Brush Clearing Estimate

[SLOBuds]

Hi. 2nd Post - sorry if I'm in the wrong spot!

For anyone watching in the 'attachments' forum, you'll know that I was asking about the need to clear out brush from my new 10 acre farm. Answer: yes, due to fire hazards. I decided to rent a tractor and give it a shot myself as a training exercise for me. It will be a Kubota L2900, with flail and FEL.

Now, considering that I have NO experience on a tractor, how long do you think it will take me to clear the property?

I have 10 acres of land with rolling hills and flat spots. There are probably 4 acres of flat (or very gentle slope) and 6 acres of moderate slope. I am sure that even the moderate slopes are accessable to me on a tractor. The brush is fairly consistent: weeds that have grown to somewhere between 2' and 4' tall. No saplings. I do have some trees, but they only cover about 25% of the property and almost all of them seem to be spread far enough apart to get a tractor between.

So that's the first question - how much time to finish.

Second question is if anyone could tell me the general technique, what to watch out for, the most efficient way to do it, what shouldn't be done under any circumstances, safety pointers, etc. There will be no one available to give me any kind of on-the-spot training at all! This will be 100% school of hard knocks!

Appreciate your feedback.

 

[MRHURT]

If you think there are things to hit with brush hog lower the bucket to hit these object before the tractor does. on the hills, try going up and down them, instead of across them. should be more stable that way. good luck. my thoughts on time, in one weekend i could mow 10 acres going around trees and other objects

 

[theboman]

Never used a flail so not sure but a good weekend's work with a 4-5' rotary cutter.
Wear your seatbelt and have the ROPS up.
Keep the FELs bucket low to catch things such as stumps.
Be on the lookout for holes that a tire can drop into and cause mucho problems.
Up and down, up and down on the slopes. If you think it's to steep for left and right, it is. It may be a bit slower at times but if you'd break a neck and kill yourself it would never get done.
If it's warming up be aware of bees! I got hit way too many times last summer. Maybe have some benedril just in case.
Use common sense at all times too. A tractor of any size is a powerful tool, but the person in the seat has the control of how it operates.

 

[hazmat]

Good advice so far. Since you are new to both tractoring & the property. Walk it ahead of time to look for hazards: Holes, stumps rocks. Mark them some how, so you aren't surprised.

You should be able to complete the job in a day or 2.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

And, after getting it done, come back and let us know how long it took, whether you had fun, and how soon you will be buying your tractor... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[BILL_K]

Do the flat area first to practice and learn.
Watch out for sunburn.
Take plenty of water and drink it.
Go slow at first at least.

Pick an area and go in a stright line for a distance then turn
right and go about 100 yards then turn right again and go back,
then turn right and go a distance equal to the first turn right
again.
The immportant part is to always work to toward the same direction
on the long distances so that your circle stays the same size verous
geting smaller each time.

I hope this makes sense!
Billk

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[SLOBuds]

Somehow I have a feeling that the most 'fun' part of this project is in the planning! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Just to make sure I have this right (and to FULLY expose my TOTAL ignorance), I take it that the rotary mower or flail is not able to leap small buildings in a single bound. It sounds like they are able to chop brush up to a certain diameter, but all rocks and stumps and cows should be avoided. I'm trying to picture in my mind how I will see all of those rocks when they are now thickly covered by weeds. Same thing with stumps. Is that the purpose of keeping your FEL down low to the ground - to bump into stuff that shouldn't be mowed?

Maybe all of this just becomes obvious once you get in the seat and push the 'go' button.

Thanks again. Great advice!

Re: Purchase. I'm making a list of tasks that we will need to do on a regular basis at the new farm. Then I will post that info on the 'buying' forum, and see what type of opinions come out. We'll be getting a tractor for sure. I'm the type of guy that needs to think about it for awhile.

 

[Bird]

Martin, a rotary mower and a flail mower are two different things. Which are you getting?

 

[SLOBuds]

The rental yard said they would rent a flail, not rotary mower. I tried a couple of searches on flail, and can't exactly tell the difference - except that it sounds like it produces a somewhat more 'finished' appearance. Not sure.

Thanks.

 

[beenthere]

I've read the posts, and have read your posts as well. I don't think you should try this at all, as you should get your tractor experience first, and then add an attachment later after you know how to operate the tractor. Sorry if you disagree. With an attachment such as a flail, or a rotary cutter, there is no way for you to have someone along who can give you instructions and pointers as you proceed. The very fact that you have to ask the questions, is reason for me to suggest you not do it.

For example, if you don't know why the FEL should be down, then just being told it should be down to "find" obstacles is one thing, but it also should be down to keep the center of gravity low when tractoring on a side-hill. It is also down so you can see over it, and see where you are going.

There are too many things you should already know, and they cannot be sufficiently "learned" from a forum such as this, even though there is a vast amount of experience here.

I don't think a flail is very good for brush cutting. It beats things up, it doesn't cut them off. A bit different from a rotary cutter, which will handle brush up to a diameter of 1 - 2".

I suggest you get a tractor and learn how to operate it first, with no attachments. Then advance to the attachment stage and not plan to do 10 acres in one fell swoop with a rental tractor. Hire it done, until you know what you are doing. Plan on maintaining the 10 acres after you have your tractor experience. My 2 cents.

 

[gerard]

Reason they won't rent a rotary cutter is they probably get too torn up by renters. While they would be a better choice for heavy brush they aren't as forgiving when you hit rocks. A flail on the other hand can hit rocks and, since the cutting blades are flexible and small they don't get as damaged. They also won't throw things like a rotary will. Problem is they are better suited for grasses and LIGHT brush. Without seeing the size of the actual vegetation you're going to bbe cutting it's kind of hard to say if a flail will even do it. I'd take some pictures to your rental agent and see if what he's renting will do what you want. Flails wont' work as well on woody shrubs/bushes that develop actual trunks. Now they also rent skid steers with brush shredding attachments that will eat right through just about anything but a small tree but they also come with a higher cost..........

 

[Casimir]

I have seen at least two types of flail mowers. Both rotate the "flails" vertically around a horizontal shaft, where a rotary mower rotates the blades horizonally around a vertical shaft (clear as mud? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif).

Some "Flails" are made of heavy rubber tubing or belting that beat the grass and small shrubs down -- kinda like a weedeater. Others have metal knives that chop up the material. These work better on brush, but you have to make sure you keep it just above the ground, so the knives do not contact the ground. Big rocks can be a problem with this type.

Since you showed one picture that looked like it had been mowed before, I think either type would work fine for you, and the previous mower (person) probably removed any large objects that the mower could hit (or he knew where they were, so he could avoid them /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif).

The advice about keeping the FEL low for balance and to bump into any immovable objects before the mower does is good. I wouldn't have any hesitation in tackling the job if you start on the flatter areas and take it slow until you feel like you know what you are doing. Any rental place should at least offer basic instruction in running their equipment.

Good Luck, and let us know how you do.

 

[SLOBuds]

Your comments are well taken and, while disappointing because of the very large cost I will incur to hire this out, will most likely not attempt this project as the result of your observations. You sense a few safety issues related to non-experience, and the higher possibility of accident.

I take it from your remarks that most people learn (or should learn) in a deliberate fashion, preferrably with someone watching or otherwise coaching as they go.

 

[Spencer]

Maybe one of our TBN members live close to help you out. You could go over to their place to learn or they might even come over to your place. I know if you were close enough to me I would be glad to have you come over and learn on my machine.

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">…clear out brush from my new 10 acre farm. …decided to rent a tractor and give it a shot myself as a training exercise for me. It will be a Kubota L2900, with flail and FEL…</font>

Hi Martin,

I think it’s great to rent a tractor, stay on some flat terrain, pick up some valuable and safe experience “under a watchful eye” and maybe progress to the next level…

But sometimes, we can tend to bite off more than we can chew… I believe that may possibly be true in your case right now…

As much as I love flying, I don’t think I could go down to the airport, rent the plane and take-off to fly somewhere, learn some of the ropes of flying and gain experience as I’m doing it… least of all… by myself… /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif It would be a small miracle if I would survive… /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Let’s see… one unfamiliar tractor, with loader, brush hog/meat grinder spinning at ~ 175 mph, (total weight ~~ 5000 lbs.), hills, inclines, hidden gopher holes, ditches, creeks, etc., unfamiliar terrain, coupled with an eager to learn and please greenhorn operator, under no supervision sounds like a deadly disaster waiting to happen…

You’ve got way too many variables to handle simultaneously that can and will (Murphy’s Law)… go wrong… being a newbie… and in your words:

<font color="red">… “I have NO experience on a tractor, how long do you think _____________________?...</font>

I’ll let you fill in the blanks… (it’s scary!)

For now, how about hiring a local farmer down the road, have him give ya some instruction for the future, but in the meanwhile, let him do the hills and such, while you observe from a safe distance and maybe save the tractor rental for something easier/safer… being much lower/safer in the tractor learning curve… /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Friend… please don’t misunderstand and take me the wrong way… I just don’t want you to hurt or kill yourself… /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[jmattox1]

I agree with most of the above. I have had a tractor for over a year now and every time I get on it to complete a task I think way ahead before the turn of the key. How should I do this? What is the safest way to do that etc.,etc.,etc.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

To everyone else's good advice I would add to be sure and rest when you're tired. That seems to be when everything bad happens to me. You get tired and either try to work too fast, or your mind is not as clear.

Also, you're smart to stick with one attachment and have the rental place put it on for you. Changing out attachments can take a long time when you're learning, especially PTO stuff.

 

[SLOBuds]

Thanks everyone. Great advice, and detailed too! Very nice.

I've decided this isn't the right thing for me to do now. Too bad!

I think that I will talk to the rental yard and see if they know any 'frequent renters' who hire out for brush clearing. Then just tag along with THAT guy for the day or two.

Appreciate the feedback.