quikduk
CTW Life Member
Dog House
Posts: 552
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Post by quikduk on Oct 21, 2008 17:59:49 GMT -5
Paul, I know what you mean about the grapple needing to earn it's keep. I just moved some large, heavy "rounds" over close to my wood pile. It would have been a bear to do this by hand. I had to take them one to two at a time but it sure was easier. Now as soon as I can get some seat time reserved, I will start "pruning" my shrub-oaks to get more firewood. Funny...sort of. I just had a Fire Dept. pal cut down 5 +50 foot tall Cottonwood trees, 6 +30 foot tall Italian Cypress trees and 1 +35 foot tall Pine tree to clear an area to start a work related project. They even cut up the "logs" into 18" long pieces and there was enough wood to fill up 5 semi end-dump trailers...and I couldn't have ANY of it as it would be considered "self-serving". f-ing government...
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Post by linus69 on Oct 21, 2008 18:48:18 GMT -5
Ken, if it wasn`t for that grapple and the work it does around here I`d be a physical cripple. The tons of material/stuff it has grabbed lifted and moved for me boggles my mind, I`m totally dependent on it for my wood heating, I`d have to give it up if I had to move these logs by hand, it would be impossible.
Paul
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Post by linus69 on Oct 25, 2008 16:55:17 GMT -5
I had several large trees that had to go for various reasons, one large dead oak looming over the garage, a very large maple that was two trunks in a close crotch about 10ft off the ground. One trunk split away and the other trunk was now a menace also to the garage. I saw a Cat excavator doing some work for my neighbor and asked the boss if he could knock a few trees down for me with it. He came looked and said $400 would do it, we had looked at about 5 trees, I agreed and two hrs later he walked his 22 ton Cat 312 over and took down 9 trees in all for me, he did 4 for free that he felt should go because they endangered the house and or the deck. He ran the chain saw and his operator Dave was one of the best I`vie seen run a machine, on four of them he removed the stumps for me and carried them into the back woods out of sight. They were there for 2 1/2hrs working, that was the best money I`vie ever spent. I started processing the dead oak right away, as that is ready to burn this winter, the rest will get put into a pile in the back woods to wait for the future. Without the grapple I`d be moving this wood for the rest of my life, with the grapple I did the big oak in a couple of hrs. Paul
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Post by linus69 on Oct 27, 2008 18:11:56 GMT -5
While I was watching the Cat excavator work I noticed it blew no smoke even when it was running up the RPMs. I asked it`s owner Chris what year it was and if he bought it new. He said it was a 1996 and that he bought it used and that it was Chinese Gray Iron. Of course I had to know more and Chris was a real talker, he said Cat sends these units over new for the Chinese construction industry and they only use them for 1000-1200hrs and then they take them apart put the pieces in containers and ship them back to the states. He gets them from a dealer in NE PA who assembles them again, services them and sells them. Chris said the one important thing was to run the serial number with the local Cat dealer in WilkesBarre PA to make sure parts are available. The dealer even repaints them and replaces all the Chinese writing in the operators cab, there was one inspection chart left on the inside of the door. Apparently they get a monthly government inspection over there, very strict which is apparently why they get rid of them after only so few hrs. I had to ask and he proudly told me he stole this beautiful machine for $32K, that`s pretty cheap for a Cat312, he said it hasn`t given him a bit of trouble in the year and a half he has been working it. He said he would hook me up with his Gray Iron dealer if I ever wanted another toy to help strain my marriage.
Paul
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quikduk
CTW Life Member
Dog House
Posts: 552
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Post by quikduk on Nov 3, 2008 18:58:07 GMT -5
HA! That is why you have to call them "TOOLS". They are a necessary part of "MAINTENANCE" and require "FREQUENT USE" to make sure they stay in great running condition. ...sort of like the new car you will have to buy your wife if you buy a CAT 312 excavator... ;D
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psj12
CTW Member
KAMA 554
Posts: 93
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Post by psj12 on Nov 12, 2008 7:14:28 GMT -5
I just ordered the Add-a-Grapple from precisionmfg.com. I plan on using my remotes to operate it. using hose will allow me to remove it easily. It bolts to the sides of the bucket. I will post pictures this coming spring when I get to install it.
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Post by linus69 on Nov 12, 2008 18:18:01 GMT -5
Good luck with your grapple Parry, I`m sure you will like it. I spent 10hrs today in the tractor seat using the hell out of the grapple to get rid of a large pile of 3yr old mostly "pokey" timber. I used one of the old quarry pit holes on our land that is around 25ft in diameter and around 8ft deep as a burning pit. It worked out well and the rotting pile is almost gone, it is an eyesore that will not be missed, except by the varmits that were living under it. Paul
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Post by linus69 on Nov 13, 2008 9:29:25 GMT -5
The bonfire burned well with the timbers burning thru at the centers and falling into the pit to be consumed. I would say the wood was 98% consumed. There are a few small charred end pieces in the hole. Rain moved in during the night and is expected to stay around all day. So I won`t be burning today, the small pile that is left will probably be cut up by my buddy who needs wood. He had already taken about half of the pile last month with his trailer. We cut the timbers in half and I loaded them on his 12ft trailer. Here are some old pictures to show the pile in it`s former glory, it was as high as the tractor once, mostly maple trees. The grapple made the dismantling and movement of this pile an easy chore, without it the words dangerous and back breaking spring to mind. Paul
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Post by linus69 on Nov 13, 2008 11:47:21 GMT -5
This is what`s left, about 8 tree trunks and a lot of bark, now this could become a nice spot for a future garden/deer feeder next spring. A lot of steaming rocks Paul
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quikduk
CTW Life Member
Dog House
Posts: 552
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Post by quikduk on Nov 13, 2008 19:39:37 GMT -5
Great job Paul. I wish you were closer as I could have used all of that wood for my stove.
Re: burning, we are still too dry here in SoCal with another Santa Ana wind red-flag warning for this weekend.
At least I can get further on my house trim painting project.
Anyone want to come by and help? I'll get the pizza and beer...
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Post by linus69 on Nov 13, 2008 20:00:58 GMT -5
It broke my heart to burn it Ken, but it was now or never. It was definately past it`s expiration/sell by date. I used some of it and gave some away but this pile had to be burned, it was one hell of a bonfire.
Paul
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Post by linus69 on Dec 3, 2008 16:27:51 GMT -5
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GuglioLS
Administrator
Jinma354 LE
Posts: 1,276
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Post by GuglioLS on Dec 3, 2008 23:31:06 GMT -5
Wholly Crap Paul, that sure ain't no tooth pick. That one log cut split and stacked must be near an entire cord. What size cylinders do you have on your FEL? I don't think my Koyker FEL would lift that monster. Your grapple sure is paying for itself just by not having to visit the chiropractors office or the back surgeon. I see you got a light dusting of snow. What's the temperature now at your lake home property?
Larry
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Post by linus69 on Dec 4, 2008 6:02:00 GMT -5
Hey Larry, I`m embrassed to say I don`t know the cylinder size, but it is a stock as a rock ZL20 FEL from 03. The only mods are the Brand valve, reinforced front brackets and of course the "Add a Grapple" I can`t believe what this thing can lift, I`m amazed I haven`t blown a cylinder seal yet making this thing do what it wasn`t made to do. The temperatures have been high 20`s at night and high 30`s to low 40`s during the day. The ground was frozen in those pics, the next day it warmed up and the ground started to look more like WW1 trench warfare was going on. That was the day I almost rolled the old girl, the day I could have cracked a walnut with my anus, the way it puckered up. I do owe what`s left of my back to the grapple, I`d be totally screwed without it, I think as you said it has paid for itself with work done, in reality it has probably paid for the whole tractor by now.
Paul
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3RRL
Administrator
Huge Kama
Posts: 2,027
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Post by 3RRL on Dec 4, 2008 12:18:17 GMT -5
Hi Paul, I saw your photos and agree with Larry, that is a huge log for sure. I've got to do the same thing ... gather up the logs around the place and start sawing into 16" lengths. Then split about a cord or so for the Winter. Maybe a little more if I have time. I was surprised at the power of your 284 but got to thinking that I lifted that firewood cart full of wood way up to the deck in Loretta's 284. Those ZL-20 loaders are pretty strong indeed! Hers is stock too except Ronald's fel valve.
I've had the wood stove burning small but hot fires day and night as the temps are cool for out here in CA. Lows in high 30's and highs still upper 60's. Last week is was 72°F most of the week. No snow for us this year I don't think? Last year when Larry was out it snowed for the first time since I've owned the property. Boy, were we ever surprised! Rob-
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