Texas Grapple Shootout

[pacerron]

Don-I think you are getting close to perfection.

Charlie

Charlie,
He reached perfection last year with his driveway paver project :thumbsup:

Even if it did cost him a knee.

 

[txdon]

Charlie,
He reached perfection last year with his driveway paver project :thumbsup:

Even if it did cost him a knee.

And a heart.

. . . .but both are up and going strong - must be the diet, but that's another thread.

Looks like I have some calls to make today!

 

[txdon]

The rake shop will make a custom grapple. The shape of the bottom tines is what I like best. The weight is my only concern.

http://www.therakeshop.com/sitebuilder/images/Manufacturing_Root_Rakes_Root_Grapples_5_-370x276.jpg



http://www.therakeshop.com/sitebuil...apple_Tractor_Attachment.PB155444-360x250.jpg

 

[pacerron]

The rake shop will make a custom grapple. The shape of the bottom tines is what I like best. The weight is my only concern.

http://www.therakeshop.com/sitebuilder/images/Manufacturing_Root_Rakes_Root_Grapples_5_-370x276.jpg



http://www.therakeshop.com/sitebuil...apple_Tractor_Attachment.PB155444-360x250.jpg

Cash in some of your Gold Krugerrand stash and have them use Titanium
Half the weight for same strength.:confused2:

 

[bindian]

The rake shop will make a custom grapple. The shape of the bottom tines is what I like best. The weight is my only concern.

Don,
You know I'm going to have to come over and give it an ops check. Right? What width did you finally pick?

Ron,
Heck, that thing made in steel will need some Krugerrands exchanged.
hugs, Brandi

 

[mikim]

The rake shop will make a custom grapple. The shape of the bottom tines is what I like best. The weight is my only concern.

http://www.therakeshop.com/sitebuilder/images/Manufacturing_Root_Rakes_Root_Grapples_5_-370x276.jpg


http://www.therakeshop.com/sitebuil...apple_Tractor_Attachment.PB155444-360x250.jpg

I wouldn't worry about the weight - brush don't weigh nuthin, your tractor will lift more than mine, and I lifted that cattle guard with mine. My grapple likely weighs about the same as what you're looking at.

 

[txdon]

Don,
You know I'm going to have to come over and give it an ops check. Right? What width did you finally pick?

hugs, Brandi

The width is not set in steel yet, but between 50" and 60". 60" would cover the width of the front tires. If I can get them to raise the back the opening would also increase.

 

[txdon]

Got Grapple!

It's from TheRakeShop.com
Light class grapple (plus)
60"
bottom teeth 1" thick with 6.5" spacing
Open 41.5"
Shipping weight 700#

 

[txdon]

Grapple pictures.

 

[txdon]

Action Pictures.

The grapple does everything I bought it for.

The Grapple comes with 9" spacing but I had them put in an extra tooth in to get the 6.5" spacing.
The lack of a cross bar and the curved bottom teeth are an advantage for me to get deep and lever out small trees and Youpon bushes
One thing I did not buy it for is mesquite, but as you can see in the third picture it pulls them up by the roots.

 

[smitesmash]

How much were they asking for that? Love to have that on my tractor, but the haven't responded to my emails.

 

[txdon]

How much were they asking for that? Love to have that on my tractor, but the haven't responded to my emails.

They did not respond right away to my e-mails also, which made me a little worried about them but they came through. They do answer the phone (90% of the time) and after I talked with them they sent some e-mails of their current models, the ones with the slotted backs to protect the tractor. Once we got the specifics finalized they only took about a week and a half build it and ship it. The total cost with the extra tooth and 1" solid teeth was $2500. Shipping from Florida to my front gate in Texas was $200.

I was comparing it to the Faver which would have been about $800 more total and 8 weeks later and bottom teeth further apart. Faver does not do custom work.
Skid Steer Grapple | Faver

One benefit I found was the way the back of the teeth supports form a "V" to really help grab those stubborn trees and bushes. I was initially concerned that limbs and trees would get stuck there but so far everything has fallen out of the "V"s easily when I dump it.

 

[NativeSon]

Don--Great looking Grapple. Now comes the "Grapple Envy", again.............I've got to stop looking at these grapple threads.

Charlie

 

[ronjhall]

Nice. Should be able to clean up all the brush and other scrap easily with that setup. :thumbsup:

 

[blueriver]

Congrats Don .. That's a dandy and just what you wanted and needed!!

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Got Grapple!

It's from TheRakeShop.com
Light class grapple (plus)
60"
bottom teeth 1" thick with 6.5" spacing
Open 41.5"
Shipping weight 700#

Looks great! And if this is what they call "light" duty, I'd like to see their heavy duty ones.

 

[mark02tj]

txdon - What a GREAT looking grapple!! I think that's what I want to go with. In Ohio, we have an invasive shrub called honeysuckle. My woods are full of it and it will take over everything if you don't stay on it. If you cut it, it will just come back. So you have to pull it out by the roots. I was really encouraged to see the pics of you pulling the mesquite out by the roots. I think that mesquite is tougher than the honeysuckle which is a shallow rooted plant.

I have a JD 3520 (35 HP) with a 300CX FEL. Any opinions on how wide I can/should go with something like this? I'm thinking that I want to go narrower rather than wider for total width. And, like txdon, I want to go with less spacing between the tines rather than wider.

Now should there be a single lid for a 54" or a double lid? pros/cons
Should the back of the grapple have a wire mesh to see through and not let limbs poke the tractor? pros/cons

I don't think that I ever saw anyone address the single vs. double lid question. Any opinions on that?

I will also be using mine to pull fallen/cut trees out of my woods.

Again, txdon - CONGRATS on a great attachment! This thread has been really helpful for me!

 

[txdon]

Mark02tj, The bucket on my tractor is 72" but I wanted something that would just about cover the front tires (63") and the 60" seems to feel about right on this size tractor. If you go with something smaller a single lid would be OK. I have mixed feeling on a single or double lid. I did notice that on some loads one lid would close down lower securing the load tighter. When pulling the brush out it was about 50/50 if the bush was in the middle or toward one end on the first swipe but subsequent sweeps to widen the path the side jaws were better. I think with a 35hp tractor - unless changed - he will use 3/4" bottom teeth to reduce the weight.

For dead limbs and trees any grapple will be good. I especially wanted this particular one to do that and be able to easily dig deep to pop up roots. The curved teeth without the crossbar sink into the ground just as I imagined they would. I drive forward and tilt the grapple back slowly to take advantage of the curl.

The live brush/small trees are taken out in one of three ways with this grapple: 1. The teeth pop the roots out. 2. The jaws clampdown and I pull the bush/small tree out. 3. The "V" at the back of the teeth traps the stems and I push them out.

 

[jinman]

Very nice Don! That looks like the perfect size for your tractor. You'll only not like it when you need it and it's not on the loader.

 

[pacerron]

Somehow we missed the story of your customized Canopy shape?:laughing:

It looks like what a lot of us Yankees have done to ours..