Need Advice on a Grapple

[BoneheadNW]

I am looking for a simple solution to my grapple needs. I have a Kubota B7610 24 hp tractor with the standard hydraulic set up. I would like some sort of grapple to pick up and transport branches (see photo below) preferably without having to install additional hydraulic plumbing as I do not have the time or knowledge to do so. Transport of the tractor to someone that can install a system is not impossible, but would be very expensive (about $500) or would require most of two days off from work. I have looked at the Brush Crusher a while back, but have heard conflicting opinions as to its effectiveness.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Bonehead

 

[universalgirl]

Does it have a quick attach plate? You mentioned standard hydraulic set up, does this mean flat face couplers?

 

[BoneheadNW]

It has been just over 2 years since I wrote my post above. Just this year, I spent $450 to have 3 piles of stumps, branches, etc hauled off. Granted I will still need to spend the $ to transport the debris away (I have use of a nice dump trailer), but I am still considering the cost effectiveness of getting a grapple. When it is all said and done, with installation of additional hydraulics etc, what should I expect to pay for a mid-range grapple these days (ball park estimate)?
Bonehead

 

[RedAnt]

I've been scanning CraigsList in my New England area. Almost all the grapple attachments are from dealers, new and range from $1300-2000. I have been focused on quick attach (for my Kioti DK40se). I have no real experience with them. I suspect my interest is like yours in that I have land that needs thinning and like the concept of a big hand to move these things larger and faster than possible with my own gloved hands.

In my case I have a rear remote, but it would need to be plumed forward. The dealer quoted me around $1200 to add the second remote and run a set of extensions to the front. I don't think two remotes are needed for most grapples, but a few looked like they might have independent left and right "thumbs".

I suspect I may also use the front remotes to control a quick attach plow some day.

There seem to be a lot of options around here for grapple styles. I have looked at some that are very narrow and almost look like you could trench with them. Others are very open and do not look strong enough to handle picking up a decent sized rock, while others have many forks on the bottom and look like reasonable rock buckets. Since I live in NH, The Granite State, I have plenty of rock on my land. It ranges from unmovable down to baseball size that are just annoying to pull from the road by hand.

For me the perfect grapple would be a rock bucket with 3 or 4 inch gaps in the bottom ribs, sideless with an independent pair of two 2 tine thumbs (1 foot gap on top) on each side of a 5 or 6 foot bucket. I believe I saw one that is very close to that description for about $2k.

My thinking is that I would use the rock bucket to sift rocks from the driveway, and deposit in the wet areas of my logging roads. The "thumbs" would be used in dependently to grab a log, or brush. Used together they should hold brush fine. I think a 2 tine top thumb with a decent gap would allow a good grip on a 2 foot roundish rock. A second independent thumb has the potential to grab a 2nd rock on each pass.

Keep in mind this is all theoretical and I could be completely wrong

 

[RedAnt]

Here is a link similar to what I was looking for above:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/grd/4083577713.html

 

[urednecku]

I just saw this thread. Here is a pic of mine, made local. I have done a lot of work with it, and the only thing I've messed up is having a limb or root get into a hydro line a few times. until I got the 'catwalk' welded behind the frame to keep them from coming thru the back. The 2 'claws' are run off 1 hydro circuit to the front. If you have a bigger wad on 1 side than the other they each go down tight to keep pressure equal on both sides. Best I can remember I paid ~$1200 to have that circuit installed with the electric thumb control on the FEL joystick.

OH YEA, and a pic of why I had that expanded metal put on the back of the grapple. I also had their sorry excuse for a "grill guard" covered.

 

[RedAnt]

That looks like what I have in mind.

Have you ever used it to skim rock out of a road or soil? I assume that is what a rock bucket is actually for, but they seem to have a ridge in the bottom tines to capture rock.
It seems like your tines are about the right spacing to collect 4 or 5 inch rock.

The bottom line question is: besides being a really cool gadget, is it a useful tool? How often and for what is it useful for.

I am new to my current property, so I don't know how much actual brush moving work I have. I expect to need to thin out the low growth on a regular schedule, it just has an unknown frequency.

After seeing these on Craigslist I have been trying to justify having one to play with!

 

[urednecku]

No rocks. Not many here unless they are hauled in. The main "complaint" I have on this one is it is HEAVY. Estimated about 1,000 pounds, so that limits the additional weight the fel will lift. BUT, the only thing I have managed to tear up on the grapple itself is busting a few hydro lines. Don't think I've done that since I've added that back-guard tho.
Handy? YES!! I cleared a 5 acre orange grove with it, cleared about 5 acres of overgrown brush for another man, used it to clean up downed trees, limbs, etc & pile them in a nice high pile to burn. I've loaded round hay bales. I have some 3" pipe that slips over 1 of the teeth & makes a great lifting pole.
I think I could have found one a little cheaper than this one, but have never regretted buying it.

The brush pile in that picture would be a small job for this grapple.

 

[RedAnt]

Thanks for the update. I talked to another local guy with a similar grapple. He liked and used his a lot too.

Oddly his specific issues came from his tractor being articulated steering that dips to one side when you turn. It limited his length and weight capacity.

Over the past few days I thinned out a section of woods, enough to see through it. My wife and I stacked small trees into piles, which I chained together and pulled clear to my burn pile. After doing this work, I think I might want a single top jaw, instead of 2 thumbs. It seems like a single top would work better for a straight on grab an back drag out, as well as a side grapple.

One down side of a grapple would be cleaning up an access path to the stacked pile needing extraction would be a little harder with out the bucket.