Tree Getter--Bye Bye Honey Locust

[Guidster]

I finally got the time this past weekend to put my new tree getter to the test (pics attached) and I am glad to report that it works very well--despite the fact that the ground is hard as a rock with the lack of rain that we have been having in Texas. I believe that if we ever get some rain, the ease of use and effectiveness will increase dramatically. It is a lot of fun to use. I have found that even the larger Locust trees (bigger than can fit in the teeth)are fair game as I can work them up and push them over.

Thanks again for NS in Texas for the design guidance. The original post that inspired me is HERE . I opted for some lighter iron given the steel prices. Specifically, I used 3/16" wall tubing and 3/8" plate. It seems to be more than adequate, but if you use a larger tractor, you might want to go back up to half inch.

 

[Guidster]

shot 2

 

[Guidster]

shot 3

 

[Guidster]

shot 4

 

[RonR]

Great Job!

Think if that were my nice shiny tractor, I'd weld up a set of guards that would go up about 3 ft and keep any limbs/the tree from falling on the hood or snagging the hydraulic lines up front.

ron

 

[PineRidge]

Looks to me like your implement will "get er done" with little or no effort. Nice work!

 

[Jeeper]

thats a good tree getter you did a good job on it, I need to make one of them it should work good here in the piney woods of east texas how long did you make the teeth ? Jeeper

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks good!!!

 

[jinman]

Very nice! Now you have me coveting your creation. I'll loan you my rock bucket for awhile if you'll loan me your tree popper. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[kossetx]

Guidster, Very nice!! I plan on building one as soon as I get a tractor that will handle it. Have you found anything it won't pull out? MP

 

[Guidster]

Jinman
Given that you are "next door" in wise county, you can use it whenever you want--just send me a PM. I love your rock bucket and am toying with the idea of a grapple like yours for the tree popper--it would certainly come in handy for all of the trees that I am ripping out around here!

 

[Guidster]

Thanks for the feedback. I toyed with this idea, but I figured that with the down angle used to get at the roots of the tree, such a structure would hit the trees that I am trying to get at. The key is to keep the teeth down low and push the trees AWAY from you. For those that actually go into the teeth and are plucked out, the teeth grab it good and with a little caution and keeping the getter angled down, the tree will fall away from you if it decides to topple over.

 

[Guidster]

As I mentioned in the original post, the ground is hard as nails around here--no rain and clay that could pass as concrete. The Honey Locust trees have shallow roots, so I can get even pretty large ones by working them up. However, I have found that mesquite and scruffy oaks, etc. with a deep tap root are more of a challenge to get. I have found that I tend to break them off right at the surface instead of pulling them for the most part--with some exceptions. However, when I do pull them (up to about 3" so far) the whole root comes out with little surface disruption. Unfortunately, the Honey Locust trees make up for their lack of a solid tap with some nasty roots that tear up the ground more than I would like--but the grass will always come back--and without THORNS! I think that I will do much better on these harder to get trees when we get some moisture around here to soften things up a bit. Given softer ground, I think that these trees will be no match for the hydraulics and pushing power of the tractor.
You mention that you do not have a tractor that can handle this contraption--It would be a very easy thing to adapt the contraption to the 3 point hitch. That could be an option for you.

 

[KennethBrown]

Are you in the Richland/Wortham area? That land sure looks familiar.

 

[Guidster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( how long did you make the teeth ? Jeeper )</font>

If memory serves, the teeth are 13 1/2" and go all the way back to the rear of the square tubing, which is 2 1/2"--meaning that the teeth are about 11 1/2" long from the front of the tubing.

 

[Guidster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Are you in the Richland/Wortham area? That land sure looks familiar. )</font>

Just a tad further north--North of Corsicana.

 

[kossetx]

Guidster,
It's plenty dry around my place too. One thing good about the honey locust is it doesn't withstand too dry a weather, but being that it's winter they may go longer since they're dorment anyway. Right now, I'd take rain over dead locust, hands down. I was kinda wondering if you had tried it on mequite or yupon. They're my 2 biggest offenders. I've controled the mesquite with poison. Yupon is just a pest.

The search has been on for a bigger tractor for a while. It may intensify now since I just signed an oil lease for my place. I just hope it isn't as dry underground. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif If I get a new tractor, that will be one of the first projects for me.

 

[Jeeper]

Guidster thank you for the numbers I'll have to get the metals rounded up to make one Jeeper

 

[Jeeper]

Guidster thanks for the numbers I'll have to get the metal to make one I need it bad Jeeper

 

[wushaw]

Guidster,

Saplings will grow from the roots that are left behind. Roundup poision ivy/shrub killer works well. You will have to stay on top of it all summer long, as you are well aware that Honey Locus grows very fast.
If you don't get the "nut" as some call it of the Mesquite stump then it will just com back as well. Roundup also works ok for what comes up but it takes a long time for the stump to eventually die.