iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple

Started by g_man, January 19, 2015, 06:17:45 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

g_man

You small tractor guys might get a kick out of this.

After yesterday's rain rather than trash my packed trails I stayed in the shop and played. The seldom used tongs caught my eye.

I made a toggle latch



 

Latched open 24"



 

Lift the latch and it releases



 

Added a frame to the cross draw bar



 

Put it on the tractor. I have a pulley up on the rops. Pull the rope from the seat and the tongs latch open



 

Latched open on the landing. Ready to test it out.



 

Here is a video so you can see how it works. Photography is not great. I just set my camera on a bucket. Pretty fun day.

http://youtu.be/8SYf0Cg4lGY


gg


beenthere

That looks pretty handy. Saves a lot of "off/on" the tractor when using the tongs.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

celliott

Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

samandothers


fishpharmer

Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

teakwood

Nice!  :)

I like creative people. thats engineer style! smiley_thumbsup
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

Ed_K

 That is kool  8) . I'm going to try that on the home tractor, off the bucket.
Ed K

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

FarmingSawyer

Thomas 8020, Stihl 039, Stihl 036, Homelite Super EZ, Case 385, Team of Drafts

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dave Shepard

Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

DeerMeadowFarm

That, is an awesome invention!  smiley_clapping

346xp

That's awesome what a great idea I may try it on my little bota 8)

CX3

John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

shinnlinger

Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

Coffee_Creek


g_man

Thanks for all the nice comments. I am glad you all like it.

I was pretty surprised how well it worked. Much better than a lot of things I have tried  :D

78NHTFY

Pretty slick, g_man!  Amazing how the creative juices flow in some folks when it's -20°F outside ;D.  All the best, Rob.
If you have time, you win....

Puffergas

Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

mad murdock

Impressive piece of "backwoods" engineering!! Well done 8)
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

TLahti

Great Idea!
   I can see you did a really nice job on the fabrication, with the short bushings welded to the side of the straps for a proper pivot point.
   I use a grapple on a short chain off my tractor loader bucket to load logs on a trailer. I usually have my wife set the grapple on the logs.
   Sometimes, when she is not available, I get off the tractor and set the grapple myself, then climb in the seat and lift.
   If I had the automatic grapple, I could set it to the open position when I unhook it, then drop it on the next log with the loader and lift without getting on and off the seat.
   Terry

Puffergas

Quote from: TLahti on February 01, 2015, 09:58:43 AM
Great Idea!
   
   If I had the automatic grapple, I could set it to the open position when I unhook it, then drop it on the next log with the loader and lift without getting on and off the seat.
   Terry

I remember a man with a homemade skidder with a pig pole mounted in the front. That's how he loaded his truck and he preferred that over his hydraulic log arm...
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Thank You Sponsors!