County 1124

[openspaceman]

9 minutes ago, Billhook said:

This one has been converted to use the tractor hydraulics, the tractor being far more appropriate to manoeuvre and transport a tree with a good lump of soil attached across arable land

i bought it to transfer some young oaks, about four inches in diameter.  The machine worked well but the oaks did not like it as they had developed a large tap root

i should have perhaps inserted the spades a year before and withdrawn them to let the trees recover before moving

What was your experience with the spade and have you any advice for me?

Well as AFAIC the tap root only exists for a short while from the acorn and the sharp taper of the TS4a would contain it. In leaf we would spray  with a PVA sealant to reduce desiccation, in dormant season 4" and 25' tall wasn't a problem. It got very little use by me as after the storm hit I was mostly dealing with windblow.

 

It was used to transplant trees from a stock ground around the farm but when that got sold for development most of the trees were taken out.

 

One thing that struck me was the trees never grew as well after transplanting as whips would do but then we didn't have time to get really expert at it.

[Billhook]

Just now, openspaceman said:

Well as AFAIC the tap root only exists for a short while from the acorn and the sharp taper of the TS4a would contain it. In leaf we would spray  with a PVA sealant to reduce desiccation, in dormant season 4" and 25' tall wasn't a problem. It got very little use by me as after the storm hit I was mostly dealing with windblow.

 

It was used to transplant trees from a stock ground around the farm but when that got sold for development most of the trees were taken out.

 

One thing that struck me was the trees never grew as well after transplanting as whips would do but then we didn't have time to get really expert at it.

That last paragraph is what I also concluded, but did you ever try to put the spades in a year before lifting?

Did you discover which trees took to transplanting and which did not

I transplanted a small ornamental maple in the garden which is doing well and a couple of possibly disease resistant elms, also doing well.

The other vital thing would be to constantly monitor the watering which would probably be neglected in my case with other things taking priority 

[openspaceman]

3 minutes ago, Billhook said:

That last paragraph is what I also concluded, but did you ever try to put the spades in a year before lifting?

Did you discover which trees took to transplanting and which did not

I transplanted a small ornamental maple in the garden which is doing well and a couple of possibly disease resistant elms, also doing well.

The other vital thing would be to constantly monitor the watering which would probably be neglected in my case with other things taking priority 

I did sink the spades round some bigger trees but as I said my involvement became less as I went into harvesting so never got to see the results.

 

I was totally out on the dates as this picture is of us moving poplars on a golf course development in 1980.

 

I knew Deafhead before I had even picked up a chainsaw and he will remember the next picture:

 

 

Which shows me planting oak trees on the farm before it became a golf course. I shall try and remember to see if the trees are still there, though I doubt it. The area is tree less because the farm had just been acquired and all the hedgrows were dead elms, which I and others felled and burned. The four biggest butts were felled and milled for farm use.

 

We used to get the GMC stuck so frequently that I ended up permanently attaching an A frame to it and Deafhead reminds me I once pinched his MF300 traxcavator, without his permission, to debog it. It was a bit different to drive as when you started it the throttle opened fully  and you had to press on a pedal to cut the revs, I suppose the idea was that it would be working flat out when loading.

[Billhook]

Anyway, back to my main topic. Am I allowed to take the crane off and put it on the trailer and then restore the 1124 or will I be blackballed on the forum!

[Toad]

28 minutes ago, Billhook said:

Anyway, back to my main topic. Am I allowed to take the crane off and put it on the trailer and then restore the 1124 or will I be blackballed on the forum!

I imagine the 1124 back in a tractor form would be a very popular machine.

[dumper]

You think being blackballed is sufficient penalty

[slasherscot]

Used to own Ford County 924 with big wheels all round...water filled front tyres......igland double drum 3000.............ran it till it dropped .sold it to tractor breakers...cant say i miss it  LOL

Edited September 19, 2019 by slasherscot

[Billhook]

1 hour ago, dumper said:

You think being blackballed is sufficient penalty

What were you thinking, that I should be hung from the crane and driven over by the County?  Or transplanted with the tree spade!

[dumper]

No in just thinking about it you have proved that you are a philistine, you must furnish me with your address and post code so I may come and save the poor tractor, give it tender loving care and keep it safe 

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, Toad said:

I imagine the 1124 back in a tractor form would be a very popular machine.

Yes my bet is it will fetch more done up in agricultural spec. Finding a roll bar to replace the loader frame may be a problem.

 

With the loader on the trailer you have the choice of tugs.