Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Tractor Brush/Tree Grapple

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    12
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 20 Times in 7 Posts

    Viny's Tools

    Tractor Brush/Tree Grapple

    Hello. I have a Kubota M4700 tractor with a LA1001 front loader. This has been a great tractor and I have used it for many years. As I have many trees on my property, years ago I added a grapple to the bucket to assist with moving larger trees, etc to the burn pile. After that, I added some screw-clamp forks to the bucket to carry larger loads. I would typically stack many limbs on the forks and pinch them with the grapple and take them to the burn pile. I used this setup for years and it was fine.

    Then I stumbled onto the Pat's Quick Hitch system for the 3 pt. hitch and added that and it pretty much changed my life in changing implements on the back of the tractor. Then I started thinking about doing something similar to the front loader. After some research, I found that I could remove the bucket, add a skid steer adapter plate and pretty much pick up any skid steer front end accessory available. Wow! I don't know why I didn't do this years ago, but I purchased an adapter plate, installed it and converted my bucket to the skid steer setup.

    I then removed the grapple and the forks and decided to make a dedicated Grapple that didn't include the limitations of the Frankenstein version I had used for so long. Here is a picture of the grapple/fork combination mounted to the tractor.

    Tractor Brush/Tree Grapple-grapple-open.jpg

    Here's a picture of the grapple with a piece of tin wired on to catch the smaller branches that would fall through the larger openings.

    Tractor Brush/Tree Grapple-grapple-tin-closed.jpg

    Here's a picture of the grapple holding a large tree on the way to the burn pile!

    Tractor Brush/Tree Grapple-grapple-tree.jpg

    I was happy it could carry this heavy a load without very much reinforcement to the points where the forks meet the vertical frame. I did, however, over stress it by digging the forks too deep into the ground before lifting a different log. I then took it back to the shop and welded some reinforcing angle iron pieces on the top and bottom (front/back?) of the lower corner. I believe this will do the trick for most of what I'm working on...

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Viny For This Useful Post:

    dennis ford (Dec 26, 2017), Jon (Dec 9, 2017), rlm98253 (Dec 9, 2017), Seedtick (Dec 9, 2017)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    332
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked 126 Times in 101 Posts
    Your little Kubota is like a "Shopsmith". My daughter and son-in-law have one. If you are creative, this is the best "platform" for farm projects. With this platform, you can make your work so much easier. You are only limited by your mind!

    2,000+ Tool Plans

  4. #3

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    1
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Hello from wet sunny Florida

    Great idea you have there. I have a Long tractor and have been trying to figure out how to do the exact thing. Now it looks like you have sparked the idea for me. Thanks for your post!

    Dawhite12

  5. #4
    carver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Young Harris/Dial,Ga.
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    Will be making one of these,thanks
    I Am Strong,Because I've Been Weak,I Am Fearless,Because I've Been Afraid,I Am Wise,Because I've Been Foolish

  6. #5
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,055
    Thanks
    793
    Thanked 1,888 Times in 1,683 Posts


    Thanks Viny! We've added your Tree Grapple to our Farm and Garden category,
    as well as to your builder page: Viny's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:






    2,000+ Tool Plans

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •