Which Implement For Vine And Root Removal From Woods? (Sandy-Loam Soil)

[jeff9366]

My tractor/loader is a Kubota B3300SU, 1,900 pounds, 4-WD, 33-hp, 60" tire width.

( Next year I may buy a Kubota L3560HST, also 60" wide, but 3,500 pounds, after observing how reliable the Tier IV emissions compliant iterations are. )

I want to kill/remove thick subsurface wild grape vines and soft wood tree roots from rock free, Florida sandy-loam soil, which has never been plowed. Roots are 3"-5" deep, not more.

Roots are my goal to remove. I will dig out Palmettos and 3" stumps with FEL Bucket Spade.

I will mow vine areas with a Rotary Cutter before de-rooting.

I have a 587 pound Rollover Box Blade, but I can only pull it with five rippers down when the soil is perfectly moist, and then it requires HST/LOW and throttle. The rippers are too broad/blunt/straight.

Is there a supplier for 3/4" - 1" thick, parabolic shaped, Box Blade rippers?

I have about ten acres to de-root. What would be the best dedicated de-rooting implement?

Chisel Plow? Perhaps Dirt Dog 60"? Or a J-5 from Hay-King, weight unknown? (Parabolic shape)

Pasture Renovator like C-2 or C-3 ($1,300) Hay-King, possibly with coulters removed?

"Unique ripping foot designed to penetrate below coulter and cut approximately 5-1/2-inch average depth with a draft and lifting action of the sod and with minimum surface disturbance." KEY WORD: LIFTING.

( From T-B-N Archive: "I've spoken with the Hay King folks, and they can build a custom unit that can use either the renovator shanks (with or without the coulters) and that can also use the chisel shanks as well.")

Or TRI-5 from Sweet Tractors? (Parabolic shape)

Scarifier, Land Pride SF2566 ($800)?

Moldboard Plow, two bottom, Ford 101?

Field Cultivator, Fred Cain, 60"?

Subsoiler, One Shank or Two Shanks?

Other? (On-topic suggestions, please.)

Thanks in advance.

PRODUCT LINKS:

Dirt Dog APP60 5 60" 5 Shank All Purpose Chisel Plow | eBay

K&M Mfg. Product 3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-TRI-5-S...avy_Equipment_Attachments&hash=item257a0dddf1

http://www.landpride.com/ari/attach/lp/public/lit/lit_sf25.pdf

Fred Cain Tractor 5 Shank 3 Point Field Cultivator, Ripper, Tillage Tool, Jitterbug, Field plow, Bermuda grass plow



Note grape vine roots in both photos.

 

[OldMcDonald]

I would say you have a very big task ahead of you. I have cleared many isolated trees, but only a couple of acres of closer spaced - grubbing out an old olive grove, and in that case I worked close to each individual tree to identify those with a strong root system that would need to be dug out rather than pulled over. First, some negatives. A disc in front of a tine will not cut through most of the roots you show in the photos. A spring loaded shank will not lift the length of roots you show. The tine will often go underneath, and break the root or stop the tractor. In this case I suspect you will bring very little to the surface. Alternately the root will be stronger (often due to length increasing the force needed to move it) and the springs will be stretched to their limit before the shank slams back into position. Do this often and you will break springs. I have a 7 tine implement similar to the Fred Cain one, and which I refer to as a scarifier. In Australia I also had a root rake attached to a front blade. This worked well where heavy timber had been pulled and the roots left in the ground, but it only worked about 4" below the surface.

I have had success in lifting roots also by using a single leg fixed subsoiler. I think the mouldboard plough (without a disc or tine in front of the plough) would do the job, but you would probably need to go shallow on the first pass and you will obviously have an enormous quantity of rubbish to rake and burn - but you will have that whatever method you use.

Best of luck with it all, and you will have immense satisfaction when it is completed.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Jeff;

You need one of these. ;-)

Rick

http://www.lynnhendrixequipment.com/

 

[jeff9366]

"If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride."

One of my Grandmother's sayings.

$1,500 is max I can spend.

 

[Sodo]

I'm pretty happy with a land rake on the forward end of brush forks, which gives me a long reach into the bushes (ahead of the front wheels). Possible you can get a land rake and a brushfork for $1500 if you can do a little fabrication. You just have to remove the rake from the 3-point and attach it to the brush forks. These rakes quick-release from the forks so after scraping up a pile you can remove the rakes and take the pile away. I built my setup just yesterday and have done initial tests only. You can see more in a different thread HERE.

Not sure how much force you need below the surface to pull these roots up but 3-5" doesn't sound like much. My setup is on a BX24 and as you can imagine there's not much weight available, and I think in sandy soil it would do the job so a B3300 might do it twice as well. Also in the pic above I'm using the 'bucket float" feature to NOT dig the forks in. I suppose a guy could strap some sacks of sand into the bucket for more front weight.

If you are getting an L3650 for this job that's going to cost a lot more than $1500 :shocked: But I understand, I'd sure like to get rid of the little BX and get a 30hp.

 

[jeff9366]

Hey....

A very innovative fabrication.

 

[leonz]

My tractor/loader is a Kubota B3300SU, 1,900 pounds, 4-WD, 33-hp, 60" tire width.

( Next year I may buy a Kubota L3560HST, also 60" wide, but 3,500 pounds, after observing how reliable the Tier IV emissions compliant iterations are. )

I want to kill/remove thick subsurface wild grape vines and soft wood tree roots from rock free, Florida sandy-loam soil, which has never been plowed. Roots are 3"-5" deep, not more.

Roots are my goal to remove. I will dig out Palmettos and 3" stumps with FEL Bucket Spade.

I will mow vine areas with a Rotary Cutter before de-rooting.

I have a 587 pound Rollover Box Blade, but I can only pull it with five rippers down when the soil is perfectly moist, and then it requires HST/LOW and throttle. The rippers are too broad/blunt/straight.

Is there a supplier for 3/4" - 1" thick, parabolic shaped, Box Blade rippers?

I have about ten acres to de-root. What would be the best dedicated de-rooting implement?

Chisel Plow? Perhaps Dirt Dog 60"? Or a J-5 from Hay-King, weight unknown? (Parabolic shape)

Pasture Renovator like C-2 or C-3 ($1,300) Hay-King, possibly with coulters removed?

"Unique ripping foot designed to penetrate below coulter and cut approximately 5-1/2-inch average depth with a draft and lifting action of the sod and with minimum surface disturbance." KEY WORD: LIFTING.

( From T-B-N Archive: "I've spoken with the Hay King folks, and they can build a custom unit that can use either the renovator shanks (with or without the coulters) and that can also use the chisel shanks as well.")

Or TRI-5 from Sweet Tractors? (Parabolic shape)

Scarifier, Land Pride SF2566 ($800)?

Moldboard Plow, two bottom, Ford 101?

Field Cultivator, Fred Cain, 60"?

Subsoiler, One Shank or Two Shanks?

Other? (On-topic suggestions, please.)

Thanks in advance.

PRODUCT LINKS:

Dirt Dog APP60 5 60" 5 Shank All Purpose Chisel Plow | eBay

K&M Mfg. Product 3

New Tri 5 Shank Tiller Ripper Renovator Can SHIP Cheap Fast | eBay

http://www.landpride.com/ari/attach/lp/public/lit/lit_sf25.pdf

Fred Cain Tractor 5 Shank 3 Point Field Cultivator, Ripper, Tillage Tool, Jitterbug, Field plow, Bermuda grass plow



Note grape vine roots in both photos.

IF the soil is a good as you say it and the wild grape vines are Concords the
only real option you have is to purchase a single moldboard plow and plow deep
12-14 inches providing you have ballast in the rear tires for traction.

That is really the only option you have as a moldboard plow will work well providing
you purchase one with a fluted coulter-the coulter slices a groove in the soil
before the plow share digs in behind the coulter and the share rolls the dirt
over in the furrow. The fluted coulter cuts into the trash layer AND ROOTS.

 

[bcp]

Might find some ideas here:

Root plow images

I've watched the wide horizontal blades pulled by a Cat, but even a smaller one may be too much for a CUT.

Here are some for a 3pt hitch.

http://www.dallasweb.com/jones/

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...squite-tree-spraying-pains-2.html#post1758151

Bruce

 

[jeff9366]

bcp: I have a long-handled scuffle hoe in the garage. Maybe I can adapt it to the tractor.......

 

[jeff9366]

IF the soil is a good as you say it and the wild grape vines are Concords the
only real option you have is to purchase a single moldboard plow and plow deep
12-14 inches.

The vines are Vitus rotundfolia of some kind, as is Concord. Mine are probably closely related to Scuppernong.

I recently took delivery of a vintage Ford Series 101, 2-14 Moldboard Plow with fluted coulters, from Sweet Tractor. My concern is cutting up the roots into small sections underground, then having each small vine section start a new vine in the Spring.