The concept is there, but I don't know if it will have the bite you need.
On a side note, I thought "this guy must be from WI" and you were!
On a side note, I thought "this guy must be from WI" and you were!
318 FEL Buckthorn Puller
2
I have a somewhat serious problem with Buck thorns.
I used to always pull them out by the roots which meant jerk ramming them out of the ground with a chain attached to my 318. Then I would get off the tractor to knock the dirt off the roots, reconnect the chain to the next one, get back on the tractor and do the operation all over again. This is very slow and time consuming especially when the chain slips and only skins off the bark. I thought I would give my FEL a shot at it, so I hooked my chain to the bucket and it pops the bush out of the ground easily. It also holds the roots above the ground which makes it much simpler to knock the dirt off.
This is still a multi part operation however so I came up with an idea for an inverted wedge shaped fork with sharp edges that would mount to the bottom of the bucket. I could guide the "V" into the trunk of the bush and the edges would get a bite so I could pop the nasty creature out of the ground. I would still need to dismount each time but I wouldn't have to hassle with a chain each time. I also believe it would be a lot easier on the tractor. The bushes I pull out are usually less than 2" in diameter.
Well anyway, what do you think?
Jim A.
![]()
![]()
I used to always pull them out by the roots which meant jerk ramming them out of the ground with a chain attached to my 318. Then I would get off the tractor to knock the dirt off the roots, reconnect the chain to the next one, get back on the tractor and do the operation all over again. This is very slow and time consuming especially when the chain slips and only skins off the bark. I thought I would give my FEL a shot at it, so I hooked my chain to the bucket and it pops the bush out of the ground easily. It also holds the roots above the ground which makes it much simpler to knock the dirt off.
This is still a multi part operation however so I came up with an idea for an inverted wedge shaped fork with sharp edges that would mount to the bottom of the bucket. I could guide the "V" into the trunk of the bush and the edges would get a bite so I could pop the nasty creature out of the ground. I would still need to dismount each time but I wouldn't have to hassle with a chain each time. I also believe it would be a lot easier on the tractor. The bushes I pull out are usually less than 2" in diameter.
Well anyway, what do you think?
Jim A.
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
Thanks for your replies.
Ideally it would be nice to have a hydraulic jaw to grab and pull, but I would still need to get off the tractor to knock the dirt off unless I installed a shaker. This is getting too complicated. Maybe I can get one of my friends to help me instead.
Scooter, I was planning on having the bevels on the bottom so I think it would grab better. Hey Scooter! You're a neighbor if that's the Johnstown on Cty. A I'm thinking of. I'm in Darien Twnsp. about 3 miles SW of Delavan.
![]()
Jim A.
Ideally it would be nice to have a hydraulic jaw to grab and pull, but I would still need to get off the tractor to knock the dirt off unless I installed a shaker. This is getting too complicated. Maybe I can get one of my friends to help me instead.
Scooter, I was planning on having the bevels on the bottom so I think it would grab better. Hey Scooter! You're a neighbor if that's the Johnstown on Cty. A I'm thinking of. I'm in Darien Twnsp. about 3 miles SW of Delavan.
Jim A.
3
Blackie,
Thanks for your link. That kinda' tells me I may be on the right track. The smallest one they have is 52" which is a little big for my 318's bucket. BTW, thanks for the e-mail.
Mike,
If you are curious what a Buckthorn is, see:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn/id.html
![]()
Nasty buckthorn
![]()
Nasty buckthorn next to tree (you can see the stem between the leaves.)
![]()
Nasty buckthorn root (notice that there is no tap root, but there are many fibrous roots that hold a lot of dirt.)
I cut one down the other day that was 40' tall with an 8" trunk. Usually they grow into massively huge multi-trunk bushes. They have dull thorns that like to stab you when you least expect it and that make them even nastier to work with! If you leave an area unattended for a year they start sprouting by the hundreds! They will grow to 3' in about 3 years. Their favorite spot is next to trees because the mower can't reach them. I should weedwack more often, but I have so many trees, it gets away from me.
Jim A.
Thanks for your link. That kinda' tells me I may be on the right track. The smallest one they have is 52" which is a little big for my 318's bucket. BTW, thanks for the e-mail.
Mike,
If you are curious what a Buckthorn is, see:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn/id.html
Nasty buckthorn
Nasty buckthorn next to tree (you can see the stem between the leaves.)
Nasty buckthorn root (notice that there is no tap root, but there are many fibrous roots that hold a lot of dirt.)
I cut one down the other day that was 40' tall with an 8" trunk. Usually they grow into massively huge multi-trunk bushes. They have dull thorns that like to stab you when you least expect it and that make them even nastier to work with! If you leave an area unattended for a year they start sprouting by the hundreds! They will grow to 3' in about 3 years. Their favorite spot is next to trees because the mower can't reach them. I should weedwack more often, but I have so many trees, it gets away from me.
Jim A.
Hi Scooter,
I ordered it from Northern Tool via Fee Bay. It seems that there are not any other retailers that stock this model yet. I looked all over the internet and Northern was the only one I could find it on besides BAC industries themselves.
![]()
Jim A.
I ordered it from Northern Tool via Fee Bay. It seems that there are not any other retailers that stock this model yet. I looked all over the internet and Northern was the only one I could find it on besides BAC industries themselves.
Jim A.
I made a handy little tool out of 1/2" steel plate that works well for pulling fence posts, stakes, and small trees. I cut a notch in one end that slides around the base of the object to be pulled, then hooked a chain to the other end that hooks to the bucket. When you pull up on the plate the notch really wedges itself onto the object and really bites in. We pull all the tent stakes at the local festival with this contraption and my backhoe. With a buddy running the puller, we can pull them out and have them laying on the ground as quick as I can get to the next one. Here is a very crude drawing of the design. I'm sure different sized "slots" could be used for differences in the size of the item to be extracted. It is sort of like a giant bottle opener!
![]()
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
