Clearing Trails

[FL_Cracker]

In our area you can rent a RC100 tracked skid steer with a MAGNUM head. It's a brush clearing, trail making machine. It's a lot like a front flail mower but it uses a rotary drum with hardened teeth. You can just drive it through heavy brush, over 3-4" trees and it cuts a 6' path with each pass. The nice part is it doesn't dig up the soil, no mess to burn and when your done you path is covered in mulch. From then on all you have to do is bush hog the trails to keep them clean. You can even grind stumps with this machine. I've watched it drive through and over brush 20' high. You can't even see the machine inside a thicket until it reaches the edge.
*No ground disturbed
*No small trees to cut first
*Mulch debris, all material goes back in your soil
*One man operation, from enclosed A/C or Heated Cab
*No burning required

It really make brush and trails a breeze.

Here's a link to the attachment and it just needs a 100hp SS to make it happen.
Magnum Mulcher

 

[jgh]

20060205

That magnum thing looks mean. I requested info from them, as their specs call for 30-40 gpm flow and my SSL has 30 or so. I can clear with my bush hog but it leaves stubble while this one appears not to.

Have any idea what it costs and what the mfrs record is? They acknowledge being a fairly new company, only in business since 2000, and some of the language on their site seems a little bit hyper /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

When I hear more/learn more, I'll chime back in, hope others will as well,

Jim

 

[jgh]

20060205

If you will remember that I am not the expert Eddie seems to be (nothing like doing it for a living):

1- Your Stihl 260 is one of the larger ones, very powerful. I have a 360 and it is a hoss. If you happen to buy/use one of the smaller ones you or someone referred to (compact and easy to carry around, etc), please take caution--the small ones (tree surgeon specials) can be MORE dangerous than the larger ones. Apparently that is because
a- Their smaller size fools users into thinking they can't possibly be all that risky. Wrong. and
b- They have more tendency to kick back due to many not having much of an end to hold onto (I may not be explaining that correctly, experts jump in). On the 360, for example there is a "step" in the rear handle that I put my foot into to hold it while starting. On the little saw everything is pretty much on top.

I have one of those Stihl climbing saws, too, which I can even hang from my belt. It is convenient and dangerous. But so is the 260/360.

2- Around here folks would cringe at the idea of leaving a lot of pushed together brush in the woods. Fire fuel is what my forester tells me, anything that is flammable and helps fire travel along the forest floor. We'd have to get rid of it. It may decompose over time, sure, but it may get decomposed all of a sudden if a fire comes thru.

Just some opinions based on experience and/or what I am told. YMMV.

Jim

THIS JUST IN: the webform for Magnum failed. I just received a failure notice on attempting to get a request for info to them ("too many hops"). If anyone can get thru, pls post info here. Thanks!!

 

[Bill_in_MI]

The skid steer mulcher option sounds interesting to me. I have about 20 acres with a lot of dead fall and scrumpy (old, 4 to 6 inches dia.) pines that I would like to clean up. I would be interested in knowing how one of these machines might work out. I was thinking about getting a root rake, piling, burning, ect. but this sounds like a better way to go.

Anyone with experience? Thanks.

 

[Panache]

Bill,
There are several companies making the mulcher heads. Loftness comes to mind. I seem to remember $20k as a price just for the head. 1-3 ac/hr is their claimed speed depending on size of trees. I think one of the mulchers would work good for your area

 

[Bill_in_MI]

Panache,
Yes, about $20k for the Loftness. I've been scouting the web since I posted and looking at various units, including their videos. I'm pretty convinced the skid steer units will work for growing brush/trees from watching the videos. What I am not sure about is how they would do on old stuff laying on the ground scattered every which-way. Or, on some piles of brush and logs that it would be nice to flatten out. I suppose if I could find one to rent that would be the best way to find out...certainly before ever considering a purchase decision. Thanks much.

 

[ajdillon]

Jeff: I just noticed your tag line:
I always thought the main difference between genius and stupidity was that genius had its limits!
Andrew

 

[Panache]

Andrew, that is one but it has been used by others. When is the last time you did something real stupid and thought that feels oh so good? Stupid can hurt physically or mentally but it always hurts.

 

[Cottonhawk]

I just had a contractor come in with Takeuchi Brush Cutter to clear couple of area. The land was full of years old brushes and blackberry. This brush cutter cuts the brush and small trees out in no time at all. It's the most efficient way for us to get the rough cut hired done and clean up with loader and box blade.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Here is a picture of the dense 20 plus years old brush and blackberry.