I'm hoping to get opinions and set realistic expectations on buying a forestry mulcher to put on our Kubota SVL75-3 High Flow (30 gpm). I have roughly 4-5 acres I want to clear. I will likely focus my efforts on trees that are 6" or less. I'm looking at the Loftness Battle Ax mulcher vs Skid Pro HD Mulcher. Will I be happy getting the job done with this setup or will I be frustrated in the end since the SVL75-3 is on the small side for running forestry mulchers? I am also unclear which Loftness Battle Ax to get. The L series runs between 15-36 gpm while the S series runs between 28-63 gpm. If my Kubota is putting out 30 gpm, should I go for the L or S series? I will probably buy the mulcher and sell it when I'm done (not 100% sure of this yet). Alternatively, there is a rental company that I can get a 12,000 lb excavator with a mulcher for $2500/week. I have no idea how long it will take me to clear my property. I like the idea of buying the mulcher for my CTL as it allows me to work at my pace vs being on the clock for a week rental. Thoughts?
I do not think you will be happy with a setup like that. My belief is that your machine is too small to run a mulcher efficiently. A few years ago, I rented a Kubota 95-2, with an FAE mulcher. It could barely do 4" stuff without bogging down. It was not a problem with the mulcher, it was the low power provided by the 95-2 machine. Also, the Kubota A/C units were weak back then, and still are problematic from what I hear. You had to clean the A/C filters at least 2 or 3 times/day, and then, it was not very comfy in the cab. Another problem was/is the door seal. The door seal let dust into the cab in massive quantities. The dealer sent out 3 different machines over a 4 week period. All showed the exact same problems. For sure, you can forget doing a good or quick job on 6" material. Plus, on a good day, I don't see how you could clear over 2 acres, if the trees and brush are moderately thick. Oh, one more thing, you will likely have overheating problems, even if you do the work in the winter. So, my answer is, "Don't do it".
Thanks MowingMan. Not the answer I was hoping for, but reality is better than hope. I'm in Maine and our property is relatively thick, but mostly with trees under 3". Do you have any experience what I could expect to get done with a 12k excavator running a mulcher? 1 acre a day? 1 acre a week?
That size excavator is on the small side so maybe ½ an acre a day. IMHO 4-5 acres isn't a big enough job to justify buying machinery to clear but big enough to get contractors interested in bidding. Another thing that you need to figure is the cost of owning, running and selling. Fuel consumption on a skidsteer doubles when it's pushing a mulcher. Debris coming of the mulcher tears up rubber tracks, Etc etc. Have you any experience using a mulcher or have you been taught by YouTube videos and watching idiots who have no idea.Then selling it for away less than what you paid for it all adds to the job cost and financial exasperation. Good luck
I have no experience with a mulcher on an excavator. I do think they would be slower than a track mulcher. Maybe someone will jump in with experience on one. I agree, you really should look at renting if you have small acreage. If you don't have the right setup on your machine, you can tear it up in a hurry with a mulcher. Most of my experience is on a dedicated, steel-track mulcher, mostly a Fecon, FTX140, and some on a Rayco 100 and on the Kubota 95-2. The Fecon could do 3 acres/day, in medium to heavy brush and trees. It was excellent on stuff up to about 8". Capable, but not fast on bigger trees. On these type machines, it is all about the HP to the hyd head. I would lease a machine with a minimum of about 100HP, and then don't get in a hurry.