"Alternative" Stump removal options.

[SCRich]

I have a lot of "aftermath" after logging operations were done over a year ago here on the property. A few weeks ago I hired a dozer and we cleaned up for 17 hours removing a lot of stumps and he pushed up about 2ft deep worth of slash into a pile so I could burn it. Well the fire has been going on for 2 weeks now and we made a LOT of progress.

Problem is a lot of the piles covered up a few large stumps, in the middle of what I want to grade, till and plant. I can't hire him right now to just pull out a few stumps.

A friend of mine suggested blowing them up, there are some legal options he stated that could work. I am afraid of searching the internet very much for obvious reasons. I know that years ago farmers did use explosives but that was in a different day and age. This is considered a farm, we have sold timber and do pay taxes for such.

Someone suggested a product called Tannerite which is a novelty target that shooters use. Upon bullet impact the material blows up and is legal to use. Both materials come seperated and are legal to own, mixing them makes them explosive on impact and still legal if on your own property, it is the transportation of them mixed up that would put you in the big house.

Any other suggestions ? We live in a very rural area and we have a lot of property, neighbors are not a problem. Some have suggested to check the pyrotechnics forums on the internet for mix ratios of potassium and aluminum powder. My question is not exactly how but is it legal to do ? Has anyone ever done it, is it even worth trying?

 

[MossRoad]

Can you burn them out or are they too green?

 

[MossRoad]

My father was a demolitions officer in WWII and I've seen my share of his handywork growing up in the 60's. Unless you know what you are doing with explosives, I'd say no way, no how.

 

[SCRich]

Can you burn them out or are they too green?

I don't think they would be green. We have been in an exceptional drought which is higher then extreme. These were from trees cut down in March 07' and out in the open so they have received plenty of direct sunlight. They look dry but have not started to rot. Today I pushed over a few dead trees with the grapple and not only were the trunks dry and rotted but a good portion of the stump just fell apart when I scraped it with the grapple BUT these are in no way even close to that. Dry, hard, and really dense wood, I would guess it would take several years before they started breaking apart.

I have never burned a stump in the ground. How would I go about that ? I guess drilling some holes for starters? Most of the stumps I have burned in a fire pile do seem to be a bit difficult to burn up, I am sure in the ground is much more difficult.

 

[studor]

You can make a stump burner with a metal drum, small holes in the rim, chimney vent hole in the bottom. Invert the drum over the stump, bank earth around the rim and light it up (some suitable accelerant applied to the stump) First saw this in a 1920's farm book -- tried it and it worked --plan might be somewhere on the web.
PS stumps take a long time to burn

 

[SCRich]

I'll have to search the web a bit for some photos or drawings. I hear what you say but I am having a hard time visualizing it. I got a 55gal drum here, and some 60/40 mix. Don't know what is a good long lasting accelerant, some have said used motor oil which I am avoiding since it's going to be a food plot and or vegtable garden.

Maybe 1/2in holes in the stump then fill with 60/40 mix and let it soak for a few hours then cover with some charcoal and then a smoldering log and cover?

Buddy suggested some Amoninum Nitrate filled into some holes with some oil. : It's tempting but like MossRoad stated I may be getting in over my head! I have an old car door unlock system that I use with rocket igniters and a 6v battery that has a 600ft range. We used that back in Florida on the 4th and on New Years to set off a battery of fireworks that we connected with cannon fuse. The igniter worked well to ignite the cannon fuse! I don't know how well the igniter would work on 60/40 mix and charcoal.

 

[ragkar]

If you're patient, you could drill large (3/4 inch) vertical holes in the wood and pour sour milk in them. There are also commercial products for disintegrating the wood.

 

[Egon]

The ammonia nitrate idea will require an additional source of pressure to set it off.

How big are the stumps and what kind of machinery do you have?

 

[Bedlam]

like studor said , even heard once that somone used a washer machine for the 'chimney'

 

[Wombat125]

Someone suggested a product called Tannerite which is a novelty target that shooters use. Upon bullet impact the material blows up and is legal to use. Both materials come seperated and are legal to own, mixing them makes them explosive on impact and still legal if on your own property, it is the transportation of them mixed up that would put you in the big house.

Tannerite is fun stuff. Just do a Youtube search on it.

I don't, however, think it would work too well for stumps. I think you would have problems igniting it. It needs an impact from a centerfire rifle round to detonate. I'm picturing some kind of Wile E. Coyote scenario that couldn't end well.