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.

 

[ultrarunner]

Last February a bunch of old Christmas trees on the farm were cut leaving about 30" of stump.

Last Sunday I did a couple of acres stumping with a Deere 350C dozer...

Basically I would approach in first gear and 2500 rpm and push over the stump... back up a couple of feet lower the blade and go forward to scoop out...

Really went very easy and I'm sure the rain last week helped to soften the ground too...

Biggest stumps were about 8" with many in the 6" range...

 

[tbrooks26]

I've pulled that size stumps with less. I pulled a 30" cherry stump with a skidsteer one time, that was a pita, took like an hour. That kubota would do the job for sure. Not sure on how well though, as I normally run smaller machines. I've pulled stumps the machines couldn't lift lol. Used a bobcat e32 a couple weeks ago to pull 4 bradford pear stumps. They were 12-15", I left 10' stumps took about 20 mins to pull them all, and its about half the size of that kubota. The main thing is just breaking up the roots, of course a taller stump usually helps until you have to lift them.

 

[roadhunter]

Have you considered renting a much larger machine? I have only worked around much bigger and much smaller machines than what you are looking at but a machine in the 60k-90k range would make quick work out of stumps as well as any dirt work you were wanting to do in a weekend. Sometimes it's' easier to use a bigger machine and do the job quickly instead of buying/maintaining a piece of equipment and doing the time sensitive work over a period of weeks with the hopes that the machine holds up and doesn't end up delaying your plans. Breakdowns can put a big damper on things unless you are well equipped for such events. But I completely understand wanting one as I would love to have one the size you are looking at.

 

[kthompson]

I have a Volve EC 45 which is a 5 ton machine. Gross weight is about 9,500 if memory is correct. I have dug hardwoods and pine stumps that size. Had good success on many and had one that whipped me after my guess four hours or working on it. What I learned was you can dig stumps you will not be able to lift. So if you need to load to haul consider that. Size of bucket is critical, narrow bucket is your friend. On large stumps begin away from the stump breaking off the roots and keep moving in. The larder the stump the further out you need to begin. Also the type of tree will affect that. On big stumps I would dig two sides and move to where could did the other two. Be sure to plan the dig so you do not dump where you need to move to. Also try to dump where easy to push back into the hole. The stumps that gave me the most problem were those with large roots straight down under the stump, hard to reach them to pop them. Have put chain around a large root could not reach to pop it. When you dig a large stump if you can not lift it pull it up the side and out of the hole. Then roll it where the roots are up so the dry, will make big difference in weight in short time. Your greatest lifting ability if over the front or the rear, will tip over the side much quicker. If you have never run such when you lift a heavy load be very careful swinging it, keep it near to the machine and near the ground. That way if it tips you will not be laying a machine on its side. Have it high in the air and it begins to tip good chance the machine will lay down. For no more acres than you have if you are able to take a month off to do this work look hard at renting a machine. Oh, count of busted hoses and other repairs. Part of the fun, better be for they happen. Also the type of dirt you have and how wet it is will all affect you. Mud is not fun to dig in, machine is not stable, roots need go down further and the mud type dirt has tendency to keep slipping back into the hole so have to move it further. But if you are planning on building there no doubt the site is not a wet one. Be careful and have fun. The most fun I have ever had on a machine is digging with excavator. If you are digging iin

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I have a Volve EC 45 which is a 5 ton machine. Gross weight is about 9,500 if memory is correct. I have dug hardwoods and pine stumps that size. Had good success on many and had one that whipped me after my guess four hours or working on it. What I learned was you can dig stumps you will not be able to lift. So if you need to load to haul consider that. Size of bucket is critical, narrow bucket is your friend. On large stumps begin away from the stump breaking off the roots and keep moving in. The larder the stump the further out you need to begin. Also the type of tree will affect that. On big stumps I would dig two sides and move to where could did the other two. Be sure to plan the dig so you do not dump where you need to move to. Also try to dump where easy to push back into the hole. The stumps that gave me the most problem were those with large roots straight down under the stump, hard to reach them to pop them. Have put chain around a large root could not reach to pop it. When you dig a large stump if you can not lift it pull it up the side and out of the hole. Then roll it where the roots are up so the dry, will make big difference in weight in short time. Your greatest lifting ability if over the front or the rear, will tip over the side much quicker. If you have never run such when you lift a heavy load be very careful swinging it, keep it near to the machine and near the ground. That way if it tips you will not be laying a machine on its side. Have it high in the air and it begins to tip good chance the machine will lay down. For no more acres than you have if you are able to take a month off to do this work look hard at renting a machine. Oh, count of busted hoses and other repairs. Part of the fun, better be for they happen. Also the type of dirt you have and how wet it is will all affect you. Mud is not fun to dig in, machine is not stable, roots need go down further and the mud type dirt has tendency to keep slipping back into the hole so have to move it further. But if you are planning on building there no doubt the site is not a wet one. Be careful and have fun. The most fun I have ever had on a machine is digging with excavator. If you are digging iin

That sounds like it should be a sticky. Great advice.

 

[kthompson]

That sounds like it should be a sticky. Great advice.

Thank you. Sorry for all the grammar mistakes.

 

[Threepoint]

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

Had some nice home-pressed hard cider from McIntosh apples yesterday afternoon at a neighbor's Thanksgiving get-together. 8.2 proof. Whooee, sure was tasty. :thumbsup: