Transplanted, On to Clearing

[B4D2USA]

My Fiancee and I spent the day yesterday out in the country prepping the new house site for layout. Most of the trees that remain after transplanting the smaller pines will not be "relocateable" without great expense of time and money. Here's a few pictures of the initial clearing. More work to do indeed.

[Garry]

I know the world is tree daft sometimes but personally I think clearing a few here and there is good for the soul

[ianoz]

Hi Bruce , The 933 looks like the right machine for the job , Handling those trees well .

[B4D2USA]

Yep Ian, the soil is pretty sandy. Actually, our property is the terminal moraine of an ancient glacier. About 1 mile further south and the watershed changes direction. I am interested to see what type of erratics I find when I begin excavation. When I excavated for the shop, I left a boulder in the footing excavation. I'm guessing it was the better part of 4 feet 'round because all I could do was scratch the surface of the stone with the bucket. It didn't even wiggle.

These trees come out fairly easy, but when I cleared for the shop, I had one big pine that I had to cut, and it took everything the 933 and the D4 had to twist the stump out of the ground. Fortunately, most of the remaining trees are modest in size. We're going to work on more tomorrow.

[Dan]

Yep Ian, the soil is pretty sandy. Actually, our property is the terminal moraine of an ancient glacier. About 1 mile further south and the watershed changes direction. I am interested to see what type of erratics I find when I begin excavation. When I excavated for the shop, I left a boulder in the footing excavation. I'm guessing it was the better part of 4 feet 'round because all I could do was scratch the surface of the stone with the bucket. It didn't even wiggle.

These trees come out fairly easy, but when I cleared for the shop, I had one big pine that I had to cut, and it took everything the 933 and the D4 had to twist the stump out of the ground. Fortunately, most of the remaining trees are modest in size. We're going to work on more tomorrow.

Anything of that size I just dig round the roots with something as small as a 3 tonner .. using a narrow bucket and burst the lateral roots and the stump comes out no bother

You guys have never really gone for mini diggers yet though ? .. something as big as a dozers seem like overkill to us lot .. dont get me wrong some roots could be a challenge and would need the bucket to be rocked to get leverage

[MadMike]

I know the world is tree daft sometimes but personally I think clearing a few here and there is good for the soul

+1 for me too

[ianoz]

Anything of that size I just dig round the roots with something as small as a 3 tonner .. using a narrow bucket and burst the lateral roots and the stump comes out no bother

You guys have never really gone for mini diggers yet though ? .. something as big as a dozers seem like overkill to us lot .. dont get me wrong some roots could be a challenge and would need the bucket to be rocked to get leverage

Dan , When you own vintage cat machinery Or any old machinery Any excuse to use it Is a bloody good one . And old cats were doing this surt of stuff long before 3 ton excavators were thought of .

[JD450A]

Personally I'd rather have my 450A to do this sorta work than a 3 tonner (i'll get the chance soon I hope) Once the trees over I've then got the 4 in 1 to grab and pile any brush.

[Muz]

Dan , When you own vintage cat machinery Or any old machinery Any excuse to use it Is a bloody good one .

Yep .. to true mate .. and they need a good work out now and again .. parked in a shed all day every day is no good for them

[B4D2USA]

Sorry fellows, been busy. As Ian said, I have the loader so this give me an opportunity to play, and it does make pushing trees easier that with the straight bulldozer D4. I wouldn't mind an excavator, but the increased cost of one makes the 933 particularly attractive. We have been experiencing our typical spring storminess. A "small" tornado went through a few miles south and it has been pretty rainy, so little progress made so far. We did get a few days in to clean up the brush piles before I complete the clearing of the site. At least I have been able to finish up the blueprints. I just have to get them to the shop for copies, then on to pull a building permit.

P.S., Ian, you must be getting tired of seeing this picture, LOL.

[ianoz]

Them Bloody trees are still blocking the view.. Few years back , I got a phone call from one of my old bosses wife ."Bring your Backhoe , i got a little job for you " I drove up to the house ,high on the top of a hill , Got off the machine ,and the first thing i said was , What happened to the view ? She said thats what your here for , Knock down all them bloody trees.

When i finished it had the views back again .