Purchasing a Grapple...Which one??

[alchemysa]

T Where u at bloke ?

Belair (Adelaide) and Robe (about 300ks south of Adelaide). We are kind of alternating between the two places at the moment. Genuine drought conditions in Adelaide at the moment. The lawn's dead, plants are mostly dead, I'm cutting down trees before they die and fall. Can only use a hose (hand held only) for 3 hours a week (which is basically useless so why bother). Unlike much of NSW and QLD we have absolutely no humidity so everything dries out almost instantly anyway. You have "6' tall grass and saplings"! Wow, I can't remember seeing anything like that for a long time!

 

[Eagleview]

Not to hijack a grapple thread but what brand of flail do you use? Best one I've used for heavy scrub is a Maschio. Well built and very large heavy blades (hockey stick or hammer knife versions available). With new blades it does a better job on small trees than a rotary and even the grass and small stuff looks much cleaner than after a big rotary.

The one in the picture is a CABE , made in Italy . It weighs 770kg and is fairly well constructed although theres things that i would change . I went to all the trouble the other day of buying some Digital kitchen scales and grinding every hammer blade to the same weight only to have the unit vibrate . Then i realised that they dont go to that trouble , they simply bolt on the hammers from the parts bin and then balance the whole rotating assembly . The first flail mower i bought lasted 30 minutes . All the components had been powder coated at the factory and then assembled . Before i had a chance to retighten the bolts the paint on the rear roller mating surfaces chaffed away , the bolt fell out and the roller got tangled up with the cutters , a very expensive noise was the result . I sent photos to the factory and told them the paint should have been sanded off and they sent me a new mower no questions asked .

 

[Eagleview]

Belair (Adelaide) and Robe (about 300ks south of Adelaide). We are kind of alternating between the two places at the moment. Genuine drought conditions in Adelaide at the moment. The lawn's dead, plants are mostly dead, I'm cutting down trees before they die and fall. Can only use a hose (hand held only) for 3 hours a week (which is basically useless so why bother). Unlike much of NSW and QLD we have absolutely no humidity so everything dries out almost instantly anyway. You have "6' tall grass and saplings"! Wow, I can't remember seeing anything like that for a long time!

I have seen drought like that out west , my heart goes out to you . It certainly tests a family . The despair and hopelessness is almost unbearable , our big hearted government offers suicide prevention assistance instead of monetary grants to help keep the banks off the farmers backs that makes them think of suicide in the first place . Ive seen the eyes of a farmer who had no choice but to let his 30,000 sheep die in the paddock as he could not afford the 30,000 22 bullets to put them down . 2008 is said to be one of the wettest years on record , if the predictions of Inigo Jones are correct about solar activity controling our weather patterns , you may have to buy a rain coat .

 

[jimmysisson]

If you look at JustCountry's photos you'll see what I consider a weakness with the Millonzi: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/attachments/96628d1204080625-purchasing-grapple-one-picture-079.jpg

those hairpin clips that hold the cylinder pivot pins. I don't think they'll last long in brush work. Millonzi is trying to improve the product with greasable pins, compared to the older pivot bolt style. I'll feel better with more secure clips, though. I plan to drill the pivot pins for some big cotter pins instead, less likely to get pushed out I think. (Why did I just grease them???)
Mine didn't come with the louvers or the knuckle protectors at the arm end, but I welded some angle on to protect those hairpins, and will be happy to have them for the cotter keys.
Jim

 

[IslandTractor]

If you look at JustCountry's photos you'll see what I consider a weakness with the Millonzi: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/attachments/96628d1204080625-purchasing-grapple-one-picture-079.jpg

those hairpin clips that hold the cylinder pivot pins. I don't think they'll last long in brush work. Millonzi is trying to improve the product with greasable pins, compared to the older pivot bolt style. I'll feel better with more secure clips, though. ...Jim

I agree they are a potential vulnerability. I had only one pull out once in two and a half years of intense brush work though so it is not a common problem. I temporarily replaced the missing hairpin clip with what I think is called a ring clip (the type that you need to twist or use special pliers to get over the end of the pin and it then sits in the groove all the way around the pin with no loop to get caught). I later replaced the ring type with a new hairpin clip though and have had no other trouble but in thinking about your post I may look for some more of those ring style clips. I think they would be a lot easier than drilling out the pin.

 

[alchemysa]

I have seen drought like that out west , my heart goes out to you . ... Ive seen the eyes of a farmer who had no choice but to let his 30,000 sheep die in the paddock as he could not afford the 30,000 22 bullets to put them down .

Iron Horse. I'm not a farmer so I'm not suffering really. I'm just seeing 20 years of garden go to ruin. My brother was on 'Level 5' in Qld but his garden stayed lush thanks to the overnight drizzle and humidity. Down here we are 'only' on Level 3 but everything is just about dead. But its gotta rain again sometime...

 

[jimmysisson]

I agree they are a potential vulnerability. I had only one pull out once in two and a half years of intense brush work though so it is not a common problem. I temporarily replaced the missing hairpin clip with what I think is called a ring clip (the type that you need to twist or use special pliers to get over the end of the pin and it then sits in the groove all the way around the pin with no loop to get caught). I later replaced the ring type with a new hairpin clip though and have had no other trouble but in thinking about your post I may look for some more of those ring style clips. I think they would be a lot easier than drilling out the pin.

Hmm, that's a good idea, the E-clip/C-clip whatever it's called, and would save some drilling. Thanks!
Jim

 

[justcountry]

yes I can see where the regular clips might pull out, And yes I think the proper term is an E clip are the ones that are shaped just like an E, with nothing to get caught on. I will prob. get some on hand.

 

[yekrut]

I had the same problem with the clip coming out of the millonzi 48 ld. Saw it just in time as the top claw was about to drop out. Did the same thing IslandTractor mentioned as a tempfix and then replaced the pin. I like the ideas other have mentioned to improve this. Overall I have been very pleased with the Grapple. For the price I think it is tough to beat.

 

[IslandTractor]

Let's hope the guys at Millonzi are following this thread. I'm sure they could identify the appropriate size/type of "E" clip more easily than their customers. Maybe they'll just make it standard equipment unless there is a downside we are unaware of.

In my example I noticed the top jaw coming loose just as described by Yekrut. It is very unlikely you'll do any damage if the hairpin clip is dislodged and the pin starts to fall out as the grapple would immediately go "wonky" and you'd know something was wrong. I do carry a spare hairpin clip in my tool box now but have never had to use it again.