Pine Root Cutter

Fitzwaryn · Aug 10, 2011

I have 16 acres of pines. Largest are maybe 8 inches. The area burned about 20 years ago so most of them are small. The ones less than 4 inches I can just pull out whole with little problem. The larger ones are more than my tractor can handle (LS 3040 about 2 tons with loader and hitch weights and filled tires)

Can't afford a ready made root bucket so I'm thinking of a homemade root cutter.

I'm thinking of a plate of 1/2 inch steel. Maybe 12"-18" wide that will bolt to the bottom of the loader bucket and extend maybe 18" past the lip.

Use a grinder to put a sharp bevel on the edge then use the bucket to push it into the soil a foot or two from the truck/stump (my soil is almost pure sand, only 2 miles from the shore) to cut the roots making it possible to pull the stumps.

Comments? Suggestion?

Short Game · Aug 10, 2011

It sounds like a good idea -- a bucket spade. The only thing I'd look out for is bending the blade on the bucket when driving it in. You will probably have to depend on wheel force to some degree and it is easy to misjudge the forces as they apply. I would want to have the bucket blade reinforced along its full length. I'd "T" the spade blade with a long piece of channel, "I" beam, or tube, that bolts or clamps flush to the length of the bucket blade and bolt the rearmost end of the spade plate as far back in the bucket as possible. I have lived with a bent bucket blade. Straight it better.

Baby Grand · Aug 10, 2011

I use a CountyLine subsoiler to cut roots and remove small (< 8") hardwood stumps. Sharpening the front, as you described, would probably improve its performance. Could make a sharp edged wedge and stitch weld it onto the front flat of the beam. The 3pt allows a lot of grunt to be concentrated in a very small area.

Fitzwaryn · Aug 10, 2011

Short Game said:
It sounds like a good idea -- a bucket spade. The only thing I'd look out for is bending the blade on the bucket when driving it in. You will probably have to depend on wheel force to some degree and it is easy to misjudge the forces as they apply. I would want to have the bucket blade reinforced along its full length. I'd "T" the spade blade with a long piece of channel, "I" beam, or tube, that bolts or clamps flush to the length of the bucket blade and bolt the rearmost end of the spade plate as far back in the bucket as possible. I have lived with a bent bucket blade. Straight it better.

I was going to just lay it in the center of the bucket, drill holes and bolt it in.

I was planning to use a piece long enough to reach from the back of the bucket to probably 12-18 inches past the edge. That way the back of the bucket would be pushing on it rather than the edge. So probably a steel plate maybe 2.5 ft long of something like that. Not sure right off hand how deep the bucket is until I measure it.

A couple bolts in it at the back and a couple towards the edge should attach it firmly I'd think.

otis whitehead · Aug 11, 2011

So I had a problem like you with tallow trees and made this little cutter...1.25 inch plate for the knife and 4X4 angle iron boxed for the frame.. pulled with long agri....45hp

pat32rf · Aug 11, 2011

I'd go with Otis's idea, rip the roots, then they will come out

bindian · Aug 12, 2011

Fitzwaryn said:
I have 16 acres of pines. Largest are maybe 8 inches. The area burned about 20 years ago so most of them are small. The ones less than 4 inches I can just pull out whole with little problem. The larger ones are more than my tractor can handle (LS 3040 about 2 tons with loader and hitch weights and filled tires)

Can't afford a ready made root bucket so I'm thinking of a homemade root cutter.

I'm thinking of a plate of 1/2 inch steel. Maybe 12"-18" wide that will bolt to the bottom of the loader bucket and extend maybe 18" past the lip.

Use a grinder to put a sharp bevel on the edge then use the bucket to push it into the soil a foot or two from the truck/stump (my soil is almost pure sand, only 2 miles from the shore) to cut the roots making it possible to pull the stumps.

Comments? Suggestion?

Fitzwaryn,
Sounds like a good idea. Just remember Pine trees have a tap root going straight down and it will be the biggest of all the roots. Good luck.
hugs, Brandi

Fitzwaryn · Aug 12, 2011

bindian said:
Fitzwaryn,
Sounds like a good idea. Just remember Pine trees have a tap root going straight down and it will be the biggest of all the roots. Good luck.
hugs, Brandi

Ironically I pulled a pine last night. About 5-6 inches. I pushed it over then threw a chain on it and pulled it out. It pulled up a bit then snapped at the root and I hauled it off.

When I came back by it there was a piece sticking up and just to check I got off and wiggled it. It came straight up out of the ground. A perfect cone about 2.5 ft long with small rootlets growing off of it.. the tap root. Most perfectly formed one I've ever seen. Took it to the house to show the wife.

bindian · Aug 12, 2011

Fitzwaryn said:
Ironically I pulled a pine last night. About 5-6 inches. I pushed it over then threw a chain on it and pulled it out. It pulled up a bit then snapped at the root and I hauled it off.

When I came back by it there was a piece sticking up and just to check I got off and wiggled it. It came straight up out of the ground. A perfect cone about 2.5 ft long with small rootlets growing off of it.. the tap root. Most perfectly formed one I've ever seen. Took it to the house to show the wife.

Sounds like you are fixin' to have a lot of fun.:thumbsup:

hugs, Brandi