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General Forestry => Forestry and Logging => Topic started by: g_man on January 19, 2015, 06:17:45 PM

Title: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: g_man on January 19, 2015, 06:17:45 PM
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



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/TongsGrapple_28129.JPG)

Latched open 24"



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/TongsGrapple_28229.JPG)

Lift the latch and it releases



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/TongsGrapple_28329.JPG)

Added a frame to the cross draw bar



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/TongsGrapple_28429.JPG)

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



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/TongsGrapple_28529.JPG)

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



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/TongsGrapple_28629.JPG)

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

Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: beenthere on January 19, 2015, 06:56:56 PM
That looks pretty handy. Saves a lot of "off/on" the tractor when using the tongs.
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: celliott on January 19, 2015, 07:04:34 PM
That's pretty slick g_man!
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: samandothers on January 19, 2015, 07:08:38 PM
G man you are the man!

Very creative and cool!
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: fishpharmer on January 19, 2015, 07:42:35 PM
Looks good!
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: teakwood on January 19, 2015, 08:43:24 PM
Nice!  :)

I like creative people. thats engineer style! smiley_thumbsup
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: Ed_K on January 19, 2015, 08:48:45 PM
 That is kool  8) . I'm going to try that on the home tractor, off the bucket.
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: thecfarm on January 19, 2015, 09:19:12 PM
Good idea.
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: Peter Drouin on January 19, 2015, 11:32:30 PM
Well done, smiley_clapping
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: FarmingSawyer on January 20, 2015, 05:15:39 AM
That's very slick!
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: WDH on January 20, 2015, 07:45:26 AM
Wow!  Way to go g man. 
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: Dave Shepard on January 20, 2015, 10:49:07 AM
 8)
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: DeerMeadowFarm on January 20, 2015, 10:53:28 AM
That, is an awesome invention!  smiley_clapping
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: 346xp on January 20, 2015, 04:23:14 PM
That's awesome what a great idea I may try it on my little bota 8)
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: CX3 on January 20, 2015, 04:49:18 PM
Well Hot Dog
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: shinnlinger on January 20, 2015, 06:42:11 PM
Very nice!
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: Coffee_Creek on January 20, 2015, 06:59:42 PM
Very nice😜 I'll be stealing this
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: g_man on January 20, 2015, 07:20:08 PM
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
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: 78NHTFY on January 20, 2015, 08:21:55 PM
Pretty slick, g_man!  Amazing how the creative juices flow in some folks when it's -20°F outside ;D.  All the best, Rob.
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: Puffergas on January 27, 2015, 11:05:44 PM
Design award for 2015. I'd vote for that..  :)
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: mad murdock on January 28, 2015, 10:15:11 AM
Impressive piece of "backwoods" engineering!! Well done 8)
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: TLahti on February 01, 2015, 09:58:43 AM
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
Title: Re: Turned my Skidding Tongs into a Poor Man's Grapple
Post by: Puffergas on February 01, 2015, 11:07:18 AM
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...
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