I was wanting to know your guys opions on tree saws and mulcher heads. The carrier would be a large ctl, not for sure on wich one yet. I know that the tree saw could cut down alot bigger tree than a mulcher head can take down, but the mulcher head is a one step process. If I would go for the saw I would also get a big chipper or grinder. Any opions would be greatly appreciated.
mulcher head vs. tree saw
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DIRTROAD
Platinum Member
If this is a project for yourself, just hire someone else to come in and mulch it all up.
If this is a business venture, think very very long and hard about it first.
If this is a business venture, think very very long and hard about it first.
Saw if you can burn. Mulcher if you can't burn. Takes a lot less HP for saw and piling. Burning will kill the ground for 2 -3 years so piles need to be few and tight. I use a saw in KS. Our Osage orange trees will last 20 years before rotting even if mulched. Just purchased a rotary bush hog type cutter for up to 3" stuff that I like a lot so far. Think the rotary will do larger than 3", but ear plugs will be needed for sure.
So far no problems with tire puntures. My rotary cutter pretty much frays and splinters the stumps without any clean sharp points. I have mowed quite a few trails and have traveled extensively with my pickup with no tire problems. (Knock on wood) I was also worried about tires. Something that has given me tire problems in the past is the locust thorns. I have mowed a lot of locust and have had no problems there either. Some of the locust thorns are 3-4" long.
Robbie Hegwood
Platinum Member
help us out a little and tell us your goal. If you are going this route to us the chips than the process is a sound one but I'm not sure about equipment size. examples
1. CTL and tree saw. about 15" tree max due to the weight of the tree up top, alot to handle. a small horizontal grinder?? still have to load tree into grinder. third pretty big grinder. if you go with a chipper that self loads then the loading problem solved. still three pieces of equipment. large CTL, saw and grinder/chipper easily 150-200k
2. Now if you just want trees ground on site then a mulcher will do. A Ctl with proper head will handle a 15" tree, just not one after another, that would be slow. But if this is the route you like then the 150-200k would buy a larger machine (mulcher) and easily handle the 15" tree and larger. 150k would buy a 140hp class tracked machine or 200-250 hp tired machine( hydro-ax) and 200k a new 140-160hp tracked machine and 300hp on a used whelled machine. SSP&M can vouch a 300 hp wheeled machine will handle a 20+' tree.
3. Back to your goal.
1. CTL and tree saw. about 15" tree max due to the weight of the tree up top, alot to handle. a small horizontal grinder?? still have to load tree into grinder. third pretty big grinder. if you go with a chipper that self loads then the loading problem solved. still three pieces of equipment. large CTL, saw and grinder/chipper easily 150-200k
2. Now if you just want trees ground on site then a mulcher will do. A Ctl with proper head will handle a 15" tree, just not one after another, that would be slow. But if this is the route you like then the 150-200k would buy a larger machine (mulcher) and easily handle the 15" tree and larger. 150k would buy a 140hp class tracked machine or 200-250 hp tired machine( hydro-ax) and 200k a new 140-160hp tracked machine and 300hp on a used whelled machine. SSP&M can vouch a 300 hp wheeled machine will handle a 20+' tree.
3. Back to your goal.
I believe I'm a bit out of my league, if we are talking 150K and 200K for machines
I have a 32" 12 tooth blade skid steer saw. $3000 when bought new. Now costs close to $5000 with improvements. Will cut a 14" tree at or below ground level in 1 pass. Can double tree size by working both sides of the tree. I do not try to control tree fall and generall finish large trees by pushing over. Smaller trees 15" and under fall to the side of the saw due to saw momentum.
Most common nuisance trees are Osage Orange and Locust generally less than 15" diameter.
My Skid Steer is a 57 HP wheeled 1845C Case. It has Hi Flow hydraulics 30 GPM @ 2500 PSI which calculates to about 36 hydraulic HP. My cost was $11,500. It only has 5600 hrs. Would like to have tracks.
72" skid steer mounted bushhog $4500
$1500 for a trailer to haul. **** I've got more money tied up than I thought.
I purchased my equipment for clearing my own land, but have done a lot of custom work against my will. I just throw my wallet on the table and tell the customers to "fill it up".
We are able to burn in KS so a mulcher is not required. Do all my tree piling with the skid steer. Kansas is also blessed with lots of flint rocks in my area that do not mulch well.
As Mr. Hegwood said it depends on your goal and expectations.
I have a 32" 12 tooth blade skid steer saw. $3000 when bought new. Now costs close to $5000 with improvements. Will cut a 14" tree at or below ground level in 1 pass. Can double tree size by working both sides of the tree. I do not try to control tree fall and generall finish large trees by pushing over. Smaller trees 15" and under fall to the side of the saw due to saw momentum.
Most common nuisance trees are Osage Orange and Locust generally less than 15" diameter.
My Skid Steer is a 57 HP wheeled 1845C Case. It has Hi Flow hydraulics 30 GPM @ 2500 PSI which calculates to about 36 hydraulic HP. My cost was $11,500. It only has 5600 hrs. Would like to have tracks.
72" skid steer mounted bushhog $4500
$1500 for a trailer to haul. **** I've got more money tied up than I thought.
I purchased my equipment for clearing my own land, but have done a lot of custom work against my will. I just throw my wallet on the table and tell the customers to "fill it up".
We are able to burn in KS so a mulcher is not required. Do all my tree piling with the skid steer. Kansas is also blessed with lots of flint rocks in my area that do not mulch well.
As Mr. Hegwood said it depends on your goal and expectations.
Ken45101
Elite Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2009
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- 3,679
- Location
- southern Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M5040, M9540, B21 TLB, B2710, RTV900, JD 325 Skid steer, KX-121-3 mini excavator
With my rotary mower on the ss, I can take stumps down to ground level and flat. They advertise working at ground level. I've even gone back and ground down (slowly) an old big stump (15" dia) to ground level that was in the way on an existing trail.
My mower has a large roller on the back and skids on the front that prevent me from mowing under about 1". It's a Quick Attach Attachments Inc. made in Alexandria Minnesota. What brand do you have Ken45101?
Robbie Hegwood
Platinum Member
I would look toward total burn ban's. Several states have adopted this already. My numbers were based on doing this as a business. Of course you can find cheaper and alternate route's but you get what you pay for and it takes HP to grind tree's!!
I live in the heart of the Flinthills of Kansas. When the tall prairies are being burned it is visible from satellites or the space shuttle. Like you I expect burn bans to be the norm in most areas. The spring controlled pasture burns are an economical way of controlling invasive brush. I also agree with your HP statement. 2 gallons of diesel on a burn pile and I have mulched 10 - 20 acres. I believe that saws for our area are better than mulching as we are trying to restore rocky pasture ground. Mulching would require reseeding and at up to $80.00 a pound for native grass seed that can be very expensive. When cutting the trees at ground level the grass will generally recover. In my case cheaper is also better. Large dozers are still used, but are losing favor due to the impact on grass/ground. Resprouting is also a problem and I would not know how to spray a mulched area.
There are quite a few in KS. who do this as a business and all have larger and better machines than mine. (All I know about run saws or shears) They don't do better, but they are faster and more expensive. Most will not come to the flinthills to do cutting which leaves a nich for old farts like me and I am not looking for business. I guess location is a big question!!!
Ken45101
Elite Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2009
- Messages
- 3,679
- Location
- southern Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M5040, M9540, B21 TLB, B2710, RTV900, JD 325 Skid steer, KX-121-3 mini excavator
I have a Brush Monster. The skids are tapered in front so that you can tilt it down and scalp the ground. That's not my preferred way of operating but there are times when that comes in handy for taking out saplings at ground level. At other times, I wish it would float like yours. No implement handles all situations perfectly.
Ken
have you given any thought to a tree shear I have a company in oklahoma I use a M&M 16"tree shear 2 blades cuts ground level works very well.I also have a brushmonster brand mower works well ,but after a while you get cracks around bobtack plate. Not impressed with design of bracing ,5 ft mower just cracked ,6 ft mower broke away from mower . They are sending new deck but would not add more bracing ,guess you get what you pay for.
fishfactor
Gold Member
Same issue with our brush cat. Nothing that a few pieces of scrap steel I had laying around wouldn't fix.
yellowdogsvc
Platinum Member
In case anyone else is interested in this type of clearing and chipping, I saw this older thread and wanted to mention that a self loading chipper works very good with sheared or sawed trees. I use a Vermeer BC 2000 with a grapple loader and can be very productive all by myself. I can chip trees up to 20" and I can lift a 3,000 lb log or tree and pull it into the feed wheels on the chipper. For the 1-10 acre clearing contractor, this method works pretty good. I'm not sure if I am the first guy down in Texas to do it that way but Vermeer originally told me it wouldn't work well but when I got my system down, I was very productive. You can get into a used chipper like that for about 40k and that's less than half of what they would go for new if Vermeer still made it. I think Morbark and Bandit still make a chipper with a loader and I imagine there is a good used market to choose from.
