Thick brush in the strip

[davidwyby]

How do you guys deal with it ?

Thanks

 

[hacskaroly]

How do you guys deal with it ?

Maybe....

 

[davidwyby]

 

[Nutball]

Logging in blackberries would suck, but we have something more or less as bad around here, i dont know if its russian olive or what.

 

[Woodslasher]

Drip torch in wintertime is the cheapest route, masticator or excavator for a $$ route.

 

[hacskaroly]

Ahh, yeah, I see now....yeah that would suck. might be worth it to take out a trimmer with a blade and pre-trim the area you plan on dropping the tree as best as possible, at least in the areas you will need to walk.

 

[GMB74]

Yes that stuff sucks.
Lotta work to avoid getting scratched to bits. You end up looking like you were on the losing end of a cat fight.
Also dangerous, getting tangled up in that stuff while using a chain saw.

Hand- held trimmer with a steel brush blade.
DR Field and Brush mower (self-propelled brush hog).
Tractor with a brush hog.
Small chain saw for the trees that are too big for any of the above.

 

[IffykidMn]

Yes that stuff sucks.
Lotta work to avoid getting scratched to bits. You end up looking like you were on the losing end of a cat fight.
Also dangerous, getting tangled up in that stuff while using a chain saw.

Hand- held trimmer with a steel brush blade.
DR Field and Brush mower (self-propelled brush hog).
Tractor with a brush hog.
Small chain saw for the trees that are too big for any of the above.

If I have to resort to groundwork(chainsaw, hand trimmer, DR mower) in that type conditions I usually wear cut resistance sleeves $15-20 from HF otherwise I look like I have been in a cat fight, the sleeves are relatively hot and do not completely eliminate getting scratches (Buckthorn) but do a fair job. CLogger Denim chainsaw pants rather than my usual CLogger Zero as they provide a bit better coverage at the rear of the pant and if winter time I might throw on a pair of WICK briar proof hunting bibs if not too hot outside but they are like wearing a sauna otherwise.

 

[davidwyby]

I think the trimmer with circular saw blade would be the ticket


@chiselbit

 

[hacskaroly]

I think the trimmer with circular saw blade would be the ticket

There are a couple of different options depending on how thick the brush is and what size trimmer you have too. I have one of the circular saw blades on my FS 91 and it works really good for stuff up to a thickness of a finger (at least that is what I have tried it on at my house).

 

[davidwyby]

Maybe a little bigger than that

 

[Woodwackr]

View attachment 438135

So…you gave the tree a wedgie…

 

[davidwyby]

So…you gave the tree a wedgie…

I gave a lot of trees a lot of wedgies. All leaning downhill and needed them uphill.

 

[Chainmale]

View attachment 438135

I'd use my combi with the hedge trimmer attachment. Can angle it to use standing up.

 

[maulhead]

Not a fan

 

[Chainmale]

Of the tools I own and have experience with.
There's likely something more suitable for the job of course.
I find the blades for the weedeater attachment doesn't apply enough load and is only cutting one stem at a time, whereas the hedge trimmer is attacking more at once

 

[GMB74]

From my experience, more power in your trimmer is way mo' better.
I have a KM91 and it would be adequate for what I see in your picture, but just barely. Go bigger.
Blade selection depends greatly on what exactly you have growing in there.
Circular saw blades will take down small trees up to about and inch in diameter. You will have to work at the larger ones, but it will cut them down.
Species matters too. Soft woods like sumac, no problem. Hardwoods will give you a fight.
If you have a lot of softer stemmed grass it doesn't work as well as a brush blade.
A 4- prong blade works good on very small saplings, berry bushes, big weeds, etc.
I have to maintain shooting lanes at our gun club. Annual growth includes the above and a nasty ground vine that will tangle up in your blade in an instant.
I have found a 3- prong blade works best for this application. The blades are spaced apart enough to keep from tangling somewhat and it still does a nice job on the saplings, berry bushes, etc. I grab the chain saw for anything larger.

 

[Catbuster]

I used to tackle that stuff with an FS 130 and either the circular blade or an AireCut Tricut 300 blade. The AireCut blades throw stuff everywhere but they do a really good job of not getting caught in brush. You definitely want a full face shield running one.

The 111 or better 131 is now probably the smallest I’d consider doing a lot of blade work.

Otherwise, it’s probably just a matter of clearing tree-to-tree plus your escape routes. Which is challenging, but doable.

This is just another reason to promote prescribed burning, as far as I’m concerned.

 

[jmester]

How are you getting the wood out? Skidloader? Can you just run them down?

 

[davidwyby]

Probably rig up a pulley in a big tree at the top of the hill.

Caldor fire burn

Some big holes hiding in there from old growth stumps that burned.