Want/Need tree spade solution.

[sixdogs]

I move a lot of trees around my own property and have been doing this with my JD 790 #7 and backhoe. Works great up to a point.
That point is now and I would like to purchase some sort of easy-to-hook-up-and-remove tree spade. I do not want a $13,000 Vermeer and not sure what else but isn't there some sort of 30" or 36" medium duty spade I could hook up to my 3 pt hitch or maybe a skid steer attachment on my loader? Maybe $3,000 or $4,000 or ?. I have 27 hp, 40 hp and 75 hp tractors.
I don't want to build one and am suspicious of some of the used ones I see for sale because I don't know it's history. I have searched and come up empty.
Any ideas would be welcome and thanks in advance.

 

[deereguy]

I think you could probably find a used 3pt tree spade for the 40 or 75 HP tractor in central OH. What size are the trees you are moving? A 36" spade will handle a 3.5" caliper shade tree and possibly an 8' Pine tree.

What part of central Ohio are you in? PM me if you wish.

I have a 44" Vermeer trailer mounted that should be in use this fall...if all goes well (it didn't last year).

 

[joes_427_vette]

I know what you mean... I planted 50 8'-12' maples and oaks plus another 30 plus evergreens. The backhoe takes alot of work out of planting but a tree spade would be so slick. The only problem I see is the spades work real well on a skid steer but I don't think one could get the force needed on a loader or 3 point with no down force.

 

[IslandTractor]

I don't know about using it for doing hundreds of trees, but for digging up the occasional tree to move, the QuickSpade or quickspade combo would be a much cheaper alternative to a tree spade. I have a quickspade and while I have not yet used it to move a small tree, it clearly is capable of doing that job. Mine attaches to forks and is essentially a very large shovel than you use on your FEL mounted forks. (I don't have the photos with me but will post some after this weekend). The shovel blade is about four or five times the area of a typical manual shovel and digs down about three and a half or four feet if you use it with forks. With a bucket it would only dig about two feet. I could dig a 18 inch by 3 ft deep trench in just a minute so it is pretty quick once you get used to the tool. You can only dig straight ahead so there needs to be manuvering room for the tractor around the tree you are digging up. Obviously you'd need to get off the tractor and secure the tree before moving it but I am quite sure the quickspade would have little trouble digging out a rootball without injuring the tree.

The big difference from a backhoe obviously is that you can dig underneath the root ball without needing to come over the top of the tree like with a backhoe.

It is not a specialty device like a tree spade but the price is cheap money in comparison. I think I paid about $140 plus shipping for mine from www dot quickspades dot com TractorByNet.com | John Deere, Kubota, New Holland, and more!.

 

[kthompson]

Realize this was last posted to a few months ago.

Am looking at growing nursery stock and realize harvest comes into planting. So am looking at options on digging the trees. The one design I liked the best is native plants,oregon plants,ashland natives,nursery stock,holmac treedigger,plant oregon,wildlife gardening, bio-remediation,bird habitat,bonsai maples,landscaping trees,siskiyou bio-region,rootpruner,riparian restoration, rogue ecosystems,treespade. Made me think of the old ice cream scoop. Wonder why they could not have a 3pth model.

Today was driving and thinking on this and wondered...could you mount the bucket back wards on backhoe or my case mini excavator and dig them? That way you would not be reaching over the tree with the boom but would there be sufficient up force to the bucket? Realize if that worked would want to have rounded bottom bucket made.

 

[EV59]

Hello Mr. Thompson...Do you have your new shredder cutting yet.....

That would be a great idea to make some sort of simple small tree digger to fit on mini-ex. The skid loader unts work great on SSL's most require he large SSL's due to weight of larger trees.....Not sure what the lift specs are on your Volvo...

Ed

 

[kthompson]

Ed, am working on the mount for that cutter this week. Have it mostly built welded up and have to drill out the pin shaft holes and it should be ready. Then to the hoses.

Ed, really appreciate your help with the cutter. Guys if he has any more he is liquidating he is great to work with.


On the capacity of my excavator, with tree removal it is handling much larger than I would want to dig for transplanting.

KT

 

[sixdogs]

Realize this was last posted to a few months ago.

Am looking at growing nursery stock and realize harvest comes into planting. So am looking at options on digging the trees. The one design I liked the best is native plants,oregon plants,ashland natives,nursery stock,holmac treedigger,plant oregon,wildlife gardening, bio-remediation,bird habitat,bonsai maples,landscaping trees,siskiyou bio-region,rootpruner,riparian restoration, rogue ecosystems,treespade. Made me think of the old ice cream scoop. Wonder why they could not have a 3pth model.

Today was driving and thinking on this and wondered...could you mount the bucket back wards on backhoe or my case mini excavator and dig them? That way you would not be reaching over the tree with the boom but would there be sufficient up force to the bucket? Realize if that worked would want to have rounded bottom bucket made.

I couldn't open the video but have seen at a farm show recently a type of digger as you might describe. It was made by an Indiana Company and mounted to a skidsteer like a backwards bucket. I think it was $650 but would work if you had a skidsteer or front mount like one.
Looked a bit brutal in approach and not all that differnt from a backhoe. So there I am, still wth the backhoe as plan A.
Thanks

Oops--I finally opened the "ice cream stick" dipper and yes that would work but would likely cost a bundle--more than a tree spade maybe. Seems like a design for rocky soil.

 

[kthompson]

sixdogs, the ice creams scoop design looks neat to a person who has never used any tree spade only excavator or shovel. It would be neat if they made one for 3 pth I think. The cutting action being into the dirt would seem to cut roots better then lifting it up as that has to tear some roots.

Hear is another idea but not one I desire to use.
Dyna Diggr TM: The Ultimate Personal Power Spade. Saves Time And Money!

 

[sixdogs]

That power shovel looks neat but is expensive and you still have to lift the tree out--but with a bigger rootball. I like the scoop thing for a 3-point hitch but none made so I'm back where I was.
I think I will buy a skid-steer attachment for my bucket loader on a JD5520 and get one of these "Rooter" things from Kasco Co and call it good.




Sure wish I could find an affordable lighter-duty tree spade for 3pt hitch or bucket.

 

[Champy]

If you search on my posts you'll find a thread with my complete design and build pictures for a bucket I made for my JD300CX FEL. I simply drop off the existing bucket and hook this one up to remove Pine trees, cedars, shrubs etc...plus it can dig a pretty good trench too.

Cost was minimal due to using scrap metal and a local high school shop class did it as a welding project

 

[sixdogs]

If you search on my posts you'll find a thread with my complete design and build pictures for a bucket I made for my JD300CX FEL. I simply drop off the existing bucket and hook this one up to remove Pine trees, cedars, shrubs etc...plus it can dig a pretty good trench too.

Cost was minimal due to using scrap metal and a local high school shop class did it as a welding project

Champy--You have found the solution. I can build one of those wthout a lot of effort. It's tapered and i can dig an angled rootball and carry in the "bucket."
This is the way out for me.