Grapple Saws Australia

Cut and control timber with one attachment

A grapple saw combines a forestry grapple, a hydraulic chainsaw cassette and a rotator on one excavator head. The cycle is approach, secure the piece, confirm the load, cut, control the severed section, place. The ability to control the piece is the reason to pay for the system, and it is why grapple saws dominate dangerous-tree removal, road and rail corridor work, powerline clearing, storm damage and windblown timber, site clearance, commercial arboriculture, cross-cutting oversized timber, chipper feeding and forestry landing work.

1. Approach the piecePlan the cut position, piece length and placement path first
2. Secure it in the grappleThe saw is useless until the grapple has the material
3. Confirm the loadAttachment plus rotator plus coupler plus timber, at the actual radius
4. CutHydraulic saw motor and forestry chain
5. Control the severed sectionNobody is under it; nothing lands uncontrolled
6. PlaceRoad edge, chipper feed, stack or truck

The traditional alternative is an excavator holding while a worker cuts. The grapple saw replaces the worker’s step with the attachment’s, which in suitable applications removes people from the cutting zone altogether. Machinery Specialist announced Australian distribution of Powerhand’s forestry attachments, including the EX grapple saw range, after factory training in Scotland; see the Powerhand brand page.

Three mounting architectures, one model name

Powerhand presents more than one grapple-saw concept, and buyers can accidentally combine specifications from different systems. Specify the mounting architecture before comparing weights and capacities.

• Rigid forestry excavator grapple saw. The core range: EX25, EX28 and EX36 for approximately 8 to 25 tonne excavators.
• Tiltrotator grapple saw. Extends through EX25, EX28, EX36 and EX40, where the EX40 carries a larger 700 mm maximum cut.
• Tree-care grapple saw. A worm-drive positioning system that also spans EX25 through EX40 and is heavier than the tiltrotator version.

Rigid EX grapple saws

All three use Indexator saw rotators with continuous rotation. Saw motor options increase on the EX28 and EX36, and chain options include 0.404 inch and, on relevant configurations, 3/4 inch.

EX25

The EX25 is the compact rigid package for 8 to 12 tonne excavators: 651 kg, a 600 mm cut and a useful 1,641 mm opening. Its advantage is that a lower attachment mass preserves more carrier lift capacity for the piece being cut, which suits council tree removal, roadside vegetation, commercial arboriculture and storm cleanup on mid-size machines.

EX28

The EX28 is commercially significant because its 12 to 25 tonne carrier band covers the machines most civil and vegetation contractors already own. With a 0.28 m² grapple, a 600 mm cut, multiple saw motor options and both chain pitches, it becomes a versatile middle ground between compact tree-care systems and heavy saws, for arboriculture, road widening, forestry clearance and rail work.

EX36

The EX36 adds a 0.36 m² grapple, a 1,928 mm opening, a 1,000 mm bar and a 650 mm cut in a heavier-duty configuration for 16 to 25 tonne excavators, suited to heavier site clearance, forestry and large timber. Its 1,176 kg attachment mass has to be carried in every lift calculation.

EX40

The EX40 in tiltrotator configuration is listed at approximately 1,180 kg for 20 to 30 tonne excavators, with a 0.40 m² grapple, 2,137 mm opening, 1,000 mm bar and 700 mm cut. The tree-care version is heavier because of its positioning system. The four-way EX comparison sets the sizes side by side.

The most important grapple-saw rule

Saw capacity is not lifting capacity. A bar may physically cut a 650 mm trunk; the excavator may not be able to control the resulting piece. Timber mass depends on species, moisture, diameter, length and branching, and dense green hardwood makes the safe section much shorter than diameter alone suggests.

Before every cut the operator should understand the estimated piece length, diameter, density, centre of gravity, lift radius and placement path. The largest possible cut is rarely the safest or fastest; smaller pieces improve control but add cuts, and the optimum lies between. The lift chart guide and lift capacity calculator put numbers on it.

Saw cassette, chain and motor

Powerhand offers forestry-style chain in 0.404 inch, a common forestry pitch with a lighter cutting system and broad availability, and 3/4 inch on relevant configurations, a heavier system for large-diameter timber and severe production. The larger rigid models list multiple saw motor displacement options, and motor selection sets chain speed, torque and hydraulic requirement. If flow is too low the cut is slow, heat builds, the operator forces the cut and cycles fall. If the configuration is wrong at high flow, overspeed and wear follow. The supplier should match motor displacement to the carrier’s flow rather than fit the largest option. Confirm automatic chain tension and lubrication arrangements and the chain oil reservoir at quotation.

Rotation and positioning

Continuous rotation through the Indexator saw rotator lets the operator orient branches, place timber on a road edge, feed a chipper, cross-cut stems and stack material without repositioning the carrier. Tiltrotator or tree-care positioning adds further control, and a worm-drive system that mechanically holds a selected orientation is valuable for controlled removal near structures. It also adds weight, complexity, hydraulic requirements and capital cost. For ordinary log handling, simpler rotation is usually more economical.

Grapple saw versus the alternatives

Against a tree shear, the saw earns its extra mass and maintenance wherever the severed piece must be retained: sectional removal, cross-cutting, branches taken at height and precise cuts near infrastructure. The shear is stronger on repetitive stem felling, high stem counts and accumulated regrowth, where a faster, simpler cycle is worth more than cut quality. Many fleets run both, and tree shear versus grapple saw works through the fleet decision.

Against a crane or grapple-saw truck, the excavator saw is strongest where ground access exists, the excavator already performs other site work and mobilising a separate crane is undesirable. Against a harvester head, which adds delimbing, feeding, measuring and automated bucking, the grapple saw is far simpler; do not buy a harvester head if the job only needs controlled cutting and handling. Against a plain forestry grapple, the saw only earns its mass where material needs cutting as part of the same cycle, and against an OMEF CS pruner it is the tool for anywhere the cut piece cannot be allowed to fall. See mechanical pruner versus grapple saw.

Applications

Arboriculture. Controlled sections, reduced climbing and manual cutting in suitable work, precise placement and the ability to lower material. A tree-care configuration may justify the extra positioning control. See storm damage and dangerous trees.

Road corridors. A rigid excavator saw can reach from the road formation, cut problem trees and place timber away from the carriageway, reducing lane-closure time. See road corridor clearing.

Chipper operations. The saw resizes pieces that are too long or awkward before feeding. Chipper feed opening and piece geometry should decide whether that is efficient; where material already arrives sized, a lighter plain grapple is faster. See biomass and chipper operations.

Productivity and pricing

Measure cuts per hour, average cut diameter, average piece mass, average reach, placement time, chain changes, sharpening and replacement, bar wear, fuel and the ground-crew time saved. For site clearance the biggest value is usually reduced manual handling rather than pure cuts per hour. Pricing can be day rate, hourly, per tree or lump sum; for per-tree pricing, categorise trees as small, medium, large and complex or controlled, and never quote every tree from diameter alone. The tender rate guide covers the method.

Consumables and support

Track chains per day, bars per month, sprockets, chain oil, sharpening and saw motor service. A grapple saw becomes expensive if chain discipline is poor. Plan a transport stand, tie-down points, hydraulic protection, bar protection and covered storage, because the head is bulky and vulnerable in transit. Assess operator visibility on the actual carrier: the saw box can obscure the cutting point, and a cab camera, boom geometry and head orientation all matter. The wear parts guide lists everything to price.

Buying used

Inspect grapple pins, tine wear, rotator play and leakage, the saw box, motor, bar mount, automatic tension system, chain lubrication, hose routing through the rotator, frame cracking, adaptor and controls, and run the saw under load. See inspecting used forestry attachments.

Red flags

Be cautious when EX40 specifications are quoted without a mounting type, when saw diameter is presented as safe suspended-piece diameter, when the carrier lift chart has not been reviewed, when there is no chain and bar supply plan, when rotator weight is excluded, when the hydraulic motor is chosen before carrier flow is confirmed, or when the supplier cannot explain tension and lubrication maintenance.

Confirm in writing before ordering a grapple saw

• Exact mounting architecture: rigid, tiltrotator or tree-care worm drive
• Saw rotator model, saw motor displacement, chain pitch, bar length and maximum cut
• Complete attachment weight including rotator and adaptor, and the lift-chart check at your working radius
• Required oil flow and pressure, and the control system on your carrier
• Chain oil reservoir, automatic tension and lubrication arrangements
• Local availability of chain, bars, sprockets and saw motor parts
• A demonstration on your carrier model, or one with the same boom geometry, to assess visibility
• Transport stand, tie-down and storage arrangements

Frequently asked questions