Best stump removal method with BT-1000

mike69440 · Nov 6, 2005

I have more than a dozen stumps now under my belt with the L-39's BT-1000.

This drizzly Sunday I went up with the wife to our 17 Acres so she could fetch her riding bear out of the barn. She left me there at the land to play with the L39 for 2 hours as she went shopping and I pulled 4 stumps, the largest being from a 14-16" size trunk hardwood, smallest being about 7"

I told the excavator not to bother stumping the area for a future homesite and septic area, but he left a lot more area with stumps, including the skidder trails down to the field.
I am disappointed in the job and cost charged for pulling stumps that the excavators performed in 4-1/2 Acres I had previously logged by a logger. The excavator left a good acre with stumps in the ground.

I want to make a safe passable trail for when I get a grapple to move all the stumps with the L-39, so I went about removing some stumps along the path.

This is the method I find seems to work well for pulling stumps.

I would position the machine just so I could barely reach the stump and excavate first in front of the stump. As the L-39 tends to get dragged about by the hoe, as the tractor got pulled closed to the stumps I would work the side roots. I would then attack the roots on the back side of the stump, finally getting the bucket under the sump and pull out the stump with the boom cylinder and bucket curl.

The large stump took about 1/2 hour. the 12" trees about 20 minutes and the 7" popped out just from breaking roots on one side.

I am impressed with the power of the hoe, as anymore digging force would completely overwhelm the weight of the L39.

My question:
Is my stump removal method above what works best?, Have I got it well figured out or are there a bag of tricks I a missing?

SkyPup · Nov 7, 2005

Depending on what species of tree I am attacking, I position the L-39 about 8-10 feet from the stump and rip out the roots as close to the stump as is physically possible and then proceed to dig down two parallel lines on either side of the stump. I then reposition 90* over on either side and do the same thing again so that all four sides roots are now ripped off and the entire stump is trenched off on all four sides. Then I pull up the stump using the bucket curl or combination boom cylinder.

Breaking off the roots on all four sides is required for the larger oak stumps I work on, some having root balls going down 10 feet and weighing 8-10,000 pounds. On the larger rootballs that are too big to pull out of the ditch and a major hassle to burn with the soil packed rootball, I simply dig a deeper hole adjacent to the stump and flip it over into the hole and bury the entire stump. Smaller stumps with a couple of ton rootballs I drag out and burn.

The BT1000 BH on the L-39 is a real bear and pulls like a couple of Clydesdales. I've taken on some major projects with it and it has performed like a champ. Having the ANBO grapple to pick up the stump and debris when it is all over is a big plus, it has quite a BITE too! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

mike69440 · Nov 7, 2005

As I clear out more area to maneuver, with the large stumps I will try repositioning the machine to dig trenches on all 4 sides. This can be tough, as This is NH and I am on the side of a hill. The other thing that may save time is to work so as I dig out one stump, I am filling the hole from another stump removal. I can see where an track excavator has an advantage in reach an maneuverability over the TLB. Still, a little track excavator would have a heck of a time with these stumps too. I will leave the stumps in place around where the house will go and the septic field area and focus on making the fields passable in the L39 without wrecking the undercarriage and work to improve the existing paths and driveway.

I still am torturing myself over if I bought the right machine. We visited a large farm this weekend with several 100 HP class machines and some construction type machines also.
If you are looking for a compact, light, maneuverable machine with a excellent BH and decent loader that can run implements, the L39 is a great choice.

For working the fields the L39 is not looking to be a real good choice. Of course it will be several years before I have those fields to work. I'm trying to convince my neighbor to get a medium to large tractor with cab for high hp PTO work. I should for the time being, just get a 4' brush hog for my trusty B7200 and let the neighbor's horses loose once I get the fields safe for the their horses in the mean time to keep the fields open.

catvet · Nov 7, 2005

( I went up with the wife to our 17 Acres so she could fetch her riding bear out of the barn )
I'd love to hear more about this "riding bear" /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

All kidding aside, you do stumps the same way I do. Wish I had some magic tricks but don't except keep digging.

mike69440 · Nov 8, 2005

Darn Spell checker, I meant to write "Riding Gear", i.e. Horse Tack and all that Equestrian stuff I don't know anything or really care to know anything about. There are two of the neigbors horses up there where we let the neighbors use our barn, who have friendly, curious personality's like dogs. They like breathing down my neck and follow me and the L-39 around. I got to get a loud horn for the tractor. Their ok, but the rest of them things are big spooky critters that could stomp me to death. I have no clue how to handle a horse. I stay away from them and they stay away from me.

Another thing I want to install on the L-39 is an accessory outlet to plug in my motorcycle electric vest, etc. Getting cold up here. Anyone know where I can get one with a waterproof Plug cover?

MartinT · Nov 8, 2005

Mike,
For your motorcycle "heat vest" power plug you might want to check out the many plugs, jacks, etc., made by Perko or West Marine. The make heavy duty boating/sailing gear. You can get the plugs/jacks online at West Marine.
Here's the plug page: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categoryg/10001/-1/10001/316/124/9/man/asc/0/grid