Author Topic: Privet removal, engineering style (Read 11636 times)

dawesy · « **on:** April 07, 2015, 03:30:31 PM »

So had about 40' of hedge out today. Bit of lateral thinking applied.

Had been using just the engine crane but stumbled across a few recalcitrant roots so applied the extra force of the 4 ton body jack had it out in a couple of hours.
Now to install the fence :/

RobWilson · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2015, 03:39:05 PM »

Cracking Lee

Rob

Sid_Vicious · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2015, 03:53:32 PM »

Love it, I've used a winch to remove some rosebushes myself.

Swarfing · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2015, 03:59:31 PM »

You nearly hedged your bets with that one

awemawson · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2015, 05:09:22 PM »

...oi I could do with 40 foot of hedge - can you send it down to me

Swarfing · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2015, 05:56:44 PM »

Quote

...oi I could do with 40 foot of hedge - can you send it down to me

You might not be privy to the answer ?

sparky961 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2015, 06:45:49 PM »

Quote from: Swarfing on April 07, 2015, 05:56:44 PM

Quote
...oi I could do with 40 foot of hedge - can you send it down to me

You might not be privy to the answer ?

You're really on the (root) ball! Can't you leaf it alone? ;)

dawesy · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2015, 03:11:28 AM »

Andrew your welcome to it but it might be a bit dry now

I'd make some jokes but I know my boundaries

Joules · « **Reply #8 on:** April 08, 2015, 06:52:29 AM »

Isn't the normal way to burn it down with fire along with the neighbours shed ?

vtsteam · « **Reply #9 on:** April 08, 2015, 09:03:36 AM »

Lee, send him a bundle of 6" cuttings, don't worry about how dry they are. Like this:

Andrew, when you get them, plant immediately, fertilize with used motor oil, and mulch under a row of cinderblocks. You'll have a privet hedge in no time.

Fergus OMore · « **Reply #10 on:** April 08, 2015, 11:52:40 AM »

Why not 'plant a genet' instead?

Norman

Bigbadbugga · « **Reply #11 on:** April 10, 2015, 01:10:15 PM »

I did all mine exactly the same way a few years ago, looks like the same crane too

Non of it has ever grown back.

dawesy · « **Reply #12 on:** April 10, 2015, 03:23:04 PM »

Did think about getting 'Heavy Plant' in but this worked ok

steampunkpete · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2015, 09:56:29 AM »

I few years ago I had to tackle an old rose bush and resorted to a rope on the towbar of my Vauxhall Monterey (a badges Isuzu Trooper). Low gear and 4 wheel drive - no effort, easy win.

russ57 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2015, 04:44:26 AM »

I did the same, but just a normal sedan. It came out in a graceful arc.. Straight through the rear window. 😠

awemawson · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2015, 08:27:10 AM »

Quote from: russ57 on April 13, 2015, 04:44:26 AM

I did the same, but just a normal sedan. It came out in a graceful arc.. Straight through the rear window. 😠

...oops - you're supposed to use a snatch block positioned so the vehicle pull and the tree are at 90 degrees to avoid wearing the tree

vtsteam · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2015, 12:21:29 PM »

Nylon rope is the worst for elongation and rebound. Like a giant rubber band. Dangerous. Heavy chain is better, but then, I have a tractor instead of an auto for stuff like this. The engine crane method looks fine, but tough wheeling those things where you want them and positioning the legs sometimes. I've had to do it when working on a tractor, sometimes!

Meldonmech · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2015, 12:39:11 PM »

Neat application, saves a lot of back strain.

Cheers David

stig · « **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2015, 02:15:55 PM »

I used a 10ft length of 4x4 oak post and a breeze block as a fulcrum close to the pulling end. Difficult part was securing the noose around the stump without it slipping

sparky961 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 13, 2015, 04:50:57 PM »

Well, since everyone's adding their own experiences to this, I'll share my own as well.

I used a simple trolley-style car jack to remove a bunch of broken-off cedar fence posts. I screwed a large eye bolt (or is it called an eye screw?) into the top, attached a chain wrapped around the jack's business end, and started lifting. Of course I wasn't able to get right over top of it, but there was enough leverage with the handle to make it work. After I ran out of stroke, it was loose enough that I could just use a long 4x4 as Stig described.

It's things like this that make you smile when you're done and haven't broken a sweat.

The great thing about this, as opposed to digging it out, is that I still had nice compacted earth all around and it didn't take much to install new (slightly smaller) posts in the same holes. I just packed some sand and gravel around the outside with a large steel bar. Ok, there may have been a little bit of sweat with that part...

dawesy · « **Reply #20 on:** April 13, 2015, 05:04:24 PM »

I had to smile. The day after I finished the fence I saw a guy pouring with sweat digging his front hedge out. Nearly told him about my technique but then thought I may end up lending my tools out. Still he looked like he was having fun and there was only about 15' of it to do.

awemawson · « **Reply #21 on:** April 13, 2015, 05:46:27 PM »

A few years back when I had my JCB 3CX I had to remove some rather large Leylandii (maybe 30 foot) that were close to the house. The first few just pulled out with a large strop round the trunk and lifting out with the main bucket. But there were two that put up a much better struggle. I ended up with a large chain, and 'dynamically' yanking them out with the 14 tons of inertia of the machine reversing as fast as it could (not very!) on an initially slack chain. Didn't half chew up the lawn

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Author Topic: Privet removal, engineering style (Read 11636 times)

RobWilson