18,000 lb unit big enough for stumps?

[WoodChuckDad]

I have roughly 25 acres of mixed hardwoods and softwoods that I am about to have harvested. I will be buying a used excavator to do the stumping most of the trees are less than 24 inches. There are a dozen or so stumps, in the area where I plan to build my house that are close to 3 feet in width. I have been looking at some excavators in the 30,000 lb range. Recently I came across a Kubota kx080-3 that has 4300 hrs. If I bought it I would want to get a frost pick for it but even then I am worried that it would be under powered for the job. I need to knock out 3 acres of stumping in the first month or so then another acre in the following 2 months to clear the area where I will build. Having somebody else stump, in my area, can run from 1,200 to 3000 per acre, depending on size of stumps etc. That very quickly becomes cost prohibitive for the tasks I have planned.

Thought please?

 

[Gary Fowler]

That is a nice sized excavator for home use. You should have no problem digging out a 3 foot diameter stump with it. It isn't going to be as fast as a 30,000 # rig for sure but it should be adequate.
I wish I had one that size.

 

[robstaples]

I have a kubota L39TLB. I can lift 2500 lbs. I dug out a 24 inch soft maple stump. I estimate it weighed 1 ton. I had a contractor with a 100 hp excavator that dug out a 3 by 4 foot cherry stump that after I cut it in half, I still couldn't pick up the halves. I guesstimate it weighed 3 tons+. Couldn't find what the kx could lift. Hope this helps a little. Rob

 

[tcartwri]

Neighbor used a Deere 410 Backhoe to rip out a couple of 30" Manitoba Maple stumps at my place. Took him about 7~10 minutes per stump. I figure his machine has about the same ripping force as that Kubota excavator. He would have to sever the legs of the stump before he could rip it out of the ground, adjusting position a couple of times.

 

[bcp]

Some land I drive by was logged recently. Fir trees up to about 30 inches. An excavator dug up about an acre of stumps near the rear corner, so I never got closer than about 200 yards. It took only a minute or two per stump. It had no dirt-moving bucket at all, but was equipped with something that was close to this photo.



Bruce

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Thanks for the input. The Kubota deal fell thru but I think I can find some other's in this size range. They seem to be in better shape than the larger ones that I have come across.

 

[Rustyiron]

Giving your stumps a year (rotting) or more will make stumping a whole lot easier if you have the time. Hardwood stumps will fight back a lot harder than softwood, and those 3 footers, better count on a real struggle unless you have one of those stump shears shown above.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Giving your stumps a year (rotting) or more will make stumping a whole lot easier if you have the time. Hardwood stumps will fight back a lot harder than softwood, and those 3 footers, better count on a real struggle unless you have one of those stump shears shown above.

I need 3-5 acres done pronto, so I can get some fruit trees planted this year. Then I need to get an acre....with those big 3 foot stumps, cleared so I can build a house. The rest of it can sit a bit. After I get the house finished I will try to get enough land clear to plant another few acres of trees next winter. Hoping to have 10 acres of trees in 3 years.

 

[Rustyiron]

Whatcha planting?

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Whatcha planting?

Cider apples. The plan is to eventually have 20 acres of apples and a Cidery.