Tracks and phragmitis

[Delduck]

John I had my 80yr +/- farmer over today and he wants to attach a metal pipe to the front only where the phrag gets between the tracks like your saying. I wish I could post pics but it says file to big. I don’t know why they are just pictures from my phone. No different than any other time. It would be nice to push the reply button then take a picture. We’re going to fly the drone in February and put the go pro on the machines. Hopefully I’ll have it figured out by then.

[Delduck]

C66C7CBF-74FF-4622-868D-61B99797A842.jpg. Someone please let me know if this worked I don’t see a pic

[ARGOJIM]

The grouser design may indeed be part of the problem but not all, using conveyer belting may indeed help with some of the problem.

[ARGOJIM]

Delducks picture.

[Delduck]

Jim thanks for all the help. The belt idea is the easiest for me, my buddy has a tomato picker that gets new belts every couple of years, I’ll make that call tomorrow for the belt.

[ARGOJIM]

Consider this as well.
I'll send a picture later as it will be more involved.

[dirtdobber]

ArgoJim you beat me to it. That is exactly the concept I was thinking about, but yours is more refined as I've never seen an argo axle, bearing, hub configuration.

[Cupwalker]

Cup I do things a little different with the phrag then most. In the winter when it’s cold it is brittle so I have from dec to feb to get as much down as possible then I flood the area with sluice gates then when any new shoots start coming up around may I spray the area, that keeps it from growing taller then in September the plant has to make a seed head whether it’s 2’ high or 15’. That’s when we spray again. After the seed head is made it sends all the energy it makes from the sun, to the root, at which time it will take in the herbicide. From April till September it uses the stored energy from the root/ rhizome to make a seed. I’ve worked with the UofD and ducks unlimited on some projects but they are all about the cost per ac, and politics. I deal with people that want waterfowl habitat and not worried about the rest of it. Is far as others doing it, PSE&G in NJ have Argos but they go from point A to point B there not driving all over. The guys that sika deer hunt in MD use the machines to make paths out to the marsh so they can hunt deer but then they are driving over the same paths during the season. The people at marsh masters are great people with tons of knowledge. We have one of there floating swamp excavators BUT to spend $100,000 dollars for the marsh master 2. I’m not ready for that. We have a guy that comes down every year and cuts about 3/4 ac and makes tepee looking things so it dries out then he uses it for roof thatch for teaching displays across the country.

Although I consider myself an outdoorsman I've only duck hunted a couple times and know very little about it. That said, my interests and loyalties have nothing to do with staying under budget or political agendas I can assure you that. I think it's safe to say we see the same "big picture" when it comes to wildlife and the outdoors. PSE&G...took me a minute or two but I knew I'd seen that acronym before... Public Service Electric & Gas?? I know less about PSE&G than I do duck hunting but if they're anything like the power generation company I work for then I can only imagine what their interest in phragmites is. If I had to guess I'd say their interests have nothing to do with yours but I could be wrong. As far as the Marsh Master is concerned I wasn't suggesting it as a solution to your problem it just happened to be part of the observation I made regarding the vehicles that kept popping up online. Couldn't find brand new prices but found used ones that sold at auction...holy cow they seem to hold their value! An '03 sold for $30,000!! Do you use Glyphosate or Imazapyr when you spray? Haven't used the Imazapyr but I've used Glyphosate numerous times and it's some good s***!
As far as a solution to your problem goes I've rethought my approach. Instead of trying to cut the phragmites that's built up/wrapped around the axle I'm thinking a large deflector of sorts that diverts the phragmites away from the tracks and axles. A "mud flap" of sorts but more rigid that acts as a nose cone/ferring on the front and hovers over the entire length of the tracks like a fender. It would have to be rigid enough to not buckle under the weight of the phragmites so it wouldn't interfere with the tracks. It may not eliminate the buildup 100% but I think it would eliminate a lot of it. Sounds complicated but I don't think it would be that bad. I'll think on it some more and see what I can come up with for building it...Cup

[john swenson]

hey friends ....just wanted to say how much i have enjoyed being a part of the creative ideas and designs to address delducks grass challenge . thats whats so fun about this site , sharing ideas together . i look forward to seeing how the final solution works out for him . thanks , johnboy va.

[Cupwalker]

Well I've tried to chime in several times this evening but I keep getting logged off and losing what I've typed so I give up lol. Maybe this post will go through...Cup