What grapple do you use?

[Scars2prove-it]

I am buying a new skid steer with a grapple. What brand do you recommend or think I should stay away from?

 

[Nickrosis]

We have 3 New Hollands and like them a lot. We use the loader attachments primarily for land clearing and demolitions.

 

[TreeJunkie]

We rented a couple skidders in Alabama last month, and were wishing we had grapples on them, they were hard to come by however. One place quoted my approx 900 additional just for the attachment for the month...Doesn't this seem a little high for an item you can purchase new for 4k. I ended up getting ahold of one though from an partner who came down, this was a temp thing though, as he wanted even more $ to use his,, but it was nice while we had it...Its fun grapping washers and dryers and throwing them around like toys.

 

[Newfie]

$900 for the month is pretty cheap. Around here they would want that just for the week.

 

[TreeJunkie]

I'm talking about just the attachment not the entire machine.
I was renting machine and trailer for 1800 month, including standard scoop bucket. the machine was 1300 mo. trailer around 400 , and then some tax.
Blows me away how the grapple could cost almost the same to rent as the machine, considering the machines overall cost in well over double of the grapples cost.

 

[Scars2prove-it]

I ended up buying a New Holland LS 180 with a Loflin grapple bucket. The grapple was an extra $2100. It's not a log grapple but a brush grapple. It will still pick up logs and is useful for clearing underbrush.

 

[Lumberjack]

Alot can happen to a grapple in a month. I rented one for 2 days and broke the fitting on one hose, and another hose wasnt properly routed, and was cut.

Also, in those 2 days, I put 35 hours on the machine.

 

[TreeJunkie]

Originally posted by Scars2prove-it
I ended up buying a New Holland LS 180 with a Loflin grapple bucket. The grapple was an extra $2100. It's not a log grapple but a brush grapple. It will still pick up logs and is useful for clearing underbrush.

Is the machine/grapple new? What size machine is that? I'm not really that familiar w/ New Holland. Personally have only ran Bobcat and Case.

 

[Scars2prove-it]

Originally posted by TreeJunkie
Is the machine/grapple new? What size machine is that? I'm not really that familiar w/ New Holland. Personally have only ran Bobcat and Case.

The machine and grapple are brand new.

 

[Newfie]

Originally posted by TreeJunkie
I'm talking about just the attachment not the entire machine.
I was renting machine and trailer for 1800 month, including standard scoop bucket. the machine was 1300 mo. trailer around 400 , and then some tax.
Blows me away how the grapple could cost almost the same to rent as the machine, considering the machines overall cost in well over double of the grapples cost.

I talking about the attachment also. Add another $1200 a week for the machine at a minimum.

Around here they always screw you hard on the attachments.

You have to figure they make their money back faster on the machine since it rents more easily and often. With the attachments they have to make up for lost revenue when an attachment sits unused for a couple of months.

 

[DDM]

Hmmmmmm I bought mine used for 500.00
I tear it up the patch it up... The cat Im demoing next week will be coming with a grapple Looks like a nice one .... For loading Logs i use this.... Works very well.

 

[Sep]

We have a New Holland skid steer with a Implemax grapple. This setup is a huge labor saver. The grapple can load trucks, feed the chipper, and is equiped with a 9000 pound winch. We also use the grapple on a John Deere 110 backhoe equipped with turf tires for residential work. If the grapple that Tree-Junkie was offered to rent was an implemax, it must likely would have been worth the 900 due to increased productivity.

 

[CJ-7]

I took a pic of this unit a local tree guy swears by. He was using it here to pull a tree that was hung up in another. The cylinder in the boom gave him extra, controlled pull. 40" wide, lifts 1400 pounds and is articulated so it is easier on the turf. Don't know if it comes with a grapple.



http://www.gehl.com/avantage/

 

[Sep]

Mike- we don't have these issues with the Implemax, although there is a learning period with getting good at grapple postioning. The new model implemax has hydrolic rotation though so that shouldn't be a problem any more. We used to a have a grapple bucket on our machine and the implemax is much more effective.

 

[treepres1]

grapple use

we use a 873g 300track bobcat but have found we use a 72inch bucket with a grapple on top we can load logs or brush and mulch with one attatchment.

 

[TreeJunkie]

the implemex grapple would have next to no use in cleaning up storm debris.Loading logs maybe so.
What i was running was the brush grapple that maas pictured. Theyr'e bad ass. Just really hard to come by. I know it may have sped up productivity, but we were doing very well w/ a standard bucket, and choker straps.

Newfie, I'm not sure what machine your talking about. Maybe a T300 tracks w/ grapple and airconditioning, otherwise; Thats ridiculous. If a machine would have cost me 1200 a week, not including the attachments. I would have opted out and picked up 3-5 extra laborers. Probobally could have gotten about the same amount done, and wouldn't have felt screwed. If I can by a machine for the same price it cost me to rent it for a month then buy it.

 

[DDM]

Re: grapple use

Originally posted by treepres1
we can load logs or brush and mulch with one attatchment.

Hmmmmm How do you load a 10' LOg into the back of an enclosed truck?

 

[Newfie]

Hey Treejunkie,

I'm sure most things are a lot less expensive in Kansas and Alabama as opposed to Mass. I'm not talking about special air conditioned tracked machine. This was a 763 with the implement. FWIW I didn't think that kind of cash was worth spending on rental and went out and bought a Kubota instead.

 

[DDM]

http://www.arboristsite.com/attach/17909.jpg

I'd like to see this Loader pick up the 4' Long Chunks of 6' DBH Water oak we loaded out today.

 

[Scars2prove-it]

Re: Re: grapple use

Originally posted by DDM
Hmmmmm How do you load a 10' LOg into the back of an enclosed truck?

I've done it many times with a standard bucket. I just hook the log under the top lip of the bucket so that it is positioned lengthwise out of the bucket. If the log is too big to fit, I just cut a notch in the end of it. This works with logs up to around 24 inches. I imagine the same thing can be done with a grapple bucket, only easier. BTW, the bucket never got damaged or bent.