Sweeper to clean Ash Twigs

[Mark Schenkel]

I do a lot of Ash tree removal in open spaces (i.e. lawns). I fell the trees. And as most of you know they pulverize when they hit the ground. The cleanup of the small sticks and twigs is extremely time consuming. I did a recent job where the "drop zone" covered 80' by 120'.
Wondering if anyone has ever experimented with a mechanized sweeper/power broom for cleanup. I have a small John Deere tractor and know Sweepster makes PTO driven implement. Can have either wire or poly brushes (softer). This would be a huge time saver.
Ever done anything like this?

 

[mikewhite85]

It would probably help.

I use a Branch manager grapple rake and it works great.

 

[ATH]

I assume you will do less turf damage with a BMG rake that @mikewhite85 mentioned (or a similar broom) than with a rotating brush.

 

[NCTREE]

this is a big problem for me too, sometimes it takes longer to clean up the rakings then it does to remove the tree. Ive been looking at the BMG rake but I just can't bring myself to spend $1000 for a broom head. I've been pondering a homemade job instead. Anyone else make one?

 

[Mark Schenkel]

The BMG products look awesome. Unfortunately at this time I only have a 30HP John Deere compact tractor.

 

[WmTreeCo.]

The BMG products look awesome. Unfortunately at this time I only have a 30HP John Deere compact tractor.

If the bmg rake is the right tools for the job, I don't see why a good welder/fabricator couldn't make it attach to the front or back of your compact tractor.

 

[WmTreeCo.]

this is a big problem for me too, sometimes it takes longer to clean up the rakings then it does to remove the tree. Ive been looking at the BMG rake but I just can't bring myself to spend $1000 for a broom head. I've been pondering a homemade job instead. Anyone else make one?

Could you sell it for half the price after the EAB is all cleaned up in your area?
500 would pay back pretty quick in man hours and crew morale.

 

[Philbert]

I have one of these that I mostly use for light snow or sand on pavement: quiet, light, compact. But there are a lot of other brands, 2-cycle models, etc. A lot less expensive than a tractor mounted anything. Might be worth trying for your application.

Philbert

 

[Harmon]

I don't know if it compares but when you drop a dead dry beetle kill spruce on someones lawn they also explode and the cleanup can be 50% of the job - we never used a power broom but after some grousing the boss got each crew the Great Big Magnum backpack blower (Stihl - not sure which model) and a skilled operator could move quite a bit of that duff into a pile in half the time. I think those were about $1000 in Anchorage last summer tho so not cheap. I have also considered using a riding lawnmower to mulch it and shoot it into windrows to make raking easier, which would look ridiculous but it always seemed your average John Deere lawn tractor had more than enough horsepower to cut grass, bag it, move itself and 200 lbs of some big sweaty guy around the yard.

 

[ATH]

When EAB was hitting hard here I was just getting started. Never intended to do a lot of removals, but took work when it came then. I bought the biggest blower Stihl made then and it didn't help a lot. Not that it isn't a great tool...just doesn't move branches well enough. I might be inclined to try a bigger rolling blower...but now we are more than the BMG rake (which I agree....$1000 for a broom sounds steep, but it isn't "just any broom"). If that thing cuts clean up time down by 25%, it would pay for itself in less than 2 weeks of all ash removals.

It is made to go on mini skidsteers that are typically in the neighborhood of 30HP, so I think it could easily be made to work with your tractor @Mark Schenkel

 

[cookies]

try a lawn tractor with a bagger on it after removing the big branches, high lift blades will pick up twigs really well if kept replaced or even get a custom blade made with longer lift wings

 

[Griff93]

I've been looking at buying a forklift broom. Something like this one https://www.palletforks.com/industrial/sweepers/fork-lift-broom-attachment-5-foot/800109.html
I have a set of forks for my mini skid but would probably do a setup to use with my bmg. A friend has the bmg rake. It works well but is really yard on lawns. Tends to pull the grass right out if not really careful. I'm hoping the poly bristles would be a bit easier on the grass but still be able to move small sticks and bark.

 

[since16]

I have 3. A bmg broom. A stihl combi tool with highest hp head. And just bought a kubota rtv1100 c with power broom for snow but will take it out on some big jobs.

The stihl is hard to use period it grips so hard it pushes me and i am large. Its even hard to use for snow weighs like a 660-880. The bmg broom is a no brainer. Its impressed every person who saw it work. For your tractor they can do a loader fork mount. And may b able to do a 3 point mount. This thing is tough and does a great job and almost no damage.

I really need a yard broom because i just cant climb and rake for half a day. The thing about bmg broom is the worst brush to rake is what it does the best job on. Ive seen it take 1 day 3 guys raking off a job i wont go without one again.

 

[Mark Schenkel]

I have 3. A bmg broom. A stihl combi tool with highest hp head. And just bought a kubota rtv1100 c with power broom for snow but will take it out on some big jobs.

The stihl is hard to use period it grips so hard it pushes me and i am large. Its even hard to use for snow weighs like a 660-880. The bmg broom is a no brainer. Its impressed every person who saw it work. For your tractor they can do a loader fork mount. And may b able to do a 3 point mount. This thing is tough and does a great job and almost no damage.

I really need a yard broom because i just cant climb and rake for half a day. The thing about bmg broom is the worst brush to rake is what it does the best job on. Ive seen it take 1 day 3 guys raking off a job i wont go without one again.

" For your tractor they can do a loader fork mount." - oh - so they do make version which will attach to a tractor front loader bucket?

 

[since16]

" For your tractor they can do a loader fork mount." - oh - so they do make version which will attach to a tractor front loader bucket?

When i looked at them they had multiple versions not just the one that the bmg grapple grabs. They have a fork lift one. Also i have called them and so have several people its a small business and they can fab any kind of mount you need. I was going to get a euro global mount for grapple to attach to 2 series deere but i went with mini skid.

 

[Sport58]

I use one of these to clean up after grinding stumps. works good and does not damage grass.