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Thread: Tractor grapple

  1. #31
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    71
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    5,945

    Default

    That's the trouble with getting older, we get AIDS, Looking aids, walking aids, hearing aids,
    I find the hardest part is remembering to put them on my face and not on top of my head, where they usually sit and then go looking for them.
    Did you happen to go to the farm field days at Lardner Park? I saw some grapples that were bolted on, and when I saw that, I straight away thought of you.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
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    633

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    Didn't get out to Lardner Park as there's nothing currently that I'm after a deal on. But then I bought a new mower today. But I did get the farmworld price on it.
    Would have been interesting to see what grapple styles were on display and what the prices were like. A bit late for me now though.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    Even though I didn't get to see much there, only walking from Car parks to our site, I did manage to get a quick look at some stuff. From memory there were only about 2-3 sites that had grapple type gear, the ones with bolt on spikes and others were fabricated, one had a rib welded to the back of it, to form a "T", must be expecting some real abuse. I did see a spear set up for handling large bales, it was on cross 2 bars that were raised and lowered hydraulically, so that 4 bales could be carried at once.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Greendale Vic. Australia
    Posts
    64

    Default Love that word

    GRAPPLE... what a great word... sounds exactly like what it does! Hahahah!

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    103

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete O View Post
    I emailed the files to Pro Tech Laser and picked this pile of 10 and 6mm grade 350 profiles up about four days later, along with a few lengths of 75 x 5 SHS and some sched 160 25nb tube ordered from a steel seller around the corner.


    The finish on the laser cut profiles is very pleasing and the 0.3mm tolerance results in a very good fit to the SHS frame members

    I've never used profile cutting before, seems like it's taking my fabricating to a whole different level. Going to make a start on the fabricating today and I'll update progress.
    I was wondering how this project was going - should have thought to look in this sub-forum. I have found Sunny (Pro Tech Laser) very easy to deal with and happy to take on "hobby" work (although I am not sure if your project falls into this category!!). I look at things differently now and think "can I draw it up and get it cut out".

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
    Posts
    633

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    Yes it was no hassle at all to get the profiles cut, email the files and then pick up the parts a few days later. Sure beats spending days cutting pieces out of bar stock with an angle grinder.
    I'm very indebted to Steve for all the work he did on the CAD files. I'm really going to have to learn that stuff.

    Spent a bit of time this afternoon/evening after a post-nightshift sleep, got most of the laminations on the bottom tine tips.

    laminations.jpg

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Bungama SA
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    52
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    960

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    Gday Pete

    That blue primer apparently removes easily with oven cleaner(presume a caustic one), haven't tried it myself but watched Scott Turner on YT do it after a viewer suggested it to him.
    ....................................................................

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
    Posts
    633

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    Quote Originally Posted by Harry72 View Post
    Gday Pete

    That blue primer apparently removes easily with oven cleaner(presume a caustic one), haven't tried it myself but watched Scott Turner on YT do it after a viewer suggested it to him.
    Is it necessary to remove the primer? I've always painted over it.

    Very close to paint time now, got the pins finished today and hoping to get a couple of rectangles of 3mm sheet tomorrow if my work day allows, for infills for the end sections to protect the rams and hoses. Monday for me tomorrow, hoping we'll get some painting weather next week on my days off.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    SA
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    11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pete O View Post
    Is it necessary to remove the primer? I've always painted over it.
    Me too, I only remove it where I am welding.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
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    57
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    2,651

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    Same for me.
    Only issue I can recall was when I painted a bit of my gantry with some leftover Rustguard Epoxy Enamel (full roller from painting something else). I'd built it a couple of years earlier, but had never bothered to paint it.
    Zero prep, just rolled a bit of paint on and it didn't bond at all - you could peel the paint off easily with a scraper when it was dry and leave the primer behind - who'd have guessed

    As long as I give it a good wipe down with degreaser first I've never had any issues.

    Steve

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
    Posts
    633

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    Perhaps Harry was referring to the horrible coating on the round tube? That was a pig to get off although the strip disc did ok. The bare pipe has come up pretty quickly with surface rust though.
    Work was busy today so I didn't get my sheet metal for the infill panels, I'll have to get it late next week. Last thing to do before painting so I'm keen to get it finished.

  12. #42
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    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
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    57
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    No - he definitely said the blue primer.
    I did some digging - go to 10:48 in this vid.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pahM-ErKxa4

    Steve

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
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    633

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    The grapple lives!
    grapple done.jpg

    I got the sheet metal infill panels cut yesterday morning (2mm black) and welded them in, got a bit of paint on it and hooked up the hydraulics this afternoon.
    The only thing I am really not happy with on it at this stage is the quick-attach hooks that connect it to the loader, my forged hooks are crap but I have plans to convert to a proper euro hitch so no point putting more time into perfecting the temporary arrangement.
    I plan to have a play with the grapple tomorrow moving piles of debris around (after a big post-project cleanup in the shed), I'll try and get some better photos. Light was failing when I pulled it out of the shed this evening.

  14. #44
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    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
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    633

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    I had a play with the grapple this morning.
    Moved this pile of debris from another part of the property where it was too close to other trees to safely burn.
    debris pile.jpg

    Topped it off with a couple of stumps that were also lying around
    carrying stump.jpg

    I ran out of things to move so tried picking up a couple of cypress logs just for the heck of it
    pine logs.jpgpine logs 2.jpg

    The conclusion is that this thing will do anything I need it to do but I'm going to have to replace the worn-out pump in my PTO hydraulic power pack. Or get a bigger tractor. The hydraulic pump in the tractor is brand new so it will lift a good load but slowly. The pump in the auxilliary unit is bigger but worn out so it has higher flow (works faster) but runs out of oomph under load.
    The grapple will be perfect for dealing with the rest of the cypress trees that I need to remove but I'm going to have to replace that pump to get the full potential out of it.

    grapple left.jpggrapple hydraulics.jpggrapple front left.jpggrapple front 2.jpg

  15. #45
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rockhampton, QLD
    Age
    68
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    454

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    Jaws in action. Fantastic outcome, congratulations.

    Ross

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