tree brush puller

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perry

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Aug 22, 2006
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Fella's, I tend to get some jobs that consist of removing small trees, 1-4 inches and brush. I want to make an attachment that will grab tight so I can pull roots and all. If you can picture it, I was thinking about course articulatuing plates that come together flat using a hyd. cyl..
It might work where one plate moves flat against the other?.
I just get real tired of digging them up, a waste of power IMO.
I would appreciate any idea's.

Thanks.
 
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perry

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Aug 22, 2006
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Well, I looked around and found this, but I need to make sure it grags and holds and not cut?.

Tree/Post Puller/Grapple w/ Optional Guard
 
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perry

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Aug 22, 2006
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Found this similiar one. As you say, the trick would be not to shear/tear the tree/bush, but that can be learned quickly. This would be really handy and should be affordable to make your own. Those teeth would have to be something hard to last.
http://www.hhfab.com/specs_treerootpuller.asp
Yeah!, I was thinking the same thing, I might get the teeth cut from a water jet and make them bolt on. I have a heavy duty cyl. protector from a trashed bobcat grapple bucket, that and a trip to the salvage yard might produce the needed metal?. Thank goodness I have one blank attachment left.
I was wondering if there was someway to make the teeth mesh and not close like scissors?.
 

Tazza

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Dec 7, 2004
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Yeah!, I was thinking the same thing, I might get the teeth cut from a water jet and make them bolt on. I have a heavy duty cyl. protector from a trashed bobcat grapple bucket, that and a trip to the salvage yard might produce the needed metal?. Thank goodness I have one blank attachment left.
I was wondering if there was someway to make the teeth mesh and not close like scissors?.

I see no reason why you can't get the teeth to mesh, if you get them profile cut correctly they should be ok. The only problem you may have is as your pins wear. I would ensure you build it with replaceable pins AND bushings.
The only concern I have is the pulling power of your machine. I have tried pulling small trees with my 4 in 1. I can get a pretty strong grip but I don't have the lifting power to pull them all from the ground. Your machine should be able to put about 1 tonne of force trying to pull it from the ground but if the roots have a good grip in the dirt it will not move. I'm sure this will also depend on your soil, we have pretty strong dirt over here!
One thing I did find that helped was to put pressure on them my lifting, then if you drive forward and backward it will put even more pressure on it and mostly it will allow you to get it out.
 
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perry

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Aug 22, 2006
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I see no reason why you can't get the teeth to mesh, if you get them profile cut correctly they should be ok. The only problem you may have is as your pins wear. I would ensure you build it with replaceable pins AND bushings.
The only concern I have is the pulling power of your machine. I have tried pulling small trees with my 4 in 1. I can get a pretty strong grip but I don't have the lifting power to pull them all from the ground. Your machine should be able to put about 1 tonne of force trying to pull it from the ground but if the roots have a good grip in the dirt it will not move. I'm sure this will also depend on your soil, we have pretty strong dirt over here!
One thing I did find that helped was to put pressure on them my lifting, then if you drive forward and backward it will put even more pressure on it and mostly it will allow you to get it out.
Nothing like experience!, thanks Tazza, I'll remember that. I'm making cardboard templates for the teeth, I'll play around and see how close I can get?.
 

skidsteer.ca

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Jan 20, 2006
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Nothing like experience!, thanks Tazza, I'll remember that. I'm making cardboard templates for the teeth, I'll play around and see how close I can get?.
Also make the pin big. No harm in a 2" or even 3" main pivot pin. Will last a long time. Doubt you will find a cylinder with pins in the 2" range though. If they built our loaders with 2" pins they would never need re bossed.
Ken
 

Earthwerks Unlimited

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Dec 21, 2007
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303
Also make the pin big. No harm in a 2" or even 3" main pivot pin. Will last a long time. Doubt you will find a cylinder with pins in the 2" range though. If they built our loaders with 2" pins they would never need re bossed.
Ken
I pulled plenty of whole lob-lolly pines, oaks and scrub on the Gulf Coast using only a grapple bucket. I have OTT tracks on a New Holland LS185. It has plenty of pusing and lifting power to dig out a 6" caliper tree---you grab, push and lift at the same time. For larger trees I use pallet forks to pop them out. For scrub using pallet forks, I swing the machine side to side withthe forks just below grade which tends to rip and pull the smaller stuff out. Tracks are the way to go too as the tracks rip up just as much or more than the forks or any attachment.
 
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perry

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Aug 22, 2006
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I pulled plenty of whole lob-lolly pines, oaks and scrub on the Gulf Coast using only a grapple bucket. I have OTT tracks on a New Holland LS185. It has plenty of pusing and lifting power to dig out a 6" caliper tree---you grab, push and lift at the same time. For larger trees I use pallet forks to pop them out. For scrub using pallet forks, I swing the machine side to side withthe forks just below grade which tends to rip and pull the smaller stuff out. Tracks are the way to go too as the tracks rip up just as much or more than the forks or any attachment.
I cannot reach high enough with my 4 in 1, not able to reach up-over and down on the brush or tree because of height, how do you grab and push with a grapple bucket?.
 

Earthwerks Unlimited

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Dec 21, 2007
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I cannot reach high enough with my 4 in 1, not able to reach up-over and down on the brush or tree because of height, how do you grab and push with a grapple bucket?.
Perry, you only need to raise the opened grapple about three feet (on mine---tht is its sweet spot). Then you get one tooth of a grapple arm behind the tree by wiggling the machine sideways into the tree and close it hard. Now, as you drive forward, roll back the bucket which will plant you firmly in the ground which will give you traction (if you have tracks--no tracks--you'll bury it), and drive foward and lift too. Another way is tip the grapple at about a 45 degree angle digging the cutting edge into the trunk and drive forward while lifting.
 
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perry

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Aug 22, 2006
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Perry, you only need to raise the opened grapple about three feet (on mine---tht is its sweet spot). Then you get one tooth of a grapple arm behind the tree by wiggling the machine sideways into the tree and close it hard. Now, as you drive forward, roll back the bucket which will plant you firmly in the ground which will give you traction (if you have tracks--no tracks--you'll bury it), and drive foward and lift too. Another way is tip the grapple at about a 45 degree angle digging the cutting edge into the trunk and drive forward while lifting.
Yes, I've done it that way and as you say, I create deep ruts %#@&^.\. As Tazza suggested, I picked up a heavy duty 1.750X20'' hyd. piston rod with a massive 2 1/2'' nut. MSC should have the bushings. I really need a heavy duty welding table to keep everything level while welding.

Thanks
 
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