Giant Saw Reduces Land Clearing Costs

Giant Saw Reduces Land Clearing Costs WOODLOT EQUIPMENT Saws 3-5-17 "It will cut trees off at or below ground level for 1/3 the cost of pushing them over, and leave the area looking like a golf course," says Ralph Dove, Green Ridge, Mo., inventor of a new giant-size "chainsaw" tree and brush cutter that bolts to dozer blades or tractor loaders. "Farmers follow right behind me, working the land with offset discs and planting it. This system is much faster and cheaper than just pushing trees over with big equipment, which not only is costly but requires that you come back to level the ground and clear off rocks and debris that surfaces with roots," explains Dove. His giant-size saw is the result of his search of a way to grub out big trees with small equipment. By equipping his smaller dozer with the special saw, he can easily bring down trees up to 71/2 ft. or more in dia. He's now building the saws in three sizes: Model HR1000 fits D-5 or equal size caterpillars, HR2000 fits the D-6 and the 3000 fits the D-7. Overall lengih of the largest model is 12 ft., 8 in.; width is 9 ft., 6 in. Gross weight is 2,850 lbs. All models are available with an optional trailer for hauling the saw from site to site. Although designed to mount on dozer blades, the saws easily fit tractor loaders. Most tractors, though, are not equipped to handle the danger of falling trees. There are from 88 to 104 teeth on the three available blade saws. Each tooth, about 1 in. thick and hard surfaced, is removed by driving out a roll pin, and you can replace all of them in about an hour. Dove says the selfsharpening teeth, which cost about $5 each, have to be replaced or resurfaced once a year in normal soil, and about every 40 acres if run heavily through rock. To cut a tree, you place the tip of the blade against the trunk and drive forward, letting the angle of the "V" cut into the wood. "You can cut through a 24 in. dia. tree in 4 to 5 minutes," says Dove, whose saw is mounted on a D-5. "I can clear 3 acres of wooded land in 8 to 10 hours. With the larger saw on a D-7, you can clear about an acre an hour, and it'll all be flat to the ground, with no holes." Just two large bolts hold the sawclamps in place and one man can mount or detach it in 5 min. Prices on the three models range from $3800 to $5000. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ralph Dove, Hav-Roc Manufacturing, Rt. 2, Box 43, Green Ridge, Mo. 65332 (ph. 816 527-3780).

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