Working in the woods... choices

[yough]

Greetings,

I've read all the posts back to April and still have some questions... I live in SW PA and want to remove the understory in about 10 acres of mature woods and plant orchardgrass to extend the grazing season for my sheep. Over the past couple of years I've done a couple of small test plots with a Gravely walk behind, and establishment/survival rate is good, so I'm ready to procede.

My concerns: I need something big enough to push brush around pull out small stumps, run a box scraper to clean up the top couple of inches, and till prior to seeding. Also need to move rocks & brush hog. I'm not going to try to knock over trees, that's what the chainsaw is for. I plan to leave the mature trees in place. I don't want to hire a tracked machine to do any of the work due to concerns I have about compaction. I'd like to do some finish mowing with the machine as well but that is not my primary concern.

Is the 3010 the answer?? The terrain is rolling, so I'm pretty sure I want 4wd & HST. My schedule on this project is flexible, so I'm trying to figure out what the minimum size is in terms of saftey and not asking too much from a machine. I already know haw to spend more than I have to

Thanks!

Dan Jones
Youghiogheny Shetlands
Mill Run, Pennsylvania

[gerard]

If you've read most of the posts you can see the L3010 is a pretty well respected machine. Seems like it would do all you want with no problems. It would also seem you have a size problem if you go too large since you're going to be in amongst the trees. One thing you might look into as an attachment is an attachment for the front of the bucket that is designed to grab and pull out scrub growth, underbrush, and small trees. I forget what the name was but somewhere in the archives someone had posted a link with a jpg. file. Bery useful looking attachment. The only thing I didn't understand was your comment about compaction issues witha tracked machine. I beleive there's actually LESS compaction for a comparably sized tracked machine than a wheeled machine because the weight is spread out over a much larger area ie less PSI which is really what matters.

[scruffy]

Yough, look under attachments under a title of "bucket forks or loader rake" , it gives a nice pic of a rake that fits right on your bucket. Attachments is down under Other Tractors and Related ...., or something like that.

[richh]

I think what Gerard is taking about is the grubing tongs and yes Mark posted some photos of them, you shoud be able to do a search find it. Also you can get the whole tree out stump and all easyer if you push the tree over first and then cut the stump off, you push up as high as posable and use the trunk as leverage and the top will help pop out the stump. I have never used the tong but they say they work good on the smaller trees, just use a lonnnnng chain!!
Rich

[yough]

Thanks for the input. The grubbing tongs look handy.

Re: compaction
I'm sure you are right that the for a comparable weight the tracked vehicle compacts less, but I suspect that the blade alone on a dozer that could do the job quickly probabably weighs more that a 3010. Part of my thinking is based on looking at some sites (work, not web) that have been selectively logged with horses, tractors, and tracked vehicles and watching them over the course of a couple of years. There seems to be more decline in the areas where they used tracks, and the evidence that they have been in the area remains a lot longer. I would like evidence to the contrary, it would be quicker to get the prelim work done by something larger, but if I damage the big trees I'm not going to grow them again in my lifetime.

[Bird]

Several of the big farmers in my area use the tracked Caterpillar and John Deere tractors for pulling big plows, and one told me they do it not just for the traction, but because there is less compaction having the weight distributed on those tracks. But I think in your case, you're right. A tracked tractor will tear up the ground more in maneuvering, turning, etc., and that, in turn, will result in more erosion or more damage. Just a thought.

Bird