Cleaning up lot after logging

[ilucas]

Well here goes. It's been about 12 years since I've visited the site. Due this terrible economy I have a ton of time on my hands ( no work) and not much $$. I started selectivly cutting off a 4 1/2 acre lot that I had planned to build on. It was one heck of a gruby over grown, blown down pine, oak and maple mess. After about 3 weeks of picking, choosing and burning I decided to have a logger just take out the pines. He did a great job and did it for the timber and chippings. I know need to clean up the small cut offs and debris from the skidder dragging and crushing. I would leave it but I think i am going to have to sell this piece and want to make it look a little more desirable for the the prospective buyer.

My problem is there are a lot stumps to work around. I bought a rachet rake and it is okay but it takes to much with it and is incredibly time consuming for what actualy gets done. I have spent 2 days with my helper picking up the bigger stuff but there is still a lot left to clean up.

Was wondering what attachement would work best cleaning up all the 1-4' break offs and branches but leave the exisisting topsoil as much as possible. The ground is uneven w/ some ledge, some boulders and some 12" and under rocks popping up. Was thinking renting a york rake with wheels....any better idea's ????

One another note, though i would rather be busy with my work the slow period has let me work with the tractor. The thing is 12 years old and the Back Hoe had never been off it. Took it off last week (w/ the help over the phone from Bob at Woodbury tractor) and now I will be able to use the 3 point hitch!!!! I am looking forward to using the tractor much more, heck it is 12 years old and only has 450 hrs on it......got to put it to work!!!

Looking forward to your replies...thanks

 

[gwdixon]

There have been some recent threads on cleaning up lots with logging debris. If you can find them you'll discover plenty of options. I think that I replied to most of them so looking up my posts may be a direction if you can't find the threads in a search.

Edit: Here is a link to one thread and there is another link at the bottom to another.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/253147-box-blade-remove-debris.html

Much depends on what type of 3PH equipment that you have available. The threads suggest using a box scraper with the scarifiers down, a landscape rake, a harrow, and other ideas.

 

[Deerherd]

A grapple sounds like the ticket, they are great for picking up things and leaving the top soil. Just not sure it's in your budget.

 

[Gordon Gould]

There is no easy way that I know of especially with all that rough ground and stumps to work around. Piling small areas by hand and moving the piles with a grapple works. One thing I often do if there are still a good amount of standing hardwood trees around is to just go in with a chainsaw and cut up all the slash and junk so that it lays flat on the ground. This fall when the leaves come down it will get buried. Next spring if there is enough light at ground level to encourage some undergroth every thing will blend in and look very neat. Even w/o the undergroth is still looks pretty good.

 

[94BULLITT]

I think you may want a rake to pile it up. Then you could burn it or you could use a grapple to load it so it can be hauled off.

 

[greg_g]

Well, this horse is already out of the barn. So I guess you might write it off as a lesson learned. Around here, logging of any kind is usually done on a 50/50 split of the gross return. Post timbering cleanup is typically negotiated up front, and usually comes out of the land-owner half of the proceeds.

But specific to your question - and depending upon how many horsepower you have at your disposal - you might consider a root rake.

//greg//

 

[ilucas]

A lot of great replies...thanks. i did read over the past threads, good stuff there too! I am leaning on renting a york rake and see how that goes.

Keep them coming though, good points by all. Much appreciated Thanks

 

[jenkinsph]

I use my 6' field cultivator with S tines for this on occasions. The tines are far enough apart to allow the dirt to fall through yet seems to hold and gather the sticks. I have used a landscape rake with half of the tines removed but the S tines seem to hold the large junk better on the cultivator.

 

[TCJatko]

Dice it up with a chainsaw and let it rot. Next year you won't notice it. Five years and it's enriching the soil.

 

[IronHog]

A lot of great replies...thanks. i did read over the past threads, good stuff there too! I am leaning on renting a york rake and see how that goes.

Keep them coming though, good points by all. Much appreciated Thanks

My family is in the logging business and as such I am constantly pushing around logging slash behind loggers for various reasons. (I really need a small dozer but they are money pits)


I normally use a rachet rake on the FEL plus a heavy duty box blade with scarfers (up or down depending on what is needed).

We also have a 3 pt homemade "brush piler" that is constructed like a tall rake on a dozer we use when burning piles.


Cleaning up slash with a tractor is by nature very slow work........ it isn't a dozer.