tools/machines for making own trails in woods.

[Nevada Sixx]

I have an area that i could make a few trails thru some woods,, what all tools would i need? lawnmower? machette? what about trees?

 

[Timr]

• Machete
• Branch Loppers
• chain saw
• stapler
• arrows
• surveyor's ribbon

There's really no need to mow down grass or weeds unless you are trying to define a trail in a field of high grass.  If you are going to make a grass track, you may need some stakes to put arrows/ribbon on.

I like to walk when I'm cutting trail.  Just remember that you will cover the distance much quicker on your bike.  What seems like a nice straight on foot will seem short on a bike.  Make your straights and turns accordingly.  Test ride short sections on your bike to make sure they will be good. 

In the past, we've had to take down arrows and adjust trails to make them ore fun and rideable.

Good luck.  And don't leave stobs.  Stobs on the ground cause flat tires.  Stobs on trees cause punctured riders.

 

[Nevada Sixx]

i think weed killer poison would be good too to keep it open...what about running a bull dozer or backhoe type machiner thru the woods? seems like a machette would take forever.

 

[kenl]

a bike for tight trails,
a 4 wheel thing for wide trails

 

[Flying Scot]

:aj: Agree with kenl.

If there isn't enough room for the bike to get through the trees go at it faster next time! :laugh:

 

[Michelle]

We use folding handsaws & loppers (for branches), chainsaw for downed trees, machete for toitoi and fluorescent paint (for stumps). We also use paint to mark where we're wanting to go and sometimes use a GPS to figure if we're heading in the right direction.

We're not allowed to damage live trees (working forest) by either painting them or chainsawing them.

We test ride as we go along and change anything that needs doing (or if we just don't like something). The guys like tight corners, us girls don't, so we change them (not always, only if they're really bad). The other thing about really tight corners is tree roots are inevitably just under the surface.

If you get a good group, it doesn't take too long, but doing it on your own can take forever.

Timr - stobs? Do you mean "coathangers" i.e. branches cut away from the tree, usually aimed nicely at riders? The other thing about them is it causes the tree to rot (so I've been told, I just don't like them so always cut close to the tree - harder to do with loppers though).

 

[John Harris]

A large string trimmer type with a brush blade (looks like a table saw blade)instead of string is good for limbs and brush up to 1" dia. Dangerous to be around so stay clear of the operator, but this instrument is pretty fast and easy for clearing trail.

 

[Jon K.]

A good machete is really all you need. Spend a couple of bucks and get an "Ontario" brand. The only other brand to be considered is a "Collins", but they are a bit too flexible for my tastes. Do not, under any circumstanses get a cheap blade.

Be sure to get a good sheath for it. If you are walking; the sheath can go on your belt. If you are riding at all; I have had good results with duct-taping the sheath to my pants leg. Down low, so the end of the blade is about level with your ankle.

If you can't cut it with a machete; leave it standing.

Carry a stone with you to keep the blade razor sharp, and be very, very careful. Do not allow anyone to walk up behind you, and realize that at any moment; you could "throw away" your blade.

If you use a bench grinder on your blade; you will go straight to Hades. And don't cut into the dirt. This is difficult, especially if you need to cut something close to the ground. Some people are careful to use only the tip of the blade to cut into the dirt, and keep the rest of the blade sharp.

You must learn to use the knife with either hand.

After a year or two of practice; you will develope some real skill with a blade. Sort of a "Machete Ninja". Great fun!

Here's a fun trick. If you have a few buddies with you, carry a little squeeze bottle of fake blood with you. When you get away from your buddies; place the squeeze bottle in your hand and wrap it with a rag. As your buddies walk up; the conversation should go something like this:
"What's the matter with you?"
"I cut my hand with my knife!!"
"How bad is it?"
"I don't know. It's bad. I am scared to look!"
Slowly unwrap the hand, and at just the right moment; squeeze the bottle so that the fake blood skeets out. For the best affect; squeeze at about 80 beat a minute.

Works every time! :p Under the best of conditions; at least one of your buddies will actually faint out on the ground.

 

[Timr]

Originally posted by Michelle

Timr - stobs? Do you mean "coathangers" i.e. branches cut away from the tree, usually aimed nicely at riders? The other thing about them is it causes the tree to rot (so I've been told, I just don't like them so always cut close to the tree - harder to do with loppers though).

It's a small stub caused when you cut a branch, and leave a few inches protruding from the trunk of the tree.  To not have this happen, you need to take you machete and whack straight down the trunk to remove the branches right at the trunk.  Same thing occurs when you cut small bushes from the ground.

Jon K. said:

A good machete is really all you need.

Agreed.  Could you send a case of machetes down to the Daytona Dirt riders?  They don't cut ANYTHING!!!:scream: :p

 

[Akira]

My dad and I put on a race every year, and we carry a chainsaw for the logs that are too big for a person can cross, some hand held pruning shears for small saplings and low branches. Other than that all we do is ride it as often as we can.

Akira "I am Artie, the strongest man in the world."

 

[MSracer]

I only carry arrows and a staple gun but people do complain about my trails being too tight for some reason.

 

[Michelle]

Tim: thanks for that - yip, coathangers, nasty things.

While on the subject, does anyone know of/use a really good folding saw (preferably for cheap)? We're cutting pinus radiata and have found that long, thin blades are the go - unfortunately the brand we've been using has been discontinued due to: breakages (handles & blades), bending of blades, nuts & bolts coming unscrewed. We've got a couple of Sandvik/Bahco ones, but find they don't cut as well as they're a bit short in the blade & a bit thick.
Cheers

 

[kiwimike]

Michelle....have you tried this company?.....they are probably the biggest forestry tool suppliers in NZ (located in Levin).
www.timbersaws.co.nz

 

[Michelle]

Cheers for that link Mike - have emailed them for a price but I've got a feeling it'll be about $130 for the saw that looks cool ;)
The >$10 cheapies (Yates) we've been using have been brilliant, except they break all the time (guess you can't have everything). I'm going to be half-way tempted to get one to see how good it is & then go to the club committee to see if we can buy more if they're really good.
We'd be needing 4-5, if not more (us girls usually clear the trails behind the guys cutting, but often don't like a branch or more, so like to have a saw between us so we can fix it).
Michelle

 

[lawman]

oh yeah, pinus radiata, those are the worst! j/k, never heard of that, but i think the blackjack oaks, which are actually made out of some sort of organic hardened steel, are the worst i've ever seen.

good advice on the stobs, i nailed 1 a few weeks ago, it was ugly.

i've used just about every trail tool there is & my favorite of all time was a deal we borrowed from a sera guy in ms. it is a chain saw on a pole, with a circular blade that is perpendicular to the pole. it is a wicked little dude; it kicks up rocks & sticks & would do a # on your ankle, but it clears brush & small trees/logs like nothing else. just be careful with it!

 

[KXTodd]

JonK, do you have an online source for the machetes? My guys that work with me are from ElSlavador and swing a mean machete! They brought one back a couple years ago that is really flexible and hold an edge nice, they claim that the best ones you can bend in half and touch tip to handle. Can't find any here and the last couple trips they made , no takee on the plane back :eek:
Only place I've found them is surplus stores, way too heavy or so light and flimsy they dull with the first cut.

Edit, found the a bunch of sites carrying these , do they hold an edge good?

 

[sharp]

I have cut alot of trails in my life time. My tool of choice; a very sharp machette, and I always carry a file. A bow saw is also nice for the bigger branches.

 

[maco]

I've helped clear out some trails here for poker runs.Everything grows over so fast because of the rain.There's a power tool that most use but not sure of the name.It likes a weed whacker but has a toothed hedge trimmer at the end.Echo makes a couple of models as probably other Manufacturers.This tool does a lot and can tackle smaller bushes or branches.It's a 2 stroke.This tool with a chain saw,12 in. bar, and machetes do the job.We cut the trail then walk back and bring up the bikes.If it's a new trail usually the chainsaw goes first then the trimmer.I think it's good to walk and mark the trail first then go back and cut it out.I've noticed down hill trails that are exposed soon become rutted.Mostly cause rain runoff finds an easy way and grooves it good ,then it gets ridden and the cycle is set.Probably better to let those grow back over and cut another and alternate,sort of a livingtrail,lot of work though.I like the trails that constantly flow up and down.We call one here the centipede trail,always up and down.Sort of reminds me of surfing.Course it's not bad to come up to a long wavy up hill where you can't back off till you get to the top

 

[Jon K.]

[
Only place I've found them is surplus stores, way too heavy or so light and flimsy they dull with the first cut.
[/B]

Todd;

The Ontario is a fairly heavy blade, the Collins is lighter and more flexible. Either will hold an edge (if you don't burn it up with a **** grinder). As a general rule; the Ontario will break if pushed too far, the Collins will bend before breaking.

I am sure there are some other fine brands out there, but certainly stay away from cheap. I seem to recall that there are some blades made in Brazil that worked pretty well.

I can't imagine how a blade would bend double without bending or breaking unless it was paper thin.

As I use the machete exclusively, I need the heavy (Ontario) blade to chop through bigger stuff than the guys who pack saws, brushcutters, ect.

Does anyone recall the final fight scene in "Rob Roy"? Tim Roth chose the lighter blade, while Leam Neeson chose the heavy blade. Sort of like that.

The Ontario sounds different than the Collins. A Collins will "ring" when in use. It is much more asthetically pleasing, very much like music. The Ontario, being heavier, makes more of a "thwack" when in use. More visceral, you feel it more than hear it. (Sometimes I think I have spent too much time alone with my machete!)

I have used cane knifes and bolo blades from time to time. I found the cane knife to be too short, also awkward to carry, and never could grow accustomed to the feel of the bolo. The bolo carries a lot of weight on the end. Some people like them.

Many people see trail cutting as work, to be avoided at all costs. These people will never understand the rewards of swinging a fine blade. At best an exhilarating, almost religious experience.

 

[Fred T]

When we cut trail here in MI we use our bikes equipped with Enduro Engineering Handguards and maybe some ribbon. We don't have any vines or dangerous picker bushesand we have very few rocks really. We figure that a log is part of the trail. (Al Randt likes to take you over logs on off camber hillsides and up hills!) We intentionally make the trail super tight at the beginning to keep the quads from riding it. IF a quad guy has to work too hard they usually turn around after having a beer from their cooler attached to the back of the QUAD.

 

[JasonWho]

I usually walk through the trail with loppers, then go back through with a bow saw. I usually just dodge trees that need a chainsaw. Some surveyor tape (less than $2 at Home Depot, etc.) is good for marking stumps or other danger areas.