Post logging trail cleanup/ forest management

[mdavlee]

A friend of mine rented a T190 bobcat for a weekend to open up some 4 wheeler trails wide enough for a truck. It worked pretty good. It would knock down small trees that were 6" or under. He ended up going back in with a dozer later to add some more roads in it. The bobcat would work, but a dozer would be better.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

These tree cutters look pretty neat. I have not used one, but saw them advertised in the farm and fleet flyer. They advertise they can shred a tree 6-8" dia depending on the model of cutter and hp of the tractor.http://www.brownmfgcorp.com/cutter/index.html

 

[redprospector]

There are a lot of options for keeping your trails clear, and if they get the job done none of them are wrong. Personally I think that the most cost effective way is with a mulching head on a tracked skid steer like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-hwC85IJVE

A small tractor (20 to 30 HP) isn't going to do much good at mulching slash.
I'm not opposed to running a chainsaw in front of a dozer, but I don't believe it would be as cost effective.
I would think that there is someone in your area that has one of these mulchers, and you would be surprised at how quickly your job could be done. This method leaves everything to rot and go back into the soil.

Andy

 

[Fechmup]

There are a lot of options for keeping your trails clear, and if they get the job done none of them are wrong. Personally I think that the most cost effective way is with a mulching head on a tracked skid steer like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-hwC85IJVE

A small tractor (20 to 30 HP) isn't going to do much good at mulching slash.
I'm not opposed to running a chainsaw in front of a dozer, but I don't believe it would be as cost effective.
I would think that there is someone in your area that has one of these mulchers, and you would be surprised at how quickly your job could be done. This method leaves everything to rot and go back into the soil.

Andy

That's really close to the machine I used - but I think the attachment on the ASV looks a little more heavy duty. I like it.

I agree with you completely!

 

[ken45]

I love the idea of a skid steer shredder or even a rotary cutter ("bush hog") but from what I've heard, you really need an enclosed cab (or at least a demolition door) for safety. For those of you with experience with this type of equipment, is that accurate? I have a skid steer but it's not enclosed.

I love the mulcher heads like the Fecon in the last post! :love1: We could do so much with one of those to clear out our horse trails at the state park. The local Bobcat dealer tells me that they rent them, complete with an equipped track loader for $2000/week Oh, but how much we could get done in a week! LOL.

I may rent a Brushcat (rotary cutter) from the local rental place for a day and see how it does.

But the ground clearing tools won't do much to keep the briars and branches from growing over the trails from the sides in the future. I'd really love a bucket or skid steer mounted chain saw. I haven't been able to find one. I keep looking at the skid steer mounted sickle bar mower at skidsteersolutions.com but it's too expensive and won't handle the occasional bigger branch like a chain saw would.

Ken

 

[Fechmup]

You raise an interesting point in regard to a cab door and safety. There's a safety feature on the brushcat that shuts down the blades if the deck is raised too high. The T250 I used in combination with a brushcat did not have a door on the cab - I never really gave the safety of it much thought. That doesn't mean I wasn't putting myself in danger, I just never thought about it. I really only spent about 16 hours in the machine, so it's not like I have years of experience under my belt with the brushcat, but I did put it to the test. I think you're making a good decision by giving it a shot - I'm pretty sure you'll be impressed.

I think for future maintenance - if you're doing it yearly - you'll be better served by a hedge trimmer type tool than a chainsaw - especially for briars and such.

 

[ihookem]

Sure turned a lot of good firewood into mulch. I'd clear the firewood out with a chainsaw if you burn wood, throw it aside till the trail is made then come back and get the wood with your new trail

 

[catbuster]

Look for a CAT 931,941,or late year 955. if you want to sepnd some cash,pick up a 39,43 or 53. A 39 can have a mulcher head on it. Sweeps too. I prefer the 43s or 53bs. Don't pick up a C unless it's really nice at low price. The A and B series are easier to work on with the 53s.

 

[WesternSaw]

Ken45

If your looking to keep the trails up after a major clear out how about what the other poster mentioned in regards to a trimmer type machine.I have a Stihl circular saw blade on my Kombi 90 and it is very good for taking down any brush, it will handle stuff quite larger than blackberry type stuff.It cut's down big thumb size brush like a hot knife through butter.
Lawrence

 

[Frank Boyer]

Those little machines are good for small stuff in tight areas. The trees in that demo clip looked 3-4" in diameter. Nice mulch.
If you need to do road cutting, drainage correction, and/or moving large trees/stumps get a larger machine. Once you've run the larger machines it would be hard to go back down to the small tractors.

 

[wvlogger]

dozer is the way to go here. You could skid out your firewood. Brush your roads and do the roadwork (looks like the main trail needs some) You can do alot with a 450 John Deere with a winch

 

[tawilson]

Let it rot . . .

I call it "letting it go back to the earth from which it came."

 

[ken45]

Pete,

Stihl does not show a saw blade attachment for the Kombi system. I do have a Kombi 55 with a pole saw and the power scythe but a couple of hours of swinging those up and down in the trees wears me out. They are, however, a definite improvement over more manual approaches.

As I get older, I'm relying on more and more machinery, LOL. For reference, I have about 8 miles of trails at home and we maintain (or try to maintain) about 60 miles in the state park.

The only Stihl equipment I see listed with a circular blade are the brushcutters. Those would be very good at ground level, but not good for the stuff hanging over the trail at chest level or higher. When clearing horse trails, we need to clear up to about 9' high.

Ken

 

[redprospector]

I love the idea of a skid steer shredder or even a rotary cutter ("bush hog") but from what I've heard, you really need an enclosed cab (or at least a demolition door) for safety. For those of you with experience with this type of equipment, is that accurate? I have a skid steer but it's not enclosed.

I love the mulcher heads like the Fecon in the last post! :love1: We could do so much with one of those to clear out our horse trails at the state park. The local Bobcat dealer tells me that they rent them, complete with an equipped track loader for $2000/week Oh, but how much we could get done in a week! LOL.

I may rent a Brushcat (rotary cutter) from the local rental place for a day and see how it does.

But the ground clearing tools won't do much to keep the briars and branches from growing over the trails from the sides in the future. I'd really love a bucket or skid steer mounted chain saw. I haven't been able to find one. I keep looking at the skid steer mounted sickle bar mower at skidsteersolutions.com but it's too expensive and won't handle the occasional bigger branch like a chain saw would.

Ken

Yep, you need a door made of lexan. Same stuff as "bullet proof glass" but my door is thinner. The cab dosen't get continuously pummeled with chunks, but the door dose take a good lick from a chunk once in a while. When I first got my machine it had 3/16" lexan in the door. After about a week of running it a chunk busted the lexan. it didn't come through, but it sure put a good "star burst" in the lexan. I replaced it with 1/4", when it's replaced again I think it will be 1/2".
If you rent one don't let them send you out with a standard enclosed cab, or a plexi-glass door.
An open cab can be enclosed with sheets of lexan, but without AC it gets a little warm in there.

Andy

 

[catbuster]

I seriously don't get why people only run dozers isntead of track loaders. Dozers with angle blades suck for clearing because of all the pins and bushings when you try to pop a stump. With a loader you can get under the stump,and pry it up,and you can push it out like with a dozer. Once you've ran an angle dozer,using the loader is easy. With a track loader and 4-n-1 you can pile logs too. Think about PA Plumber's work,doing it all with a 931C. He was on the TL and he had a guy falling/bucking/limbing. A 953C/D (only because they have lower hors with less chance to break down,minus the electronic crap) with sweeps and a winch is my personal dream logging machine. So much you can do with them. I wish the 943 was back. That was the perfect size.

I love the idea of a skid steer shredder or even a rotary cutter ("bush hog") but from what I've heard, you really need an enclosed cab (or at least a demolition door) for safety. For those of you with experience with this type of equipment, is that accurate? I have a skid steer but it's not enclosed.

I love the mulcher heads like the Fecon in the last post! :love1: We could do so much with one of those to clear out our horse trails at the state park. The local Bobcat dealer tells me that they rent them, complete with an equipped track loader for $2000/week Oh, but how much we could get done in a week! LOL.

I may rent a Brushcat (rotary cutter) from the local rental place for a day and see how it does.

But the ground clearing tools won't do much to keep the briars and branches from growing over the trails from the sides in the future. I'd really love a bucket or skid steer mounted chain saw. I haven't been able to find one. I keep looking at the skid steer mounted sickle bar mower at skidsteersolutions.com but it's too expensive and won't handle the occasional bigger branch like a chain saw would.

Ken

Yes. Lexan is a requirement. So is High-Flow. And tracks are nice when you mulch. Mulchers,like hammers wear on a machine like few other. People who rent them have to rotate the machines so they don't get worn and break down on site. And with the forestry setup,a CTL or SSL aint cheap.

 

[redprospector]

But the ground clearing tools won't do much to keep the briars and branches from growing over the trails from the sides in the future. I'd really love a bucket or skid steer mounted chain saw. I haven't been able to find one. I keep looking at the skid steer mounted sickle bar mower at skidsteersolutions.com but it's too expensive and won't handle the occasional bigger branch like a chain saw would.

Ken

One of these might keep the briars and branches under control.
Just won't mulch it up for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4XvvyVGCKs&feature=related

Andy

 

[ken45]

Yep, you need a door made of lexan. Same stuff as "bullet proof glass" but my door is thinner. The cab dosen't get continuously pummeled with chunks, but the door dose take a good lick from a chunk once in a while. When I first got my machine it had 3/16" lexan in the door. After about a week of running it a chunk busted the lexan. it didn't come through, but it sure put a good "star burst" in the lexan. I replaced it with 1/4", when it's replaced again I think it will be 1/2".
If you rent one don't let them send you out with a standard enclosed cab, or a plexi-glass door.
An open cab can be enclosed with sheets of lexan, but without AC it gets a little warm in there.

Andy

Is the door necessary for a rotary cutter, or just for a shredder?

Looking at Bobcat's website, they just list the door as a requirement for a shredder, not for the rotary cutters.

Thanks,

Ken

 

[catbuster]

Is the door necessary for a rotary cutter, or just for a shredder?

Looking at Bobcat's website, they just list the door as a requirement for a shredder, not for the rotary cutters.

Thanks,

Ken

Rotatry cutters do a good job of keeping stuff under the deck,but I had a goood size stick go through mine a couple days ago. Yes, I said through the deck. So lexan is a f**king requirement.

 

[WesternSaw]

Ken45

Hello Again Ken!
I guess I did not read your post that well about the need to clear high above ground as well.In my post to you I thought you were looking for something to take down brush at the sides of the trail that had been established,keeping the trail maintained after it was built.
The trimmer head that came with my Kombi accepts the circular blade that is used with the Stihl brushcutters.You do need the extra hardware that is for securing it to the head.
Lawrence

 

[ken45]

Rotatry cutters do a good job of keeping stuff under the deck,but I had a goood size stick go through mine a couple days ago. Yes, I said through the deck. So lexan is a f**king requirement.

A stick went through the 1/4" (or 3/16") steel deck of the rotary cutter? Wow!

I've bush hogged with tractors and DR mowers for years (including clearing trails in the woods) and never had anything like that happen.

Ken