What Attachment for Making Fire Breaks?

[JethroB]

The standard around here to maintain firebreaks is what you have, a standard notched disk harrow. Have you tried adding weight to yours? As long as it spins I wouldn't be concerned about the squeaks and sequels unless you want to repair it. Granted we have sandy/loamy soil with no rocks here but millions of planted pine trees.

Edit: or tried shortening the top link to make the front gangs dig better?

 

[Olympus]

The standard around here to maintain firebreaks is what you have, a standard notched disk harrow. Have you tried adding weight to yours? As long as it spins I wouldn't be concerned about the squeaks and sequels unless you want to repair it. Granted we have sandy/loamy soil with no rocks here but millions of planted pine trees.

Edit: or tried shortening the top link to make the front gangs dig better?

Tried all of those things and they didn’t help much. Works decent as long as there is no leaves on the ground, but it won’t cut through the leaf layer if there is one. Just rolls on top of them.

 

[BoylermanCT]

If you have a FEL, I would get a ratchet rake for your bucket. Works extremely well for clearing brush and sod. I have one on front and a tiller on back, and can clear land nicely with that combo.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety, Home fire safety, Fire prevention, John Deere, skid steer attachment, tractor implement

 

[Olympus]

If you have a FEL, I would get a ratchet rake for your bucket. Works extremely well for clearing brush and sod. I have one on front and a tiller on back, and can clear land nicely with that combo.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety, Home fire safety, Fire prevention, John Deere, skid steer attachment, tractor implement

The land is already cleared. I just need to break up the ground to bare dirt in a ring around the edge of the plot so that fire can’t cross it.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Ratchet rake will remove all grass, brush, sod etc in one pass. Works best going in reverse.

 

[Olympus]

Ratchet rake will remove all grass, brush, sod etc in one pass. Works best going in reverse.

From what videos I’ve seen online, that’s not going to come close to accomplishing what I need.

 

[JohnnyMX]

I have some very rocky, root-filled plots as well. It seems if you were going to buy something for the fire break, it may be nice if it helps with the actual plots as well. Have been in the process of finding what works with the time I have (single subsoiler, landscape rake, rototiller, harrow, etc.) Why not try to grab a medium sized 5-7 shank field cultivator. I got a FredCain from EA with 9 shanks, but there are other places that sell like DirtDog. You can move pretty quick with one of these and if the trash on top isn't too bad it makes quick work of plowing stuff under. Your maintenance passes to just keep it tilled up will be VERY EASY. Also, this will be less passes than a middle buster. Sounds like you already tilled it with an actual rototiller so my guess is you'd be very happy with the results. They are more than $400 new, but you can probably find one used. Even if you go new, the cost is 1/3 to 1/2 of a 3pt tiller.

 

[bdog]

Do you have a shredder and a box blade? I made a new road across a field that was thick tall grass by shredding the road as low as I could and then making multiple passes with a box blade. In the end the road was bare dirt. It took quite a few passes, and isn’t necessarily the tool I would recommend for the job but if you are on a budget it will get the job done.

 

[JethroB]

Posts 27 & 28 sound like something worth trying. A mouldboard (called turning plow here) can make a mess if not careful and experienced and you are limited to a straight path.

 

[Olympus]

Any thoughts on the 2 blade Ferguson disk plow?

 

[JethroB]

Any thoughts on the 2 blade Ferguson disk plow?

Me? I have no experience with a disc plow. Its been years since using a turning plow too. We had a MF 55 rollover plow pulled by a MF 135 for a few years on 10-20 acres. If you try either type I suggest going no deeper than necessary to bury the trash, particularly on the first and last passes. With the turning you create furrow/ditch and then a hump. The rollover was a godsend from a standard plow.

 

[Olympus]

I did take a look at a middle buster and those are around $150. I may just go that route. A couple passes wide with a middle buster would be about the same as a 2 bottom plow for my purposes. And I would be going in an oval shape, so the traditional plow might not be good for making turns.

 

[airbiscuit]

Your disc may do better after a few rounds with the middle buster.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Any thoughts on the 2 blade Ferguson disk plow?

If it's within your budget go for it. There would be three bearings to look out for but they won't be expensive to replace. 2 on the discs and another on the furrow wheel. I don't know any thing about these but to me it looks like there should be some kind of depth adjustment for the furrow wheel. Maybe someone who knows can speak to that. If there is a model number you could go to a Massey parts website and look it up.

 

[JohnnyMX]

If you can, please report back with what you ended up trying and how it worked out for you.

 

[Olympus]

If you can, please report back with what you ended up trying and how it worked out for you.

Will do. Haven’t made up my mind yet.