attachment for cutting brush alongside trail?

bczoom · Apr 11, 2005

( I think its time to tell your wife you need an FEL.)

At the same time, I would get a decent sprayer and spray the edges as needed to keep the brush and saplings from coming back.

2nstonge · Apr 11, 2005

( We are also talking about 1 mile of trails, so doing it by "hand" with a string trimmer would take to long.)

Me & 2 buddies are 'adopters' of a hiking trail in the White Mtns in New Hampshire. The trail is almost 3 miles long, up the side Mt Flume. Using the carbide-bladed trimmer we do the whole thing, 3 miles, in one day. It's thickets, brambles, blow-downs...the key is to get it early in the season before everything leafs out and takes off. If you can't find the tractor attachment you need/want before the growing season you might want to consider the manual labor...it's amazing how quickly the trail will become overgrown. Not to mention a malted beverage tastes sooooo good after a day doing that work!

Good luck - Norm

dukenyc · Apr 11, 2005

What type of trimmer are you using? Can you recommend a good model if I am going to go that route? It sounds like the trails you are clearing are similar to what I am facing. The actual trails I can cut with the tractor, its along the edges that I need to thin.

I had considerred a loader, but my neighbor told me if I try and run over the thorn bushes, they will more than likely puncture the R4's on my JD. Otherwise I was going to buy a loader, bash down the brush, and then run over it with the mower.

Henro · Apr 11, 2005

I had considerred a loader, but my neighbor told me if I try and run over the thorn bushes, they will more than likely puncture the R4's on my JD. 

Consider getting your front tires foam fillled. It is relatively cheap on a small tractor. Cost me $38 each for my Kubota BX fronts and $70 each for my B2910, to give you some idea of price.

Nothing beats not having to worry about front flats except having a loader!!!

Foam fill the front tires, forget about flats, and get the loader! That's what I would do... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

(Not sure the loader is the answer to this one problem...but it sure is the answer to many others... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Jagmandave · Apr 11, 2005

I have a JD gas powered trimmer that I use their blade on, works a treat but it does get heavy after a couple of hours work. I also have a pole saw that extends up to 12 feet, works great for getting down some long low hanging branches and you can reach in under a thorn bush and cut it off, might not even have to get off the seat with it!

KiotiJohn · Apr 11, 2005

You're killing me, and probably the poster as well! Poor man doesn't have a 60 HP tractor but a 20, and you're showing him all these to-die-for options that he can't use. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Sure would be nice to have something for our smaller tractors like these you've posted, just smaller versions that wouldn't require a lot of hydraulic flow.
John

froggy · Apr 11, 2005

offset mower:

http://www.servis-rhino.com/Catalog/BoomCutters/DB150/index.html

froggy · Apr 11, 2005

How about this brush cutter from Billy Goat?

link

Country Home products has a similar unit:

link 2

Edited long url

jmc · Apr 11, 2005

Dave,

You didn't say if your pole saw was manual or a "chainsaw on a stick" but I have a Stihl powered pole saw and it works great for pruning trails. Reaching into thorns is no problem and even though that little saw looks rinky-dink, it seems to cut bettter than my small conventional Stihl chain saw. Sometimes I grab it instead of the regular one, even on jobs that don't need the reach. Only problem is it gets heavier every year.

One additional point: Stihl makes a power head/pole that has interchangeable heads like a chainsaw, hedge trimmer, and others. The dealer said the hedgetrimmer will cut anything that will fit into its openings, which seemed to be about 1/2" from memory. That would really be faster than the chainsaw depending on the size of brush.

John