By Tony Kryzanowski
BrandtBrandt says that its hard-to-the-core forestry grapples deliver the productivity and reliability its customers need to succeed. Customers can count on these durable grapples to help them accomplish more with optimized lug geometry for pencilling at full reach or underneath the boom, precise jaw placement when handling single stems, and near-vertical jaw orientation for superior pile penetration, says the company.
The grapples excel in the toughest situations and maximize uptime with a QT-100 steel frame, strategically placed high-strength abrasion-resistant steel, a high-torque drive system motor, and weld-on outriggers to retain the load while protecting the pivot frame from damage.
The external centralized grease bank simplifies daily maintenance. Easy-to-service components like the split top-access cover to service the control valve and upper hydraulics ensure repairs are completed in a timely fashion so customers can spend more time working, and make the most of their harvest season.
Brandt says it delivers the industry’s largest network of full-service dealerships to back their customers so they can get the job done on time, every time.
TigercatTigercat designs and builds a line of durable loading and shovel logging grapples, well-matched to the power and productivity of Tigercat carriers.
The BT08 butt-n-top grapple and PC08, PC10 and PC12 power clam grapples are designed for use on the 875E and 880E loggers.
The large outriggers are said to be ideal for moving and loading heavy, large diameter and long-length timber.
The Tigercat SC08 shovel clam grapple is matched to the LS855E and LSX870D shovel loggers for an end-to-end Tigercat package.
The jaw profile easily rolls the logs into a tight bunch for increased control and productivity in demanding, high volume shovel logging applications.
All Tigercat grapples feature durable, boxed-style jaws fabricated from high strength steel using fatigue-resistant welded construction. All tine tips are made from abrasion-resistant steel and can be replaced.
Boom hose protection is maximized by routing the hoses on top of the boom and under the connecting pin. The cylinder guard design allows for easy hose access and eliminates the need for covers.
Weldco-Beales MfgSince 1945, Weldco-Beales Mfg (WBM) has grown substantially from a small welding shop in Vancouver, originally specializing in forestry attachments, to operating four comprehensive manufacturing facilities located across Canada, offering an extensive product line serving a vast variety of industries.
Some of WBM’s most popular forestry attachments include clam grapples and butt-n-top grapples for excavators, and both cut-to-length and tree length log grapples for wheel loaders.
In 2017, WBM released its innovative Horizontal Cylinder and Linkage (HCL) series clam grapple, combining the performance and versatility of a basket-style grapple jaw with the proven efficiency of a power-tilt excavator grapple.
WBM says that it is driven by continuous improvement and is proud to showcase their newest line of forestry grapples: cut-to-length (CTL) dangle head grapples. Their proven jaw profile maximizes capacity, increases productivity, reduces loading cycles, and allows for easier penetration of log piles.
The company says it is known for its robust construction of attachments and these grapples are no exception. High strength alloy steel is used throughout for maximum durability and service life, and the heavy duty bearing and gear drive system allows for 360-degree continuous rotation. CTL dangle head grapples are available in both bypass and non-bypass configurations.
https://weldco-beales.com/inventory/ctl-dangle-head-grapple/
HultdinsOlofsfors says that its Hultdins SuperGrip SG grapples are the forest industry standard on log trucks and forwarders. The company’s traditional models are starting to become common on excavators for tree service, land clearing, feeding chippers or grinders, as well as part time logging.
All SG grapples are equipped with Indexator GV rotators, and links are available to match any forwarder, log truck or excavator mount.
SG grapples are available in five model sizes with openings from 60” to 89”. They feature: high strength steel and robotized welded construction throughout; cushioned cylinder, tapered sleeve pin joints, and excellent arm geometry with wide opening and minimum closing dimensions; synchronized arms with dual solid cast steel connecting rods; and, a grapple saw option is available on all models.
On January 1, 2022, Olofsfors Inc became the distributor for Hultdins products in the North American market and Indexator rotators will also be part of the distribution.
CatCat says that its GLL forestry grapples are productive, durable, and the high quality customers expect from Cat products. Integrated to the machine’s hydraulics, its forestry grapples can handle a wide range of tasks with ease while keeping customers working with simple serviceability. The company adds that GLL forestry grapples are a high-performing solution.
Performance is maximized with a leg profile optimized for a variety of tasks, maximum holding power and control from the cylinder valves, and interlocking legs designed to secure maximum or minimum load. The minimum opening at 5” can be used to handle single, small stems. This grapple is optimal for applications such as high-volume loading, truck loading, high-decking in mill yards, shovel logging, and chucking.
High-strength alloy steel is used to construct the grapples for the highest level of durability in tough applications. Extended use from bearings is possible with heavy-duty, lip-type excluder seals and sealed pin joints.
Serviceability is simple with easy-to-replace Hardox wear strips on the grapple legs and easy-to-access grease points and fully serviceable cylinders. Customers spend more time working with long service intervals, plus some servicing can be done in the field with hand tools, says Cat.
https://www.cat.com/en_US/by-industry/forestry/work-tools.html
T-Mar IndustriesUsing tech tools like robotic welding systems alongside tried and true methods of customer service, T-Mar Industries is able to bring new and improved functionality to every generation of equipment its produces. This includes its heavy-duty and extreme-duty grapple series.
A number of recent design advancements have been made.
The geometry has been improved on T-Mar Industries’ Extreme-Duty MK3 grapples which decreases cylinder pressure, increases longevity and allows the grapple to handle heavier loads.
The use of aluminum-bronze bushings and induction-hardened pins improves longevity.
T-Mar Industries has included quick-attach brush rake and saw attachments for all grapple models and wedge-lock mounting that ensures a strong, secure connection over years of use. There is also increased rotate torque across all models.
Their HD56S grapple boasts a tight 4 3/8” closing size without sacrificing tip-to-tip bunching capacity compared to the larger HD60S. They have also upgraded the leg tip from 6” to 8” on both the HD56S and HD60S, narrowing the gap between tines to improve handling of small limbs. In both form and function, T-Mar Industries says that it’s a leader in grapples.
On the Cover:
The payback in doing your due diligence on mobile equipment purchases can be rewarding in a number of ways, everything from more efficient operations to operator satisfaction—and the Weyerhaeuser sawmill in Princeton, B.C. is seeing that in spades these days, with their new Sennebogen 850E machine, the largest Sennebogen log loader operating in Western Canada (Cover photo by Paul MacDonald).
Log haul convoys being lined up …
Semi-autonomous log haul convoys—that could help address driver shortages—may be in the cards for northern Ontario, with a pilot project having been completed this past summer.
Conference coming up in April
Attendees to the Council of Forest Industries of B.C.’s (COFI) annual convention will have plenty to talk about at the first in-person convention to be held in three years, being held in Vancouver April 27 to 29.
Brothers in forestry...and sawmilling
Two brothers—both foresters—have built a hardwood sawmill chain that works out of the forests of Ontario’s well-known Cottage Country, north of Toronto.
Doing your due diligence on equipment purchases
The folks at a Weyerhaeuser sawmill in B.C. did their due diligence with their new log loader—and that homework is now paying off with a very productive new Sennebogen machine.
Turnkey timber technology
Georgia-Pacific Lumber has brought another new high-tech sawmill on stream, provided on a turnkey basis by B.C.-based sawmill equipment supplier, BID Group.
B.C. salvage project delivers solid results
A few different log harvesting and wood grinding outfits were involved in a recent wildfire salvage project—that delivered solid results—in the Clinton Community Forest in the B.C. Interior.
The EDGE
Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, is a story from the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC).
Tech Update:
We take a look at the new features in log grapples.
The Last Word
The B.C. government is risking dimming the lights in the province’s forest industry with its recent decisions, including deferring harvesting of 2.6 million hectares of Crown-owned old growth forests.
Departments
