right implement for brush removal

   / right implement for brush removal #1  

J.meyers

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Sep 10, 2006
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13
I have ten acres in central Mi. and the soil is sand. I own a Kioti CK 25 w/K130 FEL. I am very pleased with my tractor, but the previous property owners dropped the trees for the 1/4 mile driveway and left them where they hit the ground. So i have many trees from 1" to 12" along with all of the limbs that have acumilated over the years that i want to move an d burn/chip(not much is good for firewood as it is rotted).
I am very close to oredering a toothbar but was wondering if there is a better implement to use
 
   / right implement for brush removal #2  
A toothbar will help, but not all that much.

To be most productive, you need a grapple of some kind to "grasp" the limbs and brush. There are aftermarket grapples that fit on your FEL's bucket, and there are dedicated "grapple buckets" or "grapple rakes."

Try searching for grapple and read a while...
 
   / right implement for brush removal #3  
I agree with KentT. A grapple is the ticket for moving brush. I love mine.
 

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   / right implement for brush removal #4  
If you are going to chip it, it's much easier to move the chipper than brush. If at all possible, chip it where it lies and don't move it.
 
   / right implement for brush removal #5  
If the trees are rotten, you might be better off just burning it. If you do, make sure you have a clear area to do it. Here's a couple pics of my setup. It's an ATI bucket grapple bolt on, works great!! I also bolted 2 sections of 2/6 steel to the inside of the bucket for forks. It'll be very hard to pick up trees without this, unless you get a true grapple like a Millonzi.

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   / right implement for brush removal #6  
If you only have this one tree clearing project you might want to go the route of a grapple addition to your bucket and the rig set up by jdgreg looks quite efficient. On the otherhand, if you are going to be doing more brush clearing then a regular full grapple will be better. The cost is not all that different if you compare Add A Grapple or ATI bucket grapple set ups to a lightduty Millonzi 48" grapple. The regular grapple is far more effective but of course you need to switch out your bucket.
 
   / right implement for brush removal #7  
I am clearing a small amount of land...but each load is about as large as I see in other photos. A friend of mine built for me a pair of forks that fit right on the bucket and chain around the back. I've attached a couple of pics of the brush piles they are capable of picking up. They never loosen up or move around on the bucket. I've picked up loads that are as heavy as my FEL can lift and they don't bend the bucket or break. IMO this type of fork is as good and cost effective as you can have. They are made from 2" square stock. Because I have the bucket behind them, I am able to drive right into a brush pile and pick it up all at once. They also slide right under a fallen tree and pick it up to move it. Occasionally I have to cut off a part of a tree in order to balance the load...IMO this is the only place a grapple would help, but at a much larger cost. I also use them to pick up the ends of larger trees to chunk up with my chain saw. A fair night's work to build, but not too costly. Just my opinion.
 

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   / right implement for brush removal #8  
DaveK,

That certainly looks effective. I'm surprised however that a large load of brush doesn't fall out and leave a trail of debris as you travel with the load. Perhaps your load is a perfect type with nicely stacked and oriented branches. When I pick up big piles of chopped up mixed brush I need to take a big load and squeeze the grapple tight to prevent the load from falling apart and out of the grapple as I travel bouncing along.
 
   / right implement for brush removal #9  
IslandTractor,
Yeah I do lose a little bit if the brush pile isn't ideal, but the tradeoff on cost makes it worthwhile. If I had a lot more clearing to do, I would take a hard look at a grapple setup.
 
   / right implement for brush removal #10  
would a 4-in-1 bucket be just as effective as a grapple?
 
 
 
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