Grapple for 1.5T digger

[porky]

I know it would be better on a larger machine but has anyone any experience of using a Grapple on a 1.5T digger like this one?

 

1 to 2ton mini digger/excavator grapple JCB/Kubota/case on eBay (end time 06-Apr-10 11:29:04 BST)

 

Would it be worth having for shifting logs into a trailer, general yard work, maybe moving brash or quicker by hand?

[Justme]

I have one on my 3.5tonne digger but paid much much less than that. Also off ebay. The guy makes them in Ireland & ships them over. I think mine about £450 plus the VAT but they had to make it special as I have a large quick hitch fitting.

 

I use it for lots of stuff but can lift over a ton with it as the digger is bigger.

 

You could also look at thumbs like this ONE

 

This ONE is just like mine but I dint pay that much.

[Justme]

Found it HERE

 

I paid £430 plus vat but I collected it from one of his UK depo's

 

Yours would be less as its for a smaller digger & without the large quick hitch pin (thats about £25 on its own)

 

Its well solid. I have lifted 1 ton logs in the grab & also fitted a D shackle & chains & lifted stuff (heaviest was a 1100kg forklift bat bank) on one of the cross rods.

Edited April 4, 2010 by Justme
Keep adding stuff

[Allan HCS]

I have one called a hawk fawk brilliant can split the grab to use a bucket or landscape rake with the claw at the back, or take the back claw off and use front one for grubbing out stumps ripping through soil. best i have seeen and used

[treequip]

Small grapples like that are a real boon for feeding big chippers on site work. Saves no end of grunt work and ticks a manual handling and lifting box.

 

They are also very useful for handling timber in the yard. A local groundwork contractor used one to clean out the dross timber (big pop stems) in my yard. Made light of some heavy graft and cleaned and levelled the ground after.

 

We have also used it for fishing a storm damaged willow out of a canal. It turned what would have been a wet and miserable “3 man 3 dayer” into pure joy completed in a matter of hours.

 

His is a locally made copy of the “hawk fork” at a cost of £300 +/-

 

Andy

[david]

iv a grapple fitted to my 3 tonne digger. its great for flinging stuff about. lifts a tonne close in. and its fast too.

 

dont know how much you'l can lift with the 1.5 tonne machine tho but im sure itl lift far more than you can and it wont get a sore back either.

 

i think mine was about £250. i should be using it this week and get a pic

[david]

 

 

 

[porky]

Thanks for posting pics.

 

I think I need a grapple rather than the "thumb". I've got a quote from Digbits for a grapple for £450+vat. Still waiting for the HawkFawk quote. I like the idea of splitting the grapple and using it with different buckets, should give more flexibility.

 

Still unsure how many 18" logs I could grab in one bucket, if it's like the toys in amusement arcades I might be left with just one log or a liqourice comfort!

[Justme]

Still unsure how many 18" logs I could grab in one bucket, if it's like the toys in amusement arcades I might be left with just one log or a liqourice comfort!

 

 

Not many. For that you need a log grab.

[porky]

Not many. For that you need a log grab.

 

I was afraid of that. When you say "log grab" do you mean like the one in the pic or the type that goes on a front loader of a tractor?

I've looked into to get something like that for my small kubota but they are just to heavy for it