Grappling fun - A Picture Thread....

[Luke'sScreenName]

And.. "cue" Jeff to extol the virtues of a ratchet rake....
Lol. Just kidding.

 

[JK22]

I failed to mention that I did tear off the hydraulic hose "holders" on the grapple. Those little pieces of hardware that secure the hose to the frame. I will need to order a couple of those.
I also bent the 90 degree fitting slightly, but nothing that will affect anything.

If you have any idea what I'm referring to as "hose holders" and have a link that I could buy some I'd certainly appreciate it.

Is this what you're looking for? Twin Support Clamps for Pipe or Tubing

 

[IslandTractor]

And.. "cue" Jeff to extol the virtues of a ratchet rake....
Lol. Just kidding.

Nah. I have a ratchet rake. Very useful for pulling out blackberry bushes and brush but not useful for collecting scattered debris. Difficult to accurately rake backwards and you have to stop all the time to deal with piles. Cannot use the bucket to scoop up the piles as the RR prevents normal bucket operations.

I keep my eyes open but really haven't seen any CUT implement that seems to do a good job of collecting tree trash in the Spring. I even put a 3PT adapter on my FEL so I could mount a landscape rake up front but it just isn't efficient. Skidsteers use a powered broom to do that type of work but that is quite a commitment in both $$$$ and high output hydraulics to run.

 

[houser52]

I've never heard of a rear mounted "root rake".

Haha neither have I but I got to thinking about one a couple weeks ago. I use my landscape rake most of the time along with my grapple. They just compliment each other when trimming limbs and cutting saplings. Push everything into windrows or piles with the rake then grab them with the grapple and off to the burn pile or gulley.

I had mentioned a rear mounted root rake to Travis at EA the other week. I suggested a 3 point rake similar to the bottom half of the new 55" EA root rake designed to push brush in reverse. It would be heavier, heavy tines less likely to bend or break and tines spaced farther apart to rake bigger stuff without clogging.

EA has all they can handle right now but it never hurts to ask.

 

[IslandTractor]

Haha neither have I but I got to thinking about one a couple weeks ago. I use my landscape rake most of the time along with my grapple. They just compliment each other when trimming limbs and cutting saplings. Push everything into windrows or piles with the rake then grab them with the grapple and off to the burn pile or gulley.

I had mentioned a rear mounted root rake to Travis at EA the other week. I suggested a 3 point rake similar to the bottom half of the new 55" EA root rake designed to push brush in reverse. It would be heavier, heavy tines less likely to bend or break and tines spaced farther apart to rake bigger stuff without clogging.

EA has all they can handle right now but it never hurts to ask.

I like the idea but the problem I found with using something like a landscape rake to collect sticks and tree limbs is largely that the debris doesn't behave like dirt or grass. It is solid and either clogs up the tines or, worse, it causes the rake to climb over the debris which leaves small piles all over the place and also damages the turf. I thought, as you probably did, that a 3PT landscape "rake" would behave like a large garden rake. Not so. For starters, when you use a garden rake you are almost always using multiple short sweeps with a very flexible tool to collect debris. A single pass with a very rigid implement just doesn't have the same effect. Power sweepers are more like a garden rake.

 

[houser52]

I like the idea but the problem I found with using something like a landscape rake to collect sticks and tree limbs is largely that the debris doesn't behave like dirt or grass. It is solid and either clogs up the tines or, worse, it causes the rake to climb over the debris which leaves small piles all over the place and also damages the turf. I thought, as you probably did, that a 3PT landscape "rake" would behave like a large garden rake. Not so. For starters, when you use a garden rake you are almost always using multiple short sweeps with a very flexible tool to collect debris. A single pass with a very rigid implement just doesn't have the same effect. Power sweepers are more like a garden rake.

What I did with my landscape rake was to remove every other tine. Just doing that all but eliminated the tines clogging up. As was mentioned earlier, any little stuff that's left is run over with the brush hog or left to rot.

 

[jabelding]

Loving my new 55" EA Wicked root rake grapple. Moving one of my big brush piles out of my field. Love the clamping force and versatility of it. Works great for picking up logs, brush and stumps been ripping out a bunch of alder stumps with the nice soft ground. Yes I know the ROPS is not all the way up, only way it will fit in my shed. I do have loaded rears and my ballast barrel on though.

 

[IslandTractor]

Here is my front mounted rake contraption. I actually use it more often with the rake tines turned inward so I rake while backing up and spread dirt driving forwards. I would give it a C minus overall but it does come in handy at times. Best part is being able to see exactly where the rake is when maneuvering close to the house etc.

 

[4570Man]

Here is a photo of something I don't do every day! I was rushing to put the bucket on in order to clean out the chicken coop, and forgot to disconnect the hydraulic lines when I backed away from the grapple! <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=507124"/> To my surprise, no damage to the hoses or fittings. I "opened" the grapple to get it halfway turned over, <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=507125"/> I was then able to rock it back rightside up. Serves me right for trying to take it off the tractor <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=507126"/>

I've done that once or twice. No damage resulted from that. I did have the grapple come loose from the SSQA and fall off which busted a QA coupling and broke a hose.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Loving my new 55" EA Wicked root rake grapple. Moving one of my big brush piles out of my field. Love the clamping force and versatility of it. Works great for picking up logs, brush and stumps been ripping out a bunch of alder stumps with the nice soft ground.

It looks great!
Even better, I'm guessing it weighs less than your bucket by quite a bit!! :cool2:
Travis