burried treasure...NOT

bellweather · Jun 6, 2005

After the spring thaw, I noticed that a mound had formed on my gravel driveway, and after a bit of digging I saw what appeared to be the tip of tree root. This weekend I excavated and discovered a large white pine stump/root ball...too big to completely remove. In fact I think I discovered the official stump burial ground (why do they do that?). Guess after years of freeze & thaw cycles, this buried treasure is finally resurfacing. Here's my question. Since I can't remove it, I want to cut away as much as possible, only I don't want to use my chain saw (too much dirt) and it's way too far from the house to hose or power wash. I'm considering buying or renting a cordless recip saw, but I'm not sure that such a tool is up to the task (root wood is really hard). I tried wacking with an ax and wore myself out with little to show for it. Is there a better tool out there?...like a gas powered super sawzall. Maybe burn it up? Any advice or able-bodied volunteers will be appreciated.
Thanks

have_blue · Jun 6, 2005

Without a stump grinder, backhoe, dozer, or dynamite, there's no easy way.

Best I can offer is to dig around it until you think more than 1/2 of the stump is exposed. Let it dry in the hot sun a few days. Meanwhile, gather up some firewood. Kindling won't do it. You need serious firewood, coal, or 200# of charcoal. When it feels good and dry, pick a windy day (unless you are in a fire danger area) and burn it. Keep feeding in the big wood. When it's 12" - 18" below the surface, let it burn out.

Note: I have seen people try to burn stumps with diesel. Forget it. It only cools the wood, and gets it hot for a few minutes. It works a bit on rotten wood, but so does a shovel.

Jagmandave · Jun 6, 2005

I think I'd rent a stump grinder. Local rental store has a "small" one I rent for about $50 /day, well worth it to me.

EddieWalker · Jun 6, 2005

How tall is the hump? Can you just keep driving over it, or build up the gravel around it to smooth things out?

The best solution would be to dig it out, but that will get expensive and take a fair amount of time. Grinding it down is a good short term solution, but if since it's already coming up, it will continue to do so after you gring it down. There's no stoping that from happening.

Burning it will eliminate most of it, but it's a long process. You will need that fire burning for days, which requires lots and lots of fuel. (logs)

I'd go to the rental store first and see what they charge for a a backhoe and an stump grinder. If the price is reasonable, go that route first.

If you're gonna burn, get as much dirt off as you can. A claw hammer would work just about as good as anything else.

Trying to cut it up into pieces with a chainsaw would help. A new chainsaw blade is only $20 giver or take, so if you use an old blade, you're not out much.

bellweather · Jun 6, 2005

I hadn't considered a stump grinder...that sounds like a good suggestion. I'll price a rental or see what a pro stump grinder will charge. Burning won't work for me....takes too long. Driving over the hump is not an aesthetically acceptable option, though it would work if I built up the road bed around it. And yes, even if I grind it, it will probably resurface again....but probably not for some time (I hope). Thanks

jmc · Jun 6, 2005

I heard of a guy that had a good chainsaw but when he had a dirty job, he'd just go rent one.

RonR · Jun 6, 2005

One thing I saw (and I think it was here!) if you are burning stuff, getting enough air to what you want to burn is an issue. This commercial (EXPENSIVE) unit used an industrial air compressor to provide air to metal tubes with holes drilled in them right next to what you wanted to burn.

I could see for not much money, if you have access to even a small gas driven compressor, would be to build an air supply using some steel pipe. You could either bend it around the stump to fit or lay it next to one side. The key would be to provide air to the stump. Charcoal and this air supply might make short work of Mr. Stump.

I've never tried this, but have heard of it done. A stump grinder might be a faster/easier solution.

I have used a sawsall with a 12" wood blade to cut roots out of the yard. I ran one for 4 hours on one blade, everywhere there were maple runners coming through ground level. I'd saw right through the dirt and root. Did a great job.

Ron

bellweather · Jun 6, 2005

A 12" blade would be useful in my application. was it a cordless tool? (I've been looking for an excuse to buy an 18 amp cordless sawzall) otherwise I would need over 350' of extension cord. Guess I could rent a generator if I had to. Stump grider still sounds like a workable plan.

jim_wilson · Jun 6, 2005

Not sure what quality of road this is that has the hump in it but as a general rule organic type material of any sort under a road is a bad idea. This means things like topsoil, tree stumps, roots,etc. This is because they will either rot over time and leave a depression in the road and also because organics tend to absorb water and do things like heave the road in winter - as you are discovering now.

I had to take a massive pine tree stump last summer to extend my driveway - initially the tree company came and used a stump grinder on it. This took down the base of the stump to point where all the big roots started to branch out. I started hacking away at the roots with my Sawzall and gave up on that after a while and went to using an axe. The Sawzall would get jammed in the roots and then would buck and shake like crazy. The axe was more physical work but was less stress on me that the jerking Sawzall.

If you want it gone fast the idea of burning it and pumping air into the ground to keep the fire going might be the easiest. Pumping air in somehow would probably get the fire burning nice and hot and get rid of the thing pretty quickly.

AntrimMan · Jun 6, 2005

Geez,
If you think you found the stump graveyard would this one hump only be the start of things to come? Maybe you could become artistic and put a little bend in the driveway around the problem.
I paid a local co. (3 miles up the road) to take 4 tri-axle loads away when I built my garage. Cost me about $200 five years ago. I called, they came, they left, all in about 2 hours. They grind them into mulch and sell it to people who have a shortage of insect problems (hee, hee). The excavator was already on the lot so I paid for that time separately also.
If there are lots of stumps you will be battling for a long while. Have someone look at it to see what it would cost to pull and haul them away. Then weigh this against renting gear and spending your time. That way you can make an informed decision.
If it's just one stump I'll take it if you can deliver /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Best of luck,
Martin