How to become a pro

I’ll set the end of the logs down on the chipper and open the grapples while they’re over the ground and then reposition, dropping the dirt on the ground and not the feed table. Jhinten I bet you’re running it like a pro by the end of the week.
 
I'm thinking more about brush. I don't really feed logs, personally. 6-7" isn't a log, really.


If you grab on gravel, you will possibly crush gravel into the log/ bark.


Good idea, for your set-up.
 
hahaha.


After about the second day, I didn't get off to position my grapple manually for about 2.5 years, then I did once, one day.


Here's a trick for you...

High idle
grapple open
uncurled

Lurch forward, quickly close grapple around near-vertical/ semi-vertical log (hung tree, rigged-down piece), pick up and drive backward, like a boss. I've picked up some good-sized dead trees relative to the loader size that were failed into another tree that would previously been 'walked down' in short pieces. The support tree still holds some weight of the failed tree.

The Vermeer grapple has the ability to grab pieces this way. IDK how that works. IDK if it can go from rigid to floppy under load. I don't think you can, so you can't drive way with a whole tree with a vermeer grapple. I think it will try to stay upright, only.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.



Grab and pick-up a big log at one end, that is too big to pick-up entirely. Put a fulcrum log under the big log, you can now pivot the log on this fulcrum (I've used a stump before) moving it sideways. Sometimes you just need to move the log into the clear, then roll the log. I do a little bump maneuver with the grapple uncurled 90*, tines dragging or Carefully grabbing the heel plate. The portion that is horizontal when upright is smooth, so when vertical it can bump a log without grabbing it, like the heel plate would. If you need, you can use the pushing spikes to help roll the logs, but I usually end up catching them, disadvantageously, at some point stalling the log, but that's ok.


I've rolled big logs that way on flat lawn, maybe 3 times the weight of what I could pick-up on at one end.
 
Quick sincere question here and not intending to hijack the thread: why the disdain/negative vibes toward grounds men/women? Isn’t that where we all started? I spend 80-90% of my time on the ground trying to learn what I can do so I can be profitable and get in a tree. What does a good groundie “look” like?
 
I was saying that jokingly, a good groundperson is invaluable but until they get to that point they are expensive. Breaking things, losing things, making sharp things dull, doing things that make me scratch my head and wonder how they find their way home at night.
 
so a question about attachments in general. When I first got the grapple I had a hard time getting one of the couplers connected, I assumed Branch Manager tested the grapple and unhooked it under pressure. I've since swapped the grapple with the bucket and then went to put the grapple back on and fought with the connector again. Any tips? it is the female connector from the grapple to the male on the miniskid. all the parts have been cleaned, and moving well
 
Always release pressure on the hydraulic lines. Its brand new, and may be stiff.

Get all the pressure off the cylinders by having the grapple standing up on the tines, midway open, so its sorta resting on the frame.

Mine couplers gave me fits a couple times. Once, I cracked the line open at the cylinder to get the pressure off, as I had squeezed a log to "park" it. I squeezed hard, and the pressure of the bark resisting, seemingly put a bunch of pressure on the valve.


IDK if there is a bit of a wear-in time on couplers, or not. Mine were tricky a couple times, at first, coupled with Operator Error.
 
On MY vintage of BMG (IDK how many versions have been made), there is ONE (maybe one and a half) sweets spots where I get very positive grab on the spiked heel plate without interfering with the LOADER ARMS or grease fittings.

If a grease fitting's tapped-hole strips out, you can weld a 1/4" fine thread nut (IIRC) over the hole. Then screw a grease fitting/ zerk into that.
 
Always release pressure from grapple before disconnecting, and release pressure from machine before trying to connect.
Trick: if a coupler is fighting you have someone operate aux valve on machine (not running) back and forth while you push coupler.
 
TopNotchEquipment said:
Always release pressure from grapple before disconnecting, and release pressure from machine before trying to connect.
Trick: if a coupler is fighting you have someone operate aux valve on machine (not running) back and forth while you push coupler.
Click to expand...

I assume by releasing pressure you mean to operate the aux control a couple of times with the machine off? I did think ahead this last time and tried that before disconnecting. I ran into the same trouble where it took 4-5 attempts to make the connection with fluid leaking out on each unsuccessful attempt between the female on the grapple to the Male on the mini. The grapple male onto the mini's female goes together with no trouble each time.
 
Jehinten said:
I assume by releasing pressure you mean to operate the aux control a couple of times with the machine off? I did think ahead this last time and tried that before disconnecting. I ran into the same trouble where it took 4-5 attempts to make the connection with fluid leaking out on each unsuccessful attempt between the female on the grapple to the Male on the mini. The grapple male onto the mini's female goes together with no trouble each time.
Click to expand...
Never have machine on when operating aux valve to release pressure from attachment. Same when hooking up attachment have machine off and operate aux valve before attempting to connect
 
TopNotchEquipment said:
Never have machine on when operating aux valve to release pressure from attachment. Same when hooking up attachment have machine off and operate aux valve before attempting to connect
Click to expand...
Could be because of how you are storing Grapple, if it pushes down on ground (closing grapple) with it disconnected it will cause pressure on one hose ( on yours in assuming that's the female). So always either close Grapple completely or open fully then set on ground before depressurization of attachment and disconnect
 
TopNotchEquipment said:
Could be because of how you are storing Grapple, if it pushes down on ground (closing grapple) with it disconnected it will cause pressure on one hose ( on yours in assuming that's the female). So always either close Grapple completely or open fully then set on ground before depressurization of attachment and disconnect
Click to expand...


Thanks. I'll give that a try
 
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