Tree Farmer - November/December 2009 - (Page 46)

By easley PAuL Stumpster: Two Options for Efficient TSI I would think one would jump up to the larger unit as it is only $500 more and outweighs the smaller one by 230 pounds. Both stump grinders are built beefy; the entire frame is made of .250inch wall steel. The hook up is easy on these, as the back sits on hydraulic stabilizers and the front has drop-down legs for storage. There are four hydraulic cylinders, two that control the depth of cut and two that activate the cutting wheel movement through the stump. To keep you horsepower freaks from trying too big a bite, there is a limiter clutch. The Tree Hog, built by the same company, at first glance looks like a brush mower or brush hog. The big difference is this animal cuts trees. The Tree Hog also comes in two sizes. The model 40 requires a minimum 40 power takeoff horsepower and features a 40-inch cutting wheel and 10 carbide cutting bits. It is capable of cutting a 16-inch tree with a single cut. The model 540 requires a minimum 85 power takeoff horsepower and has a 48-inch cutting wheel and 10 carbide cutting bits. It is capable of cutting a 20-inch tree with a single cut. I am told the smaller Tree Cutter sells the best. I like heavy machinery, so I look at the price versus the weight. The smaller one costs $6,495 and weighs 1,150 pounds. The larger one costs $7,495 and weighs 1,750 pounds. That is a full 600 pounds heavier! I guess I have a tank mentality, but this type of equipment will get used hard. Both units have a hydraulic pusher bar that assists directional felling. The key word here is assists. As with all timber work and tree felling, your feet and mind must be immersed in safety first! A six-inch tree can kill you as easily as a 30-inch tree. When cutting, all the same rules apply as if you were on the ground with a chainsaw. The natural weight of lean, wind, close-by limbs that might impede the fall, uneven ground, vines, or dead limbs that may break loose must all be taken into consideration. Now, do you have your hard hat on? Let’s go to work. With a cutting depth of 16 to 20 inches, you can cut a very big tree much like a 16-inch chainsaw can cut a 30-inch tree. The cutting wheel is completely covered by a heavy shroud. The cutting wheel is hydraulically fed into the tree for the cut and then retracts into the shroud. The Tree Hog also has a limiter clutch, which will make you speed freaks behave yourselves and will protect the entire drive system. I find the construction and workability of the Stumpster products as simple as a 1950 Chevy. On my farm the Tree Hog would be carefully used for smaller, undesirable trees and TSI. Any tree that has some usable lumber in it would still be bore cut with a chainsaw — with my feet planted firmly on the ground. The 1990 Illinois Tree Farmers of the Year Paul and Kathy Easley own and manage Oak Leaf Wood ‘n’ Supplies, 210 N. Main St., Moweaqua, IL 62550; . The tools & techniques Now that the euphoria of being retired has worn thin and cooler air has set in, I find myself hungry to get back to the timber. My focus for retirement is becoming clearer: I have this extra time to work and enjoy my woodlot. I still do most of our timber stand improvements (TSI) by hand, often with chainsaws, clearing saw, machete, and fire. When it came to removing stumps, I have run across contraptions that look more like medieval torture devices than tools for the woodlot. One thing for sure, working by hand keeps you connected to your product — the tree. So much has changed in our short lifetime. While I am satisfied working with my tools, there are faster, more efficient ways to do TSI work. Two tools to put your TSI in high gear come from a Texas company called the Stumpster Co. The Stumpster and the Stumpster Tree Hog are three-point-mounted units designed to work off a tractor power takeoff unit. The original Stumpster was designed in 1981 and the company started production in 1982. The design allows anyone with a three-point tractor hitch to work a stump grinder that is fast and economical. There are two models depending on your workload and horsepower needs. The 3000-4 Stumpster, which is the smaller unit, has a cutting wheel that is .75-inch thick by 26 inches in diameter with 19 carbide cutting bits. It requires a minimum of 22 horsepower and costs $6,495. The 4000 Stumpster has a cutting wheel that is .875-inch thick and has 26 carbide cutting bits. It requires a minimum of 40 horsepower and costs $6,995. Tree Farmer NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - November/December 2009

Tree Farmer - November/December 2009
Contents
Safety 101: Using Small Woodlot Equipment
Buyer’s Guide & Resource Directory
Consulting Foresters & Managers
Associations
Fertilizers, Herbicides & Repellents
Forest Appraisal, Analysis & Management
Forest Measuring Instruments & Software
Insurance
Resources
Land Sales
Seeds & Seedlings
Real Estate Brokers
Timber Buyers & Loggers
Supplies, Gifts & Apparel
Timber Pricing Services
Tax Advice & Timber Taxes
Tools & Equipment
Tree Paint & Markers
Tree Protectors & Shelters
Wood Manufacturers
Agencies
Associations & Organizations
Tree Farm State Contacts
Grant, Loan & Cost-Share Programs
Cooperative, State Research, Education & Extension Services
State Foresters
Make Your Home and Forest Fire Resistant
Taxing Issues
Ties to the Land
A Safe Harbor for Two Threatened Species
Tools & Techniques
Timberland Liability - Are You at Risk?

Tree Farmer - November/December 2009