Lot Clearning - DIY or Pro ?

[moriboy]

I say DIY. My wife and I just bought an 85 acre ranch that has about 82 acres of timber and lots of brush. I bought a KX057 and have been taking out all kinds of trees and old stumps. I have very limited experience on excavators, but so far no problem clearing about 5 acres of oak and small fir trees.

 

[Sodo]

My first experience with an excavator was a rented KX080 (19,000lb). I enjoyed it - sometimes until midnight . If you dig up the roots first on one side its easier to push a tree over. Save the bigger trees until later on, after you have some hours. I got huge amounts of work done, zero damage, not a scratch on the Ex (it was new machine, 100 hrs). If you want to get the most work done, and be more capable, sooner, hire a guy to teach you for a couple hours. Maybe can find someone on craigslist, just talk on the phone see if they sound credible.

I bought a BX24 soon after. It was not the same.

 

[tonyoz]

Ok just how old are you. 150000 hrs divided by 24 divided by 365 is 17 years. 150000 divided by an 8 hr day 5 days a week is about 75 years.

One excavator( Hitachi UH083) I operated from new did 11000hrs in 4 years. Prior to that Hitachi UH07- 14000hrs 6.5 years. These are only 2 of the many machines I've operated including dozers, graders scrapers (pans in the US). 8 hour days never heard of them.It was not uncommon to start work at 4am and run through to 10 pm 6-7 days a week.

 

[David Devuono]

A lot of guys on U-Tube dig out the roots and push the tree over. I might even try that but not with a Rental. While I prefer to bash the heck out of a much smaller machine if I were renting I would.....cut the trees down, get a Frost Pick or narrowest bucket + regular bucket. A Hydraulic thumb would simplify the job as well. With a Frost pick or single tooth ripper you can cut out the roots without moving a lot of dirt.

 

[hslogger]

On larger trees you don't have to DIG them out. You severe the roots on the backside, where you are with your machine. Then you can push them over. You will get a minimum, relatively speaking of a crater and it it will be easier to fill in. When you push it over, depending on the size of the bole and tree, either shake it or buck the root wad off and then shake it to get alot of the dirt out of it. It will be easier to handle and burn later.

Your experience or lack of, combined with your aim and patience will either seal the deal or make a dangerous situation. Everyone likes to play in the dirt, but realistically a great operator on his great machine can do you one heck of great job for a price that you might be able to live with. And remember,it aint the size of the wand, it's the magic behind it.

 

[jeff9366]

The area to clear consists of trees that are mostly 15" or less in diameter and there are all types: Oaks, Maples, Hemlocks, tall pines, etc.

My plan was to rent an excavator for a week to fell trees, stack them, and, if necessary dig out the stumps of anything I can't push over. I will have a helper to help chainsaw trees if needed and will rent a big chipper.

Am I crazy to want to try this on my own?

Chainsaw injuries rank #1 in residential trauma admissions to hospitals.

Large chippers are extremely hazardous too.

You are only crazy if you hire labor without ample liability insurance.

One employee injured and potentially your property is gone and you are ruined financially.

HIRE IT OUT.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

It isn't always fun. A suggestion, always wear the seatbelt and watch out for widow makers and large trees that can snap or fall the wrong way. A helper needs to be a tree length plus out of the danger zone unless he can outrun a 60' tree falling his way. I'd wear a hard hat, too. The chipper will be a lot of trouble if the brush is tangled.. lots of saw work. It could be a good project but could also lead to more time than you think so budget extra time especially if you have to dig and saw. Watch out for some of the hazards below:
The guy in the Bobcat was killed.. sheared a tree too high, leverage tipped machine and stump entered cab and crushed him. The tree on the CAT isn't as uncommon as you might think and the drawing is why I always wear seatbelts in machinery. Good luck and post some pics!

 

[VH5150]

Chainsaw injuries rank #1 in residential trauma admissions to hospitals.

Large chippers are extremely hazardous too.

You are only crazy if you hire labor without ample liability insurance.

One employee injured and potentially your property is gone and you are ruined financially.

HIRE IT OUT.

I have family who work in the E.R. and yes, chainsaws are a big reason for admission to the hospital.

I've decided on a logging company to clear the trees and I will rent the Ex to pull stumps and rough clear the driveway. After considering the advice posting here, that seems to be the safest way to go.

 

[sixdogs]

I have family who work in the E.R. and yes, chainsaws are a big reason for admission to the hospital.

I've decided on a logging company to clear the trees and I will rent the Ex to pull stumps and rough clear the driveway. After considering the advice posting here, that seems to be the safest way to go.

Good decision.

I used to be peripherally involved with accident victims and related disabilities and saw some incredible chainsaw cut involving people who were ever watchful and spent their life in the woods being careful. Sometimes things just happen. Saw cuts are especially nasty because the cut is so jagged and winds up so filthy from oil and dirt.

Most alarming is to watch people with a cavalier attitude towards a saw and cut wood in tennis shoes and shorts. I've even seen a guy in flip flops, up on a ladder and cutting above his head. Talk about a Darwin award.

 

[tman1020]

Here is a picture from a guy on the bobcat form I thought you might like to see. The tractor I believe it's a bobcat CT 230, very similar to a kioti ck. He successfully took down this monster of a tree said it took about four hours. The stump was so large the tractor didn't have a chance of pulling it out of the whole. When I read the comment "its not the size of the Wand it's the magic behind it "made me think of this. That being said I would not recommend this technique. It worked for him and it's awesome to watch and obviously he is very skilled. Absolutely positively not something for a amateur.

I think hiring out the excavator to remove the large trees is the best idea. Hard to beat experience on something like this. Digging up stumps is one thing bringing trees to the ground is another. Good luck have fun and be safe.