Solid bottom grapples

[PreacherM]

I'm considering the purchase of a grapple bucket and looking for input on a solid bottom grapple.

Uses: primarily will be used for moving brush, logs, and split firewood.

A solid bottom seems like an advantage for me in that I can still haul my chainsaw, gas, oil, chains etc easily.

My tractor has a lift capacity of 1400lbs so lightweight and 48-52" max width. Anyone have experience with this grapple or one similar?

 

[2manyrocks]

A grapple that has openings between the tines allows minor debris to fall out. I keep my landscape box on the rear as a counterweight and built a carrier on it for my chainsaw, etc.

I don't use it for woods work, but I also built a heavy wooden box insert that fits in my grapple to carry stones and cement for masonry work. You could use it to carry a chainsaw, but I'd suggest you consider building some kind of carrier to fit on whatever you plan to use as a rear counterweight.

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[dstig1]

While I haven't used that style, I can envision all the dirt that wouldn't fall out between the tines since it has a solid bottom. If you need more of a bucket for your applications, then this would work, but most grappling I do for brush and logs I feel works better with the more common tine style.

 

[Smokeydog]

Hard to beat seeing thru tines, raking up brush. With the tines and front tube easy to control ground penetration.

Any grapple is better than no grapple.

Better ways to safely carry tools.

 

[PreacherM]

I'm not too concerned about allowing dirt to fall through. I'm mainly interested in being able to grab onto plies of brush, gripping logs, etc.

 

[oosik]

I use mine to move dirt also. Straight down - clamp up - lift & move. Even with the open tines - I loose very little.

 

[old and tired]

Just buy a bolt on grapple to your bucket... W.R. Long, Inc. | Bolt On Grapple Single, Dual, Dual X

I'm grabbing gravel or dirt about as much as trees, rocks and branches..

 

[PreacherM]

Just buy a bolt on grapple

I've considered building something like that to make my existing 52" bucket into a grapple. Then buy a 60 inch bucket for light duty hauling (which I should get anyhow).

 

[old and tired]

Another option if you can weld... Green machine The Thumb...

 

[PreacherM]

Just buy a bolt on grapple to your bucket...

Do you use your bucket for dirt work as pictured? I assume you'd just leave the grapple wide open?

If I went that route I would probably fabricate the entire assembly myself.

 

[bigtiller]

I'm not too concerned about allowing dirt to fall through. I'm mainly interested in being able to grab onto plies of brush, gripping logs, etc.

PreacherM​

A solid bottom seems like an advantage for me in that I can still haul my chainsaw, gas, oil, chains etc easily.

You can just about bet that there will come a day that your chainsaw, gas, oil, chains etc. will get smashed.

 

[CalG]

I'm ordering out one of these next week.

The Thumb - Add-on Grapple Attachments

 

[oosik]

I can see many advantages to a "thumb" type grapple. I might have purchased one like that if I had known about them.

 

[mikester]

Buy whatever suits your needs best

If you are doing a lot of cleanup like clearing branches from the ground after felling trees you will probably tire of a smooth edge full bottom grapple pretty quick as you are walking around picking up branches by hand.

I've gone to a long bottom twin lid grapple and my lower tines are on 8 inch spacing. Tine spacing is small enough to hold decent sized rocks, large enough to sift dirt from wood and rocks. Twin lid works better for grabbing odd shaped or piles of logs. Makes for an excellent clean up rake. Still works as a carryall and I can even move loose stuff like wood chips.

I'm using the grapple and my forks more than my bucket these days.

 

[nybirdman]

I have had a Green's Machine Thumb for at least ten years;very usefull and a lot cheaper than a full grapple.Limited opening but have used for logs,brush ect.
Mine bolts on and is removeable if ever needed.

 

[MechanicalGuy]

A clamshell style is superior for brush movement imo. That's what I have. I don't see utility in the other style of grapple. In fact, my fil and my uncle both liked my grapple so much, that they both bought the other style like you show, but neither of them use it. My grapple still sees use. They didn't think about the difference in style, they only bought what was locally available to them and it turns out the utility of the clamshell is far higher in my experience.

 

[MechanicalGuy]

This is how you rake brush towards you and then roll the stationary part of the grapple forward to trap brush and logs. I can pick up big logs too.

 

[old and tired]

Do you use your bucket for dirt work as pictured? I assume you'd just leave the grapple wide open?

If I went that route I would probably fabricate the entire assembly myself.

Yes, if I do dirt work, I leave the grapple wide open... unless I'm up against a building (which I have done). In that case, I remove the 3 pins and pull off just the grapple part. I've done this a few times... One time, I lost the middle pin and ended up getting one free from the company in Tarboro (I used to eat lunch in that town when I was working)... So I stopped by and walked though the factory to find the correct pin. I can not say enough good things about WR Long...

NOW, since I learned to weld... I would so build my own!!!

 

[old and tired]

This is how you rake brush towards you and then roll the stationary part of the grapple forward to trap brush and logs. I can pick up big logs too.

No offense but I do the same with my tooth bar and grapple... to the point of picking up so much brush and not being able to see where the heck I'm driving!!!

Again, any grapple is much better than no grapple!!!

 

[MechanicalGuy]

No offense but I do the same with my tooth bar and grapple... to the point of picking up so much brush and not being able to see where the heck I'm driving!!!

Again, any grapple is much better than no grapple!!!

I don't take offense, but I've used both and the clamshell is far superior for grapple functions imo. The other type excels in lifting tasks like forks. I have forks, so I don't see the need for that type of grapple.