yet another "what should I get?"

[Anonymous Poster]

yet another \"what should I get?\"

I'm sure everyone gets tired of these, but my situation is somewhat different. I just purchased a home on 40 wooded acres. The property had been logged at one time, and most of the land is covered with slash. I'm looking for a tractor that can push this debris into piles, where I can then do something with it (I haven't figured that part out yet - any suggestions? . I'll also use it to maintain the driveway, plow snow, dig a pond, keep ~1ac meadow at bay until I get horses, and do other horse duty at that time. I"m thinking of something like the L3010, or maybe B2910. Does this sound like a reasonable size, or should I be looking bigger/smaller?

Thanks!

-steve

 

[Bird]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

Tough question, Steve, without knowing more about the property, but I'd say the tractors you're considering are fine for everything except digging a pond and pushing the slash into piles. As far as pushing the slash, I just don't know how much and how big the stuff is. They will definitely do it, but it may take a lot of time. And for digging a pond; how big? I have a friend who dug quite a nice, but very small, one in New Jersey with an old Kubota no bigger than the ones you're talking about, and one guy in my area dug a much larger one, but it took him several months of working in his spare time. Once those two jobs are done, then the tractors you're looking at would be great for maintaining the place. So, you may have the time and want to do it all with them, or you may want to hire someone with a dozer, or rent one, to start with.

Bird

 

[Thomas]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

Don't think by asking question that we are tired of them,for we enjoy giving good input.
I've learn new and interesting ideas from other which has help me.

Have you consider renting a bulldozer to rough out your project?

The L3010 & B2910 I believe would do the work if you have the time,also are you considering a back hoe for your Kubota?

After your main projects are done I'm sure one of these two models would be more than enough to maintain your homestead.

I wish you the best and may your plans be rewarding.

 

[gordon]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

When dealing with the leftovers after a logging outfit has been over the property can be quite amazing at the mess that alot of them leave. Nothing better than walking over a property that has been hi-grade logged what a shame and waste.
How long ago was the property logged and was it clear-cut or partial cut?
Why do you want to pile the tops and such? To make the woods more manageable or just for looks?
Do you have any long term plans for the property?
I know none of the above questions deal with the size of a tractor but the long term plan does. One reason for the long term plan is that the floor has already been tore up by the skidders causing much compaction and if you run all over the place with a tractor it will make it worse. The tops after they are down break up very easy and within a couple of years will decompose. They give housing for animials which also add nuitriants to the soil. so before you go pushing the tops or rent a dozer give the above a thought.
I spend a good bit of time in the woods both planting and cutting for money. The worst thing I see is that short term plans can ruin long term goals and this is what your dealing with.
I have gone onto properties and cut their waste and make a good bit it's easy to get 10 bft because they flood the saw mills and the mill will say they want nothing smaller than a 12 top. A month later once the mills are caught up they will take a 6-8 inch top without thinking twice.
Good luck with your decision and I would go for the Lseries but that is just my two cents worth.

 

[MChalkley]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

One of the things you mentioned on your prospective tractor's list of chores probably doesn't fit in too well with the rest of them: digging a pond. My L4310HST isn't big enough to dig a pond, in my opinion, despite it being capable of pretty much the maximum you could ever expect a tractor that size to do. If you've got to move much soil to dig that pond, you'll probably be way ahead of the game, to rent a track loader if you know how to use one, or hire someone if you don't.

For everything else on the list, I agree with all the other comments, though I'd personally always opt for larger than smaller, but that's just my "Tim Allen mentality" showing. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Mark

 

[Billc]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

I'll go with Mark, buy as big as you think you will need. Buy for what you think you will need a year or two down the road. If you plan on maintaining all 40 acres, you'll want to pull at least a 6' brush cutter. Don't think a B series or smaller L series will do that, but I may be wrong.

I am clearing about 35 acres. There is a huge difference in what a tracked loader can do vs a tractor. I have an M series with about 54 hp. I do push a lot of brush (the smaller stuff) to the burn piles. For the big stuff I let the track loader handle it. That is one of the things it was built for and it does a great job with it.

The guy I hired earlier this year gave me a great piece of advice, he told me not to forget that I had a tractor and not a bull dozier. If I started treating my tractor like a bull dozier I would tear it up in short order.

My brother bought a L3710 at about the same time I bought my 5400 at the end of last year. He has been a lot harder on his machine, and asked it to do what it wasn't meant to do. The results: A cracked Bush Hog that needed to be rewelded, a limb through the front grill, a good size dent on the hood, the loader arms are missing a lot of paint, and last week he broke a hydro line.

Make sure you get heavy duty teeth on your loader bucket; they're worth every cent when pushing brush across the ground.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

Have you thought about getting a 4 wheel drive in whatever you get? I have a 2 wheel drive JD5210 and I widh that I could have afforded to get a JD5410 4 wheel drive.

 

[Mryan]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

Sounds like good advice from the rest of the group. I think that the B2910 will do everything you need AFTER you hire someone with a dozer to do the heavy work. But I agree with the 'buy the biggest you can' idea. I don't know what the difference in cost would be between the B and the L, but it would go a long way towards hiring a larger machine to do the heavy work. I am basically doing the same things you want to with a B2100, just takes me a bit longer. Just my 2 cents.

Mike.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

Thanks for the advice. I"m really not sure what to do with the slash. It's mainly just a cosmetic thing. I'd hate to do more damage than good. The property was logged about three years ago. It wasn't clear cut, just thinned out. There's still a lot of good tree coverage. What about chipping, and spreading the chips around? Or how about a flail mower with hammer blades for the smaller stuff? I hear that will beat the debris into small pieces - similar to chipping. Or am I better off just leaving the debris there to de-compose? Most of the slash is small diameter branches - 6" or less. My first priority is to do what's best for the natural environment, but I would like to make it look cleaner, too!

As for the pond, it was just a thought. There's already a seasonal pond there. I'd like to make it deeper, and line it with something to keep the water around longer. I believe there is a spring that feeds it that needs to be encouraged with some digging. I'll probably work with a pond contractor on this.

I really appreciate the friendly advice. I'm new to tractoring, and it's good to know what is reasonable/feasible to do with a small tractor!

-steve

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: yet another \"what should I get?\"

rsallis,

I am only considering 4WD. It's worth the extra money. That's why I also have two Audi quattros and a Dodge Caravan AWD!