Modifying Existing Grapple to Finer Grade Rock Bucket/Screener

[JohnnyMX]

I have a grapple that has been my best tool at getting rid of some of my rocks when breaking ground. I wanted to see if I can build something that I can remove to keep the weight down for larger trees/brush or put on for getting rid of my rocks. The grapple bottom spacing is 8" at the moment and it looks like the rock buckets are around 3" for fine screening. I was thinking about using angle iron and either rebar or expanded metal to reduce the spacing and then just put something to clamp it on to hold it. Cutting out slots so it sits on top of the grapple and is easy to remove.

Not sure rebar is strong enough or not or what size expanded metal. I get a lot of sod/weed mat too, so wasn't sure if that would hand up in expanded metal. I am still a beginning welder. Anyone ever do this or have a better idea for quick-n-dirty?

 

[Smokeydog]

I picked up some powder coated parts from fab shop this week. They also do laser, water jet and plasma cutting. Dove their metal scrap dumpster for some drops. They get 0.09$/#. They had large sheet stock with various part cutout patterns that could work as a grid. See the same stuff at the scrapyard usually roughed up and 0.30$/# for carbon, $1.25/# for SS or aluminum. For me walking a scrapyard is fabricator imagination therapy.

I used quarry screen for my grill guard. Tough woven wire that comes in different mesh. Made for screening rocks. Never bought from metal supplier but others have said it was available.

Rebar like other steel comes in different grades, some really strong. I don’t particularly like using it but sometimes if it’s cheap and non-critical.

A hog panel from TSC? Just depends your service duty and how quick and dirty?

 

[lennyzx11]

Not down and dirty but here’s one to add to your think tank ideas.

My EA grapple has removable tines between the permanent ones.

A couple of flat tabs and bar stock and bolts and locknuts appears to be the main ingredients.

 

[JohnnyMX]

Finally got around to building this out. When I looked at the options to either buy the tines from W.R. Long for the bottom and back it was around $450. A rock bucket would be around 1K. I found a guy selling some angle on FB for $15 and had a ton of rebar laying around. My goal was to be able to pop this in and out as needed quickly (< 5 minutes) with minimal tools. As it turns out, you can grab the rear bar and pull the whole thing towards you and just lift it out. This weighs about 60-70lbs vs the hundreds of pounds of adding full-time tines. I held it on with two u-bolts for the time being. I have only tried it out to move some brush piles, but everything held together. Now I need to test it out on some rocks to see if I need to add sides. It is about 2.75" tine spacing.

 

[Xfaxman]

 

[JohnnyMX]

To my surprise, this thing actually works. It does a very good job of sifting and hanging onto rocks and sod/weeds, but lets the dirt shake out. It still moves brush piles around just fine as well. The big test will be after I rip up a new field and rake the debris and rock with the landscape rake of how well this sorts out the windrows while hopefully staying in one piece. I may put something on here to just pin it to the grapple and give it a quick paint job.

 

[jim lacadie]

I have a grapple that has been my best tool at getting rid of some of my rocks when breaking ground. I wanted to see if I can build something that I can remove to keep the weight down for larger trees/brush or put on for getting rid of my rocks. The grapple bottom spacing is 8" at the moment and it looks like the rock buckets are around 3" for fine screening. I was thinking about using angle iron and either rebar or expanded metal to reduce the spacing and then just put something to clamp it on to hold it. Cutting out slots so it sits on top of the grapple and is easy to remove.

Not sure rebar is strong enough or not or what size expanded metal. I get a lot of sod/weed mat too, so wasn't sure if that would hand up in expanded metal. I am still a beginning welder. Anyone ever do this or have a better idea for quick-n-dirty?

I am currently considering modifying my grapple for use as a rock separator by installing york rake tines between the grapple arms. Anybody done this?