Grapple --- 1 Lid or 2
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IslandTractor
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I'd measure the bottom tines for you but the tractor is 80 miles away and there is too much snow to get to it these days. 24" sounds a bit short to me but I'll post some other photos from the side and you can interpolate the length from other documented dimensions. Maybe they are just 24" but if you asked me to guess, without measuring, I'd have thought maybe 30"
The curve in the bottom tines is useful for getting under roots and then curling to rip them out. It naturally forces the root back towards the tractor where the power of the loader is greatest. I don't doubt that straighter tines would also work but other than simplicity of fabrication, I've never understood any real benefit of straight bottom tines. If making a DYI grapple and working from cut stock, obviously straight would be easier to fabricate. With the wonders of CAD/water cutting these days, I'm sure most "real" manufacturers start with 4x8 sheets of 3/8 steel and could efficiently cut out any curved shape they wanted with very little waste.
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IslandTractor
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Hey, let's not exaggerate. I recall using my bucket at least twice last season!
Hey guys, I was just reading the EA Wicked Grapple thread and seen lots of people want one with a larger opening, similar to the WR Long OBG-2 grapple. Since my plans are only to move brush I thought this would be perfect for me. Anyone know the dimensions of the OBG-2. ie length of tines from front face of frame to end of tine and the frame height?
IslandTractor
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The grapple I have opens to something between 42-46" (I measured but forget exactly). Definitely want something that opens at least 40" for brush and wider is better. Brush is compressible so being able to open really wide and then clamp will always get you a bigger load than with a smaller opening grapple. Lift capacity is never an issue with brush, load capacity is.
Agreed!!! Since that will be my primary use I want to be able to grab a lot of brush to reduce the amount of trips I have to make. I don't plan on using the grapple for digging anything, as I have a small excavator with a hydraulic thumb for that. I use that for gathering brush now, but it doesn't move as fast as the tractor.
CDN Farm Boy
Veteran Member
I'm hoping to build one this summer and fully plan on a straight bottom. Personally, I don't understand the point of the curved bottoms unless you do a lot of digging with it. As I expect most of my use to be picking up loose things sitting on the surface, the straight bottom seems like it will be easier to skim across the surface without digging in as much. I've got the BH77 for when I need to dig out roots & rocks. I'll be working from sheet stock making the cuts with a plasma cutter. To me, a cross between the front half of the EA Wicked and the heel of the ANBO would be the ideal design.
Mind you, the only experience I've got using a grapple was once 8 yrs ago on a rental skid steer with a scrap grapple tearing down an old log barn. That and looking at pics of all you guys that actually have them....
IslandTractor
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I know is seems like a grapple would be the perfect tool to "skim across the surface" and pick up loose stuff, but in my experience it doesn't work well for that unless you are talking about fairly bulky items like downed tree branches. Any small stuff that is laying flat on the ground is very difficult to scoop up with a grapple without digging into the soil/turf. From the operator's seat, you cannot easily judge exactly the height off the ground of the grapple lower tines and if you are too high you'll miss the object or if too low you'll plow into the ground. I find small debris collection with a grapple to be pretty inefficient myself and I've tried hard. Indeed, when I have a large area to clean up these days, I put a rake on the 3pt and use it to create piles. The grapple does a fine job of collecting the piles.
I'm not a fan of claw type grapples generally but this is one type of task that the claw would IMO work better. The point is that a claw grapple has relatively a short vertical "lower" jaw that can be lowered to just above ground level and then driven forward to push debris in front. The vertical nature of the lower jaw means that there is less of a tendency to dig in. Essentially a claw grapple allows you to "rake" the debris forward and then clamp with the top. I cannot claim to have tried that but knowing how the open bottom style grapple works I'm pretty sure the claw would be better as a skimming device.
rd_macgregor
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My grapple looks identical to HCJtractor's. I bought it just as Markham was rolling over to Gator, and it has a Gator decal on it. I also got it with 1/2" steel and the extra filler tines. I have managed to twist the grapple a little bit by clamping on and hauling a very heavy, asymmetrical load, but it still works fine. It opens pretty wide, but not quite wide enough to grab a big round hay bale...though, if it isn't too tightly-rolled, I can sometimes manage to crush down on it enough to get a hold between the grapple tines and the rake teeth.
Bob
Bob