Tree spades

arborworks1

Treehouser
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
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Location
hartsville, sc
Anyone have any experience or insight on spades. I was looking at getting a used model for my bobcat. But then I came across a truck mounted Vermeer for about the same money.

Obviously the bobcat mount would be much more versatile!
 
I used to work for a tree moving company/nursery. We had skid spades and truck spades. I can give more details when I get to a real keyboard.
 
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  • #4
Bobcat spade is a 46".
Truck spade is a 60".
From my reading. A 60" will only get a 5.5 diameter tree. And a 46 is maxed at 4.5 inch.
Versatility is really the key factor!
 
When I worked at a nursery we had a 32" Optimal spade for the skid steer and an oddball Yanmar vibrating blade digger thing for 36" root balls. I have seen a 60" mounted on an excavator but thats about the biggest around these parts.
 
Dutchman brand is what you want. The root balls are nice and conical with a flat bottom. They sit better on trailers and out in the retail yard. Optimal spades produce a round ball which is more of a PITA to work with. I have a buddy whose family owns a nursery and I have worked there more times than I care to count and they have had both, Dutchman is by far the best IMO. I have been tempted to get a spade for my mini and whore out my machine but at $7.5K I'll wait a bit.
 
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