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Here's what a 14000.00 dozer can do for you guys on a budget....

coxey2

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Messages
19
Location
west ky
Two or three dozer contractors wanted 100.00 hour to clear some land I had. I figured it would take at least 2-3 weeks. I spent $14,000 on a D3B dozer and took my sweet time; about 6 months ( make it last cause it was so much enjoyment and therapy for me after a hard day at the regular job). PB190008.JPG PB190009.JPG PB190011.JPG
 

Acivil

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
154
Location
Tennessee
That's not a way I ever plan on removing, or allowing one of my people to remove a tree. :badidea:IMO
 

Scrub Puller

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
3,481
Location
Gladstone Queensland Australia
Yair . . . coxey2. That is crazy stuff, complete and utter B/S.

You have no control of that tree whatever, a gust of wind even with no leaves and you are going to get all the bloody therapy you would ever want . . . and what's worse you have the front to post such average practice on the net.

Sheesh!!!
 

gwhammy

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
602
Location
missouri
It would have been better off cutting the tree down then digging the stump out. You didn't have any leverage advantage with the tree on it. It really is dangerous the way you did it. Probably get away with it 99 times, it's that one time that could kill you. We are not beating on you just letting experience try to help you.
 

ih100

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
731
Location
Peterborough UK
I'm pleased it didn't go wrong, but the pictures will be useful in showing people how not to do it. I hope this prompts some of the guys on here to post pictures of the more sensible methods.
 

lumberjack

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
1,044
Location
Columbus, MS
That tree appeared to have a distinct lean and room fall to the lean. IMO that made it a safer practice than a neutral tree.

With a throw line, strong rope, and suitable pulling point, you can guy the tree and pull it over with a good deal of accuracy and safety. If you have climbing experience and enough chain, you can pull over impressive sized trees with minimal digging.

Here's me on a 4t mini knocking over a larger tree using the first method.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ4fQRwTeI0
 

1466IH

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
613
Location
prairie du rocher, il
That tree appeared to have a distinct lean and room fall to the lean. IMO that made it a safer practice than a neutral tree.

With a throw line, strong rope, and suitable pulling point, you can guy the tree and pull it over with a good deal of accuracy and safety. If you have climbing experience and enough chain, you can pull over impressive sized trees with minimal digging.

Here's me on a 4t mini knocking over a larger tree using the first method.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ4fQRwTeI0
How do you like that Kubota mini? I have never seen one because there isnt a dealer around and Kubota has asked Dad and me if we would be interested in taking on their stuff. They are looking for someone that will carry their full line from mowers to ag tractors to their compact construction
 

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,247
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win

As has already been said, the only similarity between these threads is the topic of pushing trees down.

What coxey2 posted is a very dangerous way to take a tree down of that size with a small dozer. For the sake of the inexperienced that view this forum, it needs to be pointed out that is not the way to safely take a tree down. :cool2
 

lumberjack

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
1,044
Location
Columbus, MS
How do you like that Kubota mini? I have never seen one because there isnt a dealer around and Kubota has asked Dad and me if we would be interested in taking on their stuff. They are looking for someone that will carry their full line from mowers to ag tractors to their compact construction


I liked it a good deal, I bought it last Feb, traded it in on a new KX057 in December. I like the 57 a good deal better with the cab and radio, not to mention more power and reach.

Kubota has an excellent reputation as a company. Dealers are hit or miss, my local dealer is far less than stellar; I rarely do business with them.
 

LT-x7

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Messages
394
Location
Central COMMI-fornia
Occupation
Earth Moving Contractor
I'm interested in how you pushed it over. There are pictures of it dug out and after it went over. But how did you go about pushing it over? Did you build a ramp or just get up under it and cross you fingers?
 

kentuckyboy

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
12
Location
Kentucky
Now would be a good to to share some of your experience on how to properly take down a large tree with a small dozer. And try not to be too hard on us inexperienced operators. We all want to learn, sometimes by our mistakes, sometimes by others mistakes, always from the "old guys".:D
 

buckfever

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
813
Location
southwest pa
Well I will give him credit on having the theory right, he is just missing a important step. When digging out stumps like that your suppose to cut the tree down first leaving about 3-4 feet of trunk for leverage. If that tree would have gotten away from you and hit the machine you would understand why an expierenced operator gets 100.00 an hour.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,247
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Well I would have used the 953 or 321 to take it down but that doesn't answer the question.:D

Like buck fever said, especially if one is taking the grade down this much, first cut the tree and then dig the stump out. I have had trees get away from me before and not fall in the direction I intended using larger equipment on a similar sized tree. I am reminded of one such incident pushing down a tree in tight quarters with a 953, every time I get on my mini, where a limb took out the curved glass at the front of the canopy. Even an experienced operator doesn't get it right every time.:cool2

One has to understand the limitations of the equipment they are operating and plan the job accordingly. I could have dug that stump out with my 334 mini-ex after cutting the tree down but I would have died a slow death of anguish, frustration and physical exhaustion in the process.:rolleyes:
 

Scrub Puller

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
3,481
Location
Gladstone Queensland Australia
Yair . . . I suppose I went off a bit . . . but I saw red and my #4 post was completely non constructive.

I had posted to coxey2 that for a few dollars worth of scrap steel he could knock up something similar to this . . . .

D3164.jpg

This is just a picture from the net and to my mind the spear could be longer . . . it makes no difference when pushing dirt and can stop sticks coming over the back of the blade when piling brush.

With a proper canopy it is far better to push trees rather than battling with cut off stumps, you can use the weight of the tree to get it rocking . . . often it is best to watch the shadow to get "in time" on the shifter or the clutch.

Generally speaking it is normal practice to push a tree against its lean . . . that is to say you push from side where it is leaning towards the tractor, there is more purchase ant they mostly tip our easier that way.


Cheers.
 
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CM1995

Administrator
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Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,247
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Scrub I doubt that D3B would push over that tree no matter what kind of tree pusher is fitted without a fair amount of digging around the stump.
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
I've been there & done that . You have a smaller piece of equipment at a job site and there's that one big tree that needs to come out . Cant justify moving in another larger piece of equipment for one tree so you dig and dig and dig for half a day getting it out . I don't like to do it but have in the past . All tree work is dangerous regardless what equipment a fella is using or size of the tree . Large trees look intimidating but a small 2 inch sapling can be just a deadly if impaled by it . Any more if in doubt I hook a winch line on the trunk to assist pulling & help guide the tree in the proper direction .

http://s1016.photobucket.com/user/td25c/media/Treeremoval022_zps5907303a.mp4.html?[user]=138653211&[recent]=1&...
 

Scrub Puller

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
3,481
Location
Gladstone Queensland Australia
Yair . . . CM1995


Scrub I doubt that D3B would push over that tree no matter what kind of tree pusher is fitted without a fair amount of digging around the stump.

For sure mate, that's a big lump of wood which makes the O/P methods all the more frightening.

And of course there are ways and means of digging . . . can't say I have ever seen anyone reduce the ground level around a tree to that extent though. (big grin)

From where I sit typing this I can see a tree larger than the tree in question that I have no doubt could be pushed by a D3 with a pusher . . . another fifty feet away not so much.

If it ever rains again I am going to put a wire rope around that second tree about thirty feet from the ground and I have every expectation I can pull it with a fifty horse wheel tractor. I have never been shy to put a rope up a tree, it is mostly easier on the gear and can save a lot of time.

Digging can be a bit of a mixed blessing, if you dig a single trench you are still standing on the roots . . . that is another advantage of a tree pusher of course, it puts the tractor back a little from the trunk.

If a very large tree has to come out and no rope is available I mostly cut two trenches intersecting at an angle leaving just enough ground to stand on. I leave the dirt piled so that as the tree falls the heft and weight of the trunk and branches will to some extent lift the root ball clear of the hole . . . it is easy with big timber to get into the situation where you get the tree down okay but it's a struggle to get it out of the hole.

Another thing to watch is getting jacked up by the root ball. As soon as the tree starts to fall back out of there quick as a big root can get up behind the blade and pull the tractor forward sit it on its arse.

Cheers.
 
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DirtHauler

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
507
Location
Seattle WA
Occupation
Heavy Highway Dirt Hauler
It almost appears that this thread has been hijacked into a tree removal thread. I think once the poor practace was pointed out a couple times we should get back on track or split the thread into two different threads and directions. Poor guy has to feel ganged up on.
Now that it has been clearly pointed out that the tree removal was not the best method, lets talk about the joy he had and satisfaction of doing the job himself.
 
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