Grappling fun - A Picture Thread....

[dragoneggs]

Well, I could if I could find them

I like your comment about being thankful we aren't pilots, especially because I'm currently 30k feet in the air right now! I sure hope my pilot hasn't done this before.
View attachment 507162

Isn't great to fly overseas now and have an internet and TBN connection? Sure helps kill the incredibly long flight!

 

[Piston]

Isn't great to fly overseas now and have an internet and TBN connection? Sure helps kill the incredibly long flight!

It sure does! Between TBN and ADVrider I am not short of any reading material that's for
Sure!

By the way, I emailed WR Long a few hours ago asking where I could purchase those hose clamps for my hydraulic hoses, and he (Nelson Long) already replied back saying he'd mail me a few of them at no charge!

That's service right there!

 

[dirtymartini]

It sure does! Between TBN and ADVrider I am not short of any reading material that's for
Sure!
/QUOTE]

Another inmate from ADVrider!

 

[IslandTractor]

By the way, I emailed WR Long a few hours ago asking where I could purchase those hose clamps for my hydraulic hoses, and he (Nelson Long) already replied back saying he'd mail me a few of them at no charge!

That's service right there!

Nelson is fantastic. If WRLong had used a direct to consumer sales model they would OWN the CUT grapple market. Their dealer intermediaries make them less competitive with EA however and Nelson is an old time sales guy who's wonderful by phone but MIA on TBN.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

If WRLong had used a direct to consumer sales model they would OWN the CUT grapple market.

Easy now. unch:
Travis

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Easy now. unch:
Travis

I know you said "if".
I kid, I kid. :laughing:
Travis

 

[IslandTractor]

Easy now. unch:
Travis

It's not a knock on EA at all. EA is the upstart winner. Just pointed out that if WRLong had a "modern internet savvy" marketing approach (like EA does!) then newer competitors would have been hard pressed to make inroads into their already well established CUT grapple business. If I am not mistaken WRLong was the first (certainly one of the first) companies to understand that there was a CUT market for grapples and began making them in sizes more appropriate for CUTs rather than skidsteers. They were also the first to offer hydraulic kits for diverter valves and third function valves (something EA doesn't yet do). Fifteen years ago WRLong was selling CUT grapples and hydraulics but only through a dealership model. Dealers were relatively slow to recognize the role of grapples for CUTs and did not do a good job selling them. In the meantime, the interweb took off as a mechanism for both sales and bringing communities (TBN) together. EA took full advantage while WRLong continued with it's dealership sales model and Colonial era marketing techniques. EA's other very smart move was to incorporate most shipping details and built those charges into it's base price which made it easier for end consumers to simply get on the phone and arrange a purchase. So, while Nelson Long has been a wonderful guy and sells excellent products, WRLong has fallen behind and is a "legacy" source for grapples and other implements now. Of course as dealerships become smarter about selling CUT implements along with tractors in factory financed packages, that old dealership model might rebound! So, don't relax Travis, keep selling those single lid narrow grapples like hotcakes!:thumbsup:

 

[EverythingAttachments]

It's not a knock on EA at all. EA is the upstart winner. a "modern internet savvy" marketing approach (like EA does!)

Grapples are our passion! The great feedback strongly drives our design and marketing. It actually makes the marketing very easy, which I'm extremely thankful for!

I never knew I was modern and savvy, but I'll definitely take it! :thumbsup:

They were also the first to offer hydraulic kits for diverter valves and third function valves (something EA doesn't yet do).

I know we keep WR Long extremely busy building and shipping their custom 3rd Function Hydraulic Kits to our customers. We've sold over 50 of them this month alone!
They have a TON of loaders on file, the kits ship quick and they're always VERY helpful when questions(common) or issues(rare) arise!

So, don't relax Travis, keep selling those single lid narrow grapples like hotcakes!

Believe me. I couldn't relax even if I wanted to. :laughing:
Single lids all around!! :thumbsup:

Our lead times have been increasing due to the sudden spike in demand, but most people have been understanding and willing to wait because of the Wicked awesome design, value and reviews!
Ted's YouTube videos don't hurt either. Here is the full EA Wicked Grapple playlist.
Travis

 

[houser52]

Sorry no pics but I used my 50" grapple all afternoon this past Saturday, moving fallen dead trees out of the pasture edges. Some of those trees were a mouth full for the grapple's 30" opening but were manageable after sawing them to reasonable sizes. Even then some were making my Kubota feel light in the rear. Pucker factor was present but went slow and low using the box blade for ballast.
I still can't believe how much I use this grapple and leave it hooked up most of the time now.

A heavy rear mounted root rake sure would have come in handy cleaning up some of the scattered sticks and limbs that were too big for a landscape rake.

 

[IslandTractor]

A heavy rear mounted root rake sure would have come in handy cleaning up some of the scattered sticks and limbs that were too big for a landscape rake.

I've never heard of a rear mounted "root rake". I've tried to use my landscape rake like you did but it is mostly a fruitless waste of time to try collecting sticks and the like that way. The debris just clogs up the rake and the rake jumps over it or digs up the turf. Big mess. Best technique I have come up with for "collecting" sticks and small dead wood is to just mow the suckers to death with either a bush hog or flail. It helps if your wife doesn't inspect the area for a week or so afterwards.

 

[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