Grapple rake

Qweaver · January 22, 2013, 04:59:36 PM

I ordered a 66" AIM grapple rake today. $2235 delivered. I looked at a Faver but it was far more expensive but it did have larger hydraulic cylinders. I probably should have asked for opinons here before I ordered. Most people bring their logs on non-flatbed trailers which makes them a hassel to unload which I hope the grapple will solve.
Also loading logs on the Peterson with my forks is not possible and should be OK with the grapple. I have a tree service friend that has the same grapple on his skid steer and it works well.
Quinton

millwright · January 22, 2013, 06:22:19 PM

I have one on a Bobcat skidsteer and it works great for loading logs and about a thousand other things around the mill.

ElectricAl · January 22, 2013, 08:54:55 PM

Qweaver,

We have a Faver Graple, and we paid more then $2235 ;)

Have not bent it yet.

You'll find many uses for the grapple.

Like picking a rock out of the neighbor's yard.

Have Fun

ely · January 23, 2013, 09:32:59 AM

mine is a faver too, looks a little thicker material than the one pictured im thinking it cost me around 3800 ish. had it several years and its not bent yet, have broke several hoses though due to routing issues.

beenthere · January 23, 2013, 11:52:21 AM

Just saw one in WI for sale, 72", single cylinder, new for $950. Bobcat style attach.
Looked like the ones above, but didn't mention a brand.
PM for a link.

ely · January 23, 2013, 01:40:47 PM

for comparison, i believe the one i have weighs 950 lbs.

barbender · January 23, 2013, 09:59:40 PM

I'm not familiar with the aim grapple, but those Favers look very beefy.

Qweaver · January 24, 2013, 09:36:11 AM

The AIM is 750 lbs. This means that I will lose 425 lbs of lifting capacity over the pallet fork setup. This is a concern because I am often right at the limit with the forks with the bigger logs. But I can always go back to chains hooked as far back on the loader arms as I can get them for the big boys. I've picked up well over 5000 lbs that way.

Quinton

ely · January 24, 2013, 09:55:40 AM

those are really just numbers quinton, guidelines if you wish... my bobcat knows what it can do and it frequently tells me. you will get the feel of the machine after awhile. i think my bobcat says 1700 pounds with the pallet forks, but i know better than that.

Brad_S. · January 24, 2013, 10:00:36 AM

I have a Blue Diamond. I don't have any photos but the bottom tines are very beefy and have a curve to them. I have uprooted and carried away hundreds of fair sized trees with it.
If your skidsteer has the capacity, it is wonderful to pull up to the end of a trailer or pickup truck and grab the end of a log and lift it out holding it as if it were a huge cigar. It can be hard to reach over a pickup truck box without risking damage and sliding them out the end is risky if they left the tailgate on. The cigar method eliminates that. The owners love it!

Qweaver · January 24, 2013, 10:25:42 AM

I don't have a Bobcat. I have a JD 110 backhoe and the loader arms are a lot longer than the skidsteer arms. So my lifting capacity is less that it would be if the arms were shorter. But I can lift more than my friends skidsteer. We sometimes work together and when a load gets his skidsteer off the ground, I can go pick it up with my forks no problem. I just hope that I can handle the same load when I put the grapple on.

NWP · January 24, 2013, 09:41:14 PM

Quote from: beenthere on January 23, 2013, 11:52:21 AM
Just saw one in WI for sale, 72", single cylinder, new for $950. Bobcat style attach.
Looked like the ones above, but didn't mention a brand.

You get what you pay for with grapples. I use the Bobcat brand industrial fork grapple. They are the toughest things I've seen but cost almost $5,000 new. I found mine slightly used for about half.

woodhick · January 25, 2013, 12:32:43 AM

Thinking of getting a grapple for my 863 skid steer. Will use it mostly to clean up brush and move logs around mill. I use the forks for moving logs now. Cant decide whether to get a open bottom bucket style with grapple or the rake style. Thinking the rake would be better for cleaning but not sure. Anyone use both and have any opinions.

Thanks James

customsawyer · January 25, 2013, 02:24:24 AM

Qweaver when you are picking up at the limit of the loader with the grapple you can curl the log underneath the loader and pickup a much bigger log than you think. This is because you have the load about 2-3' closer to the tractor.

ely · January 25, 2013, 09:34:16 AM

the reason i went with the more expensive faver is they use a higher tensile steel in the rake teeth, so they are stand alone rake teeth, other brands i was looking at rely on the spacer out near the tips to beef their model up. this in turn, makes the rake more like a bucket with all the dirt that it pushes.

with mine i often use it in the garden to rip the ground deeper than i till. i knew i could not do that with the other model.

i also seen a video on faver where they picked up a sheet of ¾ 0r½ inch steel plate and carried it around with the grapple pointing down, that some serious gripping psi.

Qweaver · January 25, 2013, 01:32:33 PM

Quote from: customsawyer on January 25, 2013, 02:24:24 AM
Qweaver when you are picking up at the limit of the loader with the grapple you can curl the log underneath the loader and pickup a much bigger log than you think. This is because you have the load about 2-3' closer to the tractor.

Thanks, that's the info that I wanted to hear. I have no idea how far this grapple will rotate. I just hate to buy a pig in a poke.

ely · January 25, 2013, 02:04:29 PM

keep in mind, just because the loader will pick it up does not meant you should pick it up.
meaning it may be hydraulically strong enough to do it, but the tipping point will come into play very quickly when you are on the upper threshold.

Qweaver · January 25, 2013, 05:55:55 PM

Well Ely, if I can pick it up I almost surely will pick it up. I'm careful but I do get all I can out of my equipment.

I just unloaded it off of the truck and we'll be trying it out tomorrow.

ElectricAl · January 25, 2013, 06:14:44 PM

Woodhick,

We started with a Flat Bottom Grapple. It was new on a pallet at auction. Auction was rain or shine, and it was freezing rain. It was me and 3 other guys. Auctioneer started at $500 and I put my card up, no one else made a move. DanG lesson learned, "don't get excited"

The first time I used it I was disappointed because it picked up too much dirt.

I was loading a Horizontal Grinder making mulch.

However a local tree service loves his because he cleans up the streets.

So it depends on were you use it.

A week later we ordered a Faver 73" with the 6" tine extension.
Like ELY we wanted the high tensile strength with no cross tube.

For logs and brush look close at the open bottom Grapples.

ElectricAl

NWP · January 26, 2013, 07:54:18 AM

Quote from: ElectricAl on January 25, 2013, 06:14:44 PM

We started with a Flat Bottom Grapple. It was new on a pallet at auction. Auction was rain or shine, and it was freezing rain. It was me and 3 other guys. Auctioneer started at $500 and I put my card up, no one else made a move. DanG lesson learned, "don't get excited"

You still got a good deal at $500. You could probably get more than that back out of it. But I know how you feel. I've done it too. Usually I'm on the other end of the equation, being the one selling something too cheap then thinking, coulda got more.

Qweaver · January 26, 2013, 08:57:50 AM

I'm getting ready to un-crate and hook it up. Guess what? It came with no instructions. Obviously the up down and tilt will work as usual but how do I work the teeth/arms. My tractor has the forward hydraulic quick connects but I have never used them. I guess it's time to get out the JD manual. I do subscribe to the "when all else fails, read the instructions" theory. Anyone else know how it works?

thecfarm · January 26, 2013, 09:02:54 AM

I would be right on the phone to them guys. I buy something,I expect some support and help. They may even point you to a web site. good luck.

Qweaver · January 26, 2013, 09:15:27 AM

Funny things about the delivery truck. He was supposed to drop four pallets at Tractor Supply before he came to me but because he was only 2 miles from me he came to me first. The grapple would not come past the other pallets so I had to unload and reload those pallets to get mine off. No biggy and it did save him 15 miles on snow covered roads.

beenthere · January 26, 2013, 11:01:10 AM

QuoteMy tractor has the forward hydraulic quick connects but I have never used them.

So you are needing to find out what tractor control lever operates the forward remote hyd. connectors that you plan to plug the grapple close/open cyl. lines to?

Appears the grapple isn't the mystery, but the tractor is?

Qweaver · January 26, 2013, 01:04:40 PM

Got her figured out and didn't even have to open the manual. :

It works great but I'm a little disappointed with the lift capacity. I was able to easily lift a 32" x 8'6" red oak but it would just bearly get a 36" x 8'6" sycamore off the ground. The claw grip was excellent and held the log with the forks verticle even when I could not lift it. I may just need a bigger tractor. The forks lifted all of the logs that I tested the grapple with. The FEL arms are really far out there on this tractor. But it will handle almost all of the logs that come to me on a trailer.