Monster Mulcher visits MossflowerWoods

[two_bit_score]

[/B]

No , I was happy with the results overall but I was disappointed too...in my case the mulcher left some long slices of trees behind...maybe only 1 inch thick but long slabs that were pressed down into the grass, and many of the chips are still there and I hit them with my bushog...I guess in time they will compost but until then it is like hearing marbles clanking at times when I am bush hogging.

That as been my observation about the way mulching turns out. I've never used a mulcher for clearing just seen the after effects.

I'm glad Moss is sharing his experiences.

brin, do you think it would have helped to use a landscape rake and rake up a lot f the chips into a pile?

 

[MossflowerWoods]

That as been my observation about the way mulching turns out. I've never used a mulcher for clearing just seen the after effects.

I'm glad Moss is sharing his experiences.

brin, do you think it would have helped to use a landscape rake and rake up a lot f the chips into a pile?

2 Bits,

Thanks. I figure the only way I can contribute here to TBN to pay back the education I am getting is to share.

I am thinking HARD about buying a landscape rake. I am crabby my wife talked me out of a used 8' York Rake. The local Feed store has a grey no-name (Tarter?) 7' rake for $500...

I saw three problems so far, both from walking it, and from driving my tractor out there yesterday.

#1 - There are some BIG pot holes. I had a couple pucker factor 5 spots when one rear wheel would sink into a pot-hole. This means some form of raking/ minor earth moving to at least smooth these out.

#2 - the shredded debris. It needs to be raked, scooped, something and moved out of the "grass" areas due to exactly what Brin & you described, chunks flying from bush hogging.

#3 - Occasional bigger stumps just ground level, and smaller stumps (3-5")sticking up a bit. These I will selectivly grind down a little further, but first they will snag the landscape rake...

That is what I see right now...

David

 

[Ken45101]

I bought a used landscape rake 12 years ago for a project. The salesman mentioned that I could probably use it and sell it and get my money back. That may be true....but I haven't sold it yet. It comes in VERY handy once or twice a year.

I'm not sure though that it will help you with your shredded pasture. I don't see it very good for collecting and moving the slash that's laying on the ground. That's a hard one that is best handled with a grapple.

For filling in potholes, a rake won't move a much dirt and it even then the dirt needs it to be loose. A box blade would be much better for the rough work. A landscape rake is good for finish work.

The bigger stumps would be a concern, I believe, if you have animals in the pasture. Long term, as the stumps rot out, they may be dangerous if the animals step on the holes.

For removing small stumps, a tooth on a box bar can be effective.

Bigger stumps require a backhoe or something like that.

Ken

2 Bits,

Thanks. I figure the only way I can contribute here to TBN to pay back the education I am getting is to share.

I am thinking HARD about buying a landscape rake. I am crabby my wife talked me out of a used 8' York Rake. The local Feed store has a grey no-name (Tarter?) 7' rake for $500...

I saw three problems so far, both from walking it, and from driving my tractor out there yesterday.

#1 - There are some BIG pot holes. I had a couple pucker factor 5 spots when one rear wheel would sink into a pot-hole. This means some form of raking/ minor earth moving to at least smooth these out.

#2 - the shredded debris. It needs to be raked, scooped, something and moved out of the "grass" areas due to exactly what Brin & you described, chunks flying from bush hogging.

#3 - Occasional bigger stumps just ground level, and smaller stumps (3-5")sticking up a bit. These I will selectivly grind down a little further, but first they will snag the landscape rake...

That is what I see right now...

David

 

[Combustix]

Dave get the rake well worth the money makes cleanup quick and easy. I also use it to clear light brush by backing in and drop and go. As far as selling when your done let me know when you get there!

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Dave get the rake well worth the money makes cleanup quick and easy. I also use it to clear light brush by backing in and drop and go. As far as selling when your done let me know when you get there!

I will NEVER be done!:laughing:

David

 

[two_bit_score]

Dave get the rake well worth the money makes cleanup quick and easy. I also use it to clear light brush by backing in and drop and go. As far as selling when your done let me know when you get there!

I could be completely wrong on this, never having done it, but what seems a good idea to me would be to use a landscape rake to rake up a lot of it in piles and then a grapple to pick it up and pile it for burning or just let it decompose. I guess it could wind up being good compost at some point?

http://www.deere.com/common/media/i...ments/utility_grapple/JD449520_CE_264x178.png

 

[fishfactor]

The problem with using a landscape rake after mulching is it gets clogged quickly. You will spend more time trying to force the chunks of mulch out of the tines than raking. I say this from first hand experience. I tried it once for about 5 minutes and gave up. If you must remove the mulch use a grapple, but keep in mind if you have stumps sticking up now, it will be much worse if you remove the mulch.

Best bet for pasture is to have them go back over everything backwards, slowly, with the head angled down. This will process the mulch into much finer pieces that will decompose faster. A planer type head such as a cimaf or gyro trac would give much smaller mulch in less passes, but paying them a little extra to go back over it is money well spent. There shouldn't be anything large enough in there to hurt a bush hog, and once the mulch settles down you shouldn't hit it. Right after they finish, the mulch is fluffy and looks worse than it will with just a little time.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I could be completely wrong on this, never having done it, but what seems a good idea to me would be to use a landscape rake to rake up a lot of it in piles and then a grapple to pick it up and pile it for burning or just let it decompose. I guess it could wind up being good compost at some point?

Two Bit,

I have a 6' root grapple on my FEL almost all the time.

My goal is to have them do enough that I can manage finishing it on nights and weekends.

I want to do much as you are suggesting, somehow gather the big chunks that my cutter will be tossing around, and dump them in the woods to decompose.

I am trying to determine how best to do that. Is it a landscape rake? Back dragging the tooth bar on my bucket? Or just back drag the teeth on the grapple and grab the piles?

Thanks,
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

The problem with using a landscape rake after mulching is it gets clogged quickly. You will spend more time trying to force the chunks of mulch out of the tines than raking. I say this from first hand experience. I tried it once for about 5 minutes and gave up. If you must remove the mulch use a grapple, but keep in mind if you have stumps sticking up now, it will be much worse if you remove the mulch.

Best bet for pasture is to have them go back over everything backwards, slowly, with the head angled down. This will process the mulch into much finer pieces that will decompose faster. A planer type head such as a cimaf or gyro trac would give much smaller mulch in less passes, but paying them a little extra to go back over it is money well spent. There shouldn't be anything large enough in there to hurt a bush hog, and once the mulch settles down you shouldn't hit it. Right after they finish, the mulch is fluffy and looks worse than it will with just a little time.

Colby,

I appreciate the experinced viewpoint & advice.

My goal is to get as many of my 5 acres cleared to the dirt level (as seen in the pics) as possible. I have a hard time getting my tractor into 6' tall dense growth as I am afraid of unseen stumps or holes, and the idea of rolling my tractor.

I am fine with cleaning it up, raking, grinding a few of the leftover stumps another couple inches deeper, etc. I have WAY MORE Time than $$$.

So I would rather they get some serious grinding done over the green over growth areas, than they make more mulch.

Does that make sense?

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

They will be here again today at 10 am.

Unfortunately I have to be inside the beltway for meetings this morning and at my DR to get post-op and stitches removed at 1:30, so I will just barely make it home before they finish (maybe).

I am seriously hoping they do not waste time grinding up slash and downed trees etc that I can handle, and really focus on the areas I cannot handle.

Regardless I am excited because I will clearly get more done than I expected, and hat will be very exciting and rewarding.

It is a good problem to have actually.

Be well,
David