Posted on 07/02/2014 6:42:25 AM PDT by servo1969
Advantages of forestry mulching
By processing trees and other vegetation where they stand, mulching machines eliminate many of the steps involved in land clearing such as site prep, cutting/felling/hauling, and site cleanup. This also eliminates the need for multiple machines such as a bulldozer accompanied by some combination of excavators, tree shears, wood chippers or grinders, and hauling equipment. One simpler jobs only one mulching machine is required, reducing fuel requirements and emissions.
Some mulching machines also have the ability to operate on steep slopes and in small or tight areas, in poor ground conditions, and in wet or snowy weather.
Mulching machines are capable of clearing land of unwanted trees and brush with limited disturbance to soils or desirable vegetation.
Traditional land clearing methods often present an increased risk of erosion by pushing over trees, uprooting the stump and roots, and substantially disturbing soils.[citation needed] In contrast, mulching the vegetation leaves the soil structure intact. The mulched material can be left on the ground and will act as an erosion barrier while returning nutrients back into the soil through decomposition. Over time, grass will naturally grow through the mulch and can be maintained with mowing.
Disadvantages of forestry mulching
Depending on the size and orientation of the mulching head, forestry mulchers can only fell smaller trees. Mulchers with a mulching head that rotates about a vertical axis can typically handle trees up to 6-8 inches in diameter, while mulchers with a mulching head that rotates about a horizontal axis can handle trees up to 30 inches in diameter. Mulching trees at the upper end of this size range can be dangerous for both the equipment and the operator. Mulching areas with a variety of vegetation and terrain may require multiple pieces of equipment, including tracked mulching machines, excavator mulchers, and skid steer tractors equipped with mulching attachments.
Rocks and stones cannot be processed or moved by the machines, and the teeth grinding against rocky ground can both wear them out and cause a fire hazard. Smaller rocks and other debris can be thrown through the air, and while these are usually deflected by a protective shroud, they can present a danger to the operator and surrounding people and structures.
Even for the largest machines, mulching is only effective when less than 25 tons of vegetation or 100 trees are present per acre.
Although mulching is significantly faster and less labor-intensive than land clearing by hand, it requires the site to have road access for fueling and maintenance.
Examples of chipper teeth.
Hands inside the ride at all times, please.
Yup.Guy down the street (land clearing co) has a thing called the Brontosaurs
Either that or “Hands Off!”
Looks like this one is mounted transverse wise on a Case excavator with no visible auxiliary hydraulic power. Difficult to operate this way, like running a power saw with out gasohol.
Yes - absolutely amazing machine - country club adjacent to our property cleared about 20 acres with one....large oaks hit about 25’ up, ground to mulch all the way below grade. Watched it for hours.
Sad to see all that good firewood just ground up though......
Wait until the IRS, BLM, etc. start ordering these things by the hundreds.
Oh, I forgot to mention the site has lots of videos of them in action. Should have put that in my post.
I love a good toy as much as anyone, but that sure leaves an ugly landscape behind.
The Germans use them to trim the trees along the Autobahns. Very cool telescoping things. Beats the old school hedge trimmers!
That thing looks awesome.
Wasn't there a classic old sci-fi movie..ended with some guy in a steam-shovel fighting a T-Rex. Now THIS would really mess with the T-Rex.
Wow, this is the perfect extension for an evil super robot!
Seems to be a waste of a lot of good wood.
Don’t tell the Coen brothers about this!
That is a really cool attachment! I wonder if they make them for KitchenAids. That would make clearing the dinner table a breeze!
That’s what the link is for.
Is this a FR product plug?
Due..they just bought two.....one for each..
Ok, so you create all this mulch, how do you clean that up? I guess some sites would want to start with land they can throw some seed down and green it up, but now their is a ton of vegetation that might make good much or is burnable as fuel....
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