Digging stump techniques

[thunder86]

So I’ve got a stump where I feel I popped all the roots and probably went deeper down than I needed too. But the stump is very big and I think it’s just the pure middle holding on.
My technique is I just carefully dig a trench all around it trying not to pick the machine up or move it.
I don’t know how to dig under it now though to pull it lose? I can take my bucket and scrape across all the roots from the top down but that picks the machine up and I’m sure causes wear. Maybe I should try extending the arm and digging on the opposite side of my to take out the middle? Im pretty new to this backhoe, it has plenty of power just not sure how to approach this.

 

[thunder86]

Another pic

 

[Avenger]

Youre doing it right. Just gotta keep at it. Buckets are not the best for digging stumps. A ripper tooth on the backhoe is better for breaking the roots. But you'll either pay out the nose and wait, or make your own.
Keep moving around the stump, digging as you go. It will come out.

 

[kenmbz]

I have had to dig stumps with a big taproot, just keep digging and eventually it'll start moving around and snap the tap root.
Trick is to dig out a little farther to give your self room to move out the dirt under the stump.

 

[Supraman0614]

I had a huge maple stump in my yard that took quite a bit of time to get free. Luckily, there wasn't much of a tap root, but some of the horizontal roots were 6" diameter or so. I dug all the way around it like you are doing, then when I thought it was free enough, I hooked a chain to one of the horizontal roots I had cut, and pulled it from one side to get it to rotate. A couple pulls back and forth and it was free. Picked it up (barely) with the pallet forks and deposited it in my woods to rot. It took some time with a CUT backhoe, but it was "fun". As the others said, you're doing it the right way. It will take some time.

 

[/pine]

Different trees have different types of root systems...so some variation may be required per the stump...

For instance...most pines have large tap roots depending on the species and no so much in the way of lateral roots...Where a tulip poplar has no main tap root but may have 6-7 lateral roots where each one can be as big as the trunk of the tree itself...

 

[hosspuller]

I find a Saw-all with a demo blade makes cutting big roots easier than yanking with the bucket.

 

[big bubba]

I find a Saw-all with a demo blade makes cutting big roots easier than yanking with the bucket.

yes, fel's are not really designed for excavation, mainly loading, esp on smaller machines (anything under 50 hp imho) wise not to stress it, good call. just keep nibbling. i like the above reply as well & don't forget the chain saw if you can clean around roots.

don't mess your equip up doing something it was not really designed for
also: if you have access to a post hole digger, auger holes close to stump, just a thught
cheers

 

[thunder86]

yes, fel's are not really designed for excavation, mainly loading, esp on smaller machines (anything under 50 hp imho) wise not to stress it, good call. just keep nibbling. i like the above reply as well & don't forget the chain saw if you can clean around roots.

don't mess your equip up doing something it was not really designed for
also: if you have access to a post hole digger, auger holes close to stump, just a thught
cheers

I’m using the backhoe for it not the front loader. That backhoe is pretty powerful, I’m just guessing I need to sit further back with it so I can try and reach under the stump.

 

[hayden]

I'm having a hard time telling from the pictures, but you need to dig as much of the way around the stump as possible. At least three side, and preferably all the way around.