Advice on tractor/skid steer to keep field edges clear

[fcwise]

Have a 53 HP 2WD Massey with a Bush Hog brush cutter. Good for keeping the fields cut, but not so good for the field edges. Also, I want a loader. Wondering if anyone has a good solution that allows you to cut those annoying overhanging branches without the manual labor of a chainsaw, etc. Was looking at some videos on skid steers with forestry mulching attachments, but that seems like overkill for my needs. Can you use a brush cut mower at a reasonable height on a loader to cut the overgrowth? Any other tools I should look at? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[hayden]

It might be worth investigating what it would cost to have someone with a mulcher come so it. I find that after cutting back field and road edges, it's around 5 years before it's needed again. Just cut back aggressively when you get the chance.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Depends on the size of the stuff needing cut. I have a bucket mounted sickle mower that I use to trim up to about 3/4 limbs. I can't remember the brand, it came from Canada. It looks like the one below.

ProCut Hydraulic Sickle Bar - AGRISHIELD

Discover the Agrishield ProCut Hydraulic Sickle Bar – designed for quality cuts and durability. Perfect for maintaining vineyards, orchards, and farms with effortless trimming and superior cutting performance. Attach easily to tractors & skid steers!

agrishieldllc.com

Also depends on how much you want to cut towards the wood line. A batwing mower may do the job for you.

 

[Smokeydog]

Use to clear by hand but labor intensive. Have several attachments for tractor to help. No one attachment does it all.

Danuser Intimdator. Not only to pull up trees but reach up and tear off limbs.

Hydraulic limb saw. Great for high and big limbs. Built this one.

Brown tree cutter. 5’ model is all my 45hp PTO tractor can handle.

This spring bought a Precision Manufacturing Miniclip. This is a game changer. Works on smaller B26 CUT or much better on the M59. Extendable boom, rotating head, 7” cut capacity. Been easy to cut back boarders, roads and fences. Have cut and hauled off 100tons of trees and limbs in the past couple of weeks. Flush cutting at the ground should be able to maintain with rough cutter.

All these generate large amounts of debris. Grapple helps moving and hauling. Both tractors are HST which is very helpful for maneuvering.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Use to clear by hand but labor intensive. Have several attachments for tractor to help. No one attachment does it all.

Danuser Intimdator. Not only to pull up trees but reach up and tear off limbs.

Hydraulic limb saw. Great for high and big limbs. Built this one.

Brown tree cutter. 5’ model is all my 45hp PTO tractor can handle.
his spring bought a Precision Manufacturing Miniclip. This is a game changer. Works on smaller B26 CUT or much better on the M59. Extendable boom, rotating head, 7” cut capacity. Been easy to cut back boarders, roads and fences. Have cut and hauled off 100tons of trees and limbs in the past couple of weeks. Flush cutting at the ground should be able to maintain with rough cutter.

All these generate large amounts of debris. Grapple helps moving and hauling. Both tractors are HST which is very helpful for maneuvering.

Lots of cool toys, err tools there...

 

[2manyrocks]

Hiring a forestry mulcher may be your best option if you have a lot of trees overtaking your fields. They can clear a lot of material and grind it to pieces in minutes without the operator leaving his air conditioned seat protected by a layer of polycarbonate windshield.

The issue with most front mounted cutters on a tractor is the possibility of material either falling onto the operator or getting thrown back onto the operator. Or you cut the material off with a pole saw or whatever and then manually have to drag it with a chain or a grapple to pile it up somewhere. A mulcher will just grind it in place.

Fence wire will stop a mulcher by getting wound around the cutter and then taking forever to get loose.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I use my forestry mower on my skidsteer, just did this job this morning for a customer, he is having a new fence built and needed the property line cleared, I can cut stuff about 10' off the ground.

 

[2manyrocks]

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[fcwise]

Depends on the size of the stuff needing cut. I have a bucket mounted sickle mower that I use to trim up to about 3/4 limbs. I can't remember the brand, it came from Canada. It looks like the one below.

ProCut Hydraulic Sickle Bar - AGRISHIELD

Discover the Agrishield ProCut Hydraulic Sickle Bar – designed for quality cuts and durability. Perfect for maintaining vineyards, orchards, and farms with effortless trimming and superior cutting performance. Attach easily to tractors & skid steers!

agrishieldllc.com

Also depends on how much you want to cut towards the wood line. A batwing mower may do the job for you.

Thanks for the information on the sickle mower

Depends on the size of the stuff needing cut. I have a bucket mounted sickle mower that I use to trim up to about 3/4 limbs. I can't remember the brand, it came from Canada. It looks like the one below.

ProCut Hydraulic Sickle Bar - AGRISHIELD

Discover the Agrishield ProCut Hydraulic Sickle Bar – designed for quality cuts and durability. Perfect for maintaining vineyards, orchards, and farms with effortless trimming and superior cutting performance. Attach easily to tractors & skid steers!

agrishieldllc.com

Also depends on how much you want to cut towards the wood line. A batwing mower may do the job for you.

Thanks for the information on the hydraulic sickle bar. That's in the ballpark of a reasonable amount to spend. I'll check it out.

 

[fcwise]

I use my forestry mower on my skidsteer, just did this job this morning for a customer, he is having a new fence built and needed the property line cleared, I can cut stuff about 10' off the ground.View attachment 3318904View attachment 3318905View attachment 3318906

Appreciate the information. I was watching a YouTube on one of these, but it was unclear whether you could run one of those off the ground. Clearly, you can and do. Do you know the ballpark price for one?

 

[fcwise]

Use to clear by hand but labor intensive. Have several attachments for tractor to help. No one attachment does it all.

Danuser Intimdator. Not only to pull up trees but reach up and tear off limbs.

Hydraulic limb saw. Great for high and big limbs. Built this one.
View attachment 3318218View attachment 3318219

Brown tree cutter. 5’ model is all my 45hp PTO tractor can handle.
View attachment 3318220View attachment 3318221

This spring bought a Precision Manufacturing Miniclip. This is a game changer. Works on smaller B26 CUT or much better on the M59. Extendable boom, rotating head, 7” cut capacity. Been easy to cut back boarders, roads and fences. Have cut and hauled off 100tons of trees and limbs in the past couple of weeks. Flush cutting at the ground should be able to maintain with rough cutter.
View attachment 3318280
View attachment 3318289

All these generate large amounts of debris. Grapple helps moving and hauling. Both tractors are HST which is very helpful for maneuvering.

Very helpful, thanks for all the pictures. Lots of options to solve this problem. I ain't a spring chicken anymore.

 

[fcwise]

It might be worth investigating what it would cost to have someone with a mulcher come so it. I find that after cutting back field and road edges, it's around 5 years before it's needed again. Just cut back aggressively when you get the chance.

Good option to consider. Thanks.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Appreciate the information. I was watching a YouTube on one of these, but it was unclear whether you could run one of those off the ground. Clearly, you can and do. Do you know the ballpark price for one?

I gave right at $7k for this one but it has carbide teeth on the bottom of the blade carrier to help with mulching and I got it with a big piston hi flow motor, so they can be had cheaper, this one is an MTL and it has been flawless, Rut Manufacturing makes good stuff as well as many other brands. Look up MTL brushcutters that will get you started.

 

[ericm979]

These have been out for a while: Tractor Attachment Manufacturer | Lane Shark USA

there are other manufacturers who make similar units.

 

[Tractorable]

Offset flail mower. Tilts up 90 deg and down 60 deg.

 

[bdhsfz6]

+1 on the offset flail.

Unless it's in danger of falling, I don't bother cutting anything the cab will clear. The flail, set at 90 degrees, cuts & mulches anything up to 4" in diameter and up to 8' off the ground

The flail does double duty along tree lines since the offset will get into hard to reach spots

It's also great for mowing ditches. One of the most useful implements I own.

 

[Smokeydog]

I’m jealous of those articulated flail mowers! I’ve have a few places they would excel. Many they wouldn’t reach what I need cut or safe on my hillside slopes.

Old man and wife trying to maintain our hillside farm more like a park than a road side ditch. Still cleaning up debris and damage from a tornado 9 years ago. Steep and fertile ground grows trees like weeds. Keeping any cleared land a constant chore.

Spent another half day between rain showers using the Miniclip to cutting dozens of trees. Cutting some 4-10’ above the ground because of their diameter. Will push those stems out later. Sectioning the tall stems to be moved by grapple. Same areas are occupied with huge grape vines. Being able to cut the trees, bushes and vines without getting off the tractor is a blessing. Can reach up about 19’ but most cutting is below 12’. Controlled cutting at idle can watch, hear, react is a significant safety factor in a high hazard job.

Miniclip is not cheap. Nothing for this type of work is. Paid $4,500 for it new, never used. still strapped to original shipping pallet. Original owner paid $9,300 delivered couple of years ago. He bought all new high end tractor, trailer, equipment to build a mountain side oasis. Overturned tractor, shattered hip changed those plans. He decided that type of work wasn’t for him.

Battery and remote control was ruined. Able to replace and use Dewalt batteries for under $60. Remote switches 3rd function from cutting to rotation of cutter head.