Need some help

[Sven]

Just looked at a job that is a level up from where I’m at and could use some experienced opinions. It is two house lots on an island and cleaning up a spruce blow down area (2 acres?)

There will be a barge bringing in excavation equipment etc so there is no issue getting gear there. Terrain is a modest slope to a rocky/hummocky area which will be developed. Currently doesn’t look like a truck will be possible to tow a chipper around but that may change. Timeframe is this fall to winter after they close on the property and finalize house plans etc.

So, what would you folks choose to bring? Chipping most or all with max dia around 20”. Some of the blowdown heads down a slope which equipment wouldn’t be able to get to safely (decent winch needed).

I want to capitalize on this opportunity but it may be the wrong time finance wise, long-term rental is an option, need my chipper on mainland for ongoing work...

 

[lxskllr]

Any option of stockpiling wood, then chipping it all at once?

 

[Sven]

Could certainly do some of that, the blowdown is pick up sticks style so would be hard to organize much without chipping. Get as setup as possible then bring in a sub or rental to hit it hard...

Skidder, dozer towing chipper, tracked chipper, tractor with winch, PTO chipper, small excavator and large chipper... I have a mini and 12” chipper, but the chipper will stay onshore and preferably the mini for ongoing work and probable Fall storms.

 

[SkwerI]

Can you pile it up and burn it?

 

[Sven]

No, would prefer not to anyway.

 

[Tree09]

I would look into renting a machine for a month, or maybe go by something smaller just for this job. Tough to say what would be best without knowing the layout, but i would think a full size excavator with a thumb would handle it rather quickly. Stack up piles, then either haul a big chipper in or sub a tub grinder for a couple days.

 

[BIGTWIG]

Rent or sub a forestry mulcher or large tracked chipper.

 

[Altissimus]

Two Acres , not crazy ... my humble opinion much like TO9 is take the simplest approach using the excavator with thumb ... like logging here. Use saws and excavator to make a flat landing first thing. It's where to stage chipper , then work the lot with same excavator on the ground making key crosscuts. Forward everything to the landing making a pile of chips and logs

 

[Treehuggn4life]

Im with Skwerl on the burning bone piles. That will be your most economical option. If its going to be winter anyway there is less risk of the fire or fires getting out of hand. However burning green spruce is a pain in the keester. It usually takes a few months to dry, and that's up here in the high desert of the Rockies. How populated is this island???

 

[Sven]

Burning’s a no go. Sparsely populated.

 

[SeanKroll]

Pictures always help!

 

[flushcut]

How about renting a excavator with a mulching head and mulch the trees as they are pulled up the slope? Two birds one stone. Use the machine to pull them up hill then grind them up. 20" wood should be no problem with a big enough excavator with enough hydro flow. Can the logs be decked for use later in a wood burner/boiler?

 

[Sven]

Didn’t take any pictures on the ground but my description above is pretty accurate, elevation at the top is about 100’. Right hand is a cliff, left is very steep.