As bored as me? Let's have a little fun. How would you tackle this scenario???

[Redneck in training]

Dozers are terrible for removing stumps. /QUOTE]

It all depends on the dozer and the operator I suppose. I hired bulldozer to remove scattered trees on about 31 ac. Some were two feet in diameter. It took the guy about 9 hours @110/hour. He had D5 or D6 with 5 way blade and was popping the trees one after another. He would turn the blade diagonally and curled back to get it under the tree. Then while pushing he would lift the blade and the tree fell taking most of the roots with it. After he was done I had to pull just few roots sticking from ground with my tractor.

 

[Piston]

I don't have power out there yet, but I do have a generator (not PTO)

I guess I forgot to post in my sig that I do have FEL pallet forks, as well as rear forks.

I also have a 3pt log splitter.
:thumbsup:

Great suggestions though! Keep them coming!

 

[Verticaltrx]

My process would be similar to what you mentioned already:

(assuming all planing, surveying, etc was done,)

1. Use JD 410 to dig out/topple all the trees you want down. Do them one at a time.

2. Once each tree is down, decide it's usefulness and saw accordingly (8', 16' etc). Use Kubota w/ forks or grapple to haul the logs to piles out of the way (one for hardwoods, softwoods, and firewood)

3. Once all trees are out do the rough grading using the JD 410, or box blade on Kubota (depending on how much material has to be moved).

4. Rake everything with root rake to clean up, then move on to the next stage of your project.

 

[Piston]

3pt tiller. Good for gradeing, makeing gardens and planting grass.

I do see a 3pt tiller in my future, but I'm pretty far away from the gardening stage. However, is there any use for a tiller for rough work? Or would using one in anything other than a field tear it up? I assume roots would just get wrapped around the tiller tines.

 

[Ken45101]

However, is there any use for a tiller for rough work? Or would using one in anything other than a field tear it up? I assume roots would just get wrapped around the tiller tines.

Not very good IMO. A box blade, landplane, or disk would be more useful for the rough work than a tiller.

Ken

 

[Piston]

In regard to burning brush. Since the first spot to clear is the immediate house sit and a species radius around the house site, would you pile all the brush into a burn pile right where the house will be?

Seems like a fine idea to me just as long as I get the brush pile burned . Otherwise though, I would have to clear a burn site first, prior to clearing the house site.

 

[tmeadows]

simple mind, simple thinking I would cut the trees that was in the house foot print plus any that I did not want in the yard pile them with grapple and then dig up stumps with BH

 

[scoutcub]

Dozers are terrible for removing stumps. /QUOTE]

It all depends on the dozer and the operator I suppose. I hired bulldozer to remove scattered trees on about 31 ac. Some were two feet in diameter. It took the guy about 9 hours @110/hour. He had D5 or D6 with 5 way blade and was popping the trees one after another. He would turn the blade diagonally and curled back to get it under the tree. Then while pushing he would lift the blade and the tree fell taking most of the roots with it. After he was done I had to pull just few roots sticking from ground with my tractor.

Dozers + trees =:thumbsup::laughing:
I've pushed many trees over with my dozer, but with just stumps it's a different ballgame. A D5 or 6 would be much more capable than my smaller dozer.

 

[scoutcub]

In regard to burning brush. Since the first spot to clear is the immediate house sit and a species radius around the house site, would you pile all the brush into a burn pile right where the house will be?

Seems like a fine idea to me just as long as I get the brush pile burned . Otherwise though, I would have to clear a burn site first, prior to clearing the house site.

I can't think of any reason not to.

And, agree with Ken, tiller wouldn't be good for rough work. Box blade's scarifiers might come in handy there......

 

[radioman]

I want to add another question to this thread (you just made me think of it)

Hypothetically speaking If I could get one more attachment for my tractor to assist in what I'm doing, what do you think the most useful attachment would be?

I was originally thinking a used hydro feed chipper, but now I'm not so sure?

That is a tough question. There are so many attachments out there, they all have their place. Just based on the pics of your land- I am not convinced that a chipper is a good idea, except for the fact you have your own mill and it will be handy for tidying up your place after cutting trees down for lumber. Boxblade? it will be good for making your roads in, digging shallow trenches with rippers, smoothing dirt around house, but not much else. backblade? can be used for spreading gravel for your road, smoothing dirt, clearing light snowfalls but you are in MA so you probably get lots of snow. tiller? smoothing lawn, loosing soil for digging better. grapple? you can quickly move brush and dug out stumps, rocks and other objects for building homes if needed. rake? surface cleaning of your forest area but a rachet rake is more useful I would say.

so many options, so little money and time :drool: