22 Acres: 5" pines & NEEDS brush mulched

[LarryMcGreen]

I just bought this acreage and I'm wanting to clear out the brush, thin the pines so all is easily navigable. Have local man w/bobcat and brush hog attachment that I can hire for $1000/day. But I'm retired and my time is my own and I enjoy pretty good health for an old guy, so am considering buying like an S185 w/aux hyd. Getting my own brush hog. RitchieBros Auctions seems to sell them pretty steady for $3k. SO, I'm thinking I can have my own rig and do it myself for a $10k buy in, plus fuel and REPAIRS (hopefully not many repairs). ...and just do this all myself. I've got an old JD 410 backhoe for the heavy stuff if needed, but to make the place accessible, I'm thinkin the 185 and brush hog is the way to go. I'm thinking @ $1k/day the man would eat my $10k and be MAYBE HALF done. So what are the thought from the crowd. I am all wet in my thinking? If so, how so? I really don't have much more than $10k for getting this done. Any thought and advice will be GREATLY APPRECIATED. Thanks in advance!

[teg]

You did say "any advice"... right? have you priced a S185? I'm not sure you can get it (along with an attachment to cut 5" pines) for any thing near $10k. Cutting 5" pines will take a heavy duty Brush Hog and a large tractor (40+? hp). Are you sure about the $1k/day bobcat? Could it have a Mulching Head (~$20k used) which would do a pretty fast/good job. Have you asked the guy how many acres he normally does in a day...

[LarryMcGreen]

CORRECTION.....I'll handle the 5" pines that I'm thinning with a chainsaw AND I have a 410 JD Backhoe for the stumps....it's just the 2-3" brush I want to mow out of it...and then thin the pines to suit me.....maybe hog the tops and limbs after they're down. Sorry for the vague picture. And thanks for the advice on the 3 point...I'll remember that one.

[teg]

Ok, lets get a little more information... correct me if I'm wrong, I googled "S185" that you first mention... It's a skid steer, and not a Bobcat tractor?

[AX MAN]

You might consider hiring a mulcher. Hi Flow, 100HP. Turn 5" pines to chips.

[jwaynejtx]

I been look at one of these for my jd3320 ,we have alot of cedars to clear they cost alittle over $5k.
Tree Removal - Skid Steer Tree Saw - Tractor Saw- Turbo Saw Tree Cutter

[AX MAN]

I'm suggesting for you to hire someone to save you alot of work. I call it instant gradifaction. If you want to manually cut each tree,pile each tree,burn each tree. You get the picture. I know personally this process works. No Piling, No Burning, No Hauling.

[AX MAN]

His bushhog attachment would not accomplish what you need done and he is overpriced for that attachment. Have you considered a tree sheer attachment?