For the reasons Tom stated, I'm trying to stay away from dozers. The oak tops I have to clean up are perfect firewood. Much of the slash on the ground is perfect firewood as well. I know I'm going to get a 4n1 bucket for the tractor FEL to help with the slash cleanup.
I was looking at the specs on the 580 and comparing them with the most likely JD tractor 5105/5205 with backhoe and FEL. The 580 basically has twice of the HP, lifting forces, etc., compared to the JD equipment.
I have an inventory from the timber sale that shows how many of trees of a given diameter that was sold. The average pine tree was 16 inches in diameter. I figure I have 400 trees with this average size. There are other smaller stumps that sounds like a 4n1 bucket can handle.
If I do 25 stumps a day, which is on the high side with my experience and tractor based equipment, that is 16 days of work. Since I would have to do this part time, aka, weekends that means I would have to rent a backhoe for a couple of months. And that kinda says I might be better off buying a backhoe attachment since it would get paid for in comparison to renting....... Just take me longer. Time is money.
I'm still looking into the BlastingRemoval method! I think a post hole digger and some BoomBoom stuff when be fairly fast. I'm wondering if it would be less disuptive and cheaper. I did find a certification program......
Later....
Dan
I was looking at the specs on the 580 and comparing them with the most likely JD tractor 5105/5205 with backhoe and FEL. The 580 basically has twice of the HP, lifting forces, etc., compared to the JD equipment.
I have an inventory from the timber sale that shows how many of trees of a given diameter that was sold. The average pine tree was 16 inches in diameter. I figure I have 400 trees with this average size. There are other smaller stumps that sounds like a 4n1 bucket can handle.
If I do 25 stumps a day, which is on the high side with my experience and tractor based equipment, that is 16 days of work. Since I would have to do this part time, aka, weekends that means I would have to rent a backhoe for a couple of months. And that kinda says I might be better off buying a backhoe attachment since it would get paid for in comparison to renting....... Just take me longer. Time is money.
I'm still looking into the BlastingRemoval method! I think a post hole digger and some BoomBoom stuff when be fairly fast. I'm wondering if it would be less disuptive and cheaper. I did find a certification program......
Later....
Dan