A dock ladder clamp

I used to watch a couple of TV programs every evening, with Mary when she was at home but also even when she was in hospital or the rehab place. But I can't get interested in that now. I'm watching hardly any TV lately (except when on the treadmill during inclement weather) and I can't get interested in reading anything but the newspaper yet.

But I am starting to get back to the shop once in a while.

formatting link
Next project: make a steel plate, drill some holes in it and weld it to a receiver tube insert. A Harbor Freight winch will bolt to the plate. Kevin has a whole bunch of pesky shrubs he wants to pull and thought this might be an easy way to do it.

Reply to
Don Foreman
Loading thread data ...

That's cool, Don!

For the larger shrubs, be prepared to undermine the root structure with a spade. Otherwise, your cable lasso will threaten to cut through the shrub before it gives up it's hold on earth.

AMHIKT

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

I just did that exact thing! It works well, but the little HF 3k# winches aren't quite up to snuff. Then again, I was trying to tilt apple trees out of the ground.

As for bushes, I need to build the lift portion, like the fence post lifter. I think it would work better than a straight pull. I have a dozen hedge plants to pull. the last time (other side of the driveway) I cut them off to 1' stubs and dug around with a shovel a foot from the trunk and a shovel blade's depth. Then I pulled with the comealong. That was simply too much work, so I'll not do that again. I'll tig up a triangular platform for a wheel and do the vertical lift thang on the rootballs.

For the winch, I ran some 4ga wire back from a circuit breaker connected to the positive battery cable.

formatting link
little thing, waterproof, just $8, including delivery. The NAPA store had mini tow-truck quick disconnects for $15. Part Number: NW 740220
formatting link
Line: NAPA Wire Products Battery Cable Connector Amperage : 50 Amp Battery Cable Connector Gauge : 6 ga Contents : Connector Housing Product Application : Battery Cable Connector Housing Uses Contacts 740230

A larger set is available there, too.

-- I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar and often convincing. -- Oscar Wilde

Reply to
Larry Jaques

These are buckthorns. They don't put up much of a fight.

I think Kevin just wants to see if it will work, and so do I. Making that plate and welding it to the receiver tube will be an easy and enjoyable little shop project.

I'm going to MIG 1/4" plate to 1/4" wall square tube. Let's hope we don't have a Gunner spare tire event.

Stick would be the clear way to do this, and I do have stick ... but I know that'd work so there's no challenge or new experience. Besides, I don't like the smoke. Gunsmoke yes, sticksmoke not so much.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Good!

I'd be real tempted to make it look like the bow crank on a boat trailer. It'd be up at comfortable cranking height and would present an advantageous 'cable angle' to the weed in question.

formatting link

Yes indeedy!

I arranged some 2" plastic duct over my TIG bench with a fan on the other end. It vacuums the smoke away from my face and I appreciate that.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Tell your friend Kevin that buckthorn are extremely easy to kill with roundup. Just use a 1% v/V solution and use a handsprayer over the top. Don't need enough to spray to drip.

he could still pull them if he wants and there wil be no re-sprout. Or wait till the leaves drop and just prune them off.

Karl

Reply to
Karl Townsend

Everybody should have a backhoe. I get it if it looks like more than three shovel fulls of dirt.

Karl

Reply to
Karl Townsend

AMEN, Karl. (Send suitcases full of large, unmarked bills. I'll get one today!)

-- The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles. -- Ayn Rand

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I have a Yanmar mini excavator and an ancient Fordson Major tractor with FEL.

In March we had a thunderstorm and an 18" diameter Marri was struck and killed by lightning. Part was shattered and ended up in the next 2 neighbours yards, up to 100 yards away.

My son & I dug around the roots to about 3 feet, tied a rope about 30 feet up to my Patrol's towhitch, put it in low range and also pushed with the tractor as well, down it came, cut up with the chainsaw, moved in the bucket and now there is just a smooth patch of bare soil until we get some rain and grass grows.

I agree, everyone needs power shovels.

Alan

Reply to
alan200

For pulling smaller bushes and the like I use a chain to noose the offending plant, attached to the loader bucket on my compact tractor. Back when I had a much larger backhoe I did the same with fairly large trees up to ~4" dia. Northern Tool lists some grabbers and chains made specifically for that purpose, but I used normal 5/16" system 7 chain with no issues. I would be a bit concerned with using a winch due to cable stretch issues. How about something modeled after an engine hoist to rip the shrubs out?

Reply to
Pete C.

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.