Helpful Shear Hints

Tree Shear works well if attention is paid to the direction the tree is leaning before making the cut. The tree should lean away from the shear, not to left or right. A certain amount of side lean will do no harm, but when that unknown point is exceeded, or if the tree starts to fall too quickly to the left or right before the cut is complete, the shear will act like a splitter, not a shear, and bent blades can result. Keep in mind that you are generating up to 30 tons of cutting force that should be kept perpendicular to the tree to prevent bending damage.

Guards are a safety consideration and more. They allow operator to cut against standing timber, letting the tree fall against the guard, away from the other trees. Operator can then carry the tree away from the standing trees. Be certain that the machine you are powering the shear with has enough safety equipment to protect operator from the type and size of tree that is being cut. If at any time you the operator are unsure of where the tree will fall, or if your safety is being jeopardized, don't cut the tree. To prevent falling limbs from striking operator, a substantial protective canopy is suggested.

A practice of carrying cut trees between the blades is not recommended. This puts excessive downward force on the blades, and extreme leverage back and forth, which could twist the blades.

Cut trees can be carried on the closed blades, leaning back against the guard, providing that the machine is large enough to handle the extra weight and top-heavy load.

When using Skid-Steers, the use of break-out force should be avoided entirely until blades are fully closed. Operator impatience, resulting in breaking the remainder of the tree off before the blades are fully closed will shorten machinery life.

Open blades fully before each cut, and position tree all the way into cutter before cutting. This practice will tolerate trees with more side lean, and will reduce strain on all cutter components, and hydraulic system. Time lost by opening cutter completely will not be noticed, because blades can be retracting while operator is moving to next tree. With average to good hydraulic system, cutter will close in five to nine seconds, opening slightly faster.

When putting shear on front-end loaders, for extension hose from rear of tractor, use no less than 1/2" 3500 psi working pressure hydraulic hose. Use of 3/8 line or hose will cause shear to perform at less than 50% of its potential.

On home-built hydraulic systems, check to make sure that all fittings used in supply lines and valve arrangements are heavy hydraulic fittings, and not light plumbing fittings. Standard plumbing fittings can explode when exposed to high pressures seen in hydraulic systems. Tree shears are very demanding on hydraulic system, peaking pressure often.