trail clearing technique and tools

[ArlyA]

New signage put up at BRT's today.

 

[airbiscuit]

I like your covered kiosk

 

[MossRoad]

First picture reminds me of the first time I tried to catch a mole.

Nice work!

 

[ArlyA]

When you are doing thinning - cutting saplings up to a couple of inches in diameter(or more, depending on the clearing saw you are using), there really is not another choice. The metal 3 armed blade won't make through saplings this size, and a string trimmer wont do much more than strip the bark. Something like the Forester blade or the blades that look more like a circular saw are the options for that. Chainsaw blades rob a lot of power. I find the "circular saw"-looking blades a better choice, IF you get a good quality one. Husqvarna and Oregon sell some of the Maxi style (made in Sweden). I suspect others sell them as well - probably all made in the same factory and relabeled. They good quality, hold up well (if you keep them out of the dirt and rocks), and easy to sharpen.

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There are also some not-so-good ones that look similar. These are cheaper steel and a slightly different design. I'm not so much a fan of these

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I'm also not a fan of Stihl's "scratcher" blade for cutting saplings. There is no way it will keep up with a good Maxi blade.
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I have not tried Stihl's Chisel Tooth Blade. It might be a good option as well.

None of the blades above are a very good option for grasses and weeds.

We tried them all. No longer used.

 

[ArlyA]

We spent 1/2 a day clearing a portion of the NCT on Sunday. I've had grief with my Echo heads holding onto string but seems I fixed it. Whacked for about three hours before a string broke and all got replaced then. 155 string rocks at this job. You can't see them but there are maple shoots in here.

 

[ArlyA]

More before and after photos of strings at work overt the weekend.

 

[ultrarunner]

More before and after photos of strings at work overt the weekend. View attachment 1057457View attachment 1057458View attachment 1057459View attachment 1057460

How often do you encounter stinging insects.

Seems trimmers are a sure ticket to rally the hive.

 

[ArlyA]

How often do you encounter stinging insects.

Seems trimmers are a sure ticket to rally the hive.

We have those ground who are quite aggressive and paper wasps here. I usually get sting some each summer but I've not yet to so far. Now I'm jinxed it!!??!! Its not been a banner year for them. Nonetheless, we carry benadryl and EPIpens for that in our sawyer first-aid kit.

 

[ArlyA]

We will be camping over the weekend and working on a connector trail to the NCT. Its quite a drive from town to it but the camp site is 1/2 way there. We did this the past weekend but I managed to not bring a camera card along. (no, I don't like using my phone) This photo was taken years ago in the same area.

 

[ArlyA]

I like your covered kiosk

Keeping some rain off them is quite important. With a roof, is the only why I'll build them today.

 

[ArlyA]

These baby sized Makita's have replaced loppers for me after I gained a bad wrist. They can be operated one hand and weight very, very little. Yet if I find a 3 or 5" "branch" to cut, these will still cut it fine. Must say they have more utility than loppers do.

 

[ArlyA]

Doing some fall work on trails yesterday.

 

[airbiscuit]

Here is a fellow TBNr on the trails.

 

[ArlyA]

NOAA has changed our winter forecast to near normal so hopefully normal temps and snowfall will prevail.

 

[2manyrocks]

Our temperatures are becoming more pleasant, but October is baby copperhead season in Tennessee.

 

[Rockbadchild]

NOAA has changed our winter forecast to near normal so hopefully normal temps and snowfall will prevail.

I saw its supposed to be a el nina winter lower temperture and higher snow fall then average for us

 

[MossRoad]

NOAA has changed our winter forecast to near normal so hopefully normal temps and snowfall will prevail.

I'd love a normal winter for once. Our lilacs bloomed again a couple weeks ago. I want to go ice fishing, too.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I hope we get a flash freeze before we get snow, that makes it ideal for trail clearing... I have 600ft of trail I did last winter with a foot of snow so I have all the last foot of everything I've cut last winter re-cut and 1400ft to clear to finish off that loop and join the existing trail.

 

[Rockbadchild]

This is my trails network, I have the red to do, the blue to cut the stumps, eventually I would like to do the green since that wouldn't be that much work since there was once a trail there, once that is done I would have have 4 miles of trails.

 

[ArlyA]

Some of you may note we've not done much on Boundary road trails all this summer. Yes its become somewhat overgrowth. Among the reasons is we couldn't find anyone to mow them and a couple of gals said they'd write for a grand, and did nothing towards that. The only $ we took in this summer was 200 from the family who helps the most, and is the parents of my grooming assistant. Go figure. So we are covering 90% of the operational cost and I've gained more disabilities over the past year, and can only do modest trail work anymore.. This is part of the reasons we're looking for a tractor and our own property.