Help with sapling puller?

[MikeD74T]

Maybe it would be easier without the tractor.


Weed Wrench
http://www.weedwrench.com/

Easier WITHOUT a tractor, that's nearly blaspheme!!!

 

[srjones]

What if....

The same principles used in the "weed wrench" were applied to a FEL device that basically did the same thing? The FEL loader gets the thing in place since it will probably weight 300-400 lbs with all the steel on it. Aux. hydraulics would certainly help the gripping mechanism, but probably not necessary. Once in place, put the FEL in 'float' and back up in the lowest gear possible, multiplying the the reverse force of the tractor by the ratio of the lever.

When pulled straight up using only the loader hydraulics (not the lever) it could be used to pull fence posted without damaging them.

I could see saplings or small trees up to 4 or 5" being pulled in soft soil, but then again I'm just speculating.

 

[mchasal]

I have been thinking of something like a J shaped hook that would attach to the bucket edge. The long edge of the J would attach leaving the curved end sticking out about 6" from the edge. You would get the tree between the curve of the J and the bucket, curl the bucket to bind the tree and then either lift with the FEL or pull with the tractor. Not sure if it would work or not, but been thinking about it.

Mike

 

[ns_in_tex]

It looks like the way to go is a steel V that is sharp enough on the inside edges that it will grab the trunk, but not so sharp that it will slice right through. I think I can do that.

You guys have been a great help. Thanks very much!

Tom

Tom, I didn't sharpen mine at all. Just used 1/2" thick steel & cut it out. by the time you pull it up by the roots, it will be stuck in the V's tight enough to have to set it down & back drag to get it to turn loose.

 

[EdK]

EdK, thanks for filling me in on the Brush Brute. It would definitely do what I need, but I can't quite justify spending over $1k on it. My sapling problem isn't that widespread.

It looks like a nice piece of equipment, though. I can see why you are enthused about it.

Tom

Understood. One thing I have to say is it took me a while to get over investing $20K+ on a tractor to realize that I still just had nothing more than a good quality power unit - without attachments you can't accomplish anything! Still, you have to watch your $$$ and scale the tool appropriately to the task as you no doubt will do. By the way, my last implement was home built: a rock picking bucket.

 

[TheKid]

I made my teeth bar to get rid of all the honeysuckle shrubs on my property. It's made out of 5/16 plate and I havent bent anything yet. It also makes stripping sod a lot easier.

 

[Guidster]

Do a search for "tree getter." You will see many hits on the topic--including the one that I built over a weekend out of 3/16 tubing and 3/8" plate with quick attach for the FEL. Next time I will purchase the QA plates on Ebay, as fabricating the quick attach took the bulk of the time. Works like a charm--I have adapted my approach to pull out smaller trees while bush hogging at the same time. Makes quick work of clearing a pasture. If you have some time and a welder, this is one to make for sure and at a fraction of the cost of the brush brute.

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

Do a search for "tree getter." You will see many hits on the topic--including the one that I built over a weekend out of 3/16 tubing and 3/8" plate with quick attach for the FEL.

I did that Guidster. Thanks. Your tree getter looks great.

Tom

 

[BAGTIC]

Something like this?

Rhinehart Grubbing Tongs ~ Gardening Tools ~ Nasco

I intend to buy one for pulling small trees and brush from a dam where I can not get my tractor and have to pull from a distance.

 

[srjones]

Something like this?

Rhinehart Grubbing Tongs ~ Gardening Tools ~ Nasco

I intend to buy one for pulling small trees and brush from a dam where I can not get my tractor and have to pull from a distance.

That's a pretty good idea and I bet you could make one for about 1/2 the price by modifying some import skidding tongs or cut the whole thing out of .500" plate steel.

 

[schmism]

ive gotten to be quite the expert at sappling removal as thats all ive done around my property for the last 2 months.

In my "soft" IL dirt, anything under about 1.5" i have gotten handy enough with the FEL without! a toothbar to pop those out (im shure it would be a lot easyer with a toothbar) stuff up to about 3" comes out fairly easly with a chain about a 1' above the stump (hooked to the FEL)

above 3" is when it starts getting tough. biggest ive managed to yank out is 6" maple with out any other prep. Bigger than that i and i have to do hand work with a tile spade and axe to help free it up. ( i just dont have enough HP )

for the money a chain and a helper cant be beat!

note, depending on your bucket setup, ive beat the top edge of mine up fairly good to the point that any further work is going to require me to take some time and straighen it back out and weld on some reinforcement!

 

[kossetx]

I'm guessing here, but I don't think those tongs are made for grubing. A 6-9" diamiter tree would take more than that to pull it out. Pull it when it's out, sure. I'd be interested to know if anyone uses one.

A 3" mesquite will stop my tractor dead in it's tracks.

 

[ns_in_tex]

So far, I've been wrapping a chain around them a few times and pulling them out individually, but getting on and off the tractor gets old fast. What I am trying to see how to build is some kind of attachment for my loader that I could just guide onto the tree trunk and have it somehow grab on so I can pull the thing out, and then somehow release afterward. I am trying to avoid the expense of hydraulics, so I would like a purely mechanical device. Maybe something that would wedge itself around the trunk when I backed up, but could be released afterward.

Anyway, that's my idea, and if anyone can help me picture how to build such a thing I would be very grateful.

Tom

We built something that does what you are asking for. I think it is similar to the brush brute, someone mentioned.

My material was 1/2" & is not sharpened. Probably would be better if 5/8" or at least, run the braces closer to the point than we did.

This thread shows several action pictures.

link to thread

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

Wow, I thought this thread was dead, but it looks like it has been revived. Neal, I read your post in July, but I don't think I had seen your tree-getter. Thanks for the link. You did a super job building that. I am amazed by the pictures of your really deep tree roots. Here in MI, the roots almost always spread out instead of going deep like that. Different trees, different soil, I guess.

Tom

 

[Farwell]

Tom,
I live about 25 miles north of Mount Pleasant, MI and had a bunch of Red Pine on my place before they got bark beetle that killed most of them. I tried to dig out the roots system on one of them and found a tap root that looked like a telephone pole. I have never seen a tree that had a tap root like that.
My soil is sand covered with approximately a foot of top soil.
Farwell

 

[kossetx]

Neal, Are you saying you bent one of those .5" points? Mark

 

[kossetx]

Neal and Guidster, I'm torn between building a fel mounted grubber or a 3pt mounted one, or both. Since you all are in tx I wonder if you could tell me how they do on my 4 worst invaders. Cedar, mequite, youpon and winged elm. Thanks, Mark

 

[IslandTractor]

If you have a QA adapter and an extra hydraulic line for your loader, this device looks interesting and, at $500, quite cheap compared to most skid steer attachments:

eBay: TREE / FENCE POST PULLER SKID STEER BOBCAT SKIDSTEER (item 200039919186 end time Nov-02-06 09:11:54 PST)

 

[srjones]

Neal and Guidster, I'm torn between building a fel mounted grubber or a 3pt mounted one, or both.

If you have a FEL-3PH adapter, this would seem to be the perfect tool for both. The FEL would have the advantage of maneuverablity, whereas the 3PH has the adavntage of brute force.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Neal, Are you saying you bent one of those .5" points? Mark

Yes, I have bent or broken 2 or 3 of them past where I stopped the brace on top. Now keep in mind, I do use it to pull fence post or take down up to 8" trees & have tried larger. I use it to dig roots with on the larger ones, then stick it into the tree as I try to push it over.

I think running the brace to within 1/2" of the end would probably work fine.