Brown Tree Saw

[japody]

A nyone have any experience with the Brown Tree Saw. Not to be confused with the tree cutter. I have a field that has been overrun with 6 - 8-inch cedars. Hundreds of them. I've tried using a chain saw but I don't think I'll live long enough to do it that way. I've checked into other ways to do it, so only looking for feedback on the tree saw. TIA.

 

[CliffordK]

I can't imagine that would be comfortable to use unless you managed to find one of the backwards tractors (former all terrain forklifts??).

That company does have hydraulic (skid-steer) cutters that would be easier to use, but also somewhat more expensive. It may be able to be mounted to a front end loader if you had adequate hydraulic flow.

What are you doing with the tops of the trees and the stumps?

How many acres?

About 30 years ago my parents hired a dozer to take out about 5 to 10 acres of nasty wild pear trees in a pasture. I think he was done in a day or two. But, left a dozen big piles of trees to burn. It took us a year or so to burn all the piles. A bit of a process of burning once. Then taking a Pulaski to chop the dirt out of every major stump. Then repiling and reburning. Perhaps 3 burns per pile.

Hmmm... we've had about 30 years of a good hay pasture... perhaps I'm forgetting the work in burning those piles!!!

Nonetheless, I think it was worth it. They also hired a commercial brush hog (excavator mounted?) to do an adjoining pasture, but unfortunately that pasture has completely regrown as if nothing was done to it.

 

[garry1p]

Proper use of a dozer and they will come out stump and all, push them up in a pile and burn.

Around 25 years ago I paid a guy around $1700 to clear 6 acres with hundreds of trees of all kinds including cedar, took about 4 days with the dozer.

I went back with 3,000 pines in the same area. I can't imagine the labor cutting them down, dealing with the down trees and digging up the stumps.

 

[japody]

I can't imagine that would be comfortable to use unless you managed to find one of the backwards tractors (former all terrain forklifts??).

That company does have hydraulic (skid-steer) cutters that would be easier to use, but also somewhat more expensive. It may be able to be mounted to a front end loader if you had adequate hydraulic flow.

What are you doing with the tops of the trees and the stumps?

How many acres?

About 30 years ago my parents hired a dozer to take out about 5 to 10 acres of nasty wild pear trees in a pasture. I think he was done in a day or two. But, left a dozen big piles of trees to burn. It took us a year or so to burn all the piles. A bit of a process of burning once. Then taking a Pulaski to chop the dirt out of every major stump. Then repiling and reburning. Perhaps 3 burns per pile.

Hmmm... we've had about 30 years of a good hay pasture... perhaps I'm forgetting the work in burning those piles!!!

Nonetheless, I think it was worth it. They also hired a commercial brush hog (excavator mounted?) to do an adjoining pasture, but unfortunately that pasture has completely regrown as if nothing was done to it.

The field is about 16 acres. I plan to burn the trees once they are piled up. I don't want to bull doze or pull up the trees because of the resulting holes that would leave. The field would then be used for pasture with yearly bush hogging.

 

[TripleS]

What about the pincher style? They will cut about a 10-12" tree I think. But you would need a skidsteer or something with auxiliary hydraulics to run it.

 

[jyoutz]

Hire someone with a mulcher/masticator. Only about a 2 day job for 16 acres. Your local USDA farm services office can cost/share your pasture improvement project and cover 60-70% of the cost.

 

[oosik]

After all that work of cutting - piling - burning - what will be done with the remaining stumps. I don't understand. If after eliminating the trees and there is still room to brush hog - around the remaining stumps - why not just leave the trees - use the 16 acres as it is. Obviously you will be able to brush hog with the trees still there.

 

[Rockbadchild]

first time I see such thing, very interesting... but yes I agree that operating it looking forward or with the FEL would be better. this thing over time look like a pain in the neck waiting to happen.

 

[oosik]

For 27 years I used a 3-point snow blower to clear my mile long driveway - mailbox area - yard. Four hours looking back over my shoulder. It took two to three days afterward for my neck and shoulders to be pain free again. NO WAY am I going to use any type of 3-point implement that requires operation in reverse. NEVER again.

 

[2manyrocks]

We have eastern red cedar in middle Tennessee. 6-8" cedars are not that deeply rooted compared to other species of trees.

One problem with any tree saw is that it will leave a stump sticking up above the surface. A dozer will push the stump out. A forestry mulcher will grind the whole tree below the surface. Rather than deal with stumps sticking up or holes everywhere plus deal with handling and burning the trees, I'd recommend the forestry mulcher.

I had forestry mulching done last Fall. This would be my choice.

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