Root "shears" for a backhoe arm ?

miketrock

Member
Nov 25, 2019
163
18
18
Pa
Would it be possible to make some kind of cutters that can cut roots of trees (up to a few inches thick)(im thinking of like a BX or B tractor) by taking off the backhoe bucket and installing a cutter on the end of the backhoe arm that uses the end cylinder for moving a cutting blade ? maybe made out of thick flat stock incase you would accidently get stones in there so you wouldnt be wrecking expensive, high quality metal blades. The fixed side would be 2 pieces of metal and the other side of the cutter would be sandwiched in between them and pivot on the same axis (bolt or pin) ...?... just wonderin ....hmmm .... the things you think of when ur bored ....
 

bird dogger

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Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
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bxpanded.com has just what you're looking for. Called the bxpanded ripper tooth.
 

miketrock

Member
Nov 25, 2019
163
18
18
Pa
Something that could possibly mount to bxpanded's "Quick-on Back Hoe Bucket Connector" so that it could be changed out quickly ...
 

Freeheeler

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b2650 tlb
Aug 16, 2018
706
523
93
Knoxville, TN
Iv'e got the quick connect and the ripper tooth. While they work really well, the ripper tooth rips but doesn't cut. If it had something to cut against that could mount where the tooth would normally be, then it might shear pretty well. If I had time to be bored I'd look into it ;)
 

GeoHorn

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M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
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That old adage that states "If you want something done right you must do it yourself!", didn't quite hold true regarding my latest surgery..
Birdogger, you just reminded me of my 2nd cousin who is an Army Capt (surgeon) who admitted to the gathered family that, on a bet with a fellow medical student in the dormitory, he squatted down in front of fellow med-students and performed a self-vasectomy without anesthesia!

We almost cancelled the Thanksgiving dinner laughing at his description of how he will never do that again!

:D:D:D
 

bird dogger

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Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
1,600
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Birdogger, you just reminded me of my 2nd cousin who is an Army Capt (surgeon) who admitted to the gathered family that, on a bet with a fellow medical student in the dormitory, he squatted down in front of fellow med-students and performed a self-vasectomy without anesthesia!

We almost cancelled the Thanksgiving dinner laughing at his description of how he will never do that again!

:D:D:D
OMG! That would take some courage...most likely found in a bottle or two! and still on topic but I don't think that's the type of "root shears" miketrock is asking about. :D
 

Yooper

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3901 LA525
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Getting back on topic the answer to your question is yes. You can build one but what kind of equipment do you have access to? It will take some skills also. I will check and see if there is a design on open source to help you out.
 

miketrock

Member
Nov 25, 2019
163
18
18
Pa
I don't have skills like that … or tools to build one. Just thought of it n wondered if anybody on here made one or "in their mind" came up with a design. With BX and B01 tractors lacking size and weight to rip out stumps with their backhoe any bigger than a large bush I was thinking there has to be a better way. If not brute force, then smart force … cut the roots. Obviously there is still a limit to size but it cud become quicker and easier than digging for a half of a day or longer.
 

Q tip

New member

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BX25D
Feb 1, 2020
18
0
1
Ct
Just a pipe dream but what if the thumb was replaced with a U shaped cutter that the ripper tooth would fit between and act like a shear
Or better yet the modified thumb was hydraulic
 

Han14

New member
May 13, 2021
1
0
1
Colombia
I think this is realistic, but it seems to me that it is better to buy special scissors for this. Which will cope with the actions that you need. Because to do something by yourself is not quite safe, and you can do a lot of harm to yourself. And there are stores and sites where they sell special root scissors, which you need. As far as I know the prices of such scissors are not very high, so they will cost quite a bit is not expensive. I think you can afford them and be happy with the purchase. I hope you were somehow helped by my information. https://www.hausandgarten.com/products/haus-garten-enduro-titanium-bypass-pruning-shears
 
Last edited:

0080

Member

Equipment
B2601 TLB
Feb 22, 2021
21
62
13
Deerfield, NJ
...With BX and B01 tractors lacking size and weight to rip out stumps with their backhoe any bigger than a large bush...
12" bucket on a B2601 can rip out stumps slightly larger than a bush, just takes a few movements around the stump. I've taken out quite a few already, this being the biggest. This one was the fifth I took out that day, all after lunch and before dinner. (Neighbor posing with the stump to show the size)

20210429_151450.jpg


A "scissor" to cut the roots extending horizontally would be nice, but you'd still need the bucket to dig around and rip out the tap roots that extend vertically down underneath.