TimberKing Sawmills



Please visit this sponsor

The Largest Inventory of Used Chainsaw Parts in the World

Toll Free 1-800-582-0470

LogRite Tools

Lucas Sawmills

Forest Products Industry Insurance

Norwood Industries Inc.

Eggimann Motor and Equipment Sales Inc.

Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine

Wood-Mizer Band Blades

Carolina Machinery Sales is a machinery dealer that specializes in the Wood Processing Industry.

Wood Processing equpment. Splitters, Processors, Conveyors

Your source for Portable Sawmills, Edgers, Resaws, Sharpeners, Setters, Bandsaw Blades and Sawmill Parts

Portable Sawmill and Planers Made by Logosol.

EZ Boardwalk Sawmills. More Saw For Less Money!

STIHLDealers.com sponsored by Northeast STIHL

Lawn-Gardening-Tools.com

Hutto Wood Products

Woodland Sawmills

Margeson Insurance

Forestry Forum Tool Box

Author Topic: Log Grapple Trailer construction  (Read 21345 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline todd.crow

  • member
  • *
  • Posts: 26
  • Location: Northern MN
  • Gender: Male
    • CrowsNest
Log Grapple Trailer construction
« on: February 09, 2010, 10:13:33 pm »
I am starting work on a log boom/grapple for my trailer that I built for hauling logs. I have been working out the details for a while now, and this drawing is where I am going.


I am planning on a 10.5 foot 6x4x3/16 tubing boom with a 8 foot 5x3x3/16 tubing stick. The main lift ram will be a 4"x2" with the stick ram a 3.25"x1.75". According to my calculations it should be able to lift 1200 lbs at full extension. I am going to power it by a 13hp gas engine so I can pull the trailer with whatever I want.

Designing the grapple has been the most difficult. Has anyone built their own?

Here is the construction of the trailer.

Here are the basic components of the trailer.  The deck is going to be 8 feet wide by 15 feet long.  I bought the axels at a salvage yard and the steel at a used steel outfit.





The main frame is together with the axels in place. 



The crossmembers are on and I am starting on the stake pockets.



I got the hitch installed.  All that is left is to build a platform in the hitch to haul the chainsaws and the gas and oil on.  I didn't install a floor on it to make so I can slip the forks under the logs and lift them right off.



Completed. We haul about 30 14" diameter, 8 foot long logs per trip.



or 20 10 footers on this trip.




Todd

Offline Coon

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 2637
  • Age: 33
  • Location: Wynyard, Saskatchewan
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2010, 10:26:22 pm »
That is a nice log trailer.  I see you built it out of recycled materials.... Here's the one I am building on a smaller scale.  It too, is out of recycled materials.....




Brad.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Offline Tom

  • In Memoriam
  • *
  • Posts: 25853
  • Age: 69
  • Location: Jacksonville, Florida
  • Gender: Male
    • Toms Saw
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2010, 10:30:01 pm »
A former sponsor of this forum makes and sells forwarding trailers just like you want to build.  Look at their website and you might get some ideas.
extinct

Offline Bobus2003

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 721
  • Age: 27
  • Location: Black Hills of Western SD
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2010, 10:34:03 pm »
Back in the Mid '90's my dad Took an Old Hay Loader off a Bale Grinder.. and Mounted it Too the neck of a 24' GN Trailer that was Powered by a 10hp Briggs.. Worked really slick.. I'm lookin now for another Hay Loader that I wanna Center-Mount on a 40' GN trailer for hauling my Posts and Saw logs
Late 60's JD440, '94 JD550G, '94 Case 1845, '00 Link Belt w/'01 Patu 410SH Harvester Head, '99 Morbark 2090D, 2 - Stihl MS440

Offline stonebroke

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 2004
  • Age: 58
  • Location: warnerville NY
  • Gender: Male
  • I'm new!
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2010, 11:00:59 am »
What are you going to haul a 40 foot goose neck trailer loaded with logs with? I want to see that pickup.

Stonebroke

Offline Don K

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 1627
  • Age: 47
  • Location: Thomasville, Alabama
  • Gender: Male
  • wanna lick some wood??
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2010, 11:46:38 am »
Hey Todd, Glad to see you found the forum. I bookmarked your website yrs ago. I found it while doing a search for sawmills or either old dozers. I just checked back in the other week and you have some nice woodworking projects under your belt.

Also my wife is starting to quilt and I showed her the pics of your mother's quilts. Beautiful.

Glad to have you.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Offline Maine372

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 292
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2010, 07:31:13 pm »
not to ruin the 'i made it myself' image, but it might be easier and in the end cheaper to just buy a grapple. they look simple but theres lots of details in a small space.

or if you really want to do it yourself, find somone who will let you take measurements of a large grapple and then scale down.

Offline Louis

  • member
  • *
  • Posts: 38
  • Location: Central Idaho
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2010, 09:23:33 pm »
Nice!

Offline Bobus2003

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 721
  • Age: 27
  • Location: Black Hills of Western SD
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2010, 01:23:25 am »
What are you going to haul a 40 foot goose neck trailer loaded with logs with? I want to see that pickup.

Stonebroke

Behind a F450 Or F550.. It'll be more of a Post trailer than for Logs.. But will be set-up to handle 16' Saw logs front and rear
Late 60's JD440, '94 JD550G, '94 Case 1845, '00 Link Belt w/'01 Patu 410SH Harvester Head, '99 Morbark 2090D, 2 - Stihl MS440

Offline stonebroke

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 2004
  • Age: 58
  • Location: warnerville NY
  • Gender: Male
  • I'm new!
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2010, 08:58:05 am »
You must have flat land out there.

Stonebroke

Offline Bobus2003

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 721
  • Age: 27
  • Location: Black Hills of Western SD
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2010, 07:44:32 pm »
Nah, The Black hills have some good climbs on the roads, Steepest Paved road  has a 15% Grade, Like everything gotta do it using your head and don't be stupid
Late 60's JD440, '94 JD550G, '94 Case 1845, '00 Link Belt w/'01 Patu 410SH Harvester Head, '99 Morbark 2090D, 2 - Stihl MS440

Offline todd.crow

  • member
  • *
  • Posts: 26
  • Location: Northern MN
  • Gender: Male
    • CrowsNest
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2010, 08:55:28 pm »
I have refined my design for the Log boom and Grapple.



I brought the trailer into the shop with the steel for the boom on the deck.



I extended the frame out 2 1/2 feet to give me room to attach the boom.



I then reattached the log bunks



Here I am mocking up the outriggers



I have cut out the plates that will reinforce the pivots and am doing a test fit.



Todd

Offline woodbowl

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 1837
  • Location: Florida Panhandle
  • Gender: Male
  • Making old fashion, oblong dough bowls, sure is a lot of fun
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2010, 09:33:58 pm »
Good looking trailer, looking forward to seeing the grapple go on. Welcome to the forum.

Coon, do you plan to build a grapple or just the trailer?
Full time custom sawing at the customers site since 1995.  Added homemade hydraulics to a 1988 manual WoodMizer LT40.

Offline Ford_man

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
  • Age: 70
  • Location: North East Indiana
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2010, 11:28:34 am »
Go to this web site they have all kinds of grapples and rotators.http://www.hud-son.com/GrapplesandRotators.htm

Offline Coon

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 2637
  • Age: 33
  • Location: Wynyard, Saskatchewan
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2010, 12:32:14 pm »
woodbowl, I am building the grapple and the whole works.  I have some of the grapple pieces cut out but am running short on material to finish right now.  Need to go on a scrap hunt again.  :D  Waitin' on this white stuff to dissappear at the moment..... going fast too.  Temps goin' up to just about 10 degrees above freezing here.   8)
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Offline Ironwood

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 4269
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Near Pittsburgh,Pa
  • Gender: Male
  • I need to edit my profile!
    • http://www.branchandburl.com
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #15 on: March 13, 2010, 06:33:03 pm »
Watching things develop, keep us posted.

 Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Offline Banjo picker

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 1594
  • Location: Iuka Ms
  • Gender: Male
  • A goal without a plan is just a dream. Elbert H.
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2010, 08:37:41 pm »
Welcome to the forum....Looking forward to seeing the completed project...Tim
Cooks AC 36--Prentice 210C--Kubota M7040 with loader--Case 580 K with extendahoe--Case 850C dozer--Int 1700 series twin cylinder dump/log/flatbed truck--logging arch--2 logrite mill sp.--Cat claw sharpening system--And a bulldog to make sure it all stays here.

Offline shinnlinger

  • Senior Member x2
  • *****
  • Posts: 1129
  • Location: Canaan NH
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #17 on: March 14, 2010, 09:49:24 am »
NIce fab work.  I have been contemplating something similar, but I would like to have the PTO drive an axle on the trailer.  Much easier if your tractor has a ground speed PTO, but I am thinking of using a truck tranny with a pto off that to run the loader. and shift the tranny to match tractor speed.
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '52 GMC Dumptruck,
living in self-built timberframe home

Offline todd.crow

  • member
  • *
  • Posts: 26
  • Location: Northern MN
  • Gender: Male
    • CrowsNest
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2010, 07:36:05 pm »
 I have the outriggers all setup. All that is left is the final welding and then hooking up the hydraulics.




My brother is doing most of the welding on this project. I can weld, but he makes my welding look horrible. So I figured, it wouldn't hurt to let him do the final welding.

He is welding the pivot plates on the boom and stick.
 



This weekend, I am going to be making a lot of pins and bushings for the pivots.

Todd

Offline Louis

  • member
  • *
  • Posts: 38
  • Location: Central Idaho
  • Gender: Male
Re: Log Grapple Trailer construction
« Reply #19 on: March 16, 2010, 11:17:31 pm »
Looks Good and Good Luck!!
Louis

 


Testing New Bottom Sponsor Area

Saw Anywhere!