Gentlemen, place your bets...will it work????

cityfarma · Jan 20, 2008

I have a problem with trees that have become a weed and I cannot pull them by hand. I do not have spare hydraulics but do have pneumatics. The theory is that the 2.5" cylinder and 30 psi should give around 120lb pressure to the ram and the tree at the bottom of the V should then have around 250lb push on the trunk. The 3pl would then lift.

I plan to use electric air solenoid to control the air to the cylinder. The air would be a pressure tank supplied initially from a mains compressor then topped up by a car tyre compressor. If the tank is pumped to 70psi and the pressure regulated to 30psi at the cylinder, I expect to get many operations from the pre filled tank before having to fill up again.

Which way do you put your money?

Cityfarma

Tig · Jan 20, 2008

I guess it depends on the size of the tree. Should be fun to try.
Good luck, I hope it works.

cityfarma · Jan 20, 2008

It is intended for trees to 1". I tried it on a broomstick and it looked promising.

Cityfarma

Shmudda · Jan 20, 2008

Just remember that air compresses, fluid doesn't. Thats the biggest draw back with using air.

My experience has been that you either design/build or purchase something for one type of work, and then you always look to get more out of it then what it was intended for.

My advise, build it as strong as you can because next you will want to tackle larger trees......good luck!

Craig

schmism · Jan 20, 2008

youll bend the snot out of the bracket the cylinder is attached to. (the fixed arm, not the moveable one)

youll bend the snot out of the flat bar that is to grab the tree trunk (downward...affecting the use? perhaps)

based on what i see.... i bet it will work a few times before it dies an ugly death

rambler · Jan 20, 2008

Metal will bend.

You coulda made a strong wedge, just back intot he tree & lift, lower again & drive forware to shake off. No moving parts, no air, & much stronger?

Yours will bend near the bottom pivot area. The weld on the main 3pt cross piece would crack over long useage, unless you plated it on the hidden side.

Trees don't like to leave the ground, they will fight you harder than this.

I'm in deep clay, hardwood trees, maybe you are in different stuff.

--->Paul

john_bud · Jan 20, 2008

Agree with the bent metal.

If you grab solid, you might also bend your 3pt arms. (been there, it's easier than you may imagine.)

cityfarma · Jan 20, 2008

Shmudda said:
Just remember that air compresses, fluid doesn't. Thats the biggest draw back with using air.

My experience has been that you either design/build or purchase something for one type of work, and then you always look to get more out of it then what it was intended for.

My advise, build it as strong as you can because next you will want to tackle larger trees......good luck!

Craig

My thought is that the compressability will act as a safety point. By only applying 30psi, any force too big will compress the air rather than break things. I may even start at a lower pressure to see what happens then wind it up a little.

I was also thinking about further bracing the cylinder arm angle as I too thought it may bend.

Cityfarma

MrJimi · Jan 21, 2008

I think if you put some kind of a gripping teeth on that it will work much better and if you just lift straight up, you will shave the bark off the tree UNLESS you shake/rock it like a dentist would on your tooth for pulling out.
How about something like a nail puller to get under roots, an big V shaped thing

gordon21 · Jan 21, 2008

Your original question mentioned 1" trees. In that case, my answer is a yes/possibly. Your scissors will slide up the the tree trunk when you lift unless you put some kind of gripper edge. If you sharpened the edges, you could actually cut through the tree like a big pair of scissors. Anything 2" or bigger and I think you will be breaking/bending your invention.

Make sure that a ruptured hose can't come flailing about and hit you in the eye. The end will be swinging around like a crazy snake and will definitely hurt. Cable tie the hose in several places.

Has anyone ever seen concrete/steel scissors? They are incredible to watch. They will cut concrete utility poles like they were made of balsa wood. They are huge hydraulic scissors. Large ones will cut 10" steel I-beams. It is truly amazing what some liquid under pressure, a pump and some valves can accomplish.

wedge40 · Jan 21, 2008

I agree I think it'll work a few times then need to be fixed (straightened).
I'd watch ebay for a used subsoiler or head to Local TSC and pick one up.
One inch trees, I've hooked a slip cable over them and pulled them. But if you have a lot to do it's gets old pretty fast.

Wedge

deldirt · Jan 21, 2008

I took two old brush chipper blades, backed them with steel plate to form a "V". This attaches to two sections of 4' box and to a backing plate. The unit attaches to my ASV RC50 skidsteer. I have removed everything from sapplings to 8" trees. Depending on the type and soil.

SPIKER · Jan 21, 2008

one thing about air as it compresses inside the cylinder, if the cylinder then POPS loose the compressed air will cause the cylinder to SLAM open/shut and may cause damage to it's self you and or anything else close by...

otherwise the clamps Ive seen are slightly spaced V with a cutting edge to grab into the trees trunk then you can back into tree lifting 3 pt up pulling as it cuts/grips into bark... one other method that would work is using some spring pressure down on them to keep them flat, then have them hinge slightly UP when backing onto the tree when you lift the springs wants to force them down and they GRAB a bit better I would think.

mark M

RonMar · Jan 21, 2008

I don't think that structure will hold up.

If it is just 1" trees, why not use a middlebuster? Either cut the tree off or just drive over it after squashing it with the FEL, and lower the point of the middlebuster into the ground about a foot or so before where the tree trunk enters the ground(I sometimes go back and forth to work the tip deeper into the ground). The point will dig in and engage/hook under the rootwad. As soon as this happens, lift with the 3point while still slowly pulling forward, and out they come. This would leave about the same hole and mess as gripping and ripping. I have ripped out Elderberry, Alder, Fir and Ceder trees/rootwads this way, some quite a bit larger than 1"...

Now the idea of a root shear intrigues me as I have lately been working on larger stumps with the backhoe. Sometimes when I rip at the stump with the hoe, a root will rip out of the ground and tear up the surface for several feet(this sometimes also happens pulling the smaller ones with the middlebuster). In the interest of not making too mich of a mess, a hydraulic root shear would be handy to cut these roots quickly once I expose them with the backhoe and by wiggling the stump a bit. It would sure beat getting down in the hole and having at them with an axe...

cityfarma · Jan 21, 2008

tree grower said:
I don't wish to limit anyone's opportunities for burning acetylene or welding rod, but if your trees are just one inch, why not cut them off, and when they re-sprout, spray them with Round-up? Or if they are not too tall, spray them now. There are no residual effects from Round-up, but it will kill almost everthing green, so be careful. Read the label !!!!!

I have made a number of attempts to spray with glyphosate. They had little effect.

The gripping edge of each blade has a bead of weld along it to give a grip on the trunk.

My initial test with a broomstick was with about 60psi. This left a noticable dent in the wood. I think that 30psi would give a good grip without cutting the trunk.

This has keept me quiet (except for a bit of cutting and grinding

) for a few evenings. If not, I have at least had some fun trying

.

Cityfarma

2manyrocks · Jan 21, 2008

The easier way to grip the tree is to wrap a chain around it a couple of times so the chain grabs the tree trunk when you start to pull. If you wrap it the right way, it will tighten up on the tree trunk. Connect the chain to the drawbar and pull.

ROPS needed and don't try it on larger trees.

SPYDERLK · Jan 21, 2008

cityfarma said:
It is intended for trees to 1". I tried it on a broomstick and it looked promising.

Cityfarma

Bushog, dull blades, low rpm, slow travel speed. If theres anything left pull it by hand.
larry

SkunkWerX · Jan 21, 2008

2ManyRocks,

That's also the way I pull up wooden posts. The chain grips real good.
Also you can rock back n forth an inch or two, loosen them a bit, then lift the 3PH and they come right up.

With a small diameter tree might need a turnbuckle or something to put that last grip on the chain before pulling. But it should work.