I think we are finally finished looking for land. Hope to close on 35 acres this week. Much more than we were looking to get. Have been looking for 10-20 acres with no luck. This 35 was listed by an individual in the paper(no agent) on a wednesday and I was the first one there, had a contract signed on thurs. Anyway, it is all timber. I plan to have a logger clear 8-10 acres for a home site/horse pasture. After they are finished there will be lots of work to do. I will probably hire the stump removal out. But, just out of curiosity, how much can be done with the backhoes available for my JD 3520? I did not get power beyond, so I would have to add this in addition to buying a BH. As I said, I will probably just hire it out, but cant help being curious about the capabilities of a BH on my tractor. Would be sweet if I could justify a BH.
BH question for my 3520
- Thread starter jmt1271
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rvtech
Gold Member
The size of the backhoe will limit the digging depth. I have not needed to dig more than 4 feet deep so I have not yet found anything that my little backhoe won't do. It is just a question of time. You will find there is a point where you could hire a bigger hoe to do some things quicker if you don't have the time. I decided that I will take the time to do the things I want myself. That is the way I justified buying the backhoe.
I wish I could afford to buy all the implements I need. It's much easier for me to do things how I want, when I want rather than hiring it out or renting and conforming to someone elses schedule. It's nice to do projects as you want rather than digging up the entire property just to prevent hiring or renting the backhoe more than 1 time.
If you need to get your clearing done fast and you don't have the time to dedicate, I would hire it out. If you have plenty of time, and value a job done the way you want and not your time, then do it yourself.
Another consideration for me is that the backhoe will have some resale value when I'm finished with it.
I wish I could afford to buy all the implements I need. It's much easier for me to do things how I want, when I want rather than hiring it out or renting and conforming to someone elses schedule. It's nice to do projects as you want rather than digging up the entire property just to prevent hiring or renting the backhoe more than 1 time.
If you need to get your clearing done fast and you don't have the time to dedicate, I would hire it out. If you have plenty of time, and value a job done the way you want and not your time, then do it yourself.
Another consideration for me is that the backhoe will have some resale value when I'm finished with it.
slaveToHorses
Gold Member
3x20's don't have the weight or pump flow to dig out big stumps unless you have a LOT of time. I have done a fair amount of clearing with mine, on maple, alder and fir trees. You are better off hiring it out. But you will still want the backhoe because after they are done there are still a ton of roots around and smaller stuff that the loggers don't bother with.
The bigger fir stumps I had were too big for the full sized Link-Belt trackhoe to pull out. We had to ram them a number of times with a D-8 cat that had a stump buster spike on the back. Those stumps just laugh at a 3520
The cat could push up against them with the blade and the tracks would just spin. They laughed at the cat too, until it turned around and stung them a few times with that spike.
I guess it depends on what kind of trees you have.
The bigger fir stumps I had were too big for the full sized Link-Belt trackhoe to pull out. We had to ram them a number of times with a D-8 cat that had a stump buster spike on the back. Those stumps just laugh at a 3520
The cat could push up against them with the blade and the tracks would just spin. They laughed at the cat too, until it turned around and stung them a few times with that spike.I guess it depends on what kind of trees you have.