I didn't know where to post this so that's why I'm here.. My property is lined w/ pine trees and they have invaded my yard.. I'm running out of blades for my riding mower.. and I'm afraid of bending the shaft after hitting these bad boys.. My soil is top soil over sand.. but the top soil is eroding away and the roots are popping up.. I tried to chain saw the roots but the chain didn't last very long in the sand.. A friend suggested a masonary wheel on a "skil saw"?? seems like it would work?? Anyone have any suggestions?? I hate to get a load of top soil, just to watch it wash away.. thought about "rocking" it.. but I like my grass.. HELP..
We always used a sawzall with a few long wood blades to remove roots from wall footing digs.
I think the grinding wheel on the Skilsaw would be sloooow. Personally, I'd just use an axe.
Pine tree roots usually are very shallow and spread out. Rent a small backhoe and you can usually just tip them over and start piling them up at the rear of the property.
A good axe is really all you need to get rid of the roots. Or depending on what kind of mower you have take a look and see if you can find "zero lift" blades for them. Just a flat blade with no drop or curve on them. Don't throw rocks or dust. Extremely tough blades
YOU GUYS from S.C. REALLY like your AXES..lol.. I just need 10 guys with good STRONG BACKS to swing'em.. while I sit on the porch and drink a cold beverage or 2.. I like Racer's idea.. My buddy has a 580B he scored last year for 35-4500?? and I helped [did all the work] rehab it.. all I have to do is weld on new teeth and its mine for the askin'.. BUT I was looking for something NOT SO "invasive".. I'm on vacation next week, so I think I'll sit on my arse in the driveway and try the masonary wheel on the skilsaw for awhile.. then the sawzall for awhile and if none of that works.. break out the rods and weld some teeth on the hoe.. Inbetween trips to the cooler and the lake ofcouse.. THANKS ABUNCH for the suggestions..
Yair . . . thepumpguysc . We made up a ripper for a compact tractor and used a piece of sharpened grader blade for a tyne. I set the tyne at a fairly extreme forward angle and used the hydraulics as much as traction. It worked well for trimming surface roots down fairways. It just took a bit of hand work and a couple of hits with a hatchet to sever the ripped out root and reinstate the surface. Cheers.
If you can run a ripper around your perimeter that would make a big difference too. My next door neighbor blessed me with 250 feet of poplars that invaded my place with roots. Went around the outside with a ripper equipped D4 then sprayed the trees on my side with a strong dose of round up. Done deal, dead dog. No more poplars on my side.
An AXE would be my first choice because it wont get ruined once it gets dulled from the sand. But if you have a hydraulic pump you could move almost all of the sand away so you could bring in a chain saw. But both ways should work. Steve Sterling http://www.motioncontrolguide.com/ Motion control Expert