New Grapple

[Stihl310]

Being a mechanical engineer, I seem to always have projects going on at home. If I need a piece of equipment I just design it and then build it. This is the latest addition to our pile of equipment. Looked at a lot of grapples, seems anything at the $1k range wasn't going to hold up for us, and I wasn't about to pay what Deere wants. So it began, design took me about a month to get all dialed in, then another month for plasma cutting the parts.

Ended up installing a divert valve on the tractor then wired in a push button switch to flip the solenoids on or off. Unplugged my bucket tilt, then jumped the fluid to my solenoid valves, wired the one side NO off the relay and the other side NC. Plugged bucket tilt in to one side of this valve and grapple to other side. This way bucket tilt would still operate as it always has, tilt joystick left bucket up tilt it right bucket down. To operate my grapple I push the button which flips which solenoid is engaged (push button is mounted within my joystick ergo grip so I can push it w my thumb). Now my left joystick opens the grapple and right joystick closes it.

Works great and was way cheaper than buying all the hydraulic valves and controls from Deere. Can't wait to put it to work this winter.

Attached are some pics of right after I got it hooked up.

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[unclemoustache]

Dang!! That there is some fine work!

 

[Sundown]

Looks Factory... Maybe it's the green paint Lol... Really nice work

 

[mohick]

Best piece of equipment for (wooding) you will ever love!!!!!!!!!

 

[cantoo]

Looks really nice and well thought out. You know orange paint would have made it twice as strong and able to pick up twice as much?

 

[Stihl310]

Looks really nice and well thought out. You know orange paint would have made it twice as strong and able to pick up twice as much?

... My buddy told me the same thing but with red... He's an IH guy.


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[Wowzer]

That is pretty much exactly what i want to build for my Compact Tractor, and chance you could give some details on the size of tube, and plate you used to make that, like you have said everything i have found looks a little flimsy and isn't really priced too well

 

[cantoo]

Wowzer, what are you putting it on? I have several buckets for my L35. I had one of the big grapples but really didn't like it so ended up selling it. I also have a stone fork one with a grapple on it but don't use it much either. I usually use my forklift style forks for logs and have a 3rd fork for it to lift 32" rounds for my owb. I use a manure style bucket for smaller firewood. I made a rear clam grapple for my 3 pth and love using it. I had Smyth plasma cut the steel for me.
You work at BP? I work at Royal Homes.

 

[Wowzer]

Cantoo, i have a little AGCO ST22A it's a 24hp compact, i won't be building something to this size but more or less just the same concept. Do you have any pictures of the 3pth Clam Grapple you made? Smyth Welding there is quite the place, anything you can dream pretty much he can make haha I work at Superheat FGH out of Kincardine there, on HWY 21

 

[benp]

Fantastic work!!!! I second the looks factory sentiment.

Enjoy it. Grapples are very very handy attachments.

 

[mesupra]

Very impressive, any chance you could discuss some details about the price, make and model of the divert valve, solenoid and switch. I am looking to add a grapple to the front of my Bobcat CT335 and consider this to be the best option.

Thanks for your time

 

[Stihl310]

Very impressive, any chance you could discuss some details about the price, make and model of the divert valve, solenoid and switch. I am looking to add a grapple to the front of my Bobcat CT335 and consider this to be the best option.

Thanks for your time

The push button is McMaster PN 6915K24 $15.42
Solenoid Valve is Surplus Center PN 9-5117 $152.95

You'll then need a SPDT relay which I built an enclosed panel for. The relay and socket I used are McMaster PN 7098K25 and 7098K21.

The NC leg goes to your bucket tilt so you can always tilt the grapple and then the NO leg goes to the grapple itself to open and close. Push the button to engage the relay coil and divert fluid to the grapple function. Let off button and it goes back to bucket tilt.


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[Stihl310]

Here is a pic of the valve setup prior to final terminations being made.

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[mesupra]

That a great simple way to set it up and pretty cost effective as well, seems like dealers get nearly 1k for forward remotes. Thanks for the information and part numbers!

 

[tomtrees58]

ok for brush but logs this is the way to go

 

[Stihl310]

That a great simple way to set it up and pretty cost effective as well, seems like dealers get nearly 1k for forward remotes. Thanks for the information and part numbers!

Yea. Deere wanted more for their controls than I have in the entire grapple. Forget that. There's always a better way.


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[Stihl310]

ok for brush but logs this is the way to go

For what you're doing in that picture I would agree. For moving brush and logs on our farm what I've got is more useful for us. We can move logs across fields to trailers or central bucking location fast w the tractor.


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[101mph]

That looks fantastic.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Where did you find a grapple for $1k? I priced a new 72" grapple and it was about 7k. The "standard duty" one I bought in 2013 and wore out was about 5k. I'm going to fix it this winter if I get time.

Was from a place called Quick Attach.

http://www.quickattach.com/attachments/logbrushrockgrapple/

*holy ****, they fixed the posting of links!)

 

[Stihl310]

Where did you find a grapple for $1k? I priced a new 72" grapple and it was about 7k. The "standard duty" one I bought in 2013 and wore out was about 5k. I'm going to fix it this winter if I get time.

Was from a place called Quick Attach.

http://www.quickattach.com/attachments/logbrushrockgrapple/

*holy ****, they fixed the posting of links!)

http://www.palletforks.com/60-john-...achment.html?gclid=CPK01pGrgM8CFVAvgQodZcgAIA


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