k0ua
Epic Contributor
What is a small stump?
In my opinion, and this is just an opinion, there is no way in **** you are going to scoop out a 5 inch pine stump with a bucket spade. At least not quickly.softwood (pine), 5 or less inches give or take?
my property is mostly pine, and I'm leaving everything > 18" - so no "big" stumps in general here.
For transporting 5" stumps only, you will be better served with 30" length, adjustable fork spread Pallet Forks.My interest in the front-spade is so that i can clear lots of small stumps (and some rocks), and just tip them back into the bucket, drive to slash pile, etc, repeat ...
Hi Jeff - yes, thanks to your other posts I understand that's the conclusion (and I believe it to be correct, in that I would certainly not be able to fully use the stump bucket, severely limited on both pushing it in, as well as curling or backing up / ripping roots, at least with full depth/engagement)
However, my interest in the front-spade is so that i can clear lots of small stumps (and some rocks), and just tip them back into the bucket, drive to slash pile, etc, repeat ...
I have 75-100 of these; using the backhoe would only let me handle a couple at a time (they are stumps, they're not right next to each other), then switch seats, turn around, turn the tractor around (It's still in the woods), pick up .... seems like if a spade could handle it (say 4~5in pine stumps), it would be a heck of a lot faster to have it on the front. And similarly, i'd probably use it later to landscaping where I'm moving shrubs from a truck, poking a few small holes, pushing dirt around. Obviously when i need a big hole ... i bought the BH. But these are lots of little holes combined with moving around.
Finally the stump bucket (for which cheap / light duty versions are the same price as a nice clamp-on spade), would seem to me to handle all that work better, and the front of it is the same size as a spade, so IF i can use a spade successfully, the stump bucket would work even better within my limits.
I think that boils down to two questions:
Thanks!
- on a small CUT, is the spade effective for removing SMALL stumps (ignoring my backhoe)
- am i missing some downside / limitation of the stump bucket (vs the spade) IFF i am not realistic that I can't use the "whole" thing/depth - eg just the front ~20" or so when digging).
Quickly, no. You could chip away at it, though.In my opinion, and this is just an opinion, there is no way in **** you are going to scoop out a 5 inch pine stump with a bucket spade. At least not quickly.
Sure, agreed. But if someone is thinking of just driving up to a 5 inch stump and getting under it with a bucket spade and scooping it out and driving off with it all in on pass they are mistaken. Sure you could dig it out with some time, and the taproot and soil conditions will help determine how long it will take, but it isn't going to be a one scoop and done thing.Quickly, no. You could chip away at it, though.
it is common knowledge that stump buckets and CUTS don't work all that well together. If you don't believe it, look at videos of Skid Steers using stump buckets which is what a stump bucket is made to work with. Skid steers have a heck of a lot more weight, traction and lift and curl ability than even largest of CUT's. And Skid steers struggle with removing stumps with a stump bucket. Why do they struggle? Because stumps are very hard to remove. They require big heavy equipment to tackle these jobs. like an excavator for example.You forgot to o include:
4: peeing on an electrified subway rail
A bit of a dice roll compared to the electric fence, bit the stakes are a lot higher
I'm still not hearing any argument on how shallow use of a tree spade bucket is significantly different than using a bucket spade?
I'm not 100% I'm going to get either, I need to YouTube some more looking for good (or failing) examples of similar uses on small CUTs... But if it looks helpful enough to justify, both the size/geometry, as well as the distance from pivot pins, seems very similar with both products - but being the same price its hard to see how the clamp on isn't less versatile.