Land Clearing

[flomanno]

Hello to all. I've been reading this forum for over a year and would like to thank everyone who contributes. It has provided a great deal of information for someone who knew nothing about tractors. I have a L3010 HTS with FEL and backhoe. I've been clearing land on our property by cutting down trees and removing the stumps and large boulders. Now I have land which has rocks (1" - 12") and a lot of dips, holes and valleys. Any suggestions about how to get the rocks out and smooth the land level for planting?

 

[Boondox]

Frank -- For future reference, almost all of us read all the forums, so you only have to post your question in one place.

I'll answer in the other location.

Pete

 

[dmccarty]

Flomanno,

You can do this with a box blade but if you do it will really
help if you have a hydraulic top link as well as a hydraulic
side link aka Tip and Tilt. There is a huge thread on
how to build a Tip and Tilt system.

I have a hydraulic top link and is really nice to be able to
adjust the angle of the box blade with just a touch on a
control.

I'm not sure of the size on a L3010. I have a JD 4700 which
is a 41.5 HP at the PTO tractor. I can move most rocks but
when they get into the 12-24" size it gets interesting. I
accidently hit a rock, close to the 24" size the other day when
I was smoothing out the driveway to be. This rock lodged
under the box blade and some cause my hydraulic toplink hose
connection to loosen and I lost quite a bit of fluid before I
knew it.

The key to using a box blade is to just go slow. If you try
to move to fast the box will just bounce over stuff and if you
make a mistake with the angle of the implement you make a
bigger mess. I keep the tractor in A(low) range in first or
second gear. So I do me slow. It also gives you time to
react when you hit something you don't want to.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Good Luck,
Dan McCarty

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Pete, I'm glad you said something about that. As I was reading this I had a real feeling of deja vu about it. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Argee]

Take the FEL and fill it (repeatedly) with the rocks from the area you want to plant. Dump it in an area that is not used often. Next year, repeat the process as freeze and thaw are what brings the rocks to the surface. Then the year after that, repeat the process. Then the year after that, repeat the process. Then the year after that, repeat the process. I've got on field that I have been stoning for about 6 years. I swear the rocks are mating.