Hello everyone, I kinda feel like the kid asking if he can play ball with a bunch of kids he's been watching for a month from the other side of the fence.
My name is Mark Woods, I live in East Texas and I've been looking at your mulching discussions for about a month. Last summer I bought 35 acres that had about 12 years worth of growthon it after being clear cut on the backside of it, approx. 15 acres. Mostly sweetgums, red oaks, and some other tree I've yet to identify all growed up in clusters of about 5 - 10 where they sprigged out of the stumps that were left behind.
I had a few guys come out and give me bids to doze it over. They all wanted anywhere from 75 to 120 an hr. So I debated buying my own dozer.
Then I started thinking about all the HUMUNGOUS piles that I would have to burn and stoke and roll and reburn so I started looking at the mulchers.
Called around for a few bids and they wanted 175 to 200 an hr. Whoah!!! How many acres can you clear a day I asked. Well it depends on this or that from what your descibing probably 2.
Well I did the math and came up w/ about 12K to get it cleared. With my job I have a little bit of dowtime and figured if I bought my own mulching rig I could clear my own place off and hopefull work it a little bit on the side.
So after quite a bit of research I went and bought (financed) a Cat 297C with the High Flow XPS and a Bradco Magnum Mulching head. So far I have cleared about 10 acres and put 60 hrs on it. I know that comes to 6 hrs an acre which probably isn't very productive but this stuff is THICK. Plus I am no skidsteer operator but I am coming on!
Yesterday I took the mulcher off ot it and put the bucket on it. I diverted a creek set a culvert and moved a big ole brush pile away from some power lines that I had bunched up w/ my tractor to burn. I guess what I'm getting at is these little skid steer machines are so versatile w/ all the attachments and suprinsingly stout. I've got some dozer operating experience and they are limited in their capabilites, PUSH~. After stepping back and looking at what I've accomplished with this thing I'm so glad I did'nt buy a dozer.
Now I just need to hustle up some work so I can let it pay it's note. Good luck, Right!
I'm not real familiar w/ this site, how to use it, post pictures, etc. This is my first posting. I would like to get involved in some of ya'lls conversations, I've got lots of questions.
They are probly busy at SANTAS workshop building our X-Mas Cimafs....