Looking for input on machine for forestry mulching

[Silvic]

Want to say hello. I have been reading the posts for a while and thought I needed to join.

I have had a rather large increase recently in my forest work and am finding that previous methods of site prep are too time and labor intensive for the additional acreage. I have been told for some time that I was nuts for doing it the old way and I finally agree. Thus I am looking at moving up.

I have pretty much narrowed down my search for a CTL to the Deere 333 (think the 323 is too small for the mulcher heads), the Cat 299XHP and the Kubota SVL 90-2.
I need to have high flow and power to reliably run without bogging down and frustrating myself with underpowered operations.

As to the mulcher.
I do not need landscape quality output of chips. I am prepping forest areas to replant and reclaiming areas that have undesirable vegetation choking out the desirable seedlings. Moderate debris size is actually a better more desirable output than a fine shredded material such as lot of you folks need in your work.

I have been looking at the Cat HM 315, Fecon and Bradco mulchers.
Actually the Bradco Extreme Ground shark while not technically a mulcher looks very interesting as well.

Does anyone have specific experience with a combination that they thought was really good or bad. And how do the three CTL's listed work out. I heard that the 299D requires the operator to keep the thumb on the switch to keep the hi-flow going to the mulcher. Seems odd; is that true or not? Dealer has been less than clear on several details.

I am renting a 299 XHP with a HM315 for a tryout this week (no demos available here).

Well a bit of a long initial post. Hope to get some input from all the folks out there with the same equipment that I am looking at.

 

[lumberjack1986]

If you're going to spend most of your time mulching, the 299D is the way to go. I have a SVL90-2 that I use a Ground Shark on, and it does well, but the 299 is one of the best high flow machines available.

 

[fishfactor]

You don't have to keep your thumb on the switch on the 299. We just switched from Bobcat to 299 XHP's with fecon heads.

If finished product is not that important, you may want to look at the AFE heads. Advanced Forest Equipment > Products

I haven't ran one, but we had a 315 Excavator with one of their heads and it was bullet proof, very low maintenance, but didn't leave a very fine mulch without a few passes. The videos of the skid steer version look impressive in smaller material.

 

[HLM]

Fish,

Did you get rid of your excavator with the AFE head?

 

[fishfactor]

Fish,

Did you get rid of your excavator with the AFE head?

Yes, sold it this past summer.

 

[cmx]

how large of material are you trying to mulch? how many acres a day ? and how far into the soil are trying to get? Were out west are you ? Kind of material?

 

[Silvic]

how large of material are you trying to mulch? how many acres a day ? and how far into the soil are trying to get? Were out west are you ? Kind of material?

Material ranges from brush up to 6-7 inch coarse woody debris (CWD) Lost 14 year stand in ice storm, turned into toothpicks, and the undesirable undergrowth had gone wild.
Acres per day is unlikely in the area I am working in; more like days per acre.
Wanted to demo but could not so I rented a Cat 299DXHP with a cat HM 315 mulcher (dull knifes/bits) and did a bit over 5 acres in 7 days. Lost a bit of time for a track that started to shed and a 1" logging cable that wound up on the horizontal rotor but not unhappy with the overall result.
My goal is to avoid getting into the soil so as to disturb the seed bed for more undesirable germination but it happens and I have to deal with it.
Western Washington foothills of Cascades.
I am leaving some toothpicks upright so they can rot and decay more slowly to feed the next stand growth. Hack and Squirt..

 

[timbatrader]

Here is a link to a New Zealand mulcher contracter clearing clear felled pine forest land before replanting an impresive one pass operation with a selfbuilt machine http://www.landprep.co.nz/img/machine-3.jpg

 

[tonyoz]

Here is a link to a New Zealand mulcher contracter clearing clear felled pine forest land before replanting an impresive one pass operation with a selfbuilt machine 404 Not Found

 

[cmx]

If you are in western washington you are close to me, we are located 30 minutes south of Portland,Oregon. WE are doing demos this weekend with the rt200 on over grown Xmas trees and brush. This size of material we have done acres of over sized Xmas trees brush and other debrie with mutiple acres aday. If you would like to come down and see this machine run i would more than happy to take you over to a place were it can be ran and let you deside. I think this machine is sold, pending the test we are going to do on saturday. If purchasing one is out of the budget i can hook you up with the contractor that is buying this machine. CMX Industries 503-475-4116