What to RENT to speed up my cleanup from mulching

[bucktaker]

unless you have experience with a dozer hire it out. A good operator can do more in less time than a "learn while I do it approach"

Not really knowing what you have in front of you I would do one task at a time. like grind all the stumps, excavate all the buried logs etc use the dozer as a final grade/cleanup tool then amend the soil and seed. two.five cents worth

 

[Carl_NH]

David,

By the sounds of it you have moved on into the thick of the brush and stumps so yes, I would say find a dozer with a toothed blade or a ripper tooth.

The ripper could get the stumps out if thats what you want and also make a big pile you can let compost down and over time pick at it with the grapple.

As far as renting a 90-100HP dozer is $600 a day, $2000 a week (Sunbelt has them) so when I see these prices I would not rent but hire it done by a fellow/gal that has the right machine for the job.

Most owner/operators charge $700-1200 a day in our area - $700 for a small excavator 15K size then $1200 for a big one 40K machine. I would suspect a dozer with operator is in the middle $800 or so a day. If you also get loam from the same person, you may even get a better deal on the day rate.

The plus to hiring is you have an experienced operator that will maximize the time and you can follow along with them with the grapple/other tools and clean up.

While your at it, bring in materials/loam to spread as the dozer does a great job at this so sort of "once and done" and you seed grass in the area.

 

[scoutcub]

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 this in mind, I would rent a good sized dozer. D5/650 etc. with a root rake. (if you can find one) The newer dozers are pretty easy to operate with joystick controls, small learning curve. And, you get some excellent seat time!:thumbsup:

Frank

 

[MossflowerWoods]

With this in mind, I would rent a good sized dozer. D5/650 etc. with a root rake. (if you can find one) The newer dozers are pretty easy to operate with joystick controls, small learning curve. And, you get some excellent seat time!:thumbsup:

Frank

That sounds AWESOME and like quite a bit of fun. Also likely $$$...

I will do some research, but I an sure that will be bigger than I can haul on my neighbors 10K trailer with his F-350.

I managed to get a couple hours in with the Ratchet Rake and back dragging the debris is fairly effective, but I end up with piles of dirt and mulch all over the place. I then switch to the grapple and grab the piles and haul them somnwhere, they don't burn well (too much dirt), and I'm not sure how well they will decompose (But right now that is what I am considering, making a compost pile of sorts from this stuff).

I cannot go forward very effectively, the RR digs in hard on float, and if I set the FEL it misses too much, and stumps are a sudden stop.

Really what I want to do is remove the stuff that potentially is hard on my bush hog, and expose the stumps so I can grind them, and seed the dirt.

I simply cannot see the stumps and the woody debris is fairly thick in many spots.

The larger debris that is good burn pile material is often either scattered all over and I end up trying to pick up 2-3 sticks with the grapple, then 2-3 more, and so on, OR it is the approx acre remaining of heavy slash and debris left from the loggers with piles of stumps and busted pine trunks, and jumbled tree tops. that stuff is impossible to drive over with my little 50 hp tractor and difficult to grab effectively with the grapple.

I am making progress, it is just SLOW. Maybe the answer is to invite a tractor buddy over to run the RR while I grapple piles or something like that.

Hmmm... What to do, what to do... Sems that is what I am always pondering...

Be well all,
David

 

[MarkV]

Sounds like work for a landscape rake to me.

MarkV

 

[xtn]

If you want to actually get the job done in a weekend or two instead of spending another year grinding stumps and tearing up your equipment, rent the biggest, meanest dozer you can find with a root rake blade and an operator.

He can literally scrape your land clean, either ripping stumps out or shaving them off below ground by the dozens, while you run backup with your grapple.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Sounds like work for a landscape rake to me.

MarkV

LstInThot and I tried his 6' landscape rake and it clogs immediately and then floats up over the debris. Even when he stood on it while I dragged it.

I passed on a 8' york rake on CL because it did not work...

David

 

[Bigfoot62]

David,
As some have said, a large bulldozer with a root rake would do the job.

CAT D6 with root rake.

My cousin has a large construction company. I've worked for him, off and on, for years. This is what we would use:

CAT 320 Excavator with hydraulic thumb.
Then, we would follow that with a smaller dozer, like a D4, to level everything out. You could handle it with your tractor from there.

Either way, I would hire the machine with a skilled operator. :thumbsup:

 

[MossflowerWoods]

If you want to actually get the job done in a weekend or two instead of spending another year grinding stumps and tearing up your equipment, rent the biggest, meanest dozer you can find with a root rake blade and an operator.

He can literally scrape your land clean, either ripping stumps out or shaving them off below ground by the dozens, while you run backup with your grapple.

xtn,

I hear you, I do... But my wife wanted me to buy the stump grinder EXACTLY so I would not be hiring that out all the time.

Also, I do not want to fill in the holes from popping the stumps. I just want them an inch or so below the dirt and rot in place over time.

If I make too much progress, too soon, I just run out of funds and it lies stagnant waiting for me to have $$for fence materials, seed, etc... So I have need for getting caught up, but a slower pace might be easier on my wallet.

I know... That makes me confusing and confused :confused2:...

What I am hearing in your post though is that a root rake will shear off an inch or so of a stump? Is that the right assessment? Will it also act as a dirt mover? I don;t want to rent a machine just to be changing attachments all day... Just trying to learn so I'm not uch a n00b...

Thanks,
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

David,
As some have said, a large bulldozer with a root rake would do the job.
handle it with your tractor from there.

Either way, I would hire the machine with a skilled operator. :thumbsup:

HOLY COW!!!!!!! I'd LOVE to have one of those!
OOOH OOOH OOOH [Tim the Tool Man grunts]

BF62, Last time I asked a small dozer and operator was gonna cost me $4000 and all he was gonna do is pop the stumps and pile them up...

I just ain't got that kind of $$$

I'm splurging to spend $600 renting something I can deliver and drive...

Sux to be me some days...
David