Box Blade for Small Stump Removal

   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal #1  

econometrics

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Jan 4, 2013
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689
Location
East Texas
Tractor
Deere 5075E MFWD OOS w/PR, 540E; Gator 825i
Howdy all,

I have a Frontier BB2172 box blade for my JD 5103 (with FEL)- with the 5 steel shanks. I just mowed about 3-4 acres that had quite a few 3-5" trees that had grown up that the previous owner of the land I purchased did not clear.

I cut most all the trees down to about 6-12" of stump size and was thinking of using my box blade to try and pull them up? Some are pines, most are smaller hardwoods. My soil is pretty sandy, so they are not rooted in too tightly.

My idea was to drop the 3 center shanks as low as I could, drop in the box and grab onto the roots while raising the blade with the 3-point, then pulling forward to rip them out.

Before I did, I wanted to see if this was a bad idea first. I probably have about 15-20 to pull out.

Thanks!
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal #2  
I would also like to try this and hear what folks have to say.
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal #3  
Boy I don';t know about that one.Lots of side torque on your box blade.If they are small enough and the ground loose it may work.May want to think about a tooth-bar on the bucket and loosen a little first.
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Boy I don';t know about that one.Lots of side torque on your box blade.If they are small enough and the ground loose it may work.May want to think about a tooth-bar on the bucket and loosen a little first.

That's kind of what I was thinking, too. Maybe loosen them up with the FEL a little before I try to rip on 'em. :thumbsup:
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal #5  
I would be more inclined to try a single subsoiler type ripper to go around the tree before hooking the stump and pulling on it. It puts a lot of forces into your box blade at weird angles when you have small isolated contact areas you're pulling from.

Something like this is what I have in mind.
bison-svh1-ripper.jpg
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I would be more inclined to try a single subsoiler type ripper to go around the tree before hooking the stump and pulling on it. It puts a lot of forces into your box blade at weird angles when you have small isolated contact areas you're pulling from.

Something like this is what I have in mind.
View attachment 300065

Ahh, that's just the thing I've been thinking about getting. I would much rather use something like that than my box blade. I guess I first thought of the box blade because I already have it, ha! How much does a ripper like that cost, and where can a guy get one?

Thx!
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal #7  
I bought the one that I have at Atwoods. It is a King Kutter I believe, though the shank isn't quite as beefy as the one shown in the photo I posted above. The one I have. I paid in the neighborhood of $130 for mine. A little easier on the wallet if broken.
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Ahh, I saw a single-shank 3pt attachment there the other day, but it had a plow blade on it. I'll have to look again and see if I can find one here in town like that. I think that would do the trick.

Have you used yours to take out some smaller stumps successfully?
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal #9  
The box blade would be the last thing I would use for that. If they are in light enough soil, use the FEL with a tooth bar, or even without one if you don't have one.

I was using my Frontier 6' medium duty rated for 60 HP+ with a little 3720 and was going along at 2 MPH with a load of dirt and hit a 4" stump cut off a couple inches underground. I don't remember if it stopped the tractor, but it bent the blade and the big angle iron supporting the blade in back of it about 2-3" in the center.

I had to use a log splitter in some fancy set-up to get it somewhat straight again. Those shanks are like butter if you hit or snag a good tree root or stump. But those are easier to straighten that be blade itself.
 
   / Box Blade for Small Stump Removal
  • Thread Starter
#10  
That's exactly the kind of review / previous experience I was looking for. I figured that if I started from a standy-still and eased into the roots, it wouldn't bang up the box too bad. But I didn't want to risk it.

Really appreciate that input.
 
 
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