Toothbars and FEL's etc.

[popeye]

Toothbars and FEL\'s etc.

I need to clean and mow 50 acres that has been clear cut. I will have to move logs and limbs out of the way before I can mow,disc and replant. I have been looking at attachments that will go on my FEL (L502 on an MX5000). Any suggestions on what will work the best.

Mike

 

[John_Mc]

Re: Toothbars and FEL\'s etc.

A toothbar will definitely help. I find it lets me scoop under things like logs and brush more easily than the plain bucket lip. At a few hundred bucks (depending on the size of your bucket) this is probably one of the cheaper additions you could get. It helps, but not nearly as much as some of the more deluxe options (grapple or "4 in 1" bucket)

A bucket grapple (looks like a couple of claws which are hydraulically activated and clamp down from above to hold brush, logs, etc in the bucket).

I've never tried one, but the ultimate would probably be a "4 in 1" bucket. Performs a variety of functions, including regular FEL, dozer-type function, and grabbing similar to a grapple. This replaces your existing bucket. Expensive! hopefully some of the experienced 4 in one users will chime in with operational details and ballpark pricing.

A logging chain attatched to your drawbar might be worth it if you have to drag larger logs over a long distance. This would be a cheaper way out than the grapple or 4 in 1 bucket if you found you couldn't move them with the plain FEL.

John Mc

 

[MarkV]

Re: Toothbars and FEL\'s etc.

Mike, if your clear cut looks anything like my in-laws acreage that was cut, hire a dozer for a day or two. That dozer and operator will do more in a day than you will in a month. You also have the stumps to deal with if you are turning this into pasture. There will still be plenty of work to do before you have a nice pasture or hay field.

MarkV

 

[Turfman]

Re: Toothbars and FEL\'s etc.

50 acres is a lot of land to cleanup. You may be wise to hire a crew with a dump truck and a track hoe to move the stuff and knock over the stumps.

 

[dgood1]

Re: Toothbars and FEL\'s etc.

Mike,

If you have more time than money, then do it yourself. Most of the stuff will rot by the time you are done with 50 acres.

I paid a fellow with a full sized backhoe and it still took several weeks with him working afternoons and me working weekends. He let me use the backhoe and dump truck on the weekends and didn't charge me. What a neighbor.