equipment choice for stump removal

[horses2]

I can rent a bobcat E50 excavator or a Vermeer SC372 stump grinder for the same price at the local rental yard. Which would you recommend for removing stumps that range from 6" to 20". Trees were oak, cherry and mulberry (along the fence line).

Thanks,

 

[hslogger]

I don't know how many you have to remove, nor the slope if any, of the ground. An excavator would likely make very quick work of digging up the stumps. Then what? You're gonna have a lot of craters that will have to be filled. Do you intend on hauling off the debris or piling it to dry and burn? If you grind them, GENERALLY, you won't have so much soil disturbance.Some species really don't require you to chase all the roots out.

So much depends on the number, your expertise on either of these pieces of equipment and the condition they are in. A rental stump grinder that has the teeth in excellent shape is a nice machine to use.

 

[Halftrack]

Unless you have a plan for debris removal and fill afterwards, I would grind them slightly below level and spread the millings. If the fence line is a property line, clear it with the neighbor. And you will have less hours in the grinder compared to the hoe.

 

[horses2]

The land is basically level, and I have a wooded parcel to put them to rot away. there are about 30 stumps in all to dig/grind. I also have a pretty big pile of well composted manure that can be used to add to fill. I am clearing a fence line that these trees and brush had encroached about 20 feet into a hayfield. finishing the stump removal will give me that area to expand the current hayfield. the fence line is not near any property line so there is no issue there

thanks,

 

[caver]

I'm thinking dynamite for this double stump I've been working on.

 

[TractorGuy]

Largely depends on your land use and preference and how many stumps. I will sit in an excavator any day of the week before operating a grinder. That said the grinder would put them out of site and out of mind until the stumps begin to rot which some hardwoods will not do very well. Some hardwoods will continue to sprout suckers till the end of time if you don't find a way to kill them and everything around it. If they do rot they WILL leave a depression you will have to fill later.

My personal preference would be to dig them out. I've been working on some land for a few years off and on and I haven't had any issues with needing fill after digging one out. Somehow when you get the dirt back in and packed it seems to be plenty to level out without having to add fill for the removal of the stump.

You could probably dig out a couple hundred feet of fence line with a E50 in a weekend. If you are talking about acres you are better off just paying someone with the equipment to do it for you.

I ended up buying a backhoe that I hope to sell at the end but the end seems to be dragging out and the repairs and upkeep on the backhoe is constant. Good thing I'm retired and don't need to worry about a schedule or need the money I have invested in the equipment.

Stumps themselves are a pain to burn. Without the extra fuel of the trees it's hard to get them going and then they will smoulder for a week.

 

[Oldoak]

The land is basically level, and I have a wooded parcel to put them to rot away. there are about 30 stumps in all to dig/grind. I also have a pretty big pile of well composted manure that can be used to add to fill. I am clearing a fence line that these trees and brush had encroached about 20 feet into a hayfield. finishing the stump removal will give me that area to expand the current hayfield. the fence line is not near any property line so there is no issue there

thanks,

I was going to replay, grind them. But know that you explained your intentions fuller, I would dig the stumps out. But don't count on those stumps rooting away anytime soon and forget about burning them. This from past experience.

 

[laurencen]

having done some digging and grinding I say dig them, a E50 does a nice job, I use a frost tooth, single ripper instead of the bucket, claw around and pop it out, before I had the excavator I used a backhoe on a Kioti tractor, took hours digging so I ground them which later I tried to rototill and hit the stumps so we dug it out anyway.

the roots are still around after 15 years and they do not burn

 

[Industrial Toys]

Stumps you want gone will rot in about two hundred years it seems. I have an excavator rip them out (BIG MESS in this rocky ground) , but most often grind them.

 

[nyone]

If there not huge is really better to remove the stump from the ground before you even break out the chainsaw. You can use the trees heavy top as leverage in your favor very easily this way.

I have a micro ex, 3,500lbs. 1-3in maples can be pushed over, swing a few inches so it gets wrapped up in the bucket teeth then just curl the bucket. They pop out prety easy.