Land Clearing

Anonymous Poster · Apr 27, 2000

One more thought. I know how you feel about having a dozer turn the sterile ground up and lose the topsoil. If you have someone come out or rent a bigger machine, get one with digging teeth on the front or a clearing rake on the dozer. Talk to the operator and let him know your concerns, he can touch the ground with nothing but the rake and it won't be as bad as you think. If the ground is soft ask him to make gradual turns also to keep from turning the ground up. Some operators I've hired are remarkable in control of their machines. I had to kid one guy, after I saw his expertise and care operating an excavator I told him I bet he could pass the true excavator operator test. i.e. Any operator can turn the pages of a phone book with the excavator, but a TRUE operator can turn the pages with the book wet!

Glenn McBride · Apr 27, 2000

I had one similar to your willow. Had a 2" tree that I wanted to get rid of, hooked a chain to it and pulled. Ended up pulling about 12 feet of dirt and roots. Turns out the whole root system was in 6 inches of dirt on top of solid rock. Since then, we have exposed some 40 feet of this rock and call it part of our landscaping.

Alan L. · May 1, 2000

I wonder how big a tree a 100HP or so 4wd Ag tractor will pull up with a chain?

Anonymous Poster · May 2, 2000

>>I wonder how big a tree a 100HP or so 4wd Ag tractor will pull up with a chain?

Its going to depend on the soil and the tree type...I big palm tree in sandy soil is gonna go down rather easy, on the other hand, I have a JD5410 65HP and I tried to pull out a 4 inch locust tree in heavy packed rocky clay type soil and it wouldn't budge an inch...I don't like pulling stumps with chains...too dangerous...guess I'll have to get the backhoe after all!

richh · May 6, 2000

When I built my home had to clear out a spot in the woods, all maple trees big ones. I tryed a backhoe , dynamit, and then got a fella with a D8 to come over. There was over 120 stumps and he push them all out in to a nice pile in about 4 hrs. I then had him go to the back 40 [ had 80 A then now 120] and push up a pile of pit run, about 400 yd. in 2 hrs.!!! charge me $600.00 what a deal!!!! Got all my stumps out and did'nt have to beat up my mach. get the gravle out. GET A CAT!!!
Rich