Excavator cost per hour????

[Dargo]

It all depends on a lot of variables. Without seeing the area, I don't think anyone with experience will try to give you a time estimate. I was just going to town knocking huge trees down with a D11 dozer and I had the root ball come up between the blade and the front of the tractor. You'd just think that you can back up over a dip or ditch and it would come right out, right? Not! After about 6 hours of screwing around with this tree, the last 3 with another D11 trying to help, I ended up having to get a huge track hoe along with another D11 to get that darned tree off of me!

You don't need a root rake to get them out. You just tilt a 6 way blade where one corner cuts off the top foot or 2 of roots all the way around the stump. You then back up and lower your blade and pour the power to it when you get against it while you raise the blade. They usually come right out then. With no problems, that method takes me about 2 minutes a tree. However, count on problems.

It seems that you don't like my thoughts because they basically tell you to expect the unexpected and that it will not be as easy as many may think. I won't bother wasting any more of your time nor mine. Good luck!

 

[Ponddigger]

Hello,

I wasn't in anyway trying to knock Dargo's suggestion just giving you an alternative idea to using an excavator. I think that it's common sense to know that when you are using machinery it can break. As far as the question concerning the size of a stump that a d6 or d7 will remove I don't think you will have any problem with the 18-36" stump. You're not going to push them out with no effort but with the use of the hydraulics and forward motion you can get them out. The key is to get them started out of the ground with the hydraulics and then backup and finish the job before you get them stuck between the blade and the radiator. Dargo is absolutely right in that getting a stump caught in there is a pain. If you want to know prices you can go to Machinery Trader and find out how much it would be to rent either and excavator or a dozer. Then you can weigh you options and find out which is more cost effective. One thing from experience is that pushing out trees and stumps all day is a lot more work then it sounds, just to give you heads up. Take care and happy clearing,

PD

 

[lazyu]

In West Texas Excavators are used alot in removing Mesquite Trees from Pastures, this costs anywhere from 145 to 275 per hour unless you own your own. A good operater can clear 20 acres a day in medium to small trees (less than 3 inch diameter) and good moisture, if it is dry, much less can be done as fast. CRP acres are perfect areas for excavators to work, the tall grass tends to hold moisture longer and the machine can move much faster provided the sprouts are not too numerous to slow things down. Figure at least 100 dollars per acre or more depending on conditions.

 

[tlbuser]

Might want to think about what you're going to do with all of the slash and stumps. 30 acres will make a pretty big pile (or 3). Burning eats up equipment time and money. Burying isn't always a great option. Haul off is usually pricey. Grinding is kinda pricey too. Either way, you may need permits for stumping and grading. Erosion control is a concern too.
Like Dargo said, experience is a big asset but it's all learn-able if you have desire, time and money. Grading with an ex is darned difficult. Stumping with a root rake isn't the most fun I've ever had.

85-150/hr. w/ operator local price for a 3 series Cat. plus haul charges
rents for about 4200/month (thumb is extra) plus haul, fuel, operator and insurance

If it was thick enough to timber, I doubt you'll get multiple acreage per day stumping and piling slash.

 

[excav8ter]

I have done quite a bit of stumping for developments over the last 11 years, so here is my .02..... Pushing stumps out with a dozer is fine if you don't mind making a HUGE mess. Plus you need a lot of room to move around while digging around the stump. Some will push right out, others will be a PITA. I personally prefer using my excavator with the hydraulic thumb. I like this method because you can pick up the stump and drop it on another stump to beat the sand out of it for easier burning. It also takes a smaller hole, when using a excavator, to dig out stumps. After the stumps are out then use a dozer to re-grade the site. Burn the stumps or leave them in a few piles along the edge of the pasture for low cost rabbit condominiums.

I charged $95.00 hour for me and my 38,000 pound excavator. Sometimes I would charge per stump if the owner wanted. Then the price was as cheap as $5.00 each for stumps up to 12" and as much as $100 for a 40" beech or oak tree. These prices depended on quantity, size and type of tree too.



Root rakes are not for pushing out stumps, they are ROOT rakes.

 

[grsthegreat]

here in Idaho i can rent a 5 ton excavator with thumb for $625/week (40 hours). thats like 125/day. way cheaper then hiring it out. there real easy to operate....heck my wife has used them :laughing: :laughing:

I'm surprised you couldn't find someone to push them over. thats done all the time here....you must have deep rooted trees???

here, they push them over , thumb them over and cut the root ball. burn and bury the roots.

EDIT: Oops..i just saw your post about 16-36" oak...never mind hehe. Ive played with those in the past. miserable to get the root balls out. I have fir and pine here, and we dont care about pushing them over mainly cause there all used in chip mills and pellet stove fuel plants here. no lumber market for past 3 years.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have done quite a bit of stumping for developments over the last 11 years, so here is my .02..... Pushing stumps out with a dozer is fine if you don't mind making a HUGE mess. Plus you need a lot of room to move around while digging around the stump. Some will push right out, others will be a PITA. I personally prefer using my excavator with the hydraulic thumb. I like this method because you can pick up the stump and drop it on another stump to beat the sand out of it for easier burning. It also takes a smaller hole, when using a excavator, to dig out stumps. After the stumps are out then use a dozer to re-grade the site. Burn the stumps or leave them in a few piles along the edge of the pasture for low cost rabbit condominiums.

I charged $95.00 hour for me and my 38,000 pound excavator. Sometimes I would charge per stump if the owner wanted. Then the price was as cheap as $5.00 each for stumps up to 12" and as much as $100 for a 40" beech or oak tree. These prices depended on quantity, size and type of tree too.



Root rakes are not for pushing out stumps, they are ROOT rakes.

only 95/hr.....man there alot more here with operator and a hoe that large.

 

[excav8ter]

only 95/hr.....man there alot more here with operator and a hoe that large.

Yeah, It's pretty brutal when you have a truck, trailer and excavator and drive to the customer and they have a hard time accepting $95/hr as a good price. There are guys going as low as $80 for a similar machine, just to get work. But, at the end of the day all they did is wear out their machine and make no money for the effort. Its crazy.

 

[rutwad]

Unless you plan to disk the land, why not use a dozer and shear blade? The excavator will be great for digging stumps, but it will leave you with a huge mess. Stumps and stump holes. Then you need a dozer to clean up, so just get the dozer to start with.

Rental rates vary hugely even in the same area. Be sure to call around.

 

[excav8ter]

Unless you plan to disk the land, why not use a dozer and shear blade? The excavator will be great for digging stumps, but it will leave you with a huge mess. Stumps and stump holes. Then you need a dozer to clean up, so just get the dozer to start with.

Rental rates vary hugely even in the same area. Be sure to call around.

Both machines will make a mess. But the excavator is going to be the easiest way to get 30" stumps out. It's very hard on a dozer to dig out big stumps. I have seen lots of blown hydraulic lines on dozers while digging around stumps. Plus, all the back and forth, and going down and under the stumps puts a TON of stress on the under carriage. An excavator with a thumb is the way to go. After the stumps are out, fire up the dozer to re-grade the field.