November Wolf
ArboristSite Operative
+1 from me. That is very nice.
I was wondering about the weight in the rear also.
I was wondering about the weight in the rear also.
My homebuilt Loader/Grapple
- Thread starter Stein
- Start date
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gink595
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thats how the Bobcat company got started!!!
Thanks for the kind words all. Yes, it will be yellow, but I wanted to be sure I was done "modifying" it before painting. As I was just winging it on the grapple with no designs, I built it, used it until I broke it, reinforced it, tweaked it, reinforced it again. I think it is done now. I'll use it for a while and then a coat of Cat yellow paint. It's available at the local farm store. I sprayed it on the rest of the unit and it has held up well. Faded a bit in the last five years. It sits outside. Yes, I welded everything.
I did add a counterweight back when I built it. With a full load of dirt, the rear would get light. I filled the tires with fluid and added a 20" bar of 5" solid round to the rear. Can't see it in the pics.
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Coldfront
Addicted to ArboristSite
Sweet machine. I was wondering the same thing about a counter weight in the back end. At work we have a J.D. dozer that has removable counter weights in the back you can add or remove as needed. If I had my camera I would show a picture.
Ductape
Addicted to ArboristSite
What The ................................... ?????????????
That is friggin' AWESOME !!!
That is friggin' AWESOME !!!
I bolted the counterweight on, but have never had a reason to remove it. Besides, then I need to lift it to put it back on.
It's not that heavy, maybe 100 lbs, but it is awkward.
Great job Stein. That thing looks like it would save a lot of back breaking work. I've got to figure a way to get something like that for my firewood. I'm not getting any younger and something like that would come in very handy for all kind of chores. Give us an idea of what all you use that thing for.
Give us an idea of what all you use that thing for.
Normally it has a 48" bucket on the front. I also have a 48" dozer blade for snow. Faster than using the bucket and wet snow doesn't build up inside.
I use the bucket for cleaning out the horse barn mostly. I have a tractor with a blade and a 2 1/2 yard hydraulic scraper, so for dirt moving, I go to the tractor. This is mostly a toy.
If I was an arborist or landscaper, I could think of all kinds of uses for this - moving dirt or mulch, carrying out wood chips after stump grinding, carrying wood, etc.
I have a 3-point mount log splitter in addition to the gas one. I have thought of making a mount for it to run it upside down. If I take the valve off of it to mount at the driver's seat, all it would be is a beam with a cylinder and wedge mounted on it. Mount inverted on the forks of the little loader and use the onboard hydraulics to split larger rounds that I don't want to lift for the horizontal splitter or jockey into place with it in the veritcal position. Just drive up to the rounds, set the splitter down on the round and split them in half. Then I can pick them up to finish them in the regular splitter. The only thing holding me back is the "power beyond" for the accessory hydraulics is 4GPM unless I buy a "power beyond" valve for the wheel drive motors. Then I could get 8GPM for accessory hydraulics. In either case, cycle would be long.
The other thought is to just use the grapple to load my horizontal splitter, but I would have to get someone to run the valve on the splitter or be jumping on and off all the time. In the meantime, I just cut wood that I can lift the rounds. I have plenty to cut so can be picky for now.
beerman6
Addicted to ArboristSite
That is nice!
Do you post on the Machine Builders Forums?
Do you post on the Machine Builders Forums?
smokinj
Addicted to ArboristSite
Very Sweeeet!
Nice one stein - nothing beats keeping the logs clean -
ASEMASTER
ArboristSite Operative
very nice piece of work do you weld for a living?
Nope. Never heard of that one.
Stein, here's a link http://www.machinebuilders.net/ The crowd over there would just go nuts over your loader too -
LOL, I'm a salesman.
Actually, I used to be a tool and die maker, now the sales manager for a CNC machining and plastic molding company.
I do love fab work though. Here is the winter project from the next year. Also all scratch built. This one was all hand coped joints and TIG welded.
It has a Kawwasaki 750 motor on it. Pretty fun project as well. I just noticed that you can see the little loader in the background.
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November Wolf
ArboristSite Operative
Man that is beautiful. I would, I mean my kids would love that.
nice stuff man, nothing beats building your own stuff like that. great job!
Nothing like a Tool & Die makers work.
Very nice fabrication.
I'd like to ask the dimensions of the tubing used and wall thickness ?
Any chance of getting some side and front pics of just the grapple (full frame) ?
thanks for the thread!
Lee
Very nice fabrication.
I'd like to ask the dimensions of the tubing used and wall thickness ?
Any chance of getting some side and front pics of just the grapple (full frame) ?
thanks for the thread!
Lee
skid row
ArboristSite Guru
Awsome job stein!! Now I want to build one too. I was looking into those italian made diesel powered pasquali 4x4 tractors to skid logs out of the woods. But building one of those might be a better option.
Great pics and thanks for sharing.
Now I want to build one too. I was looking into those italian made diesel powered pasquali 4x4 tractors to skid logs out of the woods. But building one of those might be a better option.Great pics and thanks for sharing.
