GMT 050 Grapple Saw

Deciding between GMT035 or GMT050?

A complete GMT050TTC set for knuckle boom crane weighs approx. 620kg/1366lbs. The GMT050 is 150kg/330lbs heavier than the GMT035. This own weight will reduce the load capacity on your crane for cutting trees. The GMT035 grapple size is smaller and therefor more flexible when it comes to working in the canopy of tree without the risk of hitting other branches. The GMT050 could be more favourable when loading and unloading is also an important of the job you are planning to do.

The greatest danger is underestimating the weight of the tree or branch being sawn. After sawing the load becomes a hanging load for the machine! A common used method to determine the maximum load that can be cut is:

• Find the maximum load mentioned in the load chart of the crane
• Subtract the weight of the grapple saw set
• Then 50% of the weight that is left will be the maximum load of the limb or branch which is allowed to be removed.
• To make an efficient tree job at least 300kg/660lbs should be remaining!

Please check the load chart of your crane first!

With or without TTC?

Grapple saws GMT035 and GMT050 enable trees to be removed in sections. Flexible, tension-free grasping, sawing and controlled felling. These grapple saws have proven themselves for more than 10 years in a variety of situations. The product range includes grapple saws with the Total Tree Control (TTC) system. The GMT035 TTC and GMT050 TTC have been designed to enable tree sections to be held after sawing; this not only blocks the tilt cylinder of the grapple saw, but also the multidirectional movement of the Cardan suspension. With just one push of a button, tree sections can be grasped flexibly and removed in a fixed position! The design and operation is patented.

In specific activities or situations it is important, or even a requirement, that sawn tree sections are held. Below are a number of examples in which the TTC grapple saws are more advantageous than grapple saws without TTC.

• Diseased or dead tree sections where, if they tilt-down after sawing, there is a risk of dead tree parts breaking off
• Activities where it is not possible for the grapple saw to grasp the tree from different directions, in order to influence the direction of fall
• Activities in which there is no room at all for sawn tree sections to tilt-down
• Precise pruning of thin branches
• The client requires that sawn tree sections are held upright
• Holding tree sections improves the operator’s confidence, therefore contributing to a safer and more efficient workflow
• Together with some hydraulic component on the grapple saw, the rotator, link with brake cylinders and crane tip are vital parts of the TTC-system.