I did a search on the forum to see if there were any previous posts on this topic but after reading 6 pages of threads I did not find anything. Does anyone have any knowledge or info if it is possible to mount a conventional tree spade on an excavator stick? I have been browsing mid sized excavators for some time now looking for a 70 to 120 sized machine for a number of projects on my farm. While I have not found the machine that makes me happy yet it did occur to me that perhaps another use for my excavator could be in my orchard moving trees with a tree spade. One landscape operator I spoke to about just using a bucket on an excavator told me that he found he damaged or broke too many trees that way and said a spade works much better. So it crossed my mind to ask the knowledable folks on HEF if they had any opinions/knowledge/experience with a tree spade on an excavator? Dave
I have seen some pictures of some excavators with tree spades on them, haven't ever seen one up close or ran one though. What size spade are you hopeing to run on it?
The weight of a large spade and tree will get unruly for a midi excavator pretty quickly.
Oops...sorry about that! Of course the size of the spade would be a factor. I had a 36 inch spade in mind although it is possible I could make do with a smaller size. I really have no idea how much a spade weighs and in my mind I was trying to conceptualize the weight difference of a solid digging bucket as opposed to a spade?? Simply have no idea and that is why I am asking here. Dave
We have a Vermeer 32" tree spade for the ctl's, with a tree in it it is roughly 2,000-2,200lbs. We run it on a 11,000lb track loader and if its soft it is still pushing it getting it out of the hole. If I had to guess I would say it would take a 8 ton excavator at the minimum, a 120 size machine preferably with a blade for a outrigger of sorts to be efficient.
movindirt...Thanks for the info, that is what I was looking for in the thread. A 120 size machine is my target but I have thought I may have to settle for a 70 or 80 series if I can't find larger. A 32" spade would work just fine for what I need. At least I know it is possible with certain conditions. Dave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vij9OlYnnI This one looks like it works pretty well on a mini excavator. For the money I'd make a rounded bucket like the "tree spade" buckets that they sell for skid steers, and pad the stick so you don't scrape up the tree in the process. Depends on how much you use it and what the trees are worth I guess.