Operating Big Excavator?

[Glowplug]

I have about 40-50 trees on my property I need to get rid of. They measure between 12 - 24" diameter trunk on average . From what I've read it seems an excavator is the best way to clear property of trees. I was thinking about looking into renting an excavator to do this. Probably something in the neighborhood of a Case CX160 or CX210 (100-130hp and 35-45,000lbs). Of course I could just hire someone to do this, but what's the fun in that? Now, I know how to drive a tractor with a FEL but how do you drive/operate a track excavator? Are there any resources to learn how? Is there any special training/certification required? Would there be any insurance issues with this? Or am I just totally nuts for even considering this?

 

[john_bud]

"Or am I just totally nuts for even considering this?"

Not nuts, just optimistic.


The best way is to have someone else cut the trees. If you let them keep the trees, that should cover the costs of removing the stumps and shredding the slashings. Of course, it depends on the value of the trees. Junk trees have no value.

I would guess that in the time you were able to teach yourself to operate a 40,000# excavator and pull your first tree, a pro would be done, gone home, have his feet up and be popping his 2nd beer. That is assuming that you found a rental place that would rent $200,000 of equipment to a non-qualified heavy equipment operator.


If it was my land and $$$, I would buy an old TLB like a Ford 555 or Case 580 and do it myself. You can get decent 555's for $8-12,000. That's probably 2-3x the cost of renting a big excavator, having it delivered etc. But you get to keep it...

Let us know your final decision!

jb

 

[PBinWA]

I think John pretty much summed it up. I think you need to have insurance before they rent you the really big stuff.

Most of the Excavator controls appear to be standard (ISO) so you should be able to rent a small one to practice on and then move up if you are able to rent a big one.

For $1100, I was able to get a 55,000 lb Excavator to remove 55 trees the size of yours in about 4 hours. Call around to Excavation companies and try to find one that has some idle equipment.

Remember, that with bigger equipment you can make bigger mistakes.

 

[hemiguy]

Hi,
I agree totally with what the others are saying. That really sounds like a job for a professional. A tree with 24" trunk maybe 50 feet tall probably outweighs the excavator. One wrong move and the tree and its friend gravity would probably win. Besides, what on earth would you do with all that wood once the trees are down. If the trees are healthy hardwoods I would check your local yellow pages or just ask around for some timber/forest management companies. Up here in my neck of the woods (upstate NY) there are several outfits that specialize in small logging jobs like yours. I think most people are suprised at what their trees are worth and its possible they would pay you to do the job! I have a friend that had this done and I will have to ask him what his deal was. Of course if they are junk trees its a different story, but my guess is you won't find anyplace that will rent you the excavator. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Glowplug]

Remember, that with bigger equipment you can make bigger mistakes.

Yeah, I guess y'all are right. I could see me crushing myself, or worse yet, crushing my home. My wife wouldn't put it past me or let me live it down! She remembers well when I was learning how to operate my ZTR mower all the landscape lighting, shrubbery, and chunks of house siding that met an untimely demise. If a 1,600# mower could do that I would hate to think the damage a 40,000# excavator would do!! And it's got a big long swingy thingy on it! That's probably asking for trouble! I would be better off squishing myself! This is the way I do sometimes. I get an idea, it escalates in scale dramatically, I become totally obsessed with it, then common sense (wife) kicks back in.

 

[JimParker]

then common sense (wife) kicks back in.

LOL. My wife sometimes thinks that's the only reason I married her... She keeps me out of trouble, though! Well, most of the time!

 

[CurlyDave]

I watched a guy with a big excavator (with thumb) take out about 20 trees that size building my road & house pad.

The technique is different than you might imagine.

He would open the bucket & thumb and then swing this slowly against the tree about 1/2 way up. This would cause the tree to lean over and ultimately it would lean far enough so that closing the bucket & thumb would grasp the tree. By this time there were enough roots torn free that he could just lift the tree & roots out of the ground & put it down wherever he wanted.

The whole cycle took 1-2 minutes and then he would position the excavator for the next one.

Hire it done & watch -- don't cut the trees down first -- stump removal is harder than when the tree is attached.

 

[Doc_Bob]

"
If it was my land and $$$, I would buy an old TLB like a Ford 555 or Case 580 and do it myself. You can get decent 555's for $8-12,000. That's probably 2-3x the cost of renting a big excavator, having it delivered etc. But you get to keep it...

Use it and then sell it.
Bob

 

[bamatoolmaker]

I agree with the previous replies but would like to say that the first thing I would do is get a timber broker to come and look at what you have.You would really be shocked at what they are willing to pay for timber.I have a friend that sells fire wood this time of year and can get $300 a pickup load for firewood now he does have to load it for them but does not have to haul it.He has one customer that only wants cottonwood.If you can sell that I wouldn't call anything junk.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I watched a guy with a big excavator (with thumb) take out about 20 trees that size building my road & house pad.

The technique is different than you might imagine.

He would open the bucket & thumb and then swing this slowly against the tree about 1/2 way up. This would cause the tree to lean over and ultimately it would lean far enough so that closing the bucket & thumb would grasp the tree. By this time there were enough roots torn free that he could just lift the tree & roots out of the ground & put it down wherever he wanted.

The whole cycle took 1-2 minutes and then he would position the excavator for the next one.

Hire it done & watch -- don't cut the trees down first -- stump removal is harder than when the tree is attached.

Yep, pretty much how I saw it done.

Of course, the least work in tree work is dropping it - its cutting it up afterwards and dealing with the slash thats the pain