wr long or ??? for brush & logs?

[IslandTractor]

TBN user CharlesAF3 has the same grapple I do on his M59. I haven't spoken with him for a while but last I did he was happy with that combo. I think it might be different if you were using the set up commercially but the OP says he will move brush (zero challenge) and lift trees (doubt many trees weigh more than 2500lbs or so) so as far as the light duty grapple being able to handle the stress the OP intends I wouldn't worry.

Width is a trade off as we all know. I find that I fill the grapple with material and need to back out well before my front tires contact brush. Never been an issue.

 

[lwm]

Oh, the trees will get big, I live in redwoods and big bays, madrones, oaks, doug fir. The trees will have to be cut into lengths to be moved, there are trees here 5 feet or more in diameter. Mostly I won't be messing with those and the big ones will have to be skidded out (and I've done some of those with the B21 - imagine how much more pleasant the M59 will be!) but whatever grapple I get it will get stressed at times.

I'm leaning towards the WR OBG1 in 64 inch.

 

[IslandTractor]

Lifting centered logs is not a great stress for a grapple. You'd run out of lift before damaging the grapple. Indeed you could lift more with a lighter than heavy grapple.

Grapples are hurt by twisting or ramming, not by lifting. If you think about it, a grapple has at least six or so 3/8" bottom tines to support the weight. A standard bucket is made of 10 gauge steel and can withstand whatever your loader can lift.

 

[TomSeller]

I'm sitting here w/ my tractor guy watching videos and this turned both of us off from the RGB

RBG.avi - YouTube

We're leaning towards the OBG 1 in the smallest size - 64"

The rake grapple in that video was not being used for what rake grapples are good for. Rake grapples are good for grubbing brush with shallow roots, back raking, that sort of thing. The video was moving brush which I think an L grapple is much better at. I can hold more straws in the palm of my hand with my thumb holding them down than I can pinching straws between my finger tips and thumb tight to fingers. The rake grapple has little " volume" between the lid and base to work with when carrying brush and it does not have the lower section to get under the pile.

Dave has a rake grapple with larger lower teeth and that allows him to grab more than most rake grapples can, more like an L grapple.

 

[IslandTractor]

I can hold more straws in the palm of my hand with my thumb holding them down than I can pinching straws between my finger tips and thumb.

Exactly.

 

[lwm]

The rake grapple in that video was not being used for what rake grapples are good for. Rake grapples are good for grubbing brush with shallow roots, back raking, that sort of thing. The video was moving brush which I think an L grapple is much better at. I can hold more straws in the palm of my hand with my thumb holding them down than I can pinching straws between my finger tips and thumb tight to fingers. The rake grapple has little " volume" between the lid and base to work with when carrying brush and it does not have the lower section to get under the pile.

Dave has a rake grapple with larger lower teeth and that allows him to grab more than most rake grapples can, more like an L grapple.

I thought Dave bought the same grapple as was in that video - am I incorrect on that? Is there an option to get longer teeth?

 

[k0ua]

With my EA single lid, I can pick up a single log no matter the size because the tips of the upper lid and the lower lid match perfectly like finger tips. I can easily pick up a rock as small as your fist or a small stick or a single log of any size. I can pickup multiple logs into its "gullet" or big mouthfull's of brush. These are my observations from a "grapple newbie."

James K0UA

 

[94BULLITT]

I think the RBG grapple will release the brush better than the OBG.

 

[94BULLITT]

I find that I fill the grapple with material and need to back out well before my front tires contact brush. Never been an issue.

You must have some thick brush if you can fill the grapple in 5' or 6'.

 

[IslandTractor]

I think the RBG grapple will release the brush better than the OBG.

Yep, just open the jaw.

On an OBG you open the jaw then dump.

Flip side is that RBG can only dump right at the SSQA. OBG can be opened, slightly dumped and then kicked up to flip the logs further into the pile. Can also use the longer bottom tines to push the dumped load further away after releasing.

Slightly different tools with characteristics that a skilled operator will learn to take advantage of in either case.