Has anyone tried Oxy-Acetylene to cut (burn through) tree roots.

[MossRoad]

GASP! Manual labor? :laughing:

 

[airbiscuit]

As I understand it, there is a rock embedded in the root. If the root is 1' in diameter, a chainsaw will cut through the wood part just fine. Once you get a cut started, keep the nose just inside the far end. That way, the the chain basically stays in clean wood. I was thinking the concrete saw to deal with the rock. Option 2, cut it off to the left or the right of the rock.

 

[CADplans]

A Sawzall will cut a 4 inch root, in seconds, surrounded by rocks.
If you damage a blade, it cost a dollar,,,

 

[LMychajluk]

^^^What he said. Use a demo blade, not a pruning blade.

 

[two_bit_score]

A Sawzall will cut a 4 inch root, in seconds, surrounded by rocks.
If you damage a blade, it cost a dollar,,,

Yes sir, perfect answer.


TBS

 

[BukitCase]

It'd be a little MORE perfect, if not for this -

"1' diameter root"

Might hafta look a bit for a 14-16" Sawzall blade... Steve

 

[two_bit_score]

It'd be a little MORE perfect, if not for this -

"1' diameter root"

Might hafta look a bit for a 14-16" Sawzall blade... Steve

Do you think you couldn’t cut a 1’ root with anything less than a 14-16” blade?

TBS

 

[Redlands Okie]

Yep a 4 or 6 inch sawsall blade might take a while but it would do it

thank goodness sawsall blades do come in longer sizes.

the concrete saw with a diamond blade will cut wood but its hard on the blade, the blades get hot fast, and its just a real slow process. cuts rock or concrete just fine. wood not so well but doable. Abrasive blades are slow cutting at best also in rock or concrete. Diamond blades will work better. Different blade designs go faster but this seems to be a one cut job so what ever is available will work. Rental stores have them if need be.

Even a 12 inch diamond blade on a handheld concrete saw will only cut about 5 inches deep or a bit more. This is going to be a job where you just whittle away at it.

A circular saw with a diamond blade or a grinder with a diamond blade might maybe do it with the assistance of a sledgehammer. Depends on the rock type and how persistent one is. Make a few cuts and hammer. Repeat.

might take several tools in combination it seems.

 

[airbiscuit]

Or cut it where the rock isn't.

 

[newbury]

Torch will not work.
I would go at it with a chainsaw knowing it will cost a bar and chain.

Only a chain, the bar should survive.

<snip>
My son had a 24" diameter poplar tree uprooted close to the stone wall in front of his home. We have taken care of the trunk, branches, and slash and are working at excavating the stump. On the yard side we have gone out far enough to break the roots with the backhoe. On the street side we have dismantled the stone wall and found a 1' diameter root that includes a stone (cobble size). I am afraid that pulling or twisting the root may affect the pavement and want to cut the root at the edge of the town right of way. Even after pressure washing, cutting roots is, in my experience, a very fast way to ruin a chain on a chainsaw, and even a pruning blade in a sawzall dulls quickly.
<snip>

What do you have for a "chainsaw"? Any decent size (60cc or greater) should do easily.

True it will dull a chain, so won't cutting anything except passed gas. But chains can be sharpened and if properly oiled and cleaned the bar should not be ruined.
And there are also carbide chains available at greater expense.

I've a range of chain saws and bars, for a 1 foot diameter root I'd probably use my JD 62 w/ a 20" bar and plan on swapping chains or sharpening several times.

Poplar is a very soft "hardwood", actually softer than yellow pine on the Janka scale.