Low Buck grapple build

[Ryan03]

For the past two days after work, I have been working on building a low buck grapple for the fel bucket of my farmtrac 270. The main components of it are two large scarifier teeth bought at an auction for $10.00, 1 peice of 1/2x30x3x4 angle iron, 1 peice of 1/2x32x3x4 angle iron, 1 peice of 3/8x36x2x2 angle iron, and one 15 inch peice of 1x2 inch hot finish flat stock cut into 2 4 inch peices and two 3 inch peices, total for steel including cutting to sizes listed above $57.00 10 pounds of 6013 welding rod, $8.00, one 2 inch bore 6 inch stroke hyd cyl pn.992001 northern tool, $87.00 w/shipping{do not have yet, just ordered tonight]. and a 3 way hyd control valve from the hyd deck lift of a 782 cub cadet, free, 2 1 inchx5 inch grd. 5 bolts used for pivot pins, free [had in bolt drawer in garage], total so far $162.00 ., I will need an additional 10 dollars worth of steel to mount cylinder when it comes, and I have a freind who will supply me hoses for free. Here are some pics from my phone, digital camera died tonight, so this is all I have to take pics with

 

[weldingisfun]

Lookin' good!
Keep the commentary and pics coming.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Ryan,
That looks like a pretty beefy grapple to me ! Lookin foward to the finished product !

BTW, your deck shoes like a bit like mine !

 

[IslandTractor]

Very nice. I think you have the proportions just right. Many bucket grapples have unnecessarily narrow grapples with means brush especially will spill out and not be held as securely. Your grapple is a bit more than 50% of the width of the bucket which to me looks perfect.

 

[Ryan03]

Yeah, I wanted a wide grapple to aid in picking up large brush piles and fallen trees around my property, I can hardly wait for the cylinder to arrive next week so that I can try it out, I am also thinking about adding some serated teeth to the front edge of bucket sides to help hang onto logs and brush, but do not know for sure if it will be needed yet, I will probably wait and see how it works first

 

[IslandTractor]

I am also thinking about adding some serated teeth to the front edge of bucket sides to help hang onto logs and brush, but do not know for sure if it will be needed yet, I will probably wait and see how it works first

I think you will find that simply trapping the log(s) in a triangle between the grapple arm and the two bucket sides will hold things steady. Serrated teeth do nothing for brush.

 

[jmc]

... I can hardly wait for the cylinder to arrive next week so that I can try it out,...

Ryan,

Assuming you can cancel your Northern order in time, You might try looking for a cylinder at a farm store like TSC. I just bought a 3" x 10" at Rural King for $75 plus tax but no freight, of course. Nothing like immediate gratification.

John

 

[Ryan03]

Thanks for the tip jmc, I did look at my local tractor supply store, but was unable to find a 2 inch cylinder with a closed pin center distance of 16 inches, all were at least 20 inches long, the only two places that I could find a cylinder with the dimensions I needed were Northern Tool and a company in near by Mentor Ohio called Granger, however the granger price was close to $200 dollars, probably a much higher quality industrial type cylinder, but none the less way out of my price range.

 

[dtd24]

Try Surplus Center - Hydraulic Equipment Electric Motors as well.

 

[MadReferee]

the only two places that I could find a cylinder with the dimensions I needed were Northern Tool and a company in near by Mentor Ohio called Granger, however the granger price was close to $200 dollars, probably a much higher quality industrial type cylinder

You are joking right, about the higher quality? Grainger is probably the highest price supplier I have come across and they sell exactly what everyone else is selling. Same exact item from Bailey or Surplus Center will be significantly less.