Root Rake/Grapple For Kubota B2910

[rswyan]

Welding up the arms for the upper jaw.

These were clamped four ways to Sunday to prevent/minimize warping, then welded on the one side and allowed to cool ... then the welds were ground flush and the arms were flipped and re-clamped with the now welded side down, and the unwelded side done ... ensuring it was allowed to fully cool before being unclamped.

The areas to be welded were all beveled and welded in three passes to ensure good penetration.

 

[rswyan]

Got the new welding table (4' x 8') set up and the pieces/parts moved onto it:

Ultimately, 30" of the table will be cut off to use for the root rake/grapple and another project (shrub bucket) which leave it as 4' x 5 1/2' ...

 

[rswyan]

Tacking up the inner teeth for the upper jaw:

Just a word on the Harbor Freight magnetic clamps: they are very handy for aligning/holding things ... and are pretty reasonable if you pick them up on sale ...

 

[rswyan]

Lower gussets and rake teeth with chisels welded on the bottom cross bar ...

Starting to get heavy ... and a little dangerous ... the teeth chisels are extremely sharp, as my thumb found out the other night when I accidently bumped it into one of them:

 

[rswyan]

Some of the radius' on the upper jaw arms, which I thought turned out pretty well for minimal time & effort invested:

 

[rswyan]

Tacking on the right side upper jaw arm:

 

[rswyan]

Left side upper jaw arm and one (of three) more cross tube tacked on:

 

[rswyan]

The next cross tube tacked on:

I actually used two ratchet straps on this which I had already taken off when I took the photo.

This piece is pretty heavy ... and I still have one more cross tube to go ...

I was able to stand it up on end by myself ... but I didn't think I could flip it all the way over without loosing control of it ...

Could be time for the boom pole.

The above is where things stand as of this morning.

 

[Xfaxman]

Instead of the boom pole, get a shop crane / cherry picker / engine hoist. :thumbsup:

I use mine a lot.

 

[rswyan]

Instead of the boom pole, get a shop crane / cherry picker / engine hoist. :thumbsup:
View attachment 393012
I use mine a lot.

That would be very handy ... and no fumes ... :thumbsup:

Was talkin' about this with a friend the other night and he suggested a gantry crane with a chain hoist ...

I'd love to have either one ... but space is pretty tight in the shop/shed ... need to get that polebarn finished and a floor poured ... lol ...