Grapple Millonzi Grapple

[IslandTractor]

Island tractor, that stump looks close to 6 inches. No? That is the "light" duty 48 inch grapple right?? I guess "light" duty is a relative term!!

I guess you are right. On second look it is about six inches but it was a weed tree not an oak!

Millonzi uses the "light duty" name to distinguish these grapples from their much heavier skid steer grapples intended for demolition work. I don't see how the "light duty" grapple could be injured by any wood/brush work and it can certainly pick up big rocks without any problem.

Again, the limiting factor with this "light duty" grapple is clearly the curl/lift capacity of your loader. I have to dig around a bit with my loader before I can pop out a stump like the one I posted. I free up the sides to six inches or so below grade then grab the stump and "wiggle" it until I can free it up enough to pull it up. With a stronger loader I presumably could pop it out without as much prep work. I would not worry at all about hurting the grapple on these stumps. I cannot imagine a loader with less than 3000lbs of lift could possibly damage the grapple on wood/brush/roots.

 

[flINTLOCK]

That looks like the one for me. I have a buddy with a backhoe who can loosen em up first. Island, you run yours off rear remote. Do you route the hydraulics permanently some how and just hook up when needed or take hoses off each time you change out the grapple??

 

[flINTLOCK]

Island, you mentioned digging with the grapple to loosen stumps. How does that go??

 

[IslandTractor]

I do use the rear remotes to control the grapple and have it set up with quick connects so I just leave the hoses attached to the front torque tube when I remove the grapple. When I disconnect the rear remotes I just use a bungee cord to keep those lines out of the way. The only time I disconnect the rears is when I need to hook up the backhoe, otherwise they stay connected even if the grapple is off the tractor. The description might be confusing but it is really a very simple operation.

Regarding digging with the grapple to loosen roots etc: Root grapples are designed with "teeth" that can be forced into the ground much like a toothbar. Rather than digging up dirt however then just cut or snag any roots within reach (probably up to 6-9 inches below grade). By doing that from different quadrants around a bigger stump (we are talking the type of 6 inch or so stump that was shown in the photos posted earlier) it makes it possible to then grab the stump and wiggle it loose and finally to grab it and curl it out.

A very small stump (rare as I would mostly just take out the whole sapling intact with the grapple rather than cutting the tree down) you can just use the grapple directly to get under the stump and pull it out. The medium stumps (medium will be determined by the size of your FEL) I handle as described in this thread. Large stumps require really digging up with a backhoe before finally lifting out with the grapple.

 

[flINTLOCK]

Island, what is the capacity of your loader?. My NH TC40 has 17LA with capacity about 1500#.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have the Kioti KL120 which has a lift capacity to full height of 1070lbs at the pivot pins. I don't know how that compares to the NH line but it is roughly between the Kubota LA352 and LA402.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Island:

Do the teeth mesh such that you can close the grapple down tightly around one branch? I have some ice busted branches that I have to pull out of my trees, and a grapple that can handle one branch, as well as a pile of branches is what I am looking for.

 

[flINTLOCK]

Island, does your grapple let you grasp a single log of say 10-12 inches??
I guess it would if the jaws are offset top and bottom a bit, rather than meeting at their tips.

 

[IslandTractor]

Island:

Do the teeth mesh such that you can close the grapple down tightly around one branch?

I guess it depends on what size branch you are referring to. The grapple can pick up a single 2x4 without too much trouble (manuvering the tractor to do that is a bit fussy but can be done) but in general I would not try to pick up a single branch. Instead I would scoop it up and if it was too small to grasp easily with the jaws, I would just curl the grapple into a cupping position which would hold it in place.

The grapple does not have a big "underbite" so that the upper jaw will continue to close until it hits the back of the grapple. It will close until it almost hits the front part of the lower jaw. See photo. This is the fully closed position.

 

[IslandTractor]

Island, does your grapple let you grasp a single log of say 10-12 inches??
I guess it would if the jaws are offset top and bottom a bit, rather than meeting at their tips.

No. I don't know of any grapples that do that except those specifically designed for logging applications. See anwser to jeffinsgf above.

I don't have any trouble carrying 12 inch logs securely however. See photo, I have a solid grip on that log. You can always use gravity to help you by either keeping the closed grapple pointing down so the log rests in the valley created by the upper and lower jaws or alternatively you can curl the grapple up. Most of the time the grapple manages to get a solid grip on whatever log I put in however so I resort to that sort of trickery only occasionally.