Tree Brush Wedge Style INPUT PLEASE

[stuartmcraycattle]

Well I have found another spare old hayfork frame that should be more than robust to go at another tree removing idea ( god I hate cedar trees and honey locusts ).... So I have two designs to get the TBN gurus opinion on which would be the strongest ( aka least likely to fail ) version of my design... the wedge puller will be mounted on the rear 3pt of a Case JX75 4wd, I plan on having an hydraulic upper link to give the blade wedge an adjustable angle of attack when backing into the tree of choice I am guessing 10 to 15 degrees of an upward angle to help the wedge factor bite into the base of the tree??? My initial thoughts are that the upper blade setup with under support beams would be stronger for upward force pulling but I am not quite sure if my logic is correct.. Thanks for all and any opinions on this as I want to cut, fab and weld one time on this project...sorry the second pic is the lower blade design I labeled it wrong in the design program dang it....

[Buty]

Are your drawings done in Sketchup?

[rd_macgregor]

I think a possible problem with the second design would be breaking the welds that hold the wedge jaws onto the frame. Upward force is what? up to 2500 or 3000#?? If you wedge out near the end, the lever arm is going to be pretty long and the chance of bending the wedge arms or breaking welds will be greatly increased.
(my $0.02)
BOB

[stuartmcraycattle]

Buty: Yes I did these in sketchup, I normally use solidedge or AutoCad but I was not at work to do actual good drawings...

Bob: Thanks I also thought the first design would be the stronger of the two, I just have to make sure the perpendicular blade support beams and welds are at the correct angle to the forces being applied as to prevent bending or flex during the maximum force of the pull...guess I will find out in a few days if it works

[Xfaxman]

This Brush Boss is what I have, had to get a picture online, as it is too cold to go take some of mine. It doesn't use any bracing on the blade.

I turned it around to work going forward, to save wear and tear on my left (clutch) leg. Any cedar tree that I could run over with the MF 240D, it would pull out.

You might consider moving the top link pin to the top of the frame, so it would work either direction. Or make the two blades, front and back.

Here is a different style in the forward mode:


A lot of info here: Controlling Plants Mechanically

[stuartmcraycattle]

Yeah I like the idea of a reversible setup so the shorter plants can be straddled and removed on the go, I may sketch that up as well. How sharp are the blades on those items you have pictured? I ask because it will be much easier to get a good angle on them before I weld them solid.... Any rough idea of the blade thickness on those as well??

[Xfaxman]

Yeah I like the idea of a reversible setup so the shorter plants can be straddled and removed on the go, I may sketch that up as well. How sharp are the blades on those items you have pictured? I ask because it will be much easier to get a good angle on them before I weld them solid.... Any rough idea of the blade thickness on those as well??

Cedar trees are flexible, I was running over up to 4" diameter. I would go slow, not stop, just drop the 3 point when the tree was at the middle, then raise it after it was on the blade. Had it angled so the blade would go slightly under ground level.

Blade is ½" thick, 11" wide, 14" long. V is sharp and goes back 7".
It warmed up enough to get pictures.

[stuartmcraycattle]

Awesome pics thanks that's about the dimensions of the pieces of steel I am working with. I dont have anything as robust as that three point hitch so hopefully my design will allow for up to five inch diameter shallow rooted tree and brush pulling in reverse for now. If succesful I may see about using that design for a FEL attachment for smaller more precise work since the hanging wedge would be fairly easy to see under the FEL attachment point