I am looking forward to this build. I'm going to go get my popcorn and pull up a chair!
45 Loader JDQA Grapple Build
I previous converted my 45 loader to have a quick attach mechanism for the bucket so that I can easily attach other loader implements. Since then I have made a set of JDQA forks for it and now over that last couple of weeks I've started on a JDQA grapple attachment.
So far I've got the lower forks and the claws cut to shape and holes drilled for the cross stiffeners/supports.
![Automotive exterior Auto part]()
Next up will be tacking together the base frame and lower forks.
Roger
So far I've got the lower forks and the claws cut to shape and holes drilled for the cross stiffeners/supports.
Next up will be tacking together the base frame and lower forks.
Roger
1 - 20 of 84 Posts
Well I had a bit of time this weekend to get back working on the grapple attachment for my 45 loader.
Started with welding up the base frame with the "forks".
![Iron Metal Furniture Handrail Steel]()
I then tackled the upper claw part. It was a bit more of a challenge to keep everything aligned while welding it. The upper 1" bar will be removed and two short pieces will be used. It is just in there for now to help keep things aligned.
![Iron Metal Automotive exterior Steel]()
This is how the two sections will sort of mesh together.
![Iron Metal Furniture Table Steel]()
Next up will be making the hinge and hydraulic cylinder brackets on the main frame and putting in some grease fittings.
Roger
Started with welding up the base frame with the "forks".
I then tackled the upper claw part. It was a bit more of a challenge to keep everything aligned while welding it. The upper 1" bar will be removed and two short pieces will be used. It is just in there for now to help keep things aligned.
This is how the two sections will sort of mesh together.
Next up will be making the hinge and hydraulic cylinder brackets on the main frame and putting in some grease fittings.
Roger
Looking forward to an update on this Roger.
It's always exciting whenever you are building something for your rig.
Your work and attention to detail is inspiring!
I'd be embarrassed to even begin to admit how much time I've spent watching your videos of your creations in action Roger.
In fact, I have to share this story - only because I'm hoping some of you might be able to relate....
My wife is quiet, shy, and usually quite reserved. She tolerates my hobby (addiction) but makes no secret of the fact that she doesn't understand it. Some time ago, I was in the spare room, watching one of Roger's videos. My wife walks by, looks in on me and just stares for a moment.
WIFE: "Are you seriously watching a video of someone else mowing their lawn or plowing/blowing their driveway??"
I try to explain...
ME: " no - look honey! Look at this. Just look at this (*insert name of implement*) that he designed and built himself. Isn't it awesome? Look at the craftsmanship and attention to detail.."
WIFE: not looking at the video but just standing there, frozen, staring into my very soul with a look of utter disbelief "You're serious right now aren't you?"
ME: " well yeah, just look at how that thing works and how nice it looks. He MADE that - it's not store bought or manufa...."
I stop talking because she's left the room....
Later that day, I make us some sandwiches and I take mine into the office and nibble away as I watch another one of Roger's videos. At some point I "feel" her standing at the door and I look over at her, mid-bite...
WIFE: "Is there some sort of 12 step program that you might need to be a part of somewhere?..."
The NEXT day, while driving me to a doctors appointment, she jabs on the brakes and pulls over to the shoulder of the road and slowly backs up. I'm completely bewildered as to what she's doing, wondering if she missed her turn or something... She stops the car, puts it in park and turns on the 4-way flashers and says nothing. I'm sitting there looking at her with my "WTH?" face when I slowly become aware of a loud noise just outside of my car window. I turn to my right to see a guy mowing his lawn on a John Deere X-series with a hard side cab and pulling a grass sweeper. I turn to her and she has an exaggeratedly excited expression on her face...
WIFE: *enter maximum sarcasm mode* - in a high-pitched overly excited voice "Oooh look at that grass catcher thingy! It's so awwwwwwesome! Is that "factory" (quotation fingers gesture) or do you suppose maybe he built that himself???? Do you want to get some video of that while we're here? We have a few minutes before the appointment. Maybe jump out and get his number?"
ME: Completely disoriented and quite honestly stunned by both my own feelings of embarrassment, knowing I'd just been verbally and mockingly body-slammed by my meek and gentle wife, and yet also completely impressed by the depth and ferocity of my wife's taunting and mockery of me and my beloved hobby. I was offended and yet equally awed by her "attack". That would be something I would do or say to one of my buddies, but her, this was completely out of character for her.
I'm sitting there, totally stunned and speechless at this point and I don't know whether to laugh or try to defend my hobby/addiction. I could barely make out that she was holding back a smile as she slowly turned back to face forward, straight faced and dead serious, put the car in gear and continued our drive. She couldn't hold it in for long and she started laughing so hard she was in tears.
So today, just now, as I was checking up on this thread to see if there'd been any updates to the grapple build, the thought of checking Roger's videos entered my mind and, for a split second, I caught myself looking behind me to see if she was watching. It made me realize I'm a little bit gun-shy now after that one. lol.
Well played my love. Well played.
isgus:
It's always exciting whenever you are building something for your rig.
Your work and attention to detail is inspiring!
I'd be embarrassed to even begin to admit how much time I've spent watching your videos of your creations in action Roger.
In fact, I have to share this story - only because I'm hoping some of you might be able to relate....
My wife is quiet, shy, and usually quite reserved. She tolerates my hobby (addiction) but makes no secret of the fact that she doesn't understand it. Some time ago, I was in the spare room, watching one of Roger's videos. My wife walks by, looks in on me and just stares for a moment.
WIFE: "Are you seriously watching a video of someone else mowing their lawn or plowing/blowing their driveway??"
I try to explain...
ME: " no - look honey! Look at this. Just look at this (*insert name of implement*) that he designed and built himself. Isn't it awesome? Look at the craftsmanship and attention to detail.."
WIFE: not looking at the video but just standing there, frozen, staring into my very soul with a look of utter disbelief "You're serious right now aren't you?"
ME: " well yeah, just look at how that thing works and how nice it looks. He MADE that - it's not store bought or manufa...."
I stop talking because she's left the room....
Later that day, I make us some sandwiches and I take mine into the office and nibble away as I watch another one of Roger's videos. At some point I "feel" her standing at the door and I look over at her, mid-bite...
WIFE: "Is there some sort of 12 step program that you might need to be a part of somewhere?..."
The NEXT day, while driving me to a doctors appointment, she jabs on the brakes and pulls over to the shoulder of the road and slowly backs up. I'm completely bewildered as to what she's doing, wondering if she missed her turn or something... She stops the car, puts it in park and turns on the 4-way flashers and says nothing. I'm sitting there looking at her with my "WTH?" face when I slowly become aware of a loud noise just outside of my car window. I turn to my right to see a guy mowing his lawn on a John Deere X-series with a hard side cab and pulling a grass sweeper. I turn to her and she has an exaggeratedly excited expression on her face...
WIFE: *enter maximum sarcasm mode* - in a high-pitched overly excited voice "Oooh look at that grass catcher thingy! It's so awwwwwwesome! Is that "factory" (quotation fingers gesture) or do you suppose maybe he built that himself???? Do you want to get some video of that while we're here? We have a few minutes before the appointment. Maybe jump out and get his number?"
ME: Completely disoriented and quite honestly stunned by both my own feelings of embarrassment, knowing I'd just been verbally and mockingly body-slammed by my meek and gentle wife, and yet also completely impressed by the depth and ferocity of my wife's taunting and mockery of me and my beloved hobby. I was offended and yet equally awed by her "attack". That would be something I would do or say to one of my buddies, but her, this was completely out of character for her.
I'm sitting there, totally stunned and speechless at this point and I don't know whether to laugh or try to defend my hobby/addiction. I could barely make out that she was holding back a smile as she slowly turned back to face forward, straight faced and dead serious, put the car in gear and continued our drive. She couldn't hold it in for long and she started laughing so hard she was in tears.
So today, just now, as I was checking up on this thread to see if there'd been any updates to the grapple build, the thought of checking Roger's videos entered my mind and, for a split second, I caught myself looking behind me to see if she was watching. It made me realize I'm a little bit gun-shy now after that one. lol.
Well played my love. Well played.
isgus:
badgerland01,
Thanks and I "think" that I can talk her into using it one more time.
Roger
FlintMichLooking forward to an update on this Roger.
It's always exciting whenever you are building something for your rig.
Your work and attention to detail is inspiring!
I'd be embarrassed to even begin to admit how much time I've spent watching your videos of your creations in action Roger.
In fact, I have to share this story - only because I'm hoping some of you might be able to relate....
My wife is quiet, shy, and usually quite reserved. She tolerates my hobby (addiction) but makes no secret of the fact that she doesn't understand it. Some time ago, I was in the spare room, watching one of Roger's videos. My wife walks by, looks in on me and just stares for a moment.
WIFE: "Are you seriously watching a video of someone else mowing their lawn or plowing/blowing their driveway??"
I try to explain...
ME: " no - look honey! Look at this. Just look at this (*insert name of implement*) that he designed and built himself. Isn't it awesome? Look at the craftsmanship and attention to detail.."
WIFE: not looking at the video but just standing there, frozen, staring into my very soul with a look of utter disbelief "You're serious right now aren't you?"
ME: " well yeah, just look at how that thing works and how nice it looks. He MADE that - it's not store bought or manufa...."
I stop talking because she's left the room....
Later that day, I make us some sandwiches and I take mine into the office and nibble away as I watch another one of Roger's videos. At some point I "feel" her standing at the door and I look over at her, mid-bite...
WIFE: "Is there some sort of 12 step program that you might need to be a part of somewhere?..."
The NEXT day, while driving me to a doctors appointment, she jabs on the brakes and pulls over to the shoulder of the road and slowly backs up. I'm completely bewildered as to what she's doing, wondering if she missed her turn or something... She stops the car, puts it in park and turns on the 4-way flashers and says nothing. I'm sitting there looking at her with my "WTH?" face when I slowly become aware of a loud noise just outside of my car window. I turn to my right to see a guy mowing his lawn on a John Deere X-series with a hard side cab and pulling a grass sweeper. I turn to her and she has an exaggeratedly excited expression on her face...
WIFE: *enter maximum sarcasm mode* - in a high-pitched overly excited voice "Oooh look at that grass catcher thingy! It's so awwwwwwesome! Is that "factory" (quotation fingers gesture) or do you suppose maybe he built that himself???? Do you want to get some video of that while we're here? We have a few minutes before the appointment. Maybe jump out and get his number?"
ME: Completely disoriented and quite honestly stunned by both my own feelings of embarrassment, knowing I'd just been verbally and mockingly body-slammed by my meek and gentle wife, and yet also completely impressed by the depth and ferocity of my wife's taunting and mockery of me and my beloved hobby. I was offended and yet equally awed by her "attack". That would be something I would do or say to one of my buddies, but her, this was completely out of character for her.
I'm sitting there, totally stunned and speechless at this point and I don't know whether to laugh or try to defend my hobby/addiction. I could barely make out that she was holding back a smile as she slowly turned back to face forward, straight faced and dead serious, put the car in gear and continued our drive. She couldn't hold it in for long and she started laughing so hard she was in tears.
So today, just now, as I was checking up on this thread to see if there'd been any updates to the grapple build, the thought of checking Roger's videos entered my mind and, for a split second, I caught myself looking behind me to see if she was watching. It made me realize I'm a little bit gun-shy now after that one. lol.
Well played my love. Well played.
Well I laughed my butt off when I read this!
Secondly, this it just unbelievable and as your wife must be related to my wife. Long lost sisters maybe. My wife also stands at the door to the office where the computer is and asks what's new on the "Tractor Porn" sites.
Other times when I'm watching YouTube videos and she is sitting in the next room she will listen in and comment "Are you watching a new video of the guy who yawns. He need's to get some sleep!" Wonder who that is Kyle! She also knows when I'm watching one of Jere's chainsawing vids. I will say that she likes the size of 332 from "Green Tractor" videos as she finds my tractor a bit big.
I also showed her Larry's "Ride the Lawn" video a while back she smiled and chuckled a bit and said "You tractor boys are crazy about your tractors." She refers to my tractor my "Mistress" as I seem to spend a lot of time on/with it.
As for an update, not too much has been happening as I've been super busy at work. I did get the claw hinge brackets tacked on and made up the lower cylinder attachment brackets. I put the 45 loader on the X748 late yesterday so that I can hopefully get the JDQA brackets aligned and tacked on today. I also need to ensure that nothing on the loader will interfere with operation of the grapple. I have a feeling that the lower hydraulic cylinder attachment brackets will be "very close" to my cross bar that I have on the loader side.
BTW, THANKS very much for compliments on my equipment builds!
Roger
That is a fantastic story. As I tell people there are worse hobby..... My better half knows exactly where she can find me at all times... at work, with her, or doing something tractory.Looking forward to an update on this Roger.
It's always exciting whenever you are building something for your rig.
Your work and attention to detail is inspiring!
I'd be embarrassed to even begin to admit how much time I've spent watching your videos of your creations in action Roger.
In fact, I have to share this story - only because I'm hoping some of you might be able to relate....
My wife is quiet, shy, and usually quite reserved. She tolerates my hobby (addiction) but makes no secret of the fact that she doesn't understand it. Some time ago, I was in the spare room, watching one of Roger's videos. My wife walks by, looks in on me and just stares for a moment.
WIFE: "Are you seriously watching a video of someone else mowing their lawn or plowing/blowing their driveway??"
I try to explain...
ME: " no - look honey! Look at this. Just look at this (*insert name of implement*) that he designed and built himself. Isn't it awesome? Look at the craftsmanship and attention to detail.."
WIFE: not looking at the video but just standing there, frozen, staring into my very soul with a look of utter disbelief "You're serious right now aren't you?"
ME: " well yeah, just look at how that thing works and how nice it looks. He MADE that - it's not store bought or manufa...."
I stop talking because she's left the room....
Later that day, I make us some sandwiches and I take mine into the office and nibble away as I watch another one of Roger's videos. At some point I "feel" her standing at the door and I look over at her, mid-bite...
WIFE: "Is there some sort of 12 step program that you might need to be a part of somewhere?..."
The NEXT day, while driving me to a doctors appointment, she jabs on the brakes and pulls over to the shoulder of the road and slowly backs up. I'm completely bewildered as to what she's doing, wondering if she missed her turn or something... She stops the car, puts it in park and turns on the 4-way flashers and says nothing. I'm sitting there looking at her with my "WTH?" face when I slowly become aware of a loud noise just outside of my car window. I turn to my right to see a guy mowing his lawn on a John Deere X-series with a hard side cab and pulling a grass sweeper. I turn to her and she has an exaggeratedly excited expression on her face...
WIFE: *enter maximum sarcasm mode* - in a high-pitched overly excited voice "Oooh look at that grass catcher thingy! It's so awwwwwwesome! Is that "factory" (quotation fingers gesture) or do you suppose maybe he built that himself???? Do you want to get some video of that while we're here? We have a few minutes before the appointment. Maybe jump out and get his number?"
ME: Completely disoriented and quite honestly stunned by both my own feelings of embarrassment, knowing I'd just been verbally and mockingly body-slammed by my meek and gentle wife, and yet also completely impressed by the depth and ferocity of my wife's taunting and mockery of me and my beloved hobby. I was offended and yet equally awed by her "attack". That would be something I would do or say to one of my buddies, but her, this was completely out of character for her.
I'm sitting there, totally stunned and speechless at this point and I don't know whether to laugh or try to defend my hobby/addiction. I could barely make out that she was holding back a smile as she slowly turned back to face forward, straight faced and dead serious, put the car in gear and continued our drive. She couldn't hold it in for long and she started laughing so hard she was in tears.
So today, just now, as I was checking up on this thread to see if there'd been any updates to the grapple build, the thought of checking Roger's videos entered my mind and, for a split second, I caught myself looking behind me to see if she was watching. It made me realize I'm a little bit gun-shy now after that one. lol.
Well played my love. Well played.
Well I can relate..... Mrs. Beef is the same way and has done similar things. I was flabbergasted the first time she mocked me at her depth of knowledge on John Deere garden tractors. Evidently she was listening.... :ROF
Uh oh.... I didn't realize my yawning was this bad!! I'm that guy now. :ROF
Well it's been a very busy summer with lots of visitors so the grapple build had been put on the back burner for a while. Was able to get back at it this past weekend. Welded on the hydraulic cylinder brackets and made up some retaining pins.
I hemmed and hawed quite a while on how I would protect the hydraulic hoses from sticks and branches and then I remembered that I had this screen cover that I got from who knows where and decided to use it.
![Iron Automotive exterior Furniture Vehicle Bumper]()
![Vehicle Automotive wheel system Table Automotive exterior Furniture]()
I think that it will do the trick.
![Bumper Automotive exterior Vehicle]()
![Automotive exterior Bumper Vehicle Automotive tire Auto part]()
Attached the grapple to the 45 loader frame and checked for clearances (again) with the hydraulic cylinders attached this time.
![Machine Grass Tree Plant Vehicle]()
![Machine Vehicle Tire Wheel Automotive tire]()
![Land vehicle Vehicle Car Chassis Automotive exterior]()
Now come the hard part of determining the proper length and routing of hydraulic hoses so that they don't bind, get pinched or get over extended during the operation of the grapple.
Roger
_______
I hemmed and hawed quite a while on how I would protect the hydraulic hoses from sticks and branches and then I remembered that I had this screen cover that I got from who knows where and decided to use it.
I think that it will do the trick.
Attached the grapple to the 45 loader frame and checked for clearances (again) with the hydraulic cylinders attached this time.
Now come the hard part of determining the proper length and routing of hydraulic hoses so that they don't bind, get pinched or get over extended during the operation of the grapple.
Roger
_______
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