60" Grapple Build

[Whitbread]

After dragging my feet too long, I've decided it's time for a grapple. I can't justify paying $2500+ for picking up logs and I own a fab shop, so let's build one!

I modeled it all up tonight and have the mechanics worked out. I'll use 1.5"x6" cylinders which will give more than enough clamp force for anything I should be working with. All the DXF files are sent off to be cnc plasma cut in town while I'm on family vacation for the next 2 weeks. Finished weight looks to be about 315lbs before the quick attach plate. No, it's not as "heavy duty" as some commercially available units out there, but it doesn't weigh 650lbs either. I have 1940lbs lift on the new to me Massey 1740M and I don't want to kill the lifting capacity. I'm confident it will be more than up to my needed tasks. Updates will come quickly when I get back!

 

[Pete O]

Great stuff. Just to keep you keen, here's mine that I built last year. Best thing I have ever made and gets more use than I thought it would. Steel and hydraulic components aren't cheap, but I saved myself about about 60% of the price of the very few commercial units available here.
Oh and the loader has had a respray since this photo.

 

[2manyrocks]

Great stuff. Just to keep you keen, here's mine that I built last year. Best thing I have ever made and gets more use than I thought it would. Steel and hydraulic components aren't cheap, but I saved myself about about 60% of the price of the very few commercial units available here.
Oh and the loader has had a respray since this photo.

Did you CNC cut your parts yourself?

 

[Whitbread]

Great stuff. Just to keep you keen, here's mine that I built last year. Best thing I have ever made and gets more use than I thought it would. Steel and hydraulic components aren't cheap, but I saved myself about about 60% of the price of the very few commercial units available here.
Oh and the loader has had a respray since this photo.

Very nice work! I see you went for a much shorter lower tine size, have you ever wished they were longer? What is your primary use for it?

Did you CNC cut your parts yourself?

No, I'm having all the tines and cylinder brackets cnc plasma cut in town by a friendly business that does all my cnc plasma, laser, and waterjet work. They will come out much nicer than if I did it by hand with my plasma cutter!

 

[Pete O]

I've never learned to use CAD, never had the time...a friend turned my pencil sketches into CAD files which I emailed to a laser cutter and picked up the components 3 days later. First time I have had laser cutting done. Amazing to see your pencil ideas transformed into real steel parts like magic.
I made mine mostly for picking up branches for the burn pile when cutting firewood or felling trees around my property and am very happy I went with this style. It is incredibly versatile, I unloaded a trailer full of 310UB joists last week- that's 12" RSJ if you prefer. Can pick up all the debris from a felled tree and then pick up the 24" logs and put them on a pile. Then I can wander across and pick up my wife's garden prunings off the lawn. No-one with a FEL should be without a grapple.
Sorry for the hijack; I should do a thread on my build too. Keen to watch this one take shape.

 

[Midniteoyl]

So this is just a 2 week tease?

 

[2manyrocks]

It isn't a hijack when you add something of value to the subject. For one thing, you've shown it can be done. For another thing, your experience is very valuable to anyone else interested in trying to build their own grapple. Even the choice of how long to make the tines is something that has to be decided.

I just recently went through the experience of shopping for grapples. It seemed like there were some lightweight grapples that looked good, except there were also videos on Youtube about these particular units getting bent.

On the other hand, I found a less expensive unit made of 3/8 material that looks more sturdy, but is heavier than I like, but I haven't haven't even used it yet to have the experience to form an actual opinion.

So to me, there are some interesting tradeoffs to be made between a unit being simple but heavy vs how far you can go in reducing weight by using thinner material, cutting holes where you can, and adding extra bracing requiring more fabrication and welding.

 

[Smokeydog]

Not all steel is created equal. Makes a big difference comparing weight VS strength.

 

[TractorTYMe]

I admire folks who have ability to create their own tools. I never possessed such qualities or access to facilities.

 

[Whitbread]

So this is just a 2 week tease?

Yup, sorry! Got back from vacation today and had two boxes waiting . The 2 hydraulic rams and the WR 3rd function kit for the massey 1740m (that I'll hopefully go pickup in 2ish weeks).

Time to go over to the neighbors to nest the dxf files on his plasma table software to see how big of a piece of plate I need.

 

[Aquamoose]

The long bottom tines can short one is really, in my opinion, the ability to “rake” debris going forward and backwards. Mine are very short and when angled properly, I can drop it on the ground and push a pile without it digging into the ground yet not ride over anything else. Alternatively, I can angle it downward to rip out roots and small trees. It can pick up a mouthful of debris as well. I rake it forward, reach over to the far end and use the upper jaw to grab the back end of the pile, move back a bit, then bite down. Sorta like eating a thick former burger that’s bigger than your mouth.

When unloading, long bottom tubes would force me to rotate the grapple practically all the way and it would be a problem when dumping at a height over the sides of my dump trailer. The short tine arrangement also allows me to “cherry pick” certain logs from a pile as an added benefit.

 

[Whitbread]

The long bottom tines can short one is really, in my opinion, the ability to “rake” debris going forward and backwards. Mine are very short and when angled properly, I can drop it on the ground and push a pile without it digging into the ground yet not ride over anything else. Alternatively, I can angle it downward to rip out roots and small trees. It can pick up a mouthful of debris as well. I rake it forward, reach over to the far end and use the upper jaw to grab the back end of the pile, move back a bit, then bite down. Sorta like eating a thick former burger that’s bigger than your mouth.

When unloading, long bottom tubes would force me to rotate the grapple practically all the way and it would be a problem when dumping at a height over the sides of my dump trailer. The short tine arrangement also allows me to “cherry pick” certain logs from a pile as an added benefit.

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The primary purpose for my grapple build is loading and unloading logs from my gooseneck bunk racks. I don't do much brush handling/raking, but I can absolutely see why a shorter lower tine would be advantageous for that. I do the job now with pallet forks, but I want to be able to grab handfuls of logs more securely and safely.

 

[old and tired]

...I do the job now with pallet forks, but I want to be able to grab handfuls of logs more securely and safely.

Why don't you add a lid / Thumb to your forks? Bolt them on to the fork frame if you want or need to remove them for other projects. Seems to be way easier than building the whole unit.

 

[Whitbread]

Why don't you add a lid / Thumb to your forks? Bolt them on to the fork frame if you want or need to remove them for other projects. Seems to be way easier than building the whole unit.

I considered adding a removable thumb to my pallet forks, but I use them to load / unload Freight semis at the road 2-3 times a week for my business. In real world daily practice, there is no way I would take the thumb on and off. It will be much faster to pop 2 latches for the quick connects and switch between the forks and the grapple when needed.

 

[LD1]

Looks good. Just curious if the 1.5" cylinders are on par with similar manufactures grapples?

 

[Whitbread]

Looks good. Just curious if the 1.5" cylinders are on par with similar manufactures grapples?

I'm honestly not sure what size other companies are using. Running the hydraulic math, each 1.5" cylinder will provide 3900 lb of force at 2200 PSI. A 2" cylinder would give 6900 lb of force. I feel like a pair of those is significant overkill and a legitimate risk of bending parts if you're not careful. At the end of the day, my goal is simply to hold logs on the lower tines from falling out while carrying them.

 

[LD1]

But you have leverage working against that force. What's the distance from the lid pivot to the cylinder lin and from lid pivot to tines?

 

[Whitbread]

Well, I needed the grabble a couple times lately so I dusted off all the parts and fired up the welder! I'm happy to report it works as intended!

Yes it's light duty and will bend if abused. Again, 99% of intended use is simply to move/load/unload logs more safely than using forks only. It is not designed to be run into rock piles by teenage employees.
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