolition, there is no reason to use more than mild steel. My grapple is made of 3/8ths mild steel and it has not shown any wear at all other than paint removal after about 60 hours of work with brush/stumps etc.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

MrJimi, if you don't mind me asking, what are the uses for this grapple? Brush clearing, trees, removing roots from your sand? It seems to me that there are 2 basic designs, and that while each type will do ag & demo type work, the 2 different designs are intended for the work of its specific design. In other words a demo grapple works better at demo than at ag type work and vice- versa.

Just something else to consider.

Something else for everybody to keep in mind, is just because something works great for you does not mean that it is the same for the other guy. We all have different tractors, different uses, different circumstances to work with.

 

[jba3520]

MtnView,

I agree completely. The biggest reason I chose to build the style I am, is because of the back raking ability that it has and the visibility that it offers. I plan to use it for building some rock walls and need to be able to see through it.

jba

 

[john_bud]

I too was interested in the SkidSteerSolutions Root Grapple and I am just about to start to weld mine together. In fact, I based the design off the picture you posted. Mine is 60" wide and about 420 lbs. but could easily be scaled up or down. I had all of the pieces laser cut and I'm just waiting on the last pieces from the machine shop. I purchased the cylinders online and only have the hydraulic hoses and fittings left to buy. I figure I'll have about $1000 into it when I'm done.

I will try and post some pics but I have never done that before so I hope they work.

You guys with skills make me sick.... with envy that is.

Check for a PM.

jb

 

[IslandTractor]

You guys with skills make me sick.... with envy that is.

I agree. The only way I can match these skills is by reading out the digits of my credit card over the phone.

 

[jba3520]

Hey, no skills here, just a whole lot of reading and observing others... and then a lot of trial by fire! My dad always said those who never fail, are those who never try. So I keep trying.

Blades

 

[MrJimi]

MrJimi, if you don't mind me asking, what are the uses for this grapple? Brush clearing, trees, removing roots from your sand? It seems to me that there are 2 basic designs, and that while each type will do ag & demo type work, the 2 different designs are intended for the work of its specific design. In other words a demo grapple works better at demo than at ag type work and vice- versa.

Just something else to consider.

Something else for everybody to keep in mind, is just because something works great for you does not mean that it is the same for the other guy. We all have different tractors, different uses, different circumstances to work with.

I plan on using it mainly for small brush and roots and grappling the brush after wards , like in the video the top can be used for backdraging like a rake in reverse, I have lots of stuff to do right now but I have a great idea from J_J , his is nice and mine will be close. His design is simple and strong and I can work off of that.
Thanks
Jim

 

[Skeptic]

This is the grapple I built. I run it on my JD 4310. When we bought the tractor I wanted to be able to use the tractor to pick up debris (from wind storms and old junk on the property) and pull blackberry bushes and other vegetation out of the ground. It has also worked great for picking up logs and having two people run chainsaws to chop pieces off each end.

The grapple weighs about 250lbs, i think. It is 54" wide with 7 tines approximately 9" apart, the top closing part is 36" wide with 7 tines about 5" apart. The tines are 24" long on the bottom. The holes were cut to reduce weight. It increased the price of cutting, but I wanted the weight reduction.

I used 5/16" T-1 on the tines, and 1/4" for the backing and structure. Used 2" square tubing to build it off.

I had the T-1 pieces plasma cut at a local metal supplier. They didn't have the T-1 in stock so I had to purchase the whole piece, I kept the scrap.

I dual shield welded it, this allowed me to get very good penetration on the weld joints. I pre-heated the metal before I welded it. After it was done, I then hardfaced all the lower tines.

I have it setup for quick release off the front. I didn't know how to plumb the hydraulics so I had the dealer do the hydraulics for me. Now, I could do it the next time.

I bent the outside tine prying a rock out of the ground, so I cut a 1/4" wall 1" pipe in half and welded that to the outside tines.

If you want more information, just let me know.