trail clearing technique and tools

[MossRoad]

Pavement edges should be no dig deal to strings.

The asphalt and concrete eats my string pretty quickly.

 

[ArlyA]

The asphalt and concrete eats my string pretty quickly.

Wire, steel and larger shoots are tough on ours.

 

[ning]

The asphalt and concrete eats my string pretty quickly.

Yeah it's one thing to be trimming near rocks, concrete and asphalt, but when you're specifically edging you're pretty much in direct contact with it deliberately for the duration of that job; I don't think there's a string that will survive it for long.

 

[MossRoad]

Wire, steel and larger shoots are tough on ours.

Yeah, chain link fence is the worst thing I run into.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah it's one thing to be trimming near rocks, concrete and asphalt, but when you're specifically edging you're pretty much in direct contact with it deliberately for the duration of that job; I don't think there's a string that will survive it for long.

That, and you're flinging pebbles and debris. I took out a back window in a 93 Suburban several years ago doing just that.

I have an old Sears Craftsman electric edger that still does a decent job.

 

[sd455dan]

Same except there is a family member owned sand beach on a river which we haven't been able to visit for a few years- it is over grown with growth.

The river has moved and reestablishing a trail is going to be a job. Water level needs to drop a few feet before we can work on it.
The brush was so thick, we never even made it to the old beach yesterday but working on a plan for next month.

To start with the 550 backhoe, Rhino tractor with grapple, brush cutter , box blade, rake. chainsaws, DR brush cutter, blade on new echo spin trim, pole saw, etc. Oh and a couple strong kids, getting to old for this

Got a 'rough' trail in, started with the Rhino tractor and the Woods Brush bull and grapple lots of brush higher than the roof I starting mowing from the spot in the first pic after moving the log out of the way..

Some chainsaw action and grapple grabbing brush, made the mistake of hand moving what I cut with the saw and didn't notice some of it was thorn apple, which was made obvious pretty quickly.

Some large rotten stumps I was able to just push with the grapple/ bucket on but then a tree came up that just had to go so went and got the TLB and could not believe how stubborn it was to get the stump out.

Once that was cleared brush cut more with the Rhino then it got pretty tough.... big ditch that was several feet deep and there was a large downed tree that was near so used the backhoe and hydraulic thumb to put it in the ditch lots of breaking up the higher level to be road with backhoe and dragging it into the crossing. Back to the brush cutting and got across the ditch and able to get to the beach area after several years. Going to be golf carts only after this.

With all the stobs I hit, feel lucky that I did not get any flats. Also took a few breaks from brush cutting and used a battery saws-all to remove some of the worst offenders.

Beach is still there and needing some work but not going to get anywhere near the water with machinery

Just realized I didn't take any pics of the path after.

 

[airbiscuit]

Did you put a little dirt over the logs in the ditch? Will there be any issues with a filled in ditch? More after pics please.

 

[ultrarunner]

That, and you're flinging pebbles and debris. I took out a back window in a 93 Suburban several years ago doing just that.

I have an old Sears Craftsman electric edger that still does a decent job.

I took out a back window of Chevrolet Van…

Didn’t even realize it when it happened.

 

[MossRoad]

I took out a back window of Chevrolet Van…

Didn’t even realize it when it happened.

Me either. I found it the next morning when I was going to leave for work.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Got a 'rough' trail in, started with the Rhino tractor and the Woods Brush bull and grapple lots of brush higher than the roof I starting mowing from the spot in the first pic after moving the log out of the way..

Some chainsaw action and grapple grabbing brush, made the mistake of hand moving what I cut with the saw and didn't notice some of it was thorn apple, which was made obvious pretty quickly.

Some large rotten stumps I was able to just push with the grapple/ bucket on but then a tree came up that just had to go so went and got the TLB and could not believe how stubborn it was to get the stump out.

Once that was cleared brush cut more with the Rhino then it got pretty tough.... big ditch that was several feet deep and there was a large downed tree that was near so used the backhoe and hydraulic thumb to put it in the ditch lots of breaking up the higher level to be road with backhoe and dragging it into the crossing. Back to the brush cutting and got across the ditch and able to get to the beach area after several years. Going to be golf carts only after this.

With all the stobs I hit, feel lucky that I did not get any flats. Also took a few breaks from brush cutting and used a battery saws-all to remove some of the worst offenders.

Beach is still there and needing some work but not going to get anywhere near the water with machinery

Just realized I didn't take any pics of the path after.

That's some really tuff stuff you had to clear. I'm not sure if I'd even give that at try. Congrats on your tenacity.