box and brush?

BrettW · May 3, 2004

I've got about 1.5 acres of weeds/brush to clear. Don't have a bush hog so I'm wondering what would happen if I hit it with a box blade? Will it just be a big mess? Or would it drag it away, I do have a tiller and 6' rear blade. I can rent a walk behind bush hog but that will be a lot of walking , thanks, brettw
ps, not comfortable burning it off

SCB · May 3, 2004

Brett,
I am in the process of doing just that. I have a tooth bar and a box blade. Both work togetjer well. But if you are using just the box blade it does a fair job. You will collect quite a bit of dirt under certain conditions. I found that for my situation that if I hit it with the box angled forward and the ripper teeth all the way down, it will tear it up and then I set the box tilted back with no rippers and set it down just to ground level it will collect most of the brush. I have had good luck with a rock rake also. I just rip it with the tooth bar and then rake the brush. Hope that helps.

GRUB · May 4, 2004

I think that If you dont have a brush hog that this is a great alternative. I can push over 3" and 4" trees with boxblade and lift 3pt while tree is going down and, lift the whole tree roots and all, out of the ground. Smaller stuff can be cleared well in the forward direction with scarifiers down. Back & Forth over it a couple times and its pretty much clear but a mess with all the refuse lying around. This is pretty hard to clean up without toothbar or grapple on tractor. Oh well, do it by hand and get exercise or push it aroud with regular bucket and get alot of your soil mixed in. Doesen't burn well like that.

AndyG · May 4, 2004

Why can't you rent a bushog to fit your tractor?

theboman · May 4, 2004

You'll drive around alot...back up a lot run over trees and have a nasty mess.
For the price of renting a walk behind bushog for a couple of days, I'm guessing it's around $100. Then about 8-10 hours running the machine.... hmmm, how do you value your time?
Well under $500 you can but a rotary cutter. So, it may be cost effective to buy one and save time and time and time.

Just my thoughts....

SCB · May 4, 2004

I have to respectfully disagree. It doesn't have to be a mess. On my first pass I get about 80 percent of the brush. I keep the piles of brush seperate for burning. On following passes I get alot more dirt and do not mix that with the brush piles. I think with an acre ad a half it won't take too long to do. But, I'm speaking from the point of view of REMOVING the brush. If you are just wanting to knock it down and let it grow again, I agree that the rotary cutter is the way to go.

BrettW · May 4, 2004

Andy,
my tractor will only handle about a 44" hog. The local place doesn't have one that small. They do have walk behind units, don't know the size of it. b w

BrettW · May 4, 2004

SCB.
this will soon be a yard so it is a one time event. Will try the box and hand rake it. Or just drag to the back of the lot and let it break down. thaks, bw

theboman · May 4, 2004

How about the roots? They are tougher than nails to remove, and they can stop a tractor dead in it's tracks too.

SCB · May 4, 2004

Bo,
I am fortunate that with the brush I am clearing, the root systems are small in diameter. My soil is pretty soft also. But the roots that I do have spiderweb under the surface. So I use the toothbar to remove them.