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How To Clear Land - Excerpts Back to Table of Contents
Here's an odd section for a How To Do It Yourself book. But I want to include it because it was part of my research and the things I learned contributed to decisions I made. At some point when I was sufficiently baffled by research, I decided I should try to calculate the expense of hiring the land clearing work out to a professional and forget the Do-It-Yourself concept. Of course, I would have missed out on many other pleasures and pains, but I figured it was a good thing to investigate. I quickly found that there aren't too many outfits in my neighborhood that are specifically Land Clearing Specialists. There are however, loggers, landscapers, tree surgeons, excavators, farmers, and people I ran into who said things like, "I know somebody who might be interested in helpin' you out..." Topics covered:
How To Clear Land - Excerpts Back to Table of Contents
It was after investigating the last alternative approach that I decided to clear the land on my own. An excavating firm, maybe a local guy between jobs, could have been a decent alternative. But I concluded that to hire others I'd have to set my sights lower. I would have had to settle for clearing a dramatically smaller area. I'd always be wondering if it was just a big self-indulgence and pull back from the Big Plan. On the other hand, I could try to pull the whole job off on my own. If I could identify and afford the single best-suited piece of equipment for my purpose that would be a start. Benefits thereafter would include the ability to work at my own pace. I could alter the focus of work at will…
How To Clear Land - Excerpts Back to Table of Contents
My first mission was to begin to grasp the size and scope of my project. When you're heading out to familiarize yourself with a large, completely overgrown, tract of land, you don't want to drag around a chainsaw and its supplies. I was going to be all over the place, so I traveled light with safety glasses, gloves, and a machete. I was also armed with other lightweight stuff, such as a compass, baseball cap, survey map, and bug repellent…
How To Clear Land - Excerpts Back to Table of Contents
You already know that I chose a backhoe as my fundamental land-clearing tool and I'm going to explain how I came to that conclusion later. But, now I'd like to tell you a little about the other kinds of equipment I looked into along the way. When I first entertained self-clearing my land, I wasn't thinking about equipment as large as backhoes, excavators, and bulldozers. First I reviewed the tools I already owned and knew how to use. What I currently had in the arsenal was our family's 1966 International Harvester Brush Hog. I first operated it 37 years ago to cut our lawns. I still use it today. Now, that's what I call value. Topics covered:
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6. Alternatives To "Do It Yourself"
7. The Good News -
It May Be A Big Job, But One Man Can Do It
8. Get To Know The Land -
Day One: Safety Glasses, Gloves, And A Machete
9. Tools And Accessories Research -
Some Hand Tools, Some Bigger Stuff