Buying Advice tractor advice/

[logan97]

there is not a tractor made on this planet that will accomplish what one of these front drum chippers will do in a fraction of the time.

 

[Stephen NY]

30 to 35 HP in a 3000 lb tractor would do a good job for you and not be to heavy for the lawn. A larger tractor would do the job faster, but after the clearing is done they would be larger than you need. Where are you located in NY?

I live in Orange County NY...saw your Batavia..ironically my in-laws live up in Hamburg and have a 30 hp New Holland tractor they use up there for some property they have (hence my minimal tractor experience).

Stephen

 

[Stephen NY]

Don't know if these machines are in your area. I do not know what exactly they are called. They have a large rotating drum on the front of a big Bobcat style skid/track loader, they are one heck of a machine. We had HEAVY under brush on our property alot of laurels huge Rhododendron. I flagged all the trees we wanted to save and the fellas chipped everything else. The beauty of these machines is they do not disturb the soil just leave wood chips.We have had them out twice and they will be back again this winter. $100 per hour but it is worth every penny. The Forrest is thick on our property when they were done last winter the area they did was transformed to a park like quality. They also make great paths as the machines width with a little wiggle is approx. 8' If you need more specifics I can call them and ask. No piles, No windrows, No soil disturbance just chips.

Thanks very much for your reply...that drum/head sounds like what I need (at least for the initial allowing me then to maintain). Sounds like its what leon posted as well...a tree chipping drum/land clearing head? I would be interested if you could find out what they are called. I definitely don't mind paying especially if its that quality...just didn't want to pay another 'weekend warrior' to just charge me for what i could have spent time on myself...I have had friends call guys in and it was just a mess after.

Sounds exactly what I need...and then I could maintain/enhance (plant some trees, move some boulders, mow, etc) with the tractor after without killing the tractor or myself .

 

[Rockgod]

I'd look into the Massey 1635 (35.7hp). You can get it with the DL 120 loader which has a 1900 lb lift capacity. If thats a little much the 3000 series w/cx loader (around 1400 lb liftcapacity) JD might be the answer, just keep in mind those are a smaller framed tractors.

 

[TripleR]

Agreed one of those big chipper things will easily accomplish the tasks mentioned, but I personally like a mixed approach if big equipment is used. I would not trade the time I have spent over the years working in the woods with my parents, siblings and later my own children for anything. I have used an ax, cross cut saw, chain saws, ATV, tractors of different sizes and enjoyed all of it.

Sometimes it is about the destination, sometimes the journey and then there are those when both share the focus.

Figure out which is important to you and plan accordingly. If the day ever came when I had no projects, it would be a sad day indeed.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I can really identify with what TripleR said. My son and I cut lots of wood and cleared a good bit of area while he was growing up. My daughter who is four years younger than him and at the age of 26 is probably not 110 pounds ringing wet, even hauled a good bit of brush.

Now that they're both grown and gone, when I'm running fence, checking on cattle or anything else that has me out on the place, thoughts of them go through my head as I'm going by a spot where we cleared an area or or where we miscalculated and dropped a tree on the fence. This work also did a lot for their character. They both gained a good work ethic from it that I find it hard to see how they could have gained laying around the house playing video games.

It wasn't all work and no play. There was plenty of fishing and frog giggin' on a pond, downing deer, squirrel, ducks and quail and just generally roaming around the place. I wouldn't trade the country life for the biggest house in the biggest city.

My $0.02,

 

[logan97]

Thanks very much for your reply...that drum/head sounds like what I need (at least for the initial allowing me then to maintain). Sounds like its what leon posted as well...a tree chipping drum/land clearing head? I would be interested if you could find out what they are called. I definitely don't mind paying especially if its that quality...just didn't want to pay another 'weekend warrior' to just charge me for what i could have spent time on myself...I have had friends call guys in and it was just a mess after.

Sounds exactly what I need...and then I could maintain/enhance (plant some trees, move some boulders, mow, etc) with the tractor after without killing the tractor or myself .

instantmulch

check out the photo album & video clips bottom of video page.

 

[TripleR]

I can really identify with what TripleR said. My son and I cut lots of wood and cleared a good bit of area while he was growing up. My daughter who is four years younger than him and at the age of 26 is probably not 110 pounds ringing wet, even hauled a good bit of brush.

Now that they're both grown and gone, when I'm running fence, checking on cattle or anything else that has me out on the place, thoughts of them go through my head as I'm going by a spot where we cleared an area or or where we miscalculated and dropped a tree on the fence. This work also did a lot for their character. They both gained a good work ethic from it that I find it hard to see how they could have gained laying around the house playing video games.

It wasn't all work and no play. There was plenty of fishing and frog giggin' on a pond, downing deer, squirrel, ducks and quail and just generally roaming around the place. I wouldn't trade the country life for the biggest house in the biggest city.

My $0.02,

Same here. We took breaks to let the kids ride their motorcycles, shoot or sit around a fire. We usually ended the day cooking hot dogs and marsh mallows. My sons learned what hard work was and the value of family and working together.

We lived in town for the school system and spent weekends working on the farm. We now live on one of our farms and it is a gathering place for our children and grand children; life is good.

 

[Stephen NY]

Agreed one of those big chipper things will easily accomplish the tasks mentioned, but I personally like a mixed approach if big equipment is used. I would not trade the time I have spent over the years working in the woods with my parents, siblings and later my own children for anything. I have used an ax, cross cut saw, chain saws, ATV, tractors of different sizes and enjoyed all of it.

Sometimes it is about the destination, sometimes the journey and then there are those when both share the focus.

Figure out which is important to you and plan accordingly. If the day ever came when I had no projects, it would be a sad day indeed.

I think this one is definitely a mix of both. I'd like some paths and ability to get ridd of some of the really dense overgrown stuff quickly so my son and daughter (8/10) can ride their little atv in the back, have a campfire back there, etc.. I think then can go at it some at a time with tractor and kids can hangout/help (at that age its more hangout/keep company which is all good)...Right now its so packed tight that there isn't much room to work back there...I do thank everyone for all the suggestions. Had to admit I was thinking I'd be lucky if I got back a couple of responses..am amazed to have learned so much and found some other sections on projects, how tos, etc..

 

[TripleR]

I think this one is definitely a mix of both. I'd like some paths and ability to get ridd of some of the really dense overgrown stuff quickly so my son and daughter (8/10) can ride their little atv in the back, have a campfire back there, etc.. I think then can go at it some at a time with tractor and kids can hangout/help (at that age its more hangout/keep company which is all good)...Right now its so packed tight that there isn't much room to work back there...I do thank everyone for all the suggestions. Had to admit I was thinking I'd be lucky if I got back a couple of responses..am amazed to have learned so much and found some other sections on projects, how tos, etc..

My inclination would be to get someone in there to create some access trails/roads and go from there on my own.

This is a picture taken out of the cab of my M8540 pulling a 10' Woods DS1260 recently clearing some brush and saplings.