FEL mounted tree limb trimmer

[DeadTurtleCreek]

I have searched this forum and seen a few people who seem to be searching for the same type of equipment. I am looking for some type of saw, mower, or rotary mulcher that attaches to the FEL and can trim tree limbs that are encroaching on roads and shooting lanes. We have a large amount of acreage planted to 20 year old oak trees. Our roads and shooting lanes were fine for years, but now that the trees have gotten bigger, the limbs have grown together from both sides making mowing grass miserable as well as shooting a rifle down these lanes impossible.

I have seen the limbinator and similar pole-mounted chainsaws. This is not necessarily what I am looking for given that I would be cutting max 3" diameter limbs and needing to do it constantly down the length of these roads. I have also looked at google earth and added up that I have more than 7 miles of these roads and shooting lanes to trim on both sides so doing this manually is just not feasible.

Does anyone have any ideas about a piece of equipment that might do this job? I have seen the limb beaver, but at $9k I think I can come up with something better and a whole lot cheaper.

I was looking into the idea of running multiple circular saw blades mounted vertically on top of one another with a hydraulic motor used to power them. I'm trying to figure out some pointers from this group as to what may be the best way to get this built. It seems I could make it simply enough mounting rotors to 1/4" plate steel with a chain or belt running the blades from the hydraulic motor. My biggest concern is that if it sounds too good to be true and nobody already makes it, its probably either much harder than expected or extremely dangerous.

Thanks for the help. I know this group thinks way outside the box on these problems and thats what I'm looking for to solve the problem.

 

[texasranger556]

How tall are you wanting to go and how many passes are you willing to make? I've never looked for such a device but have some ideas based on your description.

 

[ericm979]

Check this thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/land-clearing-equipment/375089-fel-road-maintenance-cutter-2.html

 

[DeadTurtleCreek]

Well thats a perfect reason why I made a point to post on here before I went and did something drastic like building the death machine I had drawn up plans for. That implement is exactly what I am looking for. I just sent the guy an email. I have looked for quite some time and not found anything on the internet like this for a reasonable cost (which i think $2,200 is very reasonable for what I can accomplish using it).

I have no idea how I missed the other post that you added a link to. It answered most of my questions. If I can sell a few things around the shop I will be getting one early this summer and post some videos.

For anyone else who is looking landsharkusa.com is their website. Not a whole lot of information there and very hard to find through google, but helpful to give you an idea of what they are building.

I'll get back to all of you hopefully as soon as June with some videos if I can get one of these in my hands to do some work.

Thanks for sending me in the right direction

 

[Leejohn]

Here is what I done, works great. Note the saw must be spring loaded so you don't put to much down pressure on it and brake it. I also have it spring loaded to one side.

 

[Captain Dirty]

While touring in France last year I saw French farmers "pruning" hedgerows and woodlines with what appeared to be boom-mounted flail mowers, often to a height of 15' or so. (Fairly large tractors, too.) Where trimmed hedgerows were next to the road some limbs or trunks appeared to be around 3" in diameter and well "chewed". Certainly the farmers were seeking to keep the fields open and cared not about the health of the plants in the hedgerows.

 

[Xfaxman]

Would a rotatable tree shear work? "Commercial" Front Loader Mount - Precision Manufacturing

 

[ericm979]

While touring in France last year I saw French farmers "pruning" hedgerows and woodlines with what appeared to be boom-mounted flail mowers, often to a height of 15' or so. (Fairly large tractors, too.) Where trimmed hedgerows were next to the road some limbs or trunks appeared to be around 3" in diameter and well "chewed". Certainly the farmers were seeking to keep the fields open and cared not about the health of the plants in the hedgerows.

A lot of road crews here in California use those. Some are flails, some are rotary cutters. They can reach pretty far and cut fairly thick material. They use larger tractors than the usual CUT and there's a big tank of something on the left side, presumeably to offset the weight of the boom. Also a wheel weight on the left rear wheel.

I'd love one of these to trim my road but it's total overkill and they're probably really expensive, even used. The ones I see have a smaller cutter than the lane shark, something in the 36" range.

 

[Xfaxman]

------------------

For anyone else who is looking landsharkusa.com is their website. Not a whole lot of information there and very hard to find through google, but helpful to give you an idea of what they are building.

I'll get back to all of you hopefully as soon as June with some videos if I can get one of these in my hands to do some work.

Thanks for sending me in the right direction

Did you mean Lane Shark USA | A Different Kind of Brush Cutter. ?

 

[uintas]

A lot of road crews here in California use those. Some are flails, some are rotary cutters. They can reach pretty far and cut fairly thick material. They use larger tractors than the usual CUT and there's a big tank of something on the left side, presumeably to offset the weight of the boom. Also a wheel weight on the left rear wheel.

I'd love one of these to trim my road but it's total overkill and they're probably really expensive, even used. The ones I see have a smaller cutter than the lane shark, something in the 36" range.

No, i think he's talking about what we call "epareuse" here in france.
With this name you can google it. Main manufacturers are Rousseau
Rousseau Nos produits | Rousseau
SMA Epareuses SMA Archives - SMA FAUCHEUX
Noremat Faucheuses-debroussailleuses, epareuses - Materiels d'entretien des accotements routiers
They are pretty expensive, and you need a big tractor but for hedges, ditches etc ... there's nothing better !

 

[ericm979]

Those are cool!

The ones I see for road side work in California are mid mounted like these:
http://www.tiger-mowers.com/Assets/Docs/literature/Boom_literature.pdf
http://www.tiger-mowers.com/

The ones you linked to look like they would be a bit more affordable and being 3pt mounted would be easier to remove so you could use the tractor for other things. I'll be curious to see how the Lane Shark works for the OP.

 

[BukitCase]

"I was looking into the idea of running multiple circular saw blades mounted vertically on top of one another with a hydraulic motor used to power them."

There was a thread on here a year or two back on exactly that - guy built it using 10" or 12" saw blades, hydraulic motor, chain driven - I tried a search using several different terms yesterday, could NOT find it to save my sorry a** - maybe someone else remembers it? The guy did a really nice job of it, can't believe I didn't bookmark it... Steve

 

[TheeKb]

If I could weld and wire and fab hahaha I would take my old 42" Honda pull behind bush hog and make it where it could attach to my fel someway. With forks or a hay roll needle thing possibly?? Then just extend the ignition and kill switch to the driver. Possibly just wire a plug running down fel arms to attach to when I attached the mower. Could even use for other created implements like a circular saw blade pole saw extension.... ??? Ahh if only I could weld fab and do electrical.

 

[bcp]

Here's one thread.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/230249-help-building-tree-trimmer.html

Bruce

 

[DeadTurtleCreek]

Xfaxman: Yes I meant Lane Shark. I must have mistyped. Sorry to lead everyone in the wrong direction. I have a need to trim 7+ miles of treelines with oak trees nearly identical in size to the one in the picture you posted (from 6" to 12" DBH). For that reason I must be able to do it quickly unless I want to quit my job and trim trees full time.

Bukit: I would like to see that thread if you ever find it. That was my original plan, and I believe circular blades may be even more effective than traditional mower blades. For my purposes though, I believe the Lane Shark might be perfect.

I have spoken with one of the guys at Lane Shark and intend to get one before this summer. For the cost (I think it will be around $3,100 total) I haven't seen another product that comes close to it. I don't think it says on their website, but the rep told me that they could make the SSQA version compatible with my JD loader quick attach specs. That means I can remove it for transport or to replace with my bucket in a matter of seconds.

I will keep this group up to date on how it goes. I know there must be quite a large number of people on this forum and reading as guests who are looking for a similar piece of equipment in this price range. Expect some photos and videos hopefully by mid-June.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Dadnatron]

Do you have a chopper?

 

[TheeKb]

Here is what I done, works great. Note the saw must be spring loaded so you don't put to much down pressure on it and brake it. I also have it spring loaded to one side.

This is actually pretty darn ingenious haha
I like it!!

 

[TheeKb]

Do you have a chopper?

I can see a Tim the tool man accident episode in the making. Hahaha That thing is awesome.

1) I can see things going awry very quickly with that thing. Kill switch or not, anytime a blade contacts something capable of getting wrapped up it's a literally a wrap haha. Now add being over a 100 feet up in the air in a chopper!?

2) that guy pulling the limb out ..... HUGE. BALLS.

3) as if pilots needed more of a reason to schedule a cranium deflation. Now they can add actually working to their resumé Flying and getting at the same time.

 

[redman135]

I would suggest that you contact your highway department. They are likely to have the type of branch cutter you want or refer you to their contractor.
Here in new zealand there is a contractor who does this type of work. The tractor is about 130hp and runs a 6" cutter head made of either a 4 or 5 disk head that will reach up to 20". It will do your size job in a 1/2 a day comfortably. It runs with a 2nd tractor to clear the road and mulch the branches.
A contractor will save you the expences of a seldom used machine.

 

[lwc4446]

I have searched this forum and seen a few people who seem to be searching for the same type of equipment. I am looking for some type of saw, mower, or rotary mulcher that attaches to the FEL and can trim tree limbs that are encroaching on roads and shooting lanes. We have a large amount of acreage planted to 20 year old oak trees. Our roads and shooting lanes were fine for years, but now that the trees have gotten bigger, the limbs have grown together from both sides making mowing grass miserable as well as shooting a rifle down these lanes impossible.

I have seen the limbinator and similar pole-mounted chainsaws. This is not necessarily what I am looking for given that I would be cutting max 3" diameter limbs and needing to do it constantly down the length of these roads. I have also looked at google earth and added up that I have more than 7 miles of these roads and shooting lanes to trim on both sides so doing this manually is just not feasible.

Does anyone have any ideas about a piece of equipment that might do this job? I have seen the limb beaver, but at $9k I think I can come up with something better and a whole lot cheaper.

I was looking into the idea of running multiple circular saw blades mounted vertically on top of one another with a hydraulic motor used to power them. I'm trying to figure out some pointers from this group as to what may be the best way to get this built. It seems I could make it simply enough mounting rotors to 1/4" plate steel with a chain or belt running the blades from the hydraulic motor. My biggest concern is that if it sounds too good to be true and nobody already makes it, its probably either much harder than expected or extremely dangerous.

Thanks for the help. I know this group thinks way outside the box on these problems and thats what I'm looking for to solve the problem.

Are you still looking for a brush cutter?
I have built one that works great. It is hydraulic driven and uses the hydraulic pressure from the prime mover. It will fit any prime mover with a quick attach front end loader. If you are interested, I can send you some photos and details.