Cleaning up 5 acres after logging in east Texas

rustyshakelford · Feb 28, 2015

I've got a guy I can recommend in new caney that has a big homemade stump grinder. Built it on a skidder frame. He grind 100 stumps in a few hours below grade. Has a 454 motor solely for the grinder head. He did three acres for me on a job a few years ago and I was very happy with him.

Brett

brokenknee · Feb 28, 2015

Had to take down two pines to put on my addition two years ago. Here is a couple of pitchers of the trac hoe my wife took; the trac hoe up on one side. You can see these were not very large pines either.

hoho · Feb 28, 2015

if in no hurry,pine trees will rot fast manly the small roots.if you are looking for hay or pasture it takes time for pine acid to break down but working the stumps out will help. i did 50 pines 2/4 ft. in diameter it took 4 years with a jd 24hp (850) but it worked.got dirt off of each stump before piling on top of ground.did bury thing was a nightmare,you have a tractor and a backhoe you can work it over time. it was great fun.

jkb7810 · Feb 28, 2015

If you have the time try boric acid ( think it is boric google it) by drilling into the stumps and pouring it in the holes and on the stump it promotes rotting and possibly in a year your backhoe could take them out easily.

yellowdogsvc · Feb 28, 2015

The stump grinders are a little rare. You might have better luck with Cat rentals or talk to Vermeer about a rental. The bigger Vermeer self propelled and tow behinds are powerful.

sd455dan · Mar 2, 2015

Ed of all trades said:
I would NEVER burry the stumps, as they rot they leave holes big enough to stick a tractor in. I have worked around these holes. Not fun wondering if the next hole it going to open up as you drive over it.

Well- where we live it is illegal to burn green stumps... and were advised by the county to bury them.

It has sunk a little in 7 years but I re- leveled the area out with one of my tractors. i will admit we did add fill as we layered some dirt in with the stumps.

Each there own- but i am very pleased with the outcome and the way we did it.

Industrial Toys · Mar 2, 2015

I am most curious as to the reason behind the no green stump burning. Is that still not a carbon neutral matter? Is it just the stink? I have been burning all manner of stuff for decades and although we don't need to pay for a permit, we apparently need to get one. Guess I just never got that memo though!

I had what most would call a HUGE stump grinder and I don't know anything about doing stumps FAST. Mine would do a six foot stump and yet you often still had to reposition it on the same stump. OF course around here, the many stones are a grinders undoing.

I just saw an ad, here in Ontario Canada. A contractor will charge $1200.00 an acre for some serious forestry equipment to completely clear land. with the addition of rock pulverizing equipment. For the abuse that this sort of equipment is subjected to, that is really not that unreasonable.

sd455dan · Mar 2, 2015

Not sure on the reasoning , guess i should have asked-

The wife actually spoke to the (official) - she remembers them saying that we could burn on the third year.
Also something about green stumps producing noxious smoke?.

One other thing, even though we are about 10 miles out of town- we are only a 1/8 mile from an elementary school which our grand daughter attends.

I did find a statement from a local fire protection district stating that burning stumps in (populated) areas is prohibited.

If we had access at the time to a large chipper that would have been great- shavings come in handy for the horse stalls and such.