NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
So, I have this Tar River 72” grapple. Got it with the initial tractor purchase 2 years/230 hours ago and have used (and arguably abused it) a ton. It’s great except for one thing which I’ve addressed to some degree with operator procedure modification (this is the first grapple I’ve used). I’ve decided to at least contemplate addressing it with some modification of the grapple.
The issue is that the lid tines will bend if they have any significant lateral load. They’re made out of 5/16” plate and not very easy to bend back. Takes a good bit of work with a 9lb sledge to straighten them. Working with brush and logs I’m not having problems with bending now due to being careful not to pull sideways with them. Last time I was moving boulders, just clamping down on one that was shaped just so bent a tine. That was irritating but I don’t move a lot of boulders.
Inspecting this thing, the gusset is 4” short of the tip. It’s never bent anywhere other than below the gusset. There’s a 2” overlap between the lid and the bottom (in the bottom two photos the angle iron is laying there just as a straightedge).
My father (who lives 100 yards from me) has a stick welder he can’t use because of his age and a bunch of implanted electronics (in him) that can’t deal with the strong EMF that close. He was never willing to teach me to weld or allow me to use the welder and that hasn’t changed. I kind of thought if he was still around when he aged out, he’d teach me a little bit and let me take over the welding duties but apparently no go. (Love him, but some days are easier than others.)
So welding additional gusset is not entirely off the table but I’d have to buy a welder and figure out how to use it (possibly useful long term) or get a buddy to do it (pretty likely doable, particularly if I cut everything, prep it, and just need the welding done which is what I used to do with Dad until about a year ago). I have some scrap steel, cut what appear to me to be some reasonable templates from cardboard and no problem to cut the additional pieces but I don’t see any good way to bolt them on. Probably going to have to weld any additional supports.
1. As I was looking at it I got to wondering, why is there a 2” overlap? I do use it for brush, but not toothpicks. Seems like part of the solution may be moving the point back about 1 3/4”. My initial thought was shorten the lid tines to more like 1/4” overlap (of course still with a point) and address additional bracing as a second step if necessary. Any downside to shortening the unsupported part of the lid tine?
2. I don’t see myself getting into a bunch of fabrication work. Is it worth getting a welder and taking a class or otherwise learning how to use it for MRO type stuff? I bust stuff now and then but I’m not a farmer or grading contractor so it isn’t constant.
3. I know a bunch of people on here weld a good bit. For maintenance type operations on basic stuff like this any recommendations on a type or specific make/model of welder?
BTW, answers along the lines of “buy a better grapple” or “make your father act like a reasonable person”; I won’t take offense, but I will ignore. Neither of those is happening.
The issue is that the lid tines will bend if they have any significant lateral load. They’re made out of 5/16” plate and not very easy to bend back. Takes a good bit of work with a 9lb sledge to straighten them. Working with brush and logs I’m not having problems with bending now due to being careful not to pull sideways with them. Last time I was moving boulders, just clamping down on one that was shaped just so bent a tine. That was irritating but I don’t move a lot of boulders.
Inspecting this thing, the gusset is 4” short of the tip. It’s never bent anywhere other than below the gusset. There’s a 2” overlap between the lid and the bottom (in the bottom two photos the angle iron is laying there just as a straightedge).
My father (who lives 100 yards from me) has a stick welder he can’t use because of his age and a bunch of implanted electronics (in him) that can’t deal with the strong EMF that close. He was never willing to teach me to weld or allow me to use the welder and that hasn’t changed. I kind of thought if he was still around when he aged out, he’d teach me a little bit and let me take over the welding duties but apparently no go. (Love him, but some days are easier than others.)
So welding additional gusset is not entirely off the table but I’d have to buy a welder and figure out how to use it (possibly useful long term) or get a buddy to do it (pretty likely doable, particularly if I cut everything, prep it, and just need the welding done which is what I used to do with Dad until about a year ago). I have some scrap steel, cut what appear to me to be some reasonable templates from cardboard and no problem to cut the additional pieces but I don’t see any good way to bolt them on. Probably going to have to weld any additional supports.
1. As I was looking at it I got to wondering, why is there a 2” overlap? I do use it for brush, but not toothpicks. Seems like part of the solution may be moving the point back about 1 3/4”. My initial thought was shorten the lid tines to more like 1/4” overlap (of course still with a point) and address additional bracing as a second step if necessary. Any downside to shortening the unsupported part of the lid tine?
2. I don’t see myself getting into a bunch of fabrication work. Is it worth getting a welder and taking a class or otherwise learning how to use it for MRO type stuff? I bust stuff now and then but I’m not a farmer or grading contractor so it isn’t constant.
3. I know a bunch of people on here weld a good bit. For maintenance type operations on basic stuff like this any recommendations on a type or specific make/model of welder?
BTW, answers along the lines of “buy a better grapple” or “make your father act like a reasonable person”; I won’t take offense, but I will ignore. Neither of those is happening.
