Log grapple fixed vs swinging

[BunyipBen]

Hi Guys

I am interested in setting up a 5-8t excavator with a rotating grapple for tasks such as feeding a wood chipper, loading logs and pushing trees. Can anyone fill me in on the the pros and cons of a fixed grapple vs a swinging unit? I am interested in a tilt rotator setup like Engcon to be able to use with buckets and other attachments, any views on doing it that way or just having the grapple with rotator?

Cheers

Ben

[LGP Eddie]

Try and eat your dinner with a broken wrist? 

Basically Forestry cranes don’t come with the additional Bucket ram and tipping links, but on an Excavator you’ve got this extra dimension, so best to utilise it.

The Tiltrotator just adds a couple of things in the form a very heavy duty worm drive rotator that will hold things solid where you want them, and a degree of tilt in the 40 to 55 degrees range.

 

You can spec a worm drive rotator on a fixed grab which is the halfway house solution.

 

Going from a standing start to a fixed grab like the Intermercato is a huge leap in productivity for most.

 

Tiltrotators are another minefield and price range altogether!

 

 

Eddie.

[BunyipBen]

I see what you mean LGP Eddie regarding the extra ability an excavator bucket ram has, but I am still thinking the advantages of a swinging grab might be what I am looking for. I like the idea that the swinging grab is always facing down so removing one control from the operators mind when feed ing material. I also think the swinging option reduces the forces on the grab, rotator and machine and may withstand a lot more hard work? I have seen video of operators flipping a swinging grab up to a vertical stem or trunk which allowed for assisted felling, not sure how easily this is done in comparison to a fixed rotating grab? 

I like the looks of this setup 

 

[LGP Eddie]

The only reason that Mecalac is setup like that is to get some much needed extra reach from it.

 

Throwing a grab up onto something for an assisted fell already puts a force in place before a cut is made that’s not ideal for any form of proper control.

 

As for forces in rotators, spec them right, buy quality and there’s no issues.

Piston rotators are used on most of the Intermercato grabs you’ll see about, and these will allow movement should any overload occur.

 

Worm drives are different, and I wouldn’t recommend any worm drive that wasn’t Excavator specific, mainly actual Tiltrotator units are the best if you want to avoid issues.

 

All said for an economic option, especially where you want to easily gain some extra reach, I’d have a free swinging grab on site over nothing anytime.

Combine it with a live heal if possible in the mount and you’ll get a nice bit of extra reach, plus a lot more control over longer material when required.

 

 

This is a lovely job, I’d have kept the heal a bit shorter, and gained myself 600mm or so extra reach with no issues.

A couple of lugs for the grab to grip onto when travelling around site would finish off such a design nicely.

 

 

 

 

Eddie.