# Vine Removal on large property...



## D&B Mack (Dec 3, 2010)

I have a deal with a property owner to cut all the grape vines that have grown into the trees over the years. The owner wants the vines cut above 6.0' and at ground level. We cannot use any machinery, so all cutting is done on foot. Excess cut pieces can be left as they fall. Property size is about 55 acres with about 45 acres of that being wooded property with the vines. Found the fastest way so far to trim the vines is to use a pole saw. But sometimes the loose hanging vines can be a PITA. Was wondering if anyone had a faster method. I was wondering if there was a way to make a lopper set-up converted to a pole saw. Similar to the black and decker electric saw/loppers. We are doing other work there as well, but just trying to think of faster method for this operation. Thanks for any help in advance.


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## Nick359 (Dec 3, 2010)

I use an 18 volt alligator lopper to cut vines. If the landowner wants the vines cut at six feet, it will be easy to do. Your arms get tired after a while of holding the cutter over your head though. 

I got the lopper on sale at Home Depot for 29.99 a few months ago. It saved me a lot of time cutting the vines in my woods.

I started to put 40% 2,4,D brushed on full strength to the stumps. All the vines I cut in the spring had runners. So far the 2,4,D stopped that. I will see next spring for sure. 

My only complant is the oiler.


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## D&B Mack (Dec 3, 2010)

Nick359 said:


> I use an 18 volt alligator lopper to cut vines. If the landowner wants the vines cut at six feet, it will be easy to do. Your arms get tired after a while of holding the cutter over your head though.
> 
> I got the lopper on sale at Home Depot for 29.99 a few months ago. It saved me a lot of time cutting the vines in my woods.
> 
> ...



Wasn't sure if the B&D would be able to hold up to the quantity we are doing. How long is that battery lasting you? I am guessing we will have at least two weeks of straight vine cutting with two men, so it is pretty considerable. The pole saw makes it nice so you don't have to push through all of the heavy brush for every cut. If they made those alligators on a pole saw, that would be perfect.


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## Nick359 (Dec 3, 2010)

I get about an hour of hard cutting per charge. You can get fast chargers for them. They use a common B&D battery. 

Home Depot had the best prices for them. At $30 each, buy a pair, a fast charger, and some spare batteries. They will probably be used up at the end of the job, but they will pay for themselves in time saved. The charger that comes with them is a 4 to 8 hour charger. 

I used mine for about an hour a day for two weeks this fall. I was impressed with the speed that it cuts. You have to stop to oil the bar. Other than that I have no complaints.


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## Damon (Dec 3, 2010)

i would recomend buying a couple woodsmans pals there awesome for hooking vines


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## D&B Mack (Dec 4, 2010)

Nick359 said:


> I get about an hour of hard cutting per charge. You can get fast chargers for them. They use a common B&D battery.
> 
> Home Depot had the best prices for them. At $30 each, buy a pair, a fast charger, and some spare batteries. They will probably be used up at the end of the job, but they will pay for themselves in time saved. The charger that comes with them is a 4 to 8 hour charger.
> 
> I used mine for about an hour a day for two weeks this fall. I was impressed with the speed that it cuts. You have to stop to oil the bar. Other than that I have no complaints.



The problem is going to be charging them out in the middle of the woods, say two batteries each, gives two hours worth of work, so would be running back and forth to chargers half the day. I may go pick one up this weekend to give it a try, but I think I am going to have to go with a gas unit.


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## D&B Mack (Dec 4, 2010)

Damon said:


> i would recomend buying a couple woodsmans pals there awesome for hooking vines



Majority of vines are way to thick, mostly 3-4". Our 200T's actually dig in, not just a straight through, same with the pole saws. Problem is, with the pole saws, sometimes the "loose" vines keep skipping of the chain, tough to hook them in. Say 1 in every 5 is a PITA, adds time and frustration to the day.


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## treeslayer (Dec 4, 2010)

mexicans with machetes.


:hmm3grin2orange:


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## D&B Mack (Dec 4, 2010)

treeslayer said:


> mexicans with machetes.
> 
> 
> :hmm3grin2orange:



They're busy pulling weeds. :angel:


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## Rftreeman (Dec 4, 2010)

I just use a manual style pole pruner...you have to kinda turn the pole sideways but it's worked for me many times...


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## D&B Mack (Dec 6, 2010)

Thanks for your replys. We started trying some of the various techiques and tools out today. We will have to see what works best. BTW Nick, prices on those loppers must have gone up, we paid $59 for one. To give you an idea of the amount of work, we took an account of the area we started in and estimate we will have to cut approx. 8,000 vines for a total of 16,000 cuts, give or take; the area we were in seemed pretty average for the whole. Also, the manual pruner pretty much kept up with the pole saw, will see how that pans out come Friday. Thanks again for your help.


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## Nick359 (Dec 6, 2010)

I was at Lowes yesterday and they were on sale for $49.99 in Sandusky, Ohio. 
After cutting loose vines with a chainsaw and having some minor kickback issues. I got one. They just happened to be on sale. If I had one bad kickback I would be kicking myslef for not getting one all the way to the hospital. 
Anyway you put it $59 is cheaper than stitches.


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## pdqdl (Dec 6, 2010)

You just need another few toys.

1. Get a corona lopper head for everything smaller than 1.75". Be sure to mount on a decent pole for the height you are cutting. [Yes! Rftreeman posted a picture of one, above]
2. Keep the other cutting tools you already have handy.
3. Consider an engine powered pruner like Stihl 131-HT or the similar unit from Echo. The chainsaw bar will sweep right through clusters of vines.

Advice: If the vines are not firmly attached to the tree, cut high FIRST, then there won't be any dangling vines that are loose below your upper limit. Then pull down the trailing vine and terminate at the ground with an axe or whatever else you prefer. Naturally, that method won't work the same for large vines heavily attached all the way up the trunk of the tree.


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## Blitz (Dec 7, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> 2. Keep the other cutting tools you already have handy.
> 3. *Consider an engine powered pruner like Stihl 131-HT or the similar unit from Echo*. The chainsaw bar will sweep right through clusters of vines



Cutting vines back is pretty much my bread & butter! I do far more of this than tree work. The tools I use are;

1. Stihl combi tool with hedge trimmer mounted. This will comfortably give you reach up to about 10-11'. If I need to go higher I simply mount the hedge trimmer onto my Stihl pole-saw (HT75) *the combi tool with the hedge trimmer mounted is my "go to" tool for nearly all of my pruning work on vines, tree canopy lifting & hedge trimming*

2. HT75 pole-saw with chainsaw mounted to cut the stuff too big for the hedge trimmer to cut.

3. Stihl HS45 to cut the lower stuff (easier on the shoulders than the combi tool)

4. a top handled chainsaw to cut the vines off at the base if too thick for the HS45.

5. Secateurs to cut the smaller runners that hang onto the vines that you're trying to pull out by hand. 

As I said, I do a lot of this & I can't remember ever cutting the top out of a vine first. I always clear the undergrowth, then, after clearing that away, I drop the stuff left hanging in trees/on fences/sheds etc. Otherwise it will most likely drop all over the undergrowth you need to cut next & make life harder for you. It pays to lubricate the hedge trimmers with lanolin before use, after every constant hour or so of use (when re-fuelling) & also again after use if there's any moisture about.

The tools mentioned are well worth the outlay if you've got 2 weeks work for 2 men & they will probably reduce that time frame considerably once you get the hang of it! This means quoting a total price for the job is the way to go over an hourly rate.

Hope this helps!


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## D&B Mack (Dec 8, 2010)

I would first like to thank for the help, and my guys thank you as well. We have three guys on it now. First man through with pole pruner, second man through with the manual pruner and the B&D Loppers (which work better than I gave them credit for) and the third man is following through with the 200T and machete. The shoulders are tired, but we are making good time now. Don't think the deer are appreciating it too much though, especially this time of the year. I will try to get some before and after pics up as soon as possible. Thanks again.


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