Tractor for land clearing and preparation

[paulsharvey]

It's been a year now; would enjoy an update? How much progress has been made? How did it turn out? Any problems?

 

[Gord Baker]

I'm with these guys. I've got a 100+ HP tractor and (if I recall) a 90 HP industrial backhoe/loader.

Wife has a CORNER of the woods that she wants cleaned up for a detached garage. Tractor is idle. I'm using the backhoe to get the trees down (saplings up to 30" diameter) Dragging the fallen trees to burn pile, good sections cutting into logs and stacking those.

MUCH slower than antiicpated and I'm doing something less than 100 feet x 100 feet!

The saplings are what are taking the longest. Easy to push a tree over. Those sapings....there are TONS of them and I'm trying to pluck each one out. I might just get the trees down, then take the rotary mower and mow the saplings down other than.... the tractor (ESPECIALLY with mower attached) is WAY too big for the area....no room to turn around.

Plan B might be to take a 4' box off the 444 International (which is dead needing engine rebuilt) and putting the tiny 4' box blade behind the 1066 International. it BARELY fits but can work in a pinch.

Meanwhile, since we're on a slope, probably use the backhoe & loader bucket to try to dig most of it down to grade, then maybe try to fine-tune with boxblade.

Either way, I'd say that both of these are not the ideal tools however, that said, I'm getting more done with the backhoe/loader than the tractor.

Recently I saw a great device for removing saplings. A 1' long piece of 3" pipe with chain going down inside, around the bush and up the outside, hooking to the top of the pipe. Using a Front end loader, with a chainhook it provided a very good anchor to the base of the sapling.

 

[ning]

Recently I saw a great device for removing saplings. A 1' long piece of 3" pipe with chain going down inside, around the bush and up the outside, hooking to the top of the pipe. Using a Front end loader, with a chainhook it provided a very good anchor to the base of the sapling.

Like this? Post your Branson at work. Picture thread
Not sure about the 1' dimension though

 

[Jrasband]

I have found pallet forks can pluck saplings out of the ground pretty easily with my little LS tractor. No need to fool around with chain. If they don't come right out than wok out picking out a few roots first.

 

[ning]

I have found pallet forks can pluck saplings out of the ground pretty easily with my little LS tractor. No need to fool around with chain. If they don't come right out than wok out picking out a few roots first.

Using a chain to grab can minimize land disruption; I've used forks to dig with as well but it leaves quite a mess, and doesn't work well in really rocky soil either. If it works in your situation though, definitely keep doing it, I'm not asking you to change

 

[RadarTech]

I have found pallet forks can pluck saplings out of the ground pretty easily with my little LS tractor. No need to fool around with chain. If they don't come right out than wok out picking out a few roots first.

I bought a post puller from titan. It is hydraulic and on my little kubota— 1-2 inch trees pop out easily.
I pulled all this stuff out and dropped near by the pulled location then used a grapple to stack.. some I pushed over and a couple I had to cut.