Buying Advice Bought 100 Acres. Upgrade my tractor or hire some work done?

[radioman]

wow --- all these comments. i still cannot get over the MUST HAVE IT NOW mentality. its 100 acres . clearing a nice trail is an invitation to trespassers. I dont even know how much you can do to drag deer. who knows you might be lucky with deer close to a path . how much can you clear a year via the slow going way? is this acceptable to you or you must have a clear trail all the way around NOW?
Having a nice set of acreage for hunting , I'd would be putting in sweat equity. you never know -- while working the land you probably will change the path, or plans. if you hired it out - the person doing the work will have to have a plan and most likely wont change for the better.

sorry -- im just a bit old fashioned here ...

 

[jeff9366]

Chain saw trauma is the #1 Emergency Room admittance category for outdoor work.

Using a chainsaw some, when rested and not overheated, is fine.

Otherwise, find another way to do the work ~~~or hire tree work out.


A battery powered reciprocating saw would be a worthwhile investment for tree cutting, 2-1/2" or less.

Instant on, instant off, faster than a chainsaw on small stuff, MUCH SAFER. A battery powered reciprocating saw could reduce your number of chainsaw 'cuts' by half.

I have tried multiple brands of PRUNING blades. Most "pruning" blades are thin and too often deform when a blade is pinched. Milwaukee's blade called THE AX, which is thicker and more rigid than pruning blades, is faster and lasts longer than alternatives. I buy 5/packs in 9" length of THE AX when I see them. Five inch lengths of THE AX common, 9" is not.

I also use a Stihl MS 261 for tree work.

 

[jeff9366]

Good point about the hydro pumps. Go to YouTube and look at some videos of that Marshall Tree Saw. I just assumed it would work on a tractor the same as a skid steer.

Mechanical tractor PTOs are relatively efficient.

For Skid Steers to power tractor-equivalent hydraulically powered Skid Steer implements requires more fuel and produces a great deal of heat.

 

[Milo]

Chain saw trauma is the #1 Emergency Room admittance category for outdoor work.

Using a chainsaw some, when rested and not overheated, is fine.

Otherwise, find another way to do the work ~~~or hire tree work out.


A battery powered reciprocating saw would be a worthwhile investment for tree cutting, 2-1/2" or less.

Instant on, instant off, faster than a chainsaw on small stuff, MUCH SAFER. A battery powered reciprocating saw could reduce your number of chainsaw 'cuts' by half....

Sure chain saws can be dangerous Jeff just like a table saw or tractor for that matter, so like anything else one needs to learn the right way to use it and what not to do. But if you're going to own wooded property I couldn't imagine not using a chain saw, heck my saws probably get used more than any tool I have due to mostly heating with wood and having to cut up trees that fall on trails etc. Reminds me I have about seventy 75' pine trees to cut down come Spring to allow sun to hit a section of yard. Brush cutter for scrubby brush, loppers if only cutting limbs an inch or so, and chain saw for everything else. Safer sure but I can't imagine a little cordless reciprocating saw cutting through a small 2" oak limb even close to as fast as a chain saw does. I can see the usefulness of a recip saw if you're just pruning a few 2" limbs in a yard but not working all day on trail clearing.

 

[Xfaxman]

Yep, a cordless reciprocating saw is not fast, but it is effective.

This is a 26' tall cedar tree, cut with a Craftsman 20 volt cordless, with a 12" pruning blade:

 

[TripleR]

Man you guys like to spend money!!! Wish you were my neighbors. I'd gladly open ATV trails for $100 per hour. Actually I'd be a good Grandpa and let my Grandsons have the jobs. I could serve as overseer!!!

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to hire anyone to do manual labor in some places and it's especially true with chainsaw work. I was able to get two people come out over the years and they didn't last two days and their production sucked.

 

[jeff9366]

I can't imagine a cordless reciprocating saw cutting through a 2" oak limb as fast as a chain saw does.

Instant on, instant off, saves a lot of time. Oaks are what I cut.

Changing a battery is faster than fueling with gas. No Bar Oil. Changing a reciprocating saw blade takes 40 seconds, much less time than replacing a chain. Reciprocating saw blades are minimally affected by dirt on the wood.

When new, a battery would last me six hours in the woods. Now, after years, half that time. The Milwaukee Sawzall I purchased came with two batteries in the package. Batteries fully charge in 30 minutes.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I didn't read all the replies but I have put in miles of ATV trails which I make wide enough for a truck to get threw, all I have ever used is two chainsaws, a machete and a ATV, I personally wouldn't pay someone $10 an hour to cut ATV trails, I might hire some HS kids if the work is too much for you. I grab my 660 magnum which I bought used when I was 18 and my MS 201 Stihl arborist saw which I also picked up used for a few hundred bucks. Yes it's a slow process but that's the part of being a land owner, invite some buddies to come over, pack a cooler full of beer, a work radio, chainsaws ext and get to work and have fun, I bet I could clear faster trails with the set up I just suggested than that guy charging $100 an hour. Cut everything at ground level, throw/roll it all off to the side and keep going, once you get going, it goes fast. I'm 25 now and if you comfortable running a chainsaw safely and felling trees then I would say your set.

Another thing to add is I don't make my trails strait, I kinda zig zag them, that way your saving a lot of time clearing brush vs trees and if someone wanders on the property they don't pop out in the back yard.

Now if you want nice flat roads your better off paying a guy with a bull Dozer to cut one. ATV Trails are easy. Only thing I would use a tractor for is FEL cutting into banks to drop down in creeks.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

My question also would be, who will maintain the trails? Some years clearing old trails are harder than making new ones, perks to an All Terrain Vehicle is you have the ability to go around things pretty easy, tree falls in the trail, it either gets cut and rolled out of the way or driven around and a new section to the trail is cut.

 

[ovrszd]

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to hire anyone to do manual labor in some places and it's especially true with chainsaw work. I was able to get two people come out over the years and they didn't last two days and their production sucked.

I hear ya Larry. I totally have sympathy for a land owner that has to hire work done for whatever reason. I'm Blessed to not be in that position, yet.....

But here we are talking about a self acclaimed 33 year old in good health. Jeez, crank up the chainsaw and have at it. Will be good for the Soul!!!!

As to the rechargeable sawzall,,,,, really??? Can it be done?? Yes.. Is it efficient and timely?? No.. :confused3:

 

[ovrszd]

Instant on, instant off, saves a lot of time. Oaks are what I cut.

Changing a battery is faster than fueling with gas. No Bar Oil. Changing a reciprocating saw blade takes 40 seconds, much less time than replacing a chain. Reciprocating saw blades are minimally affected by dirt on the wood.

When new, a battery would last me six hours in the woods. Now, after years, half that time. The Milwaukee Sawzall I purchased came with two batteries in the package. Batteries fully charge in 30 minutes.

The only reason I'm not calling total B.S. on this statement is because of your clever wording.

Last six hours in the woods. Yep. My cordless equipment will last six day in the woods. If I limit my use. I would never expect anyone to believe that I can do six hours of work with it sawing trees on one battery. Unless I'm a piddler and spend more time looking at the trees than sawing. Once I mark a trail my chainsaw is cutting trees 90% of the time it's running.

 

[ovrszd]

I didn't read all the replies but I have put in miles of ATV trails which I make wide enough for a truck to get threw, all I have ever used is two chainsaws, a machete and a ATV, I personally wouldn't pay someone $10 an hour to cut ATV trails, I might hire some HS kids if the work is too much for you. I grab my 660 magnum which I bought used when I was 18 and my MS 201 Stihl arborist saw which I also picked up used for a few hundred bucks. Yes it's a slow process but that's the part of being a land owner, invite some buddies to come over, pack a cooler full of beer, a work radio, chainsaws ext and get to work and have fun, I bet I could clear faster trails with the set up I just suggested than that guy charging $100 an hour. Cut everything at ground level, throw/roll it all off to the side and keep going, once you get going, it goes fast. I'm 25 now and if you comfortable running a chainsaw safely and felling trees then I would say your set.

Another thing to add is I don't make my trails strait, I kinda zig zag them, that way your saving a lot of time clearing brush vs trees and if someone wanders on the property they don't pop out in the back yard.

Now if you want nice flat roads your better off paying a guy with a bull Dozer to cut one. ATV Trails are easy. Only thing I would use a tractor for is FEL cutting into banks to drop down in creeks.

Well stated John. Direct and to the point.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

As to the rechargeable sawzall,,,,, really??? Can it be done?? Yes.. Is it efficient and timely?? No.. :confused3:

I didn't want to comment on that one cause it's not really worth arguing over lol. Whatever gets the job done safely I guess.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

The only reason I'm not calling total B.S. on this statement is because of your clever wording.

Last six hours in the woods. Yep. My cordless equipment will last six day in the woods. If I limit my use. I would never expect anyone to believe that I can do six hours of work with it sawing trees on one battery. Unless I'm a piddler and spend more time looking at the trees than sawing. Once I mark a trail my chainsaw is cutting trees 90% of the time it's running.

I have a makita cordless sawzall 18v with the larger 3 amp hour batteries, under heavy use the battery is dead in about 15-20 mins and too hot to charge. Same goes for the dewalt I have seen other guys use on jobsites.

 

[ovrszd]

I have a makita cordless sawzall 18v with the larger 3 amp hour batteries, under heavy use the battery is dead in about 15-20 mins and too hot to charge. Same goes for the dewalt I have seen other guys use on jobsites.

Yep, I have four Dewalt cordless tools. Tool batteries will last a couple weeks laying on the bench. Put them to use and reality sits in. Especially on a high amp draw tool such as a sawzall or circular saw. Again I stress, it's all about work tempo.

 

[gladehound]

I'd love to see a picture of the OP's woods. My woods and most around here are 50+ years since they were last farmed or cut so not a lot of saplings and typically more than 4-6 feet between trees. So a tractor can drive right through the under brush. Just put the bucket down and push the bushes out of the way. But doesn't sound like that's what the OP is dealing with. Picture please!!!

 

[jenkinsph]

I have not heard this mentioned yet, " how about a heavy duty rotary cutter that handles 4 inch brush? Seems it would clear a path in the majority of it with a lot less chain saw work.

 

[cat fever]

I gotta say, I'm in the do it myself crowd. That would also mean my bride of 30+ years would be right beside me helping. I don't think it needs to be a race to get it done. Just get a saw and start cutting.

One other thing. I sure wish I had 100 acres to deal with.:laughing:

 

[lexluther]

Have you considered hiring a guy with a masticator? Don't quote me on the machine name, but it clears trail and chops up the material at the same time, leaving behind only splinters and chips...

 

[DieselBound]

I was over 50 when I got my 40 acres. I did a LOT of clearing of brush using a machete: I was able to slash for hours at a time, switching between hands; got to be pretty good. Now, the reason for this approach is that I had no idea what was underneath that brush, or, for that matter, where I was going (only in a crude sense): lots of areas machinery couldn't go anyway- see my comment below about getting an excavator stuck!). Oh yeah, my wife would also be out swinging a machete (and she's just a tad bit older than I, not to mention diminutive in stature).

Had I went about hiring out for clearing it would have meant that I'd have had to have a plan! I was aware long before acquiring this property that one very good bit of advice is to live with/on the land for a full set of seasons before doing anything major. My slow clearing has allowed me to make better decisions about how to make my property work. I've gotten 5 ton excavators stuck, and I knew full well where I was (oddly enough my smaller, wheeled tractor had just been in that area and I didn't get stuck); someone not familiar might do a LOT worse. One other thing which matters in my case, in my area of the world, is that I have to be mindful of not making huge, rapid changes such that they'd draw any unwanted attention: I'm good with my neighbors, so no worries there. Anyway...

After doing some research on a bush hog for my newest tractor I got to understand a little bit more about them. There are bush hogs for CUTs as well as UTs that are able to cut up to 4" diameter trees. Well, we know that they can cut thicker, it's just that that's what they're rated to do and keep doing it for a long time. I cannot fathom chewing up stuff like that, but there it is. Bigger stuff can be cut with, yes, a chainsaw (I didn't fall it [it was too close to the house so I hired it out], but I did recently buck and cut up a cottonwood that was 44" at the butt; I've taken down and cut up 3' diameter stuff): even my wife can run a chainsaw- knock on wood, we've been at this for some six years now w/o incident. Up until just getting my new tractor and a used 6' Bush Hog 286 (good for 3" stuff- it's been fortified) I'd managed to deal with things using my B7800 and a 5' "light duty" rotary cutter: biggest gain was when I got a tooth bar! If you cut up the tree trunk a ways you can push over a lot of stuff. I've got various clumps of stumps and other large wood debris to get out of my way, so I've purchased a grapple (only possible with my newest tractor).

On the infrequent occasion I need to remove BIG stumps (I will bury them, most of them- have one that was so massive that I'd have had to dig to China!) I'll rent an excavator.

I/we live here, so having [most of the] equipment and time makes it a bit more convenient.

I don't ever tell people what they should or shouldn't do (unless they're trespassing :laughing. I'm just providing info on what I've done as a way of musing. Every situation is different.