trail clearing technique and tools

[shooterdon]

ArlyA, I have enjoyed this thread and admire your toughness.

The one factor that is inescapable is that our ability to work hard diminishes eventually.

At the 250 acre hunt club next to me (near Gaylord) we keep our trails open with pole saws and bush hogs. The younger guys run the saws, and older guys run the tractors.

Looking at your photos, it would seem most of the work you do with string trimmers could be done with a bush hog. Maybe the flail mowers would work but I have never used one.

You provide a heck of a service and hope you find a way to keep doing it for many more years.

 

[ArlyA]

ArlyA, I have enjoyed this thread and admire your toughness.

The one factor that is inescapable is that our ability to work hard diminishes eventually.

At the 250 acre hunt club next to me (near Gaylord) we keep our trails open with pole saws and bush hogs. The younger guys run the saws, and older guys run the tractors.

Looking at your photos, it would seem most of the work you do with string trimmers could be done with a bush hog. Maybe the flail mowers would work but I have never used one.

You provide a heck of a service and hope you find a way to keep doing it for many more years.

Thank you for your kind words. We have had folks run "brush hogs" on trails we worked on. We don't like the 5"-+ stumble of trees shoots they leave behind. It's not fun to walk through and might even punch an atv tire. Flails can do a lower cut.

Don't tell anyone, but we're not getting younger.

 

[ultrarunner]

My AP battery Stihl pole saw and hedge trimmer and chainsaw get a good workout with the pole saw being used the most for maintaining along with Echo handle bar trimmer…

That said it was years ago I put in the trails with a CAT D3 and once established thought I could maintain with the Deere 110 TLB.

In my case I was wrong and a half day each spring with the Deere 350c does a nice clean up…

It’s hard to beat a dozer for trail work!

 

[shooterdon]

Thank you for your kind words. We have had folks run "brush hogs" on trails we worked on. We don't like the 5"-+ stumble of trees shoots they leave behind. It's not fun to walk through and might even punch an atv tire. Flails can do a lower cut.

Don't tell anyone, but we're not getting younger.

I am not knowledgeable to know what rocks will do to a flail. I looked at getting one but we have plenty of rocks from egg to grapefruit size and I fear they would destroy flail hammers after a few encounters. If you have few rocks, it may not matter.

I am too selfish to spend a lot of money on tools to maintain trails for others and strangers. And flail mowers are expensive to this old boy.

This thing from DR uses 175 trimmer string and should be easier than using a handheld trimer. IIRC they have a decent return policy if you are not happy with it. I get tired hanging on to a trimmer for very long...but I am a wussy. Something on wheels would be easier I think.

DR PILOT XT Walk Behind Wheeled String Trimmer | DR Power Equipment

The Pilot XT is a light, easy-to-maneuver gas-powered trimmer on wheels. BONUS 80' roll of 175 mil cord included for a limited time!

www.drpower.com

 

[ArlyA]

I am not knowledgeable to know what rocks will do to a flail. I looked at getting one but we have plenty of rocks from egg to grapefruit size and I fear they would destroy flail hammers after a few encounters. If you have few rocks, it may not matter.

I am too selfish to spend a lot of money on tools to maintain trails for others and strangers. And flail mowers are expensive to this old boy.

This thing from DR uses 175 trimmer string and should be easier than using a handheld trimer. IIRC they have a decent return policy if you are not happy with it. I get tired hanging on to a trimmer for very long...but I am a wussy. Something on wheels would be easier I think.

DR PILOT XT Walk Behind Wheeled String Trimmer | DR Power Equipment

The Pilot XT is a light, easy-to-maneuver gas-powered trimmer on wheels. BONUS 80' roll of 175 mil cord included for a limited time!

www.drpower.com

We have a system here who have a flail on there compact tractor and they hit rocks on a regular bases. Clearing weeds, grass and tree shoots with our weed whackers is not all that hard of job but we have some wide logging roads which are just to time consuming to do with them. This is why we are looking at that Chapman flail.

Having used and fixed a DR product we will not even considering getting another. They are better built to sit in the shed, than to be used.

 

[airbiscuit]

ArlyA, you do love your pole saws. I think they would be great for limbing and cutting anything over waist height. For 6"+ trees across the trail, I think I'd rather use a 50cc pro chainsaw.

That said, you probably get your pole saw in the dirt often enough. What is your sharpening method?

 

[ArlyA]

ArlyA, you do love your pole saws. I think they would be great for limbing and cutting anything over waist height. For 6"+ trees across the trail, I think I'd rather use a 50cc pro chainsaw.

That said, you probably get your pole saw in the dirt often enough. What is your sharpening method?

We do own a regular stihl saw that's there professional version but don't have the capacity to carry it along with its PPG. We are nomally walking in, or use our 6x6 to do them. Since we have limited carrying capacity, we bring tools with us we can get the most work done. Having said that, we rarely need a 18" bar.

I hand file chains in the field but bring at least 3 chains along on most days.

 

[airbiscuit]

I enjoy creating and maintaining the trails on our property. I am always amazed at nature's relentless effort to reclaim empty ground.

Those who use and enjoy the trails in upper Michigan have no idea what it takes to keep them so nice. Hats off to you ArlyA

 

[Root Cause]

ArlyA, you do love your pole saws. I think they would be great for limbing and cutting anything over waist height. For 6"+ trees across the trail, I think I'd rather use a 50cc pro chainsaw.

That said, you probably get your pole saw in the dirt often enough. What is your sharpening method?

I can sharpen a chain in about 5 minutes, on the saw, in the field, and bring it back to as good as or better than new.

This stihl brand sharpening tool is awesome. I don't spend near the money on chains.
I periodically give each tooth 2 cuts to maintain it, 4 or 5 passes will resharpen a dull chain.

Here is a pro showing it on Youtube:

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HY96EW8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[airbiscuit]

Can you see well enough to match the angle? Does it seem to get the rakers just about right?

 

[ArlyA]

Can you see well enough to match the angle? Does it seem to get the rakers just about right?

Since many people do fine, just hand filing there chains, I'd guess that file holder works great. I thought about getting one but haven't yet. Not sure they could hold the super tiny 1/8th my Stihl pole saw uses anyway. Yes, I'm awaiting parts to swtich it to larger chains. I'm not happy with the micro ones it came with.

 

[ultrarunner]

I switched the 10" pole saw to 12" and the battery saw from 14" to 12" for simplicity... also one of the national stores sells the 12" much cheaper than the saw shop.

 

[CADplans]

For SOME reason,, my trails stay 90 inches wide,,,,,,,,,,

ArlyA,, please do not drool on the paint,, my wife makes me wax this thing every time I use it,,
Drool leaves marks in the wax,,,,,,,,,,,,

My granddaughter was over Thursday,, and she wanted to ride the ATV,,
She was SO happy, the trails were freshly mowed on Tuesday,,,
I think she would have fought the weeds, but, mowed trails were enough to get a "Thanks! POP POP !" out of her

 

[Root Cause]

Can you see well enough to match the angle? Does it seem to get the rakers just about right?

Yes, you can align it with your eyes and pretty quickly learn to feel the drag when making full contact.

I truly had no experience doing this and after the first sharpening, it was like new. It has saved me probably $2 or 300 hundred dollars this summer. I used to use a chain well after it was dull just because I didn't want to and change out chains. This is easier for me anyway.

 

[jjp8182]

Since many people do fine, just hand filing there chains, I'd guess that file holder works great. I thought about getting one but haven't yet. Not sure they could hold the super tiny 1/8th my Stihl pole saw uses anyway. Yes, I'm awaiting parts to swtich it to larger chains. I'm not happy with the micro ones it came with.

The tools are made in different versions to accomodate the different chain pitches: https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/filing-tools/2in1file/

So if a person has saws using different pitches of chains they'd need to buy (& remember to use) the one specific for each chain pitch. It's noticeable when the wrong one is used on a chain pitch it wasn't intended for as there's a difference in the drag (at least that I've felt the few times I've grabbed the wrong one for the chain I was sharpening).

 

[ArlyA]

For SOME reason,, my trails stay 90 inches wide,,,,,,,,,,

ArlyA,, please do not drool on the paint,, my wife makes me wax this thing every time I use it,,
Drool leaves marks in the wax,,,,,,,,,,,,

My granddaughter was over Thursday,, and she wanted to ride the ATV,,
She was SO happy, the trails were freshly mowed on Tuesday,,,
I think she would have fought the weeds, but, mowed trails were enough to get a "Thanks! POP POP !" out of her

We do not own a compact tractor and no plans to get one. Sure, I'd like one, but no $$$ for it. Is there a "Go fund me" someone would like to set up?

 

[ArlyA]

Seems that some people might not know how we change these crazy cam lock whacker strings so today, I took a few photos to demonstrate the process. Ya, its crazy complicated!

Back at the 6x6 for a snack, I note my strings are looking a bit ratty so I place the unit in the machines box.

Next a grab the handy-dandy 6" linemen pliers from my pocket gab there ends and pull.

Wala!

Again I dig in my pocket and find a bundle of strings. Who put them in there anyway?

Seconds later, 4 new strings magically arrive. These cost less than $1 and should take less than 60 seconds to do, but I was having a snack.

I hope that helps. Today's trail working photos to follow.

 

[ArlyA]

At work on a trail today. Does it look like fall here??

Who needs a pole saw??!!??!!

This cut is above my head.

Why do we appreciate a 6x6?

 

[two_bit_score]

Good pics Arly!

 

[airbiscuit]

Here you go!