What to RENT to speed up my cleanup from mulching

[scoutcub]

Dang......I want that dozer too!!!! That thing is SWEET. 320 ain't so bad either.....:laughing::laughing:

Hmmmm....OK david.....I've been wanting a root rake for my dozer......and you need a dozer.....hmmmmm.....:laughing::laughing:

 

[Bigfoot62]

HOLY COW!!!!!!! I'd LOVE to have one of those!
OOOH OOOH OOOH [Tim the Tool Man grunts]

BF62, Last time I asked a small dozer and operator was gonna cost me $4000 and all he was gonna do is pop the stumps and pile them up...

I just ain't got that kind of $$$

I'm splurging to spend $600 renting something I can deliver and drive...

Sux to be me some days...
David

They are fun to play with. Since 'cuz has those kind of toys, I get to play with them sometimes.

And, just keep saving your money, the 320 excavator is only $160,000. IIRC, the D6 is a little cheaper.

It's not just you. I have lots of bigger dreams than I have resources.
My Dad always said, "Poor people have poor ways." :laughing:

I'm just not sure that a skid-steer is going to do a whole lot more than your tractor and FEL. You might just want to save your $600.

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . . I've been wanting a root rake for my dozer . . .

If you have a small dozer and want a root rake, get a "flop rake," aka: pin-on rake. It goes in front of your blade and the teeth hang down below the cutting edge. Works just as good. Several years ago, I had one built for my Case 450. It cost $700. (I'm sure they've gone up some since then, but it's still a cheap fix)
Here's a pic of one:

 

[scoutcub]

If you have a small dozer and want a root rake, get a "flop rake," aka: pin-on rake. It goes in front of your blade and the teeth hang down below the cutting edge. Works just as good. Several years ago, I had one built for my Case 450. It cost $700. (I'm sure they've gone up some since then, but it's still a cheap fix)
Here's a pic of one:

Exactly what I need! I've looked around for these, cheapest I found was $1,000 for a used one beat up....maybe I'll resume the search....

Thanks BF!

 

[Fixemall]

I don't know how many of you guys have seat time in dozers but, anything smaller than a D6 is going to stop in it's tracks (literally) if it encounters a stump that low to the ground. Best bet is a larger excavator and a good operator who can pop the stumps and swing level/ pile the debris.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I don't know how many of you guys have seat time in dozers but, anything smaller than a D6 is going to stop in it's tracks (literally) if it encounters a stump that low to the ground. Best bet is a larger excavator and a good operator who can pop the stumps and swing level/ pile the debris.

Fix,

I agree. But my goal is not to remove all the stumps and fill in the holes. This is just horse pasture and after many, many thread questions I've settled on the long term it is better to just grind them down a couple inches and let them rot in place, less divots in the pasture 10 to 15 years later...

When I put in a hayfield, I'll rent an ex and pop the stumps...

Right now I have approx an acre of heavy slash like in the picture... In that aea I have two large piles of stumps and dirt and debris also.

Pushing that slash with my FEL will torque it I am positive, and grabbing a couple sticks at a time is S L O W. Raking it with my grapple for a bigger bite has already broken one hyd line, because they are jumbled up like a game of pick up sticks.

It is far too big to just burn, and I could not put it out. I need to process it and if nothing else shove it into easy to grapple piles.

It is the shoving, pushing, and bending my FEL arms I am concerned about.

That layer of slash is between 6" and over 2' thick, and there are stumps under it. Some of the large log like chunks have been driven into the ground by the constant pounding of the skidder driving over them for 3 weeks also.

I have been told a skid steer the arms lock in better for pushing and shoving than a tractor's FEL.

I will also use it on the lighter mulching debris. Yes I can (I already am) back drag a section into a row of debris with the RR. Drop the RR and maybe add the tooth bar again, and use bucket to scoop up the row, or drop the bucket and put the grapple back on and grapple most of the debris to somewhere out of the way to rot. But that is changing attachments often and like sweeping 5 acres of floor with a 6' broom & dustpan...

I apreciate all of the advice, I am learning plenty, but my situation has not improved yet... I've still got one heck of a mess, not an area I can fence and seed...

David

 

[sfloggie]

David,

I have the same issues, but not trying to make pasture. I am just cleaning saplings among pines and did not want debris or removal cost.

I rented a Bobcat T320 with Forestry Cutter. A Fecon 140L would have been better, but no Fecon dealer is near me. However; Chesapeake Equipment is near you.

Normally I rent over a weekend as I work in the same field just North of you.

The cost well offset the lack of need to move debris. The mulch has been fantastic with some left on the ground and some to other areas. It ground the small stumps below ground.

However; horses roll a lot, so you need to ensure all the "stubbs" from the cuts are removed before allowing them in the field.

Jim

 

[Fixemall]

Honestly after seeing what you have I would get an excavator with a thumb and an 8-10' section of guardrail, grip the guardrail with the thumb and "sweep" up the whole area in about a day.

 

[pjbci]

I do whats called "site prep" in clear cut areas. Its done for replanting forrest. Its with a dozer and all it is to it is just pushing all the logging debris into windrows for burning. We leave all the stumps and get very little dirt into the pile. Nationwide cost average is 150 to 175 for site prep. The variable in your particular situation is gonna be the operators mimimum charge. Maybe this is kinda more like what you had in mind. Its cheap, quick, and wont tear up your tractor doing it yourself.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I'm at a loss for words. Your root grapple doesn't work for this type of clean up? This stuff all takes time. Either take the time and do it as you can or pay up and have the professionals come in and do it with some big equipment. There is no easy (a day or 2) cheap way to get all the work done. In my opinion, there will be no fast cheap way to get this done. If you rent the right equipment, it will cost you some money and you will be slow at it just getting use to the machine. If you pay to get it done, it's going to cost $$$$. I would do it myself, if I needed a different implement, so be it. I thought that was what your root grapple was for?