What to RENT to speed up my cleanup from mulching

[MossflowerWoods]

Guys,

I've got a number of threads in the past that cover this, but in brief, I had ~5 acres clear cut by loggers, I had a 300hp Franklin with a big 10.5' mulcher head come in and mulch much of it to burn pile sized stuff and smaller.

I've been turning it into horse pasture slowly.

Winter was WAY TOO WET and I made no progress. I'm now behind schedule and stuff is starting to grow again.

I need to rent something for a weekend that I can drive, and will easily help me shove all the debris out of the way or into burn piles I can quickly burn (Burn restricted to 4pm to midnight) so I can catch up.

My dealer suggested I rent a "Track Loader" I'm thinking with a 4-way bucket, or one I can pop my grapple onto, or ???

What do equipment would you suggest?

Also, My neighbor has a F-350 2wd and a 10K flatbed I can borrow soI can do self delivery.

Thanks in advance,
David

 

[tonyoz]

Have you thought about hiring an excavator with a grab to pile up your timber then using a CTL to do the final cleanup? That away there would be much less ground disturbance.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I was thinking renting either an excavator with a thumb or a Compact Track loader with a brush grapple.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Guys,

All the timber is long gone, over 100 log trucks full.

What I have left is slash and scraps, and mulching debris.

I have a 6' root grapple on my tractor now, but it is not effective as a bulldozer.

I have stumps ranging between ground level to maybe 1" tall that will catch on my FEL.

What I want to do is CLEAR the debris faster than I am currently getting it done.

I was thinking a track loader is closer to a dozer, and might be able to handle my SSQA Grapple (Or I will just rent a 4 way bucket) for the larger pieces.

For now, I am done hiring help. Now I'm looking to clear it enough that I can get busy with my stump grinder and start building more fence and enclosing more pasture area.

If for no other reason than I need somewhere for the horse poo...

Thanks,
David

 

[Johndeere3720]

Guys,

All the timber is long gone, over 100 log trucks full.

What I have left is slash and scraps, and mulching debris.

I have a 6' root grapple on my tractor now, but it is not effective as a bulldozer.

I have stumps ranging between ground level to maybe 1" tall that will catch on my FEL.

What I want to do is CLEAR the debris faster than I am currently getting it done.

I was thinking a track loader is closer to a dozer, and might be able to handle my SSQA Grapple (Or I will just rent a 4 way bucket) for the larger pieces.

For now, I am done hiring help. Now I'm looking to clear it enough that I can get busy with my stump grinder and start building more fence and enclosing more pasture area.

If for no other reason than I need somewhere for the horse poo...

Thanks,
David

With that said i think you are on the right track with a track loader. :thumbsup:

 

[MossflowerWoods]

With that said i think you are on the right track with a track loader. :thumbsup:

How big should I get?

Give me some specifics to shoot for please...

David

 

[Combustix]

I would go with the excavator in the 100 to 135 size, will make quick work of the stumps, then you can use your grapple to move the ones you can saving time on the big machine for pulling all the stumps and moving the larger ones.

 

[Johndeere3720]

How big should I get?

Give me some specifics to shoot for please...

David

From the largest CTL's to a 20,000 lb track loader. Around here, I have not seen a track loader in a rental yard, just CTL's and dozers.

 

[Carl_NH]

David,

A long time ago I thought the intent of the mulcher was to grind down the stumps 3-4" below grade leaving you with the slash and chips to rake up - not exposed stumps..

It sounds like you have most of them mulched but are left with a stringy mess of slash roots, some exposed stumps and woody debris?

The "track Loader" or CTL - compact track loader, is a skidsteer with tracks , and your tractor should be able to do the same thing. The full sized 70-100 HP track loader/skid steer with the right attachment will work - the right attachment depends on your situation..

You have a rachet rake, but that probably collects too much dirt and when you hit a stump you lose the crap in the rake..

I used a landscape rake and made windrows of brush and root and rocks then pushed this into several piles and let those sit for 6 months. Once this settles you can use your grapple to remove the wood and you are left with the dirt to spread.

Reclaiming land is not an easy process - patience, perserverance, and time is the best medicine.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

David,

A long time ago I thought the intent of the mulcher was to grind down the stumps 3-4" below grade leaving you with the slash and chips to rake up - not exposed stumps..

It sounds like you have most of them mulched but are left with a stringy mess of slash roots, some exposed stumps and woody debris?

The "track Loader" or CTL - compact track loader, is a skidsteer with tracks , and your tractor should be able to do the same thing. The full sized 70-100 HP track loader/skid steer with the right attachment will work - the right attachment depends on your situation..

You have a rachet rake, but that probably collects too much dirt and when you hit a stump you lose the crap in the rake..

I used a landscape rake and made windrows of brush and root and rocks then pushed this into several piles and let those sit for 6 months. Once this settles you can use your grapple to remove the wood and you are left with the dirt to spread.

Reclaiming land is not an easy process - patience, perserverance, and time is the best medicine.

Carl,

Excellent post sir. I was just going to ask what a CTL was

Yes, originally the ide was to mulch to ground level, use the stump grinder then to go an inch or two below grade, and burn all the mulch, slash stringy scraps. MUCH of the time that works, but in the heaviest slash areas, it appears the slash may have been up to 2 feet thick, there I am finding a much worse stuff buried.and I have something up to an acre of area that the mulcher just could not wade into which was the deepest, big piles of stumps etc. YES, most of the area is mostly covered in "stringy mess of slash roots, some exposed stumps and woody debris" and I am processing that pretty well, it is deeper and untouched areas kicking my fanny mostly.

The ratchet rake does VERY well in some conditions. It is awesome at the stringy mulch debris. I make little piles I can grapple to either a fire or a "leave it to rot" area, but the really woody, longer, thicker stuff, forget ti, the grapple is better there, Back drag and pick up a pile. BUt the grapple leaves all the little stuff behind.

It is a never ending process.

I mentioned to my dealer I was going to look for a dozer to rent, just to shove it all into big piles I can grapple away at my leisure and he suggested a CTL would be better.

I need something that will not stop or be damaged when I do hit the edge of a 1" high stump or a buried log. and I really just need to get as much bare dirt as possible so I can allow the grass I have to grow and seed some more.

This is going to be an iterative process. I am still needing to grind stumps and clear debris in the current active pasture the horses live in now. I will be at this for the rest of my life, or at least as long as I own this property.

I know that when I leave it, it will be WAY BETTER than I found it...

So, should I rent a Dozer? I just got my bonus, I'm ready to book a weekend but I got no ide really what to rent...

That summarizes my problem, sometimes I just cannot figure out where to start...

Thanks,
David