Burning a medium stump

[wallysue]

My Ash tree got a fungus and split so it had to go. Rather than spend $50 to have a stump grinder make the stump go away I figured to try burning it down. After it dried about 6 weeks I dug around the outside of it a few inches down and drilled a bunch of 3/4" holes in the top. Filled the holes with diesel fuel and let it soak and lit it off. That wasn't going very good so the blower in the image came out but that blew the heat away. The sprocket and bricks on top really concentrated the heat and once the sprocket got heated up there was a pretty good blast going. It took about three hours and about 6 refuelings with diesel to burn it 2 to 4 inches below ground level. A couple of neighbors stopped by to see what the heck was making all that flame and smoke after the refuels and we chuckled over the sight. Probably I'd do the same thing again.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Looks like your method worked, and that's what counts.
If you want to do it easier, put a cylinder over the top, like an old milk can without the bottom, with a hole in the top to connect to the blower via a tube (old exhaust pipe).
Then toss in half a bag of charcoal, light it, and put the top in place and start the blower. This method will burn a stump real quick, and fairly smokeless because of the developed heat.
For larger stumps, use a larger cylinder and more charcoal.
A lawn chair and supply of cool beverage make the job much easier, just locate the lawnchair upwind.