The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Forestry and Logging => Topic started by: Grower on July 28, 2015, 04:28:47 AM

Title: Dozer HP
Post by: Grower on July 28, 2015, 04:28:47 AM
What minimum size dozer do we need to shift these pine stumps? Would 150HP with a root rake do the trick? We have 1300 to shift.

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Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Stang51D on July 28, 2015, 06:55:24 AM
Low stumps are tough.  I have not done much with pine stumps, but that looks way to big for a root rake.    I am thinking that, cut that low, my D-8H would have a hard time with them, at close to 300hp.  I would say that about a 320 Cat size excavator with skinny bucket would be best.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Ianab on July 28, 2015, 07:17:29 AM
How old are the stumps? Pine stumps like that rot out pretty quick here in NZ, but if they are less than a year, they are going to be tough.

Big excavator would be my pick too. Then the stumps can be dug up and piled easily as well.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: logman81 on July 28, 2015, 09:28:56 AM
Yup large excavator with a stump ripper would be my choice.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: clww on July 28, 2015, 09:53:52 AM
We have dozers at my employer up to Cat D7s, but for clearing and stump removal all we utilize are excavators. Normally Cat 320 or 330s.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Grower on July 28, 2015, 04:42:52 PM
40 year old Ianab, I planted them. If I leave them long enough they should just push out which far the cheaper option. Either that or just plant over them which has been done before, only thing is the fire risk in 10 years time as they will still be there. Any digging we do comes out of the profit made from them.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: beenthere on July 28, 2015, 05:10:05 PM
Don't understand the "fire risk" from rotting stumps left behind.  What causes that?
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Grower on July 28, 2015, 08:11:34 PM
An out of control fire that sweeps through a plantation. We saw it here 20 years ago in another block which was right next to the road.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Dixon700 on July 28, 2015, 09:29:11 PM
For 1300 stumps that size I'd say a good sized excavator.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Grower on July 28, 2015, 11:34:19 PM
Considering the size of the bill for the excavator to clean up I would be better to let the stumps rot for 10 years then push them all out in one hit with a smaller dozer. That way I get to keep the profit from the timber for myself.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: loggah on July 29, 2015, 06:48:51 AM
I would use an excavator also, but if you were going to use a dozer i would say D6 size and up.I used to own a bunch of big heavy equipment,excavators,dozers,wheel loaders and used them all stumping and building fields and ponds.If the ground is dry,and fairly flat a big wheel loader will pop and move those stumps in a hurry,i had a Michigan 275B with a 7 1/2yd spade nose  bucket and you could just pop stumps that size out of the ground easily,pick them up drop them get the dirt out and when you got a pile of stumps haul them away in the bucket,lots easier then pushing them with a dozer,and you didnt need a truck to haul them in. The real big older loaders didn't cost much and when i was done with it i sold it and got most all my money back.Don
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: HiTech on August 03, 2015, 06:33:26 AM
A dozer with a loader/bucket and teeth on the bucket will take stumps out fairly easy. I have moved or taken out a lot of them with a 450 Deere with that set up. I saw a guy with a big old cat dozer/loader combination clearing stumps for a hayfield once and it seemed like it didn't take him long. With the bucket you can get under them and just curl them up out. Also you can pile them where you want.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: NH-Murph on August 03, 2015, 07:07:35 AM
I plan on fencing in my latest cut of pine and turning the hogs out for a year or so.  A little corn down in the roots, and the pigs will do the heavy lifting for you.  They won't pull the stumps, but when they are done, you won't need so much machine to get them removed the rest of the way.  A buddy of mine did this a couple years ago, and after a year, you could go around and wiggle all the stumps by hand...
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Justify008 on August 03, 2015, 02:36:17 PM
Quote from: NH-Murph on August 03, 2015, 07:07:35 AM
I plan on fencing in my latest cut of pine and turning the hogs out for a year or so.  A little corn down in the roots, and the pigs will do the heavy lifting for you.  They won't pull the stumps, but when they are done, you won't need so much machine to get them removed the rest of the way.  A buddy of mine did this a couple years ago, and after a year, you could go around and wiggle all the stumps by hand...

I second what nh murph said i have a buddy that clears stumps and brush with hogs easiest and cheapest method I think and bonus you get tasty bacon in the end along with a clear field. Just takes a little more time.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: Dixon700 on August 03, 2015, 03:34:46 PM
Quote from: Justify008 on August 03, 2015, 02:36:17 PM
Quote from: NH-Murph on August 03, 2015, 07:07:35 AM
I plan on fencing in my latest cut of pine and turning the hogs out for a year or so.  A little corn down in the roots, and the pigs will do the heavy lifting for you.  They won't pull the stumps, but when they are done, you won't need so much machine to get them removed the rest of the way.  A buddy of mine did this a couple years ago, and after a year, you could go around and wiggle all the stumps by hand...

I second what nh murph said i have a buddy that clears stumps and brush with hogs easiest and cheapest method I think and bonus you get tasty bacon in the end along with a clear field. Just takes a little more time.
Lol, tasty bacon and a clear field. That was good. Heck the hogs in there for year you could probably lift the stumps with a decent skid loader.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: beenthere on August 03, 2015, 04:32:58 PM
Not sure what kind of tree stumps and sizes you are talking about that hogs will uproot in a year.

I have my doubts if the tree stumps are of any size and if a species that doesn't decay rapidly after the tree is cut. And a winter that the ground isn't frozen for about 4 months.

But am curious about your experiences.
Title: Re: Dozer HP
Post by: NH-Murph on August 03, 2015, 09:56:12 PM
It's pretty impressive how much they will root with the proper motivation (corn).  So long as you don't have a breed like Kune Kunes or Idaho Pasture Pigs.  They are grazing pigs and won't root like a Durock or Berkshire, etc.  I put a pair of 9 week old Durock/Berkshire crosses in a temporary 16'x16' pen for the past week, and they have already exposed an unbelievable amount of roots from the 2 16" DBH white pine trees in the pen.  I will no doubt have to cut those trees within a couple more weeks as they will be hazardous with any sort of wind.  It really is quite effective.  I expect to use my 40hp tractor to do the stumping once the Hogs have their way with this recent cut, and I have a feeling it will be plenty of machine for the task.  Without the pigs, I wouldn't dream of using my tractor for these stumps.  It'll work slicker than puppy turds on a linoleum floor!