clearing saws?

[treeman82]

Looked at a job today clearing small trees from a roadside about 1/2 mile long and 20+ feet deep. Lots of saplings around 1 - 2" thick, some spots of grasses and ferns, and some larger trees (still under 12" diameter) I'm trying to figure out the most effective way to do the job so I can put a bid together. I'm not sure a brush hog is going to work due to a lot of rock, dips, and piles. That said, should I be looking into a hand held clearing saw, or should I stick to weedwhackers, and chainsaws? Does anybody have experience with these types of machines, and if so what is a good one to look into?

 

[miko0618]

can you burn? if its thick, a machine would be way faster than cutting. push it all in a pile and burn it. the skid steer brush hog works pretty well.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

A good heavyduty brush cutter is your best bet. Easier on the back. One guy cutting, one guy stacking/dragging/clearing the blade, etc. They just have to work together and communicate. Just don't go cheap on the brushcutter blade, get a couple good aggressive heavy duty ones, have it knocked out in a day easy. Jeff

 

[treeman82]

Burning is not an option, any models to check out in particular?

 

[woodchuck357]

use a backpack shindaiwa to cut out thorny brush. The shaft lets you stay out of the prickleys and saves your back and knees. I use a saw blade instead of the three point one in the pic. It will cut down a 8 inch diameter tree.

 

[sgreanbeans]

http://images.craigslist.org/00d0d_9yc5WJPzmFm_600x450.jpg

Rent one of these

 

[flushcut]

http://images.craigslist.org/00d0d_9yc5WJPzmFm_600x450.jpg

Rent one of these

Oh hell yeah!
I have a husky 345rx that runs a 9" saw blade have had it for about 10 years and has cut many acres of buckthorn and honeysuckle.

 

[GrahamS]

I do a lot of this kind of work as an arborist in a small city's street dept. Your best option would be a sideboom mower, or better yet a boom flail mower, ours will clear 15' out to the side and vertical and anything up to about 4-5" diameter is no problem. Its nice because you can keep the tractor out on the road / shoulder and work around and over any obstructions. With a skid steer mounted brush hog your going to be at a disadvantage on rocky varied terrain since you need to have the machine right on top of the work.

 

[treeman82]

Can't use a Fecon, let alone find one for rent. It's a selective cut, larger trees are staying and stuff under 3" is going. Trees between 3 and 12" diameter are subjective.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Ah, I see. I would say just start cutting, but maybe with a cheapo saw, not one of your good ones. I have used my pole saw with the hedge trimmer attachment, then ya can make big swoops to cut the small stuff, then come back with a saw.

 

[miko0618]

Dont rule out using a push mower. I beat the crap out of mine. Tilt it on the rear wheels and run brush over. Obviously its not going to do trees but it does brush well.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Sounds like a job for a weed eater with a sickle bar attachment and a chain saw. I cleared a 2 acre lot last year with a weed eater with the saw blade and 2 two guys with chain saws. The circular saw blade on a weed eater is only good up to maybe 2-3" tree. Anything bigger then that you have to hit each one twuce because when the blade hits the tree it all but stops it.

 

[woodchuck357]

The first job I did with my backpack Shindaiwa saw was similar to what is described

My fence row had bushes, trees, blackberry and multifloral rose briars growing thru the fence, with some trees to be left. I bid it for the job to take me a week of working alone. The owner thought I came in to cheap and offered to pay more, but when I surprised us both by completing the job in two days he was mighty glad I stuck by my original bid! I still use that same saw often and am very happy with it.

One important rule is to use a NEGATIVE rake toothed saw blade to cut wood. A normal brush blade can jerk the handle out of your hand and bury the blade two inches into an oak tree several feet away if it touches a small tree trunk. I now use the positive rake blade only when I'm sure there are no saplings or stumps where I'm cutting. It does cut forbs and small brush faster than the negative rake blade.