Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple

[GPintheMitten]

Outstanding.

 

[Sodo]

That works great! Good job!

 

[motoman3b]

Great ingenuity!! I will probably be stealing this idea! how thick is the metal you used?

 

[skyhook]

What a great idea.:thumbsup:

 

[Baby Grand]

Thanks very much for for posting this, Gordon.
I have been trying to think up a simple way to get my tongs on a log and off a log quickly, and repeatably.
You, sir, have cracked the code. I'm bustin' out the welder this weekend.
I dub thee Sir Gordon of Grapple.

 

[PapaPerk]

Great ingenuity!! I will probably be stealing this idea! how thick is the metal you used?

You could at least figure out metal thickness yourself! Lol!

 

[Gordon Gould]

Thanks for all the very nice comments. I am glad you all liked it.
That video was the very first time I tried to pick up a log. It was starting to get dark so I just set the camera and gave it a whirl. I was surprised how well it worked. After a little practice it is quicker. Also you can come on to the log at a pretty good angle and it will still grab.

motoman3b I pretty much used what I had around. I did make one trip to the hw store to get some 3/8" shaft bushings which are welded onto the hinge piece as spacers and so they aren't to floppy. And I bought the 3/4" bolts for the draw bar holes. The hinge pieces are 3/16" X 1" bar and a short piece of 1/8" X 1" angle for the stop. The A is 1/4" X 2" angle with a piece of 3/8" plate on top.

gg

 

[Walkin Horse]

I have never used tongs. Does a more expensive set work better than the cheap ones. I bought a cheap cant hook from NT one time. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to work. I finally heaved it into a burn pile after getting smacked with it. I went and bought a good one and no problems. So I didn't know if the same holds true for tongs.

 

[PapaPerk]

I have never used tongs. Does a more expensive set work better than the cheap ones. I bought a cheap cant hook from NT one time. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to work. I finally heaved it into a burn pile after getting smacked with it. I went and bought a good one and no problems. So I didn't know if the same holds true for tongs.

I think you answered your own question. Buy a quality tool... It will work much better!

 

[2458n]

Nice idea and video. Thanks for sharing your intellectual property. That is a term for stealing your idea. My problem is no ROPS, but where there is a will there is a way. Thanks. What else do you have kicking around in your head?