Purchase questions

[CuttingEdge]

So, after adding a shaft you can't back up with it running something. Unless you tear into the trans and add an R, of course.

Stan

A baler is about the only thing I could see. It would have to be something with ratchet and pawl mechanism, or maybe a worm gear. Most things can spin backwards just fine, like a farm tractor winch, fertilizer spreader, bushog, or wood chipper. Heck even a potato digger could spin backwards.

[renogang]

I would not think twice about putting a PTO on a bulldozer, but I would think long and hard before getting a wood chipper though.

I have one, but what I have found is, their stated "size" is about half of what they claim. For instance, a wood chipper might claim that it is 8 inches, but really about all it can take is a 4 inch piece of wood. The trouble comes in on the "knuckles" of wood, or where branches form. They have a hard time chipping through that. So you really need twice the size you think you need.

The other problem, is feeding the chipper. They really need to have some sort of feed system. That of course means having a bigger, more expensive chipper.

Even then, standing there feeding whatever chipper you get, ends up being a person burning valuable time babysitting a chipper with a very small pile of chips to show for it at the end of the day.

In my experience, it is best to either rent a BAC (Big Ass Chipper), or make piles and just burn them. Typically I do the latter. I have had some brush piles that after I put a match too, the space station called, and asked just what I was burning. Its pretty amazing, let some snow fall, then take a brush pile the size of a house, and by the next morning its down to ash that you could fit in a wheel barrow.

Your experience and ideas might differ, but I have found burning brush piles is a lot faster and cheaper then making wood chips.

Thanks again for the thoughts, several minds on a subject sure helps sort things out. I talk about his stuff at home all the time, but my wife just thinks I'm nuts. Anyway, I know what your saying about chippers, I rented one and took it out to this cabin property for the weekend. The point you bring up about size is correct and I would get one with hydraulic in-feed. Looks like they go for about $3000 for hydraulic in-feed and "8 inch" capacity. My reason for needing the chipper is purely out of need. My property was destroyed by the pine beetle and the prior owner not doing any logging. I would guess there is a 80-90% total kill. So the problem this created was there is no place to safely burn without worry of putting it all up in flames including the surrounding land, because the ground is covered in deadfall. I made some small tepees of slash and when we had some snow on the ground I burnt one. Scared the *hit out of me, that bug wood actually sounded like a blowtorch burning. The beetles dig little trails and holes in the wood and they act as air injection ports and that stuff burns hot and fast. So, my point is the chipper is to gain clearance to safely burn. The other thing is, when I rented the chipper (it was a smallish one powered by a v-twin 25hp small engine) it was very hard to move around my property. My property is very steep and my one ton Dodge 4wd pickup couldn't move it in some spots without me using my 12,000 lb winch to assist in moving. So with a big chipper you would be forced to carry slash a long ways due to mobility and that would be so inefficient. That's what I liked about the dozer/chipper combo, mobility was key.

[renogang]

So, after adding a shaft you can't back up with it running something. Unless you tear into the trans and add an R, of course.

Stan

A baler is about the only thing I could see. It would have to be something with ratchet and pawl mechanism, or maybe a worm gear. Most things can spin backwards just fine, like a farm tractor winch, fertilizer spreader, bushog, or wood chipper. Heck even a potato digger could spin backwards.

I'm thinking it would work fine for me anyway, my timber is so bad that when I get the chipper to an area I want to chip, I would likely have it there it at least one entire day. I wouldn't have a problem unhooking the pto to move to the next chipping spot. Its not like I would be moving several times a day, this timber is really bombed out.

[renogang]

My 350 has a lever to engage the winch drive. The spool valve also has a neutral or float setting so I don't have to power down the dozer.

Jason

That would be a nice setup, thanks for the information.

[CuttingEdge]

I understand completely. Every situation is different, and it would be silly to think your place is exactly like mine.

For me, I am working on logging off our White Ash before the Emerald Ash Borerer arrives. I got the majority of it logged off now, but I guess the Maine Forest Service has found a cure for the White Ash EAB, which is just how my luck goes. For the first time ever, I get the wood off BEFORE the infestation hits, and they find a cure for it! But I was never a big fan of White Ash anyway.