Bush Hog vs Vine Maple

Knute · Jul 27, 2005

Sometime this weekend I may be able to answer this myself, but since I'm stewing waiting for my tractor to be delivered (B7510) I'll ask the question. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

We have a fair amount of vine maples up here in the NW, has anyone tried mowing them down with a rotary cutter? I've used a backhoe to tear them out in the past which worked fairly well, but if I can cut them down with the mower that will be a lot faster and easier making trails and clearing out parts of our property.

I'll be using a Kubota B7510 with a 48" Bush Hog, most of the vine maples around here are 2" thick or so, some up around 3" near the base, and they grow in clusters. These trees are pretty tough for their size are they going to be to much for this equipment or will it do the job going slowly?

50+ hours to go until delivery....it's going to be a loooong couple days.

John

Gatorboy · Jul 27, 2005

( I'll be using a Kubota B7510 with a 48" Bush Hog, most of the vine maples around here are 2" thick or so, some up around 3" near the base, and they grow in clusters. ) 

In my opinion, I believe you will be disappointed if you think you will be cutting these down with your rotary cutter. What does the specs say your cutter is rated for? You may end up having a cutter with a short life span.

Knute · Jul 27, 2005

I doubt I'll be to disapointed, mainly because I'm not expecting it to mow through them like grass at all. Unfortunately I don't have the exact specs on the cutter, my wife added it as a surprise and didn't know them so couldn't tell me. It's supposed to be "heavy duty", which from Bush Hog would mean it's rated up to 3".

I'm more expecting to be cutting them out with a chainsaw and digging than just mowing over them like Alders, which out here cut down almost as easily as grass. A 11 hp Billygoat Outback goes through 2" Alders like weeds.

John

Gatorboy · Jul 27, 2005

( It's supposed to be "heavy duty" ) 

I didn't realize Bush Hog made a "Heavy Duty" 48-inch rotary cutter. I thought the Squealer was there only 48" model, and that is a light duty cutter that is rated for up to 1" material.

Bob_Skurka · Jul 27, 2005

Well I suppose the question in my mind is it a "Bush Hog" brand or is it a different brand that is being generically described as a bush hog. If it is the Bush Hog brand, then I am in total agreement with Gatorboy that it is a light duty 1" capacity model, that is all they make in the smaller size decks. If it is another brand, then it might be possible to find a heavy duty rotary cutter in that size with enough capacity to take down clumps of 2" and 3" trees? But is the tractor PTO powerful enough to run a true heavy duty rotary cutter through that? I have a feeling the best way to attack the vine maples will be with a chain saw.

theboman · Jul 27, 2005

I have an Fred Crain Agri Cutter 104, a 48" rotary cutter and a B7500 and I've cut many a tree in the 2"-3" range. In fact did it last night. It never bogged the tractor atoll, clanks and clanks a lot! I generally raise the hog as high as she goes and back over them, or push them over with my FEL and back over them.... Those limbs... took out a radiator last year and pulled a hydro tube loose.

btolle · Jul 27, 2005

I don't know how hard they are but my B7510 with a 48" rotary cutter will chew up trees up to about 1 1/2" in diameter.

It depends on how hard the vines are. You won't know until you try.

You might try pushing them over with the FEL first then chpping them up with the cutter. I do that with some stuff and it seems to work well. I think that the wood laying loose is easier to cut than if it is attached solidly to the ground, not quite as much resistance to the cutter blade.

I would try backing into them. Saves banging on the bottom of the tractor and allows the chips to exit the rear of the mower.

Please do not let anyone "watch" you while you mow. A mower can throw huge chunks of wood for 50 feet or more at a high rate of speed and could really hurt someone.

I never allow anyone within 100 feet of where I am mowing.

Bill Tolle

Gatorboy · Jul 27, 2005

( It depends on how hard the vines are. ) 

If I'm not mistaken, a Vine Maple is a type of tree, and not a vine at all. They give it that name because the trunk looks like a vine (twisty)

Knute · Jul 27, 2005

I belive they're a tree, that's how the nurseries sell them out here - like many other plants some people go and spend good money to buy them, others can't get rid of them. The ones we have aren't all that twisty, but tend to grow pretty straight. They'll bend almost like a willow without breaking too.

I'm checking on if this cutter is actually a Bush Hog or if that's just what my wife called it. I'm sure you're familar with how our better halves often refer to our tools, all tractors are the same etc. It could very well be the Bush Hog 480 Squealer, or a heavy duty other brand that the Kubota dealer had in the shop.

Only 45 hours or so to go, this is worse than Christmas time! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

John

Highbeam · Jul 27, 2005

I have a hard time with the maple out here. Whatever they call it, vine, bigleaf, sugar I don't know but it has a green maple leaf that falls off. Small ones grow in clumps and the 4 footers grow all alone. These buggers are nasty, I can hardly push them over with the dozer once they get to about 4 inches. The clumps are nasty because they have a big central stump cluster and then fan out in all directions to poke you in the eye.

Be sure to keep on them as this is one tree that will sprout like crazy from a cut stump.

I can knock over any other variety of NW tree with twice the diameter as the maple that stops me. I am in clay soils so the stumps have no deep tappers.

If you can knock them down with the FEL and drive over them slowly enough then the cutter should eventually be able to chew them up.

I have 15 acres also to clear of this NW jungle. Good fun.