(^28) September/October 2019
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Bushes
and shrubs are
common fixtures
in rural and suburban landscapes,
adding beauty, interest, and privacy
to a property. Eventually, however,
they outgrow their space and need to
be removed or replaced.
If you’ve ever tried, you know that
manual removal of an established
bush is a backbreaking trial. Using a
car, truck, or tractor to pull a shrub
is quicker, but it can also cause
expensive damage to your vehicle,
landscape, or nearby structures, and
can be hazardous, to boot.
A third option is to build your
own “bush jack.” In simple terms,
a bush jack is a chain fall hoist
suspended from a heavy wooden
tripod. Few bushes can resist 2,000
pounds of steady, upward force
for long. Gearing and mechanical
advantage transform a small fraction
of “human pull” force into that
steady, 1-ton pull.
Supplies to build a bush jack
cost $100 to $150 and are available
at most big-box stores or online.
Assembly will take roughly half an
hour. Use sawhorses or an outdoor
workbench to help with laboring
over the long timbers.
Pulling stumps and fence posts
doesn’t need to leave you bushed; just use a simple jack
and a chain hoist to maximize your power.
By Andrew Weidman
elle
(Elle)
#1