Skimming off the top

[Cliff_Johns]

I would like to skim the vegatation off an area. I have the tractor and a FEL to work with, no blades, no toothbar.

The question is, should I be able to to this? Do I have to have a tooth bar? I'd rather not spend the money just yet and the area is only 30X30 feet. I would just like to flatten and clean the area, spread grass seed and cover it with some straw, but the weeds are very thick and I can't spray because that's part of my dog pasture (oddly, they do graze) and I don't want to poison them. Just spraying would leave me with a pretty bumpy section of yard anyway.

When I try to just set the FEL and drive forward, the FEL digs in, or slides over the weeds. Do I just need to keep playing with it. I haven't really used my FEL yet, so I admit I'm pretty incompentant so far. I would just like to know that it's doable before I spend a lot of time trying.

The ground is flat with no rocks, some small woody buckthorn roots, but I've pulled all the larger buckthorns with the backhoe.

Cliff

 

[755inNY]

Cliff,

It is possible without a toothbar but as you have found out it is tricky to get the right cutting angle with the bucket such that you stay under the vegitation but not so deep you loose traction. Uneven density of roots may cause you to constantly adjust the bucket digging angle. I've only done this with grass and a straight bucket so I do not know how your weeds will fair. I found it easiest if I cut the sod into sections roughly the width of the bucket with a flat shovel. Just push the shovel straight down into the sod and make a cut line the length of your area. This allowed the vegitation to break free with less resistance. You could try using your BH to cut "stripes" of vegitation away and follow up with the FEL to remove the majority of the material. After it is all removed a tiller would be nice to break up the soil so that you can level it out and plant seed.

Good luck,

Jeff

 

[Egon]

It's possible. Takes seat time thats all. Main thing is to start level and stay level at the depth you want which will be about 4 to 5 inches I would think. Any less and you are trying to cut through roots which doesn't work well.

Make one level strip and then just work from there in small bytes ehh.

Have you considered rotatilling?

Egon

 

[nobull1]

Myself with the equipment you have I would use the backhoe.If you don't have a lot of experience doing this, now is the time to practice.I would take a small area pull back the vegetation than smooth as best I could.Continue moving down and repeat.You will find with a little practice it goes quite quick.When you get to the end just dig a "DEEP" hole and bury the vegetation or load it and remove it.

 

[frank_f15]

Yes u can do it that way. just takes a bit of time to learn how the angle the bucket, may take a few passes but u will e able to do it. just have fun, and don't get frustrated. u will be supprised what a little bit of practice will do.

 

[Richard]

I'd agree to try the backhoe.

Last summer, I helped a neighbor replace a drain from house to side yard. I took backhoe and "cut" the sod off the general area & put it aside before I started digging.

I kinda lucked into "seeing the opportunity to do it", rather than being smart enough to see it before hand.

My NEIGHBOR didn't know this however, and he is blinded by my sod removal to think that I"m Mr. Wonderful on a backhoe!!

He & his wife, just put the sod back after the trench was done, worked like a charm.

(you got nothing to lose? & nothing but seat time to gain??)

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[hazmat]

<font color="blue">I'd agree to try the backhoe.
</font>

me too /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Once you remove the sod/weeds, and loosten the soil up a bit, you can rough level it with the hoe. Simply swing the hoe back & forth with the backside of the bucket in contact with the ground - think spreading frosting on a cake. You can grade an angle by adjusting your stabilizers.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> and the area is only 30X30 feet.</font>

Cliff,

That is such a small area all I could think of is...practice, practice, practice... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I think I bought my box blade for about $300...put one on your list...they are great tools... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sometime you need to order a toothbar too...

The tractor costs the most...the attachments that do the work are not a big percentage....

Using what you have will get the job done and give you some good experience too.

Don't worry...you can do it with what you have...!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just keep at it!

 

[KiotiJohn]

Cliff, try this: Put the FEL cutting edge down on the ground with the joystick pushed all the way forward, in float, and back up. Adjust the curl of the bucket at different angles to adjust the aggressiveness of cut. In float, the FEL bucket will follow the contour of the land. You'll be able to pull out a whole lot of vegetation without really digging in deeply. If you can't get enough cut that way, don't put it in float, but down on the ground and carefully back up adjusting the curl to dig the best. Keep in mind that if the level of ground changes then, the bucket will lift up or dig down with the differences in terrain. Whatever is left over can then be dug out by going forward right at the point where the stuff comes up out of the ground. To help loosen a stubborn sapling, put the cutting edge right at the base and work it back and forth with the joystick, you'll loosen the roots enough to then backdrag it out. Hope this helps, John

 

[SteveH_CT]

I did just that last weekend Cliff. I used my bucket with the cutting edge, rather than the one with the toothbar. I angled the bucket to cut in... went a bit forward to get the cut started and then raised the bucket out. What I was left with was a "divot" the width of the bucket about 2 inches down - just enough for me to now come straight in with the bucket's edge level to the ground. I then (make sure you are in low range) proceeded very slowly forward... worked just like a cheese slicer - I was able to completely remove the grass and be left with a super clean cut. It took very little raking to level out the area I had just cleared off. The grass was so well cut I thought of re-using it elsewhere in the yard.

I was making some new landscaping beds - Your job should go as well considering the soil conditions you've described.

Good Luck!