I will pull by hand anything up to around 18" tall as these come easily bringing the roots with them. Larger trees get the chainsaw or bow saw treatment.... trouble is these ones will regrow as the roots remain in the ground.
In the middle are small trees up to 2" grirth and 6 foot tall that are too big to pull by hand but tempting to try... this usually ends with an aching back.
A device was needed to remove small trees with little effort. A look on line came up with a number of different ideas that ranged in cost from around £100 to £250. Being a cheapscate I decided to build my own!
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Signing UpStep 1: Tree puller from scrap.....
Second hand stilsons are easy to find and very cheap to buy, especially when, like the one I used, the stilson is incomplete.
As it did not have its adjustment nut it was a freebie :) Once modified this will grip the tree.













































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Our yard is a popular spot for buckthorn trees and misplaced oak trees.
I have a similar project in mind but am still looking for the critical piece (hiding in a box): a large Jumar ascender. Used in mountain climbing, the one I have is on the obsolete side; maybe twenty years old. Very strong and beefy. The end result would be the same as yours except the gripping action would be vertical along the trunk.
It would be nicer to state that this is a DIY version of another inventors invention.
I did see the weed wrench when I was looking online at prices but the idea for the design was already fixed in my mind by then.
You have made the link now so good luck with your product, I will not be going into production with mine :)