# best grapple for a mini skid?



## arbor pro

For those of you using mini skid loaders - the type you walk behind or stand up on the back - what grapple works the best for loading into trucks or dump trailers? I have a bobcat mt-50 that works great but I'd like to be able to load into my 1-ton pickup and dump trailer a bit easier (reach higher and farther in to be able to put more on the load).

I just have a standard 36" bucket with a "thumb" grapple. It works ok for smaller (<18") logs and for brush that stacks well but it does not work well at all for larger logs or tangly brush.

I've seen the branch manager, beaver squeezer and beak brands in magazines. What do you guys use, what did you pay, and, most importantly, was it worth the money???

By the way, the mt-50 is my only skidsteer and I do not have a crane or log loader. I forward all brush and logs with my mini skid and I load all brush and logs with my mini skid. I do not want a larger skidsteer, a crane or a log loader (well, I'd like to have it all but, I'm part-time and can't afford it all plus I work alone).

Thanks for your help.


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## Thor's Hammer

The only one I'd consider on a miniskid is from Dave Nordgaard at TNT -
http://www.branchmanagerattachments.com/


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## arbor pro

*How about stump grinders?*

I'd like to add to this thread. Anybody using a stump grinder attachment for a mini skid? I've used the full-size skid steer grinders but, now that I have a mini skid, am wondering if I should sell my vermeer 252 and get a grinder attachment for my mini skid to consolodate equipment and have one less machine to maintain.

I usually carry both my mini skid and my 252 on the same trailer so, this question really is about whether a grinder on a mini skid can perform as well as a back yard grinder such as a vermeer 252, rayco 1625 or the like in a carlton or kan-du self-propelled unit???

Anyone else have opinions on grapples?


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## Thor's Hammer

If its the right stumpgrinder...
Here's the one we manufacture, it has a 38hp kohler with a 32 tooth duradisc, and a built in dozerblade. battery and fueltank are all built in. We think it works quite well....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtJdeBuvLI


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## arbor pro

I'm sure you want to promote your product but, I don't see why I'd want to replace maintenance on one engine for maintenance on another. I guess I'm wondering how the attachments that run off of the mini skid's engine and hydraulics work.

I could see buying an attachment like yours if I didn't already have a self-propelled unit. Thanks for the links...


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## Thor's Hammer

Forget the hydraulic powered grinders. We have a terra power hydraulic stumpgrinder, I need to take a shave between stumps its so slow.


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## ROLLACOSTA

Thor's Hammer said:


> If its the right stumpgrinder...
> Here's the one we manufacture, it has a 38hp kohler with a 32 tooth duradisc, and a built in dozerblade. battery and fueltank are all built in. We think it works quite well....
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtJdeBuvLI




Ed how many hours of field testing have you got on this grinder?


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## ronnyb

We have a Vermeer S600 skid steer fitted with a TerraPower 42 inch grapple. We love it for loading logs in the trailer, and getting brush to the chipper. Since it doesn't rotate like a Beaver Squeezer you kind of have to use your head so that the brush is facing the right way when it reaches the chipper. I've heard that the stump grinding attachments for the mini skids are not very efficient because the hydraulic flow is not enough. We use the Vermeer 352 instead.


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## ASD

Thor's Hammer said:


> If its the right stumpgrinder...
> Here's the one we manufacture, it has a 38hp kohler with a 32 tooth duradisc, and a built in dozerblade. battery and fueltank are all built in. We think it works quite well....
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtJdeBuvLI



PRICE PLEASE


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## Thor's Hammer

ROLLACOSTA said:


> Ed how many hours of field testing have you got on this grinder?



not sure lee. been hammering 2 of my own now for about 4 months. No problems so far.

ASD, call Dave Nordgaard at Branch manager for a US price. He is manufacturing them under licence in the US, as the $ is very weak against the pound, it would be 2 dear to import one.


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## arbor pro

*Still looking for best grapple to load into trailer*

I need to revise this thread because I'd like to get a bigger dump trailer with taller sides to haul tree debris with but I need to be able to load into it with my bobcat mt-50 mini skid (see attachment). The grapple I have on it now works fine as far as I'm concerned when it comes to forwarding debris and loading it into a trailer but, I need a grapple that will allow me to load into a bigger dump trailer and allow me to stack debris higher like you could with a bigger skid loader. 

As you can see from the specs for my machine, I can load about 74" high with the bucket level and about 20" past my tracks with the grapple I have now. I'd like to be able to reach at least another foot both vertically and horizontally and was just wondering if these other grapples will enable that or if I'm going to have to look at a different machine setup to accomplish that.

Thanks.


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## arbor pro

photo 1 is the dump trailer I have now. photo 2 is similar to what I 'd like to get with as tall of sides as I can load into with my mini and grapple (whatever type that might end up being).


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## squad143

I have a Thomas 25g with a BMG. 

A BMG on a MT50 will not give you the height or reach that you are looking for. If you want to stack debris higher and further you will nee a bigger loader.

Can't ask for more height or reach than this with my machine:


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## sawinredneck

squad143 said:


> I have a Thomas 25g with a BMG.
> 
> A BMG on a MT50 will not give you the height or reach that you are looking for. If you want to stack debris higher and further you will nee a bigger loader.
> 
> Can't ask for more height or reach than this with my machine:




Keep in mind we only have 42"s of lift, the Bobcat has 72"s of lift. Quite a large difference.
I really think you would be blown away with the Branch manager grapple! Dave is nothing but good people! I would be more than happy to deal with him again!
Pm me if you want the website info. Really, it turns the machines into another beast!!
Ed, Thor's hammer, builds quality equipment as well. Trying to keep that stump ginder working takes a lot of energy. The mini really isn't setup for that. That is why the extra motor is added. The motor runs the wheel, the mini runs it back and forth. Power to spare that way.
Seriously call Dave, if he doesn't know it, he will find someone that does!


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## sawinredneck

TreeCo said:


> Are the Boxer mini skids still being made? I thought the company closed a couple of years ago.



Boxer is alive and well. Right now it seems to be the machine to beat.


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## Slvrmple72

The min Ditchwitch tracked diesel unit is a real powerhouse too! 

Instead of a larger steer try using ramps to get the lift up into the truck or trailer you need. Something you can breakdown quick and easy and load into the truck or trailer when your done. I like the Branch Manager Attachments!


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## squad143

sawinredneck said:


> Keep in mind we only have 42"s of lift, the Bobcat has 72"s of lift. Quite a large difference.QUOTE]
> 
> Granted, but Arbor Pro said he wants to lift about a foot higher (and further) than his existing bucket grapple. The BMG may (and maybe not) give him a little more reach, but I don't think it will give him any more height (without major modifications).
> 
> I agree the BMG is a great grapple.
> 
> Arbor Pro, there was one BMG posted (http://www.arboristsite.com/pp-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=1207&cat=2) in the trading post, but I see that it is sold. Asking price was $1550.00 You can find them used from time to time. I found mine on ebay last year. Won the bid for $1000., but ended up buying the 25g and grapple for $5,500.


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## arbor pro

squad143 said:


> sawinredneck said:
> 
> 
> 
> Keep in mind we only have 42"s of lift, the Bobcat has 72"s of lift. Quite a large difference.QUOTE]
> 
> Granted, but Arbor Pro said he wants to lift about a foot higher (and further) than his existing bucket grapple. The BMG may (and maybe not) give him a little more reach, but I don't think it will give him any more height (without major modifications).
> 
> I agree the BMG is a great grapple.
> 
> Arbor Pro, there was one BMG posted (http://www.arboristsite.com/pp-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=1207&cat=2) in the trading post, but I see that it is sold. Asking price was $1550.00 You can find them used from time to time. I found mine on ebay last year. Won the bid for $1000., but ended up buying the 25g and grapple for $5,500.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can envision 3 different equipment options that would meet my current needs:
> 
> 1) a mini telescoping forklift (outfitted with a grapple) that's narrow enough to fit through a 36" gate.
> 
> 2) a mini skid steer like my bobcat mt-50 with dual telescoping lift arms
> 
> 3) a bucket grapple or one like the branch manager that telescopes out.
> 
> They make hydraulic boom extensions that telescope out up to 21' for bigger skid loaders. If something like that could be built on a smaller scale for mini loaders and with a grapple on the end instead of a hook, that would be the ticket. Do you guys think a branch manager grapple could be made to telescope a couple of feet?
Click to expand...


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## sawinredneck

Every inch you telescope out, you loose lift capacity. Same as going up. In about a foot you lost 1/2 of the lift you had.
Anothe option, pricey though, is to up it to 46" width and look at the mini articulating loaders. They have a much higher lift, and a higher lifting capacity.
It maybe a set of ramps would be the ticket!
I leave the ramps on my trailer and just drive on and off as I load it. I can stack sort and smash as I go. Just a thought?


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## arbor pro

This looks interesting. 40" wide, 900lb lifting cap, 1800 tipping. 20-27hp.

Narrower than a comparable-sized skid steer and a better loading height. Spendy though, I'd bet.


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## arbor pro

Wondering what you guys think about this idea which would be much cheaper and pretty easy to make...

When I saw the attached photo, I was thinking I could buy the quick attach plate like is on the front of my mt50 mini skid and the quick attach plate that comes on attachments that hook up to the loader and simply weld a 2-3' fixed extension between the two. I could hook up my mini skid to the extension attachment and my grapple to the other end and have basically the same equipment that I have now with the option of having 2-3' more reach. 

Obviously, the tipping load would be reduced as others have eluded to but, for brush and smaller logs, it would probably allow me to load a bigger dump trailer higher than I can now. For big logs, I would just take off the extension attachment.

Your input please..


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## sawinredneck

arbor pro said:


> This looks interesting. 40" wide, 900lb lifting cap, 1800 tipping. 20-27hp.
> 
> Narrower than a comparable-sized skid steer and a better loading height. Spendy though, I'd bet.



Look at the Gehl loaders as well.

For the "gin pole" idea, I guess all you can do is try it and see if you like it. I know I wouldn't like it on my Thomas it's alredy so tippy.


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## sawinredneck

Not sure where you are at, but I know this guy really wants to move this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=130279056849


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## squad143

I think with extensions, you may not be happy with their capacity. Just the metal alone would weigh a bit. 

Have you considered putting a grapple on the trailer?
Not my pics. but,












These pics. were from this thread: http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=41733&highlight=jms

That loader on ebay looks nice, might be a bit wide for what your looking for.


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## squad143

Before you look at JMS website, they were sold to PNS Tech (I did not make that up - really  ) who just recently sold it to AM Machinery. 

http://www.ammachinery.com/english/menu2.htm 

Apparently they have dealers in Canada and the U.S.. The sales guy at AM said he did not have prices just yet (for just the loader portion) but would email it to me next week.


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## treeoperations

here in new zealand my uncle owns a avant loader, its articulated with telescopic boom, it goes fine till you extend the boom out, i find it very difficult to drive aswell, even with my exprience in a t190 and my little 323 excavator. have you thought of a small excavator to load your trailer, i have my 323 rigged with a grapple and i love it to bits, no good for fowarding long distances but goes every where i can load stuff into a 7 foot high truck with a bit to spare to.


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## arbor pro

squad143 said:


> I think with extensions, you may not be happy with their capacity. Just the metal alone would weigh a bit.
> 
> Have you considered putting a grapple on the trailer?
> Not my pics. but,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These pics. were from this thread: http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=41733&highlight=jms
> 
> That loader on ebay looks nice, might be a bit wide for what your looking for.



The loader on the dump trailer would be ideal. I wonder how well the bumper pintle hitch ones pull? I would need a bumper hitch trailer if I were to get one though I'm sure the 5th wheels will handle more weight and trail better.

I've found a couple of used 5th wheel dump/grapple trailers through the internet but they look way too big for the work I do and the trucks I have.


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## squad143

arbor pro said:


> The loader on the dump trailer would be ideal. I wonder how well the bumper pintle hitch ones pull? I would need a bumper hitch trailer if I were to get one though I'm sure the 5th wheels will handle more weight and trail better.
> 
> I've found a couple of used 5th wheel dump/grapple trailers through the internet but they look way too big for the work I do and the trucks I have.



The 5th wheel would be smoother and pull more weight I'm sure. Problem I see, is that you loose the use of your p/u bed. I've pulled pretty heavy loads with a Dodge 2500 (diesel) with a pintle. Bangs around a little more than a ball. I imagne this loader would be expensive (well see). I been considering getting a dump trailer (6-7 Ton, Bumper pull) and also looking at putting a used Hiab (or similar) on the front of the trailer (like in the pics). his may be cheaper than buying new.


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## arbor pro

I really keep going around and around and around on this. I have a 12" chipper, a mini skid steer and a 8x14 dump trailer but together, it is not as efficient as I want for cleanup of debris. I could get a bigger chipper than the 12" so I don't have to make a return trip for logs but, as a 1-man show, I am leary of the maintenance that an 18" chipper would entail - both time and $. I could get a bigger dump trailer and just haul everything (brush and logs) but, I would need a bigger loader than my mini skid to reach into it. I could get a bigger loader but then I can't get through a 36" gate. I could get a dump trailer with a grapple but, I don't want a 5th wheel and finding a good used bumper hitch grapple trailer is going to be both difficult and costly and I still have to dispose of the debris somewhere.

I don't have a big problem with selling any of the aforementioned equipment and getting something bigger/better. I can afford to invest another $20k plus the value of anything I might sell. It's the decision of what will be the most efficient and least amount of maintenance for a 1-man part-time operation that I'm struggling with. I don't have much time to be working on equipment so I tend to try to get equipment that is fairly easy to maintain and fairly bullet proof. Instead of more trucks, I tend to buy equipment that can be trailered. I want as few engines and transmissions as possible!

Right now, I have a 9' chip box on the back of my 12' pickup dump truck. On the 3' that's behind the truck cab, I haul my 3' wide mini skid (I load from the side). If I need an aerial lift, I can pull my towable genie behind the chip truck and move it into place with the mini skid; however, if I do that, I don't have the chipper along for cleanup. If i need the chipper or dump trailer to pick up debris it's a trip back to the site. If I can sell the chipper, I'm leaning towards the grapple trailer idea and just haul everything. That way, I could take the chip box off of my 12' pickup dump truck and load both the pickup and truck with the grapple loader. Unless I need to forward debris to the trailer, I wouldn't even need the mini skid.

The other option is a forestry truck and 18" chipper. That would minimize trips but, I find that my towable genie lift gets into a lot tighter spots than a forestry truck would so I hate to get rid of it and don't want to maintain two lifts. Also, as I mentioned before, I'm leary about the maintenance on an 18" chipper.

If I don't already have it, what's the perfect 1-man equipment setup for cleanup of pruning jobs and small to medium removals (up to 36" dbh)? Bear in mind, there is only one man to shuttle equipment around.


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## sawinredneck

Just a couple of thoughts, I like how you have mini setup on the back of the cab. A larger trailer would help, but then you are without the chipper.
A larger trailer and you might be able to pull the Genie and have enough room for some brush.
As for a larger loader, as a one man show I would discourage that. Maybe a mini with a higher lift, then you could load chunks into the back of the chip truck from the rear? Then you just have to cut the pieces smaller as you get closer to the but. Or cut them smaller so they fit into the chip truck.
As for loading on the trailer, I just drive the machine on the ramps right on the trailer, dump and back right off. If you wanted the higher sides then the extra reach would work even better for that aplication.
I really think for a one man operation the mini is king for these aplications. And you are very well equiped, it's just figuring how to move what you need.


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