Grapple To grapple or to not grapple...

CT_Tree_Guy · Dec 6, 2005

Dargo, that is an incredibly good idea, thanks for sharing. I'm going to put one on my bucket. Very nice welding/painting job too, first class.

On the grapple confusion: since we have the same tractor, just get my same grapple, the Bradco. There, wasn't that simple? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It really is a VERY good all-around grapple. Some grapples have teeth on the front of the lower "jaw" that curve upward, never could see the point of that. The Bradco is great for brush, logs, rocks, stumps, even nosy neighbors. Add the loader handle rocker switch and a solenoid and start grapplin' /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Take care, John D.

Dargo · Dec 6, 2005

( On the grapple confusion: snce we have the same tractor, just get my same grapple, the Bradco. There, wasn't that simple? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

Thanks for the compliment on the simple hitch. I'd think that someone else has probably done the same, I just haven't seen it. It sure works much better for me than the 3 pt. deal I spent much more time designing and building. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

It sure would be simple to just go with the heay duty Bradco grapple, but I lost my mind today and bought me a Hypertherm Powermax 1250 plasma cutter to use in making future projects. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas to me.

Partsman2 · Dec 6, 2005

Dargo,

I'm sure glad we could help you figure out exactly what you wanted to do on the grapple issue. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

But seriously, the Bradco or the WR Long are both great heavy duty units and I'm sure there are other quality pieces out there. You just have to justify it in your mind. I don't know how I lived with out one all those years.

With that plasma cutter, a welder, and a good supply of steel you can make your own grapple.

Have fun and Merry Christmas to all!

CT_Tree_Guy · Dec 6, 2005

I lost my mind today and bought me a Hypertherm Powermax 1250 plasma cutter 

Sounds like you've come to your senses to me. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

But only a 1250? What, were they all out of the big ones? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Man, that is SOME machine! I just looked it up - 7/8" working capacity, and will sever 1.5"! You go boy!

I have the Miller Spectrum 3080 that will sever 1.25", but you've got me beat! Incredible machines - I can write my name in 1/4" steel at close to the speed that I sign a check, no lie. Once I tried to see how fast I could move the torch on 1/4" stuff to see how fast was too fast, and I never really found out. Strips of 1/4" just kept clanging to the floor as fast as I could cut! Unreal.

The only disappointing thing about my whole plasma-ing experience is that I didn't realize that part of "the nature of the beast" is the slight bevel that the plasma creates on the thicker stuff, due to how the plasma stream swirls. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that when/if you experience it. I haven't mastered the art of knowing which way the bevel will go when I'm cutting. The ideal thing would be to have the bevel go into the waste material, and not into the workpiece. That way, grinding can remove the bevel and the workpiece will be smack-on in its dimensions. It's less and less noticeable the thinner you go of course. Kinda negligibile on stuff 3/8" and under it seems.

The other thing about plasma is the FUMES. OMG. Nothing like vaporized metal and thick acrid smoke to clean out the ol' sinuses. I have to cut big stuff outdoors until I construct my industrial-strength spraybooth. Then, I'm gonna be a fabricatin' fool. I also have a Millermatic 250 MIG, Lincoln SP-100 MIG, Lincoln AC/DC 225 "tombstone" arc, an old Linde water-cooled TIG and a huge Miller 555 3-phase arc welder that I use for air-arc. (Air-arc is wild stuff, MUCH faster than oxy-acet!) The 555 is rated at 500 secondary amps, but the dial goes up to 700! That always cracks me up, since it reminds me of the movie "This is Spinal Tap", where the stoned-out bass player is explaining, "Uhh, you don't understand - our amps go up to eleven" LOL

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you too, and have a ball!

And oh yeah, gotta stay on topic ... I love my grapple, too! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Take care, John

swiftboot · Dec 6, 2005

Not trying to hijack the thread, but perhaps you can give me some advice. I have 6500fwd Mahindra with a loaner grapple on it, very heavy duty. I dont know what kind it is but the grapple part is one piece with two cylinders as opposed to the two grapple arms. Also i might add that it is a quick attach system. I am new at this but it seems i dislodge the left top side of the loader from the lip on the grapple occassionally. It is easy enough to get back in by pulling the pin and letting the loader down and hooking it under the lip again and re- pinning it. It seems to do it mostly when i am digging the root system of some small trees when i reverse or close the grapple and attempt to curl up the bottom of the grapple, if you got and suggestions, i would appreciate your input or suggestions if i am operating the equipment improperly. Sorrry about the long post......... thanks

CT_Tree_Guy · Dec 6, 2005

Sorry about the long post......... thanks 

LOL - you obviously haven't read some of mine! That was downright terse! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I think I know what you're describing - a picture would be way helpful and I can't quite grasp the part about the grapple being one-piece with two cylinders, unless it's a grapple attached to a bucket? - but it sounds as if you're having the same kind of problem I was having with my Bradco grapple with Kubota QA, except mine kept popping off at the tapered bottom pins that didn't engage very well into the bottom QA weldments on the back of the grapple. Two 3/4" grade 8 bolts put an end to that, leaving me with a KQA (Kinda Quick Attach) system.

I can't give you a definitive fix, I would just advise you to study the situation very carefully and see where the setup that you have is succumbing to the incontrovertible laws of physics. Sounds like something is bent, misaligned, not engaging fully, crappily designed or otherwise jiggered.

I'd love to see a pic before you return the grapple.

Good luck, John D.

swiftboot · Dec 6, 2005

thanks for the quick reply, i will be using it again tomorrow and will try to get a pic if it does it again. Now that you mention it, the QA pin must be popping up enough to allow the loader to drop from under the lip of the grapple. A bolt could be the cure. It is a grapple top and bottom, not a grapple bucket, my explanation was unclear. What i meant to say was the top of the grapple is one piece controlled by two cylinders one on each side as opposed to the ones that have two separate independent grapple arms each controlled by its own cylinder. I intend to get my own grapple ergo my interest is this thread. From my experience so far it seems two arms on the top of the grapple would be a lot more effective in holding debris. Thanks, Chuck

CT_Tree_Guy · Dec 7, 2005

OK, now I getcha. My Bradco is the two-piece top that you describe. I don't think I'd like a one-piece either, my two halves conform nicely to odd shapes.

Since there's a grapple in your future, check these threads out: 5030 skidder pics, remotes for top and tilt, and turning up the hydraulics while you're at it.

BTW, that Mahindra 6500 must be a beast - a fellow tree-guy friend of mine has the 5500, and IT'S a beast.

LeRoi · Dec 7, 2005

I had the same problems with my root rake/grapple. The attachment would pop off the q/a under heavy load.
I had to weld 1/2" spacers under the heel of the q/a on the attachment, and another 1/2" spacer on top of that inline with the pins so the pins would not pull out.
All bobcat style attachments are not created equal. They will all fit on my tractor, but will not stay on under my use/abuse until modified.
Leroy

swiftboot · Dec 8, 2005

Thanks Leroy. It came off again today with no load at all other than i was backing away from a calf that i had taken to the graveyard. This time it came off on both sides before i realized it happened. Had to use a come-a-long to winch it back up straight to re-attach. I can see now where some spacers welded onto the grapple would probably fix the problem, there is quite a bunch of "play" with the normal setup. However it does belong to the tractor dealer so he may have left it that way to allow it to fit other equipment as well. When i get my own grapple i may be in contact if i have the same problem with fit and fiddle. Did this problem of disconnect happen with your bucket as well or just the grapple? I havent had the bucket on yet. Thanks, chuck