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

[Nat]

I don't like to be the bearer of bad news,BUT.
I don't think it will work. I may do a tree or two but not much. I have a CA Allis and I made a tree grubber to go one the 3PH and it will stall the tractor pulling a 2" pine. I have pulled a lot of small trees in the past and can tell you from past expereince they are tougher than most people think. 120 pounds of grip isn't as much as you think, and as several others have stated, air compresses and it doesn't stay in one position like hydraulic cylinders will.
It also seems to be pretty far back from the end of the lift arms, but that may be an illusion.
Here is a pic of a simple tree grubber I made. It is behind a 3000 Ford in this pic. I'm all for people making job specific implements and certianly don't want to discourage you cause it looks like you thought it out and made your idea come to life and I hope it works, but if it doesn't you can still make one to do the job at hand. Later, Nat
http://www.countrybynet.com/attachments/files/31137-Picture 005.jpg

 

[diyDave]

On a 1" tree, cut the tree off about 6-8" off the ground, WHEN THE TREE IS ACTIVELY GROWING, then paint the stump with a 50/50 mixture of regular (41% or higher A.I.) roundup and water. If it re-sprouts later, cut it an inch lower, and repeat. I have never had to re-treat more than once. Not as much fun as making a machine, but it works!

 

[RedDirt]

Like others here I have normally used a length of chain double wrapped around the trunk and have pulled with my '63 Power Wagon winch, sometimes w/ double, triple purchase logging snatch blocks. But I've thought of using or modifying a pallet "grab" (scissors type) for attaching to the tree. Maybe one of these could be used with a 3PH?

A couple of years ago I built an inverted "T" assembly from two 4'-6" 4x4x3/8 steel tubes. This is a big stout lever that increases my winch pulling power. I welded 5/16" chain hooks at each end of the "T" and another half way down the vertical. Two logging blocks are attached to the top of the "T" and the winch cable is run three purchases back to the truck. 5/16" chains are run from the two outside horizontal chain hooks back to the (stout) truck front bumper to keep the assembly from dragging itself to the tree. Then a cable is run from the middle vertical chain hook to the tree trunk. I tie off the truck to a tree behind the truck to keep from dragging the truck to the tree to be pulled. Then winch.

6000# winch x 3 purchase (blocks) x 2 (lever) = 36000# pull. I also have a chain hook down 3/4 from the top of the "T" that gives 3x lever pull = 54000# pull.

I've pulled 4" to 8" trees with this assembly (cedar, pine, fir, black oak). I will not post photos. The safety guys would put out a hit on me!

Now I have a BH so I'll probably cut up the tree pulling "T" for use on something else.

If you should use the "T" lever idea or something like it use a remote control for your winch so you can stand well away from the tensioned cables and chains. I did break a couple of chains. There'd just be a "pop" and the "T" would fall to the ground. I never broke a cable but that would be more serious, perhaps whipping back at the operator.

 

[jmc]

I will not post photos. The safety guys would put out a hit on me!

How about just a picture of your Power Wagon?

John

 

[RedDirt]

How about just a picture of your Power Wagon?

John

You can see the front 3/4 of it in my avatar beyond the tractors.

154,000 orig miles, bought it in '71 w/30K on it. It was my work truck in the '70's when I was a timber faller and got pretty beat up between driving down Cat skid trails and hauling hundreds of cords of firewood. Did a pretty good rebuild in '95 but not TOO good so I can still abuse it some without fretting about the finish. It rarely sees pavement these days but some years still gets a lot of use one the property skidding and winching logs.

 

[BigDogues]

Do a search for "tree getter". Lots of good designs on the forum to handle small trees.

BTW, leaving small stumps sticking up can be very bad for your tires!

 

[powerstroke444e]

Looks like you have a good idea. I had about 9 acres of CRP with small trees which I cut with a set of disk blades mounted on the front of my fourwheeler. The blades had bearings in them & overlaped about 3/4" & I would drive up to the tree & lower the blades they would cut threw the tree at ground level & leave no stump to cut tires, work well as would putting the same thing the three point.

 

[sixdogs]

I have seen similar ideas but with a "fixed" non-movable vee and the thing worked. Yours looks like it will bend or twist and fail.
My first idea, however, would be herbicide and my second would be a bush-hog and then herbicide. I have mowed trees up to three inces and sprayed smaller ones and it worked.

 

[cityfarma]

I tried it out during the weekend and have not been put off yet. It still requires more work.

The main problem was the actual grip was not enough. I have welded a bead along the grip edge but this was too smooth.

To be continued.....

Cityfarma

 

[rambler]

What you really need is an upside down trap door......

Drop the trap door over the tree, it opens. Lift up, & the door closes on the tree. The harder you lift up, the tighter it grips on the tree.

If you make it sharp, it will cut the tree off.

If you make it real dull, it will strip the bark off.

If you make it fairly blunt but with a good edge, it will lock onto the tree but not cut it, then it will pullt he tree straight up.

There is no need for the air or hydraulics or extra stuff.

Just a lot of strong metal. A very, very strong hinge, and 1/2 inch or so metal plate for the door. It lays flat.

Simple & strong is better.

--->Paul

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Do a search on EBAY for "tee post puller". I've seen a bigger version of same used to pull 6" wood fence post's. It works, doesn't slip, the harder you pull the tighter it grips, and it'll simply use the lifting of the 3-point hitch to yank out your trees. Simple is good. Very easy to over-engineer an idea.

Chain method works too. I used to have a short section of chain I used for pulling post's. I put a number of 1/4" bolts w/nuts through the chain in the area where it wrapped the post. That gave a little extra "dig" to keep it from slipping.

 

[BigDogues]

The only problem with a puller like that is you have to get out of the seat all the time. I would rather go for something like this... http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/12555-tree-getter.html?highlight=TREE+GETTER I have seen several post where guys have bought or made something like this for there FELs too. But you usually have a lot better pulling strentgh with your TPH.

 

[BigDogues]

Here is another nice design... http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/92150-blade-steel-tree-grubber-knife.html

 

[cityfarma]

The only problem with a puller like that is you have to get out of the seat all the time. I would rather go for something like this... http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/12555-tree-getter.html?highlight=TREE+GETTER I have seen several post where guys have bought or made something like this for there FELs too. But you usually have a lot better pulling strentgh with your TPH.

I like to play so simpler is not necessarily better . The cylinder is powered in both directions and controlled by air solenoids. I will use switches accessible from the seat. If all else fails, I will have a go at the simpler designs. All adds up to more excuses to play!!

Cityfarma

 

[mooseye]

Me, I would move the cylinder up and use it with a grapple to hold the trunk in the V instead of as a V-clampper.

 

[bucmeister]

My thought on the design you already have would be to go back and create a set of jaws by welding some jaw material above and below your current stationary jaw and just a bit toward the moveable jaw creating slot for the moveable jaw to compress and slightly bend the trunk into. That should magnify the grip not only with the 3 contact grip but with the distortion in the wood thereby not relying just on the brute force of the cylinder pressure.

 

[cityfarma]

My thought on the design you already have would be to go back and create a set of jaws by welding some jaw material above and below your current stationary jaw and just a bit toward the moveable jaw creating slot for the moveable jaw to compress and slightly bend the trunk into. That should magnify the grip not only with the 3 contact grip but with the distortion in the wood thereby not relying just on the brute force of the cylinder pressure.

I was actually thinking the same thing. I had ground an angle on the moving blade to help it bite in but still slips up the trunk.

This is still a work ing progress. My intention was to use it to selectively pluck trees from around the trees I wanted to keep. Last time I played was just after some unseasonal heavy rain that settled the dust. I decided it was simpler in places to connect up the spring tyne harrow and rip up everything.

Cityfarma