Thinning it out

[IslandTractor]

Whew, I'm in bad shape! I want to do about the same as Curly, but only have a John Deere 2210 (23 hp) and a rear finishing mower!

So, for me, it back to the old chain saw, axe, etc. and a lot of sweat!!

I plan to get a box blade sometime, but don't think I will be able to do much with that. Maybe clear some of the muscadine vine roots and real small shrubs... at least that will be better that using the axe like I've been doing.

Forget the boxblade. You need a bush hog first and a lightweight grapple or add on grapple/bucket then you'll be all set.

 

[MacLawn]

Forget the boxblade. You need a bush hog first and a lightweight grapple or add on grapple/bucket then you'll be all set.

Thanks, Island. I remembered that I have one of those DR Brush Mowers, and that thing works like a bush hog, kind of. It will do for what I need. If a grapple is something that hooks on the front like a front end loader, then I don't want to spend the money for that. If, however, a grapple connects to the rear PTO, then I might check that out.

I just noticed your avatar - that thing looks like it would do the job!

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Curly,
Interesting thread, and although I really dont have anything important to add to what the others have stated allready, I just fell in love with your smoker ! That thing is beautiful ! Your woodstove looks like a Quadrafire seems very similar to my buddies stove ! Very nice.

BTW George "N80", great pic of your son getting some serious seatime, I can almost hear him sayin " no wonder pop wants to be on the tractor all the time "

 

[N80]

Forget the boxblade. You need a bush hog first and a lightweight grapple or add on grapple/bucket then you'll be all set.

I agree about the grapple. It would have made my job way easier. Even a toothbar would have made a big difference. However, I disagree about the boxblade. But that depends on your plans of course. My plan was to take this area down to bare dirt. No roots, nothing. The boxblade was a tremendous help in that regard. (Not to mention that a BB is one of the handiest things you can hook on a tractor. I keep mine on at all times unless I'm mowing. Makes a great counterbalance for FEL loads!).

MacLawn, I plugged away for months with the axe, chainsaw, brush hook and machete. Got nowhere fast. Of course conditions vary, but I was waist deep in briars at all times. Makes working with a chainsaw hard and dangerous.

Here is a shot of the finished product. The photo was taken from the porch of my cabin. That is my son mowing it. The stuff we cleared was pretty much just like the trees you see to his right. What you can't see is the middle terrace. He is mowing the top terrace and you can see the bottom terrace just above the pond (planted in sunflowers). The middle terrace is about half the size of the top one. It was eroded and had gullies but I filled them in with the boxblade. Oh, what I would have given for a grapple!

 

[curly]

Curly,
So exactly how much of your money have we spent on your new stuff so far?

Well, I started with the tractor and Fel. That was the deal. Now I've got
- 6ft Modern Super Sunshine w/slip clutch - about $1250
- RBGD-60 Grapple about $2200
- Front hydraulics for the grapple about $540
- Flat Toothbar about $300
- Pat's quick hitch - about $200

So, about $4000 more than what I started with

Now, the 20x21 Pole Barn is next. And a box blade and maybe even a back hoe. Surely a phd will be needed and maybe a cement mixer, definately forks of some kind. A chipper or mulcher. There seems to really be an endless list of money-saving attachments. I'll be saving us so much money by having these things...no more paying people for this stuff.

At first I actually thought this tractor would save me money...what was I thinking

 

[curly]

Afternoon Curly,... I just fell in love with your smoker ! That thing is beautiful ! Your woodstove looks like a Quadrafire seems very similar to my buddies stove ! Very nice...

Thanks, yeah that smoker is nice. Very thick ceramic walls holds that heat in so not much charcoal is needed...even for the 18 hr pork butt cooks. Keeps everything nice and moist too. The walls get saturated with heat and the chickens cook like they are on a rotisery because the heat off the walls cook it too. It will also cook a steak at 750 degrees too. I've actually had it to about 1200 degrees one time when I opened it up to burn off the grease and forgot about it.

The woodstove is a Vermont castings. That's nice too, really puts out the heat, self cleaning glass (how do they do that?). I sorta wish I'd have gotten a soapstone woodstove now that I've seen them. But I didn't know they existed when I bgt that one.

 

[curly]

...Oh, what I would have given for a grapple!

I'm feeling better and better about this grapple purchase... And feel like I may as well add that boxblade in pretty quick. Well you know, so I can start saving money faster.

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree about the grapple. It would have made my job way easier. Even a toothbar would have made a big difference. However, I disagree about the boxblade.

I did not mean to "dis" the boxblade, just indicating that for the initial clearing operation a rotary cutter and grapple are more useful/efficient. I haven't used a boxblade in my land recovery operations but I have found a rake useful for smoothing things out. If I were really going to plant grass rather than just let Mother Nature handle that task then I'd probably use a box blade too to get everything nice and level and smooth first (all the while wishing for a Harley rake type tool ).

 

[Tororider]

Curly,

We just got the Wallenstein bx62 chipper and it has been great so far. If you are looking for something to chip up all your newly removed saplings and trees, this will do the trick. Makes nice enough chips for making paths through the forest and the like.

 

[cmhyland]

MacLawn,

At least invest in a straight shaft string trimmer you can put a blade in...

I have cleared back the edges of all my fileds with these and you can get a lot done fast.

Regards,
Chris