Tree shear

[Ken Mac]

I got to use the tree shear today and I found it works great on my B26TLB Kubota as it handles the frozen ground with a little slime on it very well and it was able to move in and out of the trees I wanted save. With 7gpm to my loader 3 valve and about 2300 psi I was very impressed about 3-5 seconds to cut a larger tree and no way to tear it up with this machine.
Largest tree I could get it around was about 14" cottonwood and took and extra bite to get it but it did it. On the larger tree's I would cut them several times to make it easier to remove them with my grapple. On small groups of trees I could cut 3 or 4 at once. I attached a few photos but have not figured out how to do video.View attachment 536633View attachment 536634View attachment 536635View attachment 536636View attachment 536637

Those B26's are amazing what they will do!

 

[powerstroke444e]

Why don't you just rent one if you have operating experience? They are pricey at $3800 a week, but would be tax deductible and if only used every few years...

Rental makes sense, but only if a person has the skill set to operate one, and can put the hours on them. Typically a person runs out of time before the hours actually are up on the rental unit. That has been my experience.

I looked at buying or renting a mulching head but didn't have a machine to run it. This shear works perfectly for this project and I when down a fence row and trimmed some stuff back and it worked great. I think it will be even better on a telehandler which hopefully will get added to the fleet in the near future.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Good to have a neighbor with a mulching head. 5 stumps in 15 minutes.

 

[Code54]

View attachment 536824

Good to have a neighbor with a mulching head. 5 stumps in 15 minutes.

That would be handy!

 

[Coyote machine]

No, I have a Bradco Jawz tree puller. Certainly have thought about a shear.

Powerstroke,
His name is "Coyotemachine" or something similar. He may also be currently banned?? :confused3:

Let's set the record straight. NO, I'm NOT banned, as you suggest, nor have I ever been banned from TBN. Next time check the user list to see what my name is or search tree shears or similar. :confused2:

Now the tree shear the OP bought it EXACTLY the same one I have, and bought in 2015, brand new at auction on Ebay, I seem to recall.. Someone else showed a link to Titan's website where they seem to be selling it for less $ than I paid in 2015, (this is from memory), I'm away from home for the next 3 months, so I can't check my paperwork.

The $4,7xx.xx seems a really high price for that piece of equipment, sorry to say. Titan at around $3K is much closer to market value, and IMHO that is still a lot of $ for something that for most people may be an occasional use tool vs. something that gets more frequent use.

Safety, is a big concern regardless of tractor size. With 1000#s in front of an OP and the weight of a tree, height of the tree, and whether it has fully leafed branches, etc. could easily flip a lot of CUTS regardless of ballast. Also considering a fully grown say 40-60' tree at the end of one's loader arms will exert a LOT of forces on the tractor's balance, similar to crossing a slope and hitting a pothole with one wheel.
I disagree with wanting to clamp the tree to the shear mechanism or any part of it. By doing so, one may stabilize the tree from falling this way or that, BUT it does not stabilize the tractor from tipping points, especially in rough terrain. I can't speak for other tractor's hydraulics, but I can say the Kioti DK-40 does not have enough left over hydraulic pressure to open and close the shear jaw rapidly, nor would it be able to do so to a clamping device/jaw(s). And therein lies the problem of a clamp to hold the tree, IMHO.
I found that even with an aluminum canopy and my Dk-40's +/- 2750# lift capacity, the tree and wind and terrain are crucial to take into consideration when using it. Ideally one would cut when leaves are off any deciduous tree, and when moving with a tree held in the shear would back up against any possible wind force. Also, having the front grill on the shear pushing against the tree's trunk and the grill and shear tilted forward and toward the ground.
I feel as safe as one might with an open station and strong canopy; because I'm ready at a moments notice to exit the seat/station and dive for the lowest spot away from the tractor and tree if it decided to head toward me. A cab might trap an OP, but like with a chain saw one can only mitigate so much of the dangers associated with either tool.

Now I'm NOT suggesting anyone try to move whole trees with this tool. Better plan would be to select an area to drop needing to be cut trees then sort them afterward with a grapple, or forks, etc.
Hopes this helps anyone looking at tree shears. The link to my original post is on page 2 of this thread, posted by LD1.

 

[4570Man]

I wouldn’t jump off the tractor. Assuming there’s no branches about to spear you the ROPS should protect you from serious injuries. If you jump off the tractor and misjudged the trajectory of the tree then all bets are off.

 

[rd_macgregor]

How much of an inconvenience is the manual rotation? As I walk around my property, I can visualize lots of potential tree shear jobs, but many of them would benefit from cutting trees, then sectioning them after they are down. It seems like manual rotation would be a real bother if you had to do it very often (I emailed the Titan folks and they don't offer an hydraulic rotation shear).

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Let's set the record straight. NO, I'm NOT banned, as you suggest, nor have I ever been banned from TBN. Next time check the user list to see what my name is or search tree shears or similar. :confused2:

Now the tree shear the OP bought it EXACTLY the same one I have, and bought in 2015, brand new at auction on Ebay, I seem to recall.. Someone else showed a link to Titan's website where they seem to be selling it for less $ than I paid in 2015, (this is from memory), I'm away from home for the next 3 months, so I can't check my paperwork.

The $4,7xx.xx seems a really high price for that piece of equipment, sorry to say. Titan at around $3K is much closer to market value, and IMHO that is still a lot of $ for something that for most people may be an occasional use tool vs. something that gets more frequent use.

Safety, is a big concern regardless of tractor size. With 1000#s in front of an OP and the weight of a tree, height of the tree, and whether it has fully leafed branches, etc. could easily flip a lot of CUTS regardless of ballast. Also considering a fully grown say 40-60' tree at the end of one's loader arms will exert a LOT of forces on the tractor's balance, similar to crossing a slope and hitting a pothole with one wheel.
I disagree with wanting to clamp the tree to the shear mechanism or any part of it. By doing so, one may stabilize the tree from falling this way or that, BUT it does not stabilize the tractor from tipping points, especially in rough terrain. I can't speak for other tractor's hydraulics, but I can say the Kioti DK-40 does not have enough left over hydraulic pressure to open and close the shear jaw rapidly, nor would it be able to do so to a clamping device/jaw(s). And therein lies the problem of a clamp to hold the tree, IMHO.
I found that even with an aluminum canopy and my Dk-40's +/- 2750# lift capacity, the tree and wind and terrain are crucial to take into consideration when using it. Ideally one would cut when leaves are off any deciduous tree, and when moving with a tree held in the shear would back up against any possible wind force. Also, having the front grill on the shear pushing against the tree's trunk and the grill and shear tilted forward and toward the ground.
I feel as safe as one might with an open station and strong canopy; because I'm ready at a moments notice to exit the seat/station and dive for the lowest spot away from the tractor and tree if it decided to head toward me. A cab might trap an OP, but like with a chain saw one can only mitigate so much of the dangers associated with either tool.

Now I'm NOT suggesting anyone try to move whole trees with this tool. Better plan would be to select an area to drop needing to be cut trees then sort them afterward with a grapple, or forks, etc.
Hopes this helps anyone looking at tree shears. The link to my original post is on page 2 of this thread, posted by LD1.

Glad you found this and can offer your experience! Glad you aren't banned too.
:drink:

 

[Coyote machine]

How much of an inconvenience is the manual rotation? As I walk around my property, I can visualize lots of potential tree shear jobs, but many of them would benefit from cutting trees, then sectioning them after they are down. It seems like manual rotation would be a real bother if you had to do it very often (I emailed the Titan folks and they don't offer an hydraulic rotation shear).

Good question, and I have what I would use as a method to reduce the change up from horizontal cut to vertical. Figure out what you need to drop, then what you need to piece out in sections. Then do as much dropping as needed, then switch to slice and dice. May not always be practical, but minimizing switching positions will save a lot of effort. It can be done without a huge amount of effort, but realize you're rotating the better part of a 1000# tool on a shaft with no assistance from anything but your own brawn. So the fewer times you rotate the shear, the better for conserving your energy.
Here is a rotating shear, found with a simple Google search; don't know anything about it, but here is the link. I suspect it's expensive, because of what it can do, and from what I can see most of the really heavy duty stuff is best suited, IMHO, for skidsteers due to their higher capacity hydraulic systems and increased flow at the implement: Tree Shears Attachments for Skid Steers, Loaders and Tractors

As far as jumping clear of the tractor, I'm not suggesting it as a regular thing; but if I see a 40-50' Popal coming directly at the center of my canopy with long branches that might skewer me, I'm not sticking around to see if I get lucky or it does! Myroll bar is behind my seat, and would only offer protection from a tree after my canopy had been crushed down around me while in the OP seat. If I were on the ground alongside one of my rear tires I'd be a lot safer then taking a chance of a crush by tree, canopy and branches, IMHO. YMMV.

One other important point is these shears are designed to allow cutting below grade so there is no visible or actual stump protruding above grade. Since the shear blade can be angled to begin a cut at a position as close to perpendicular to the tree's trunk, and to allow the shear to cut with the grain of the tree, (optimal cutting angle), one can account for grade and terrain variation as well as for leaning trees, etc. Therefore it is possible to leave no trace at or above grade of the presence of the cut tree. This dispels the myth of stumps being present in the field/woods in which the shearing was performed.

Glad you found this and can offer your experience! Glad you aren't banned too.
:drink:

Rumors of my demise and or being banned are greatly exaggerated!:laughing:

 

[powerstroke444e]

I bought from EZ Axe Manual Tree Shears | QuickAttach for 2 reason over other brands and type. They build it in house and it's made in USA, yes it was a little more but not much I dealt with Arron and he was great to deal with pm if you want his info.

Second with over 1000 trees this weekend I didn't have any come back in me and my machine but my does have fops. I wouldn't but it on a regular small tractor but it works good on my B26TLB as it's built for abuse. On a skid steer would be best but with thawed 1/2" of slime and the hills I had to deal with and creeks the tractor works great.

My wife pointed out the best part I cut trees and brush all day and my back don't hurt and didn't dull any chainsaw chains.
On the switch or rotation I found that once a tree was down I didn't need to be square with it to cut it just dump curl to get close and cut it.