Please help!!! the stump is winning!

Sparkeee24 · Jun 2, 2005

Howdy everyone! I took on a project far beyond the couple hours I thought it would take. The local deere dealer is letting me demo a 110 TLB, it's awesome! So there is this stump... cottonwood... trunk is about 4 ft diamater. My dads gonna KILL ME!! I have about an 18 ft wide crater, 4 ft deep all around. And it shakes, but not like it would come out. Do Cottonwoods have a root going down? or just to the sides? Any and all help would be appreciated!!! I was trying to surprise my dad after a trip he took to morn a passing family member. I have till monday with a shovel. till tommorrow afternoon with the tractor. I think I will have to call in to work too /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif An awesome going project, and I got in over my head. Thanks for any and all help!!! Brian, Sparkeee24

PBinWA · Jun 2, 2005

Try digging as far under it as you can. Then get out the hose and start using water to clean away the dirt from the roots. Look for the big roots that your Backhoe can't break and cut them with a saw. Keep working under it. According to one web site I googled Cottonwoods are supposed to not have big tap roots. I spent 4-5 hours on a Douglas fir stump this weekend. It took a while but it eventually came out. I didn't have a backhoe either. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

GregJ · Jun 3, 2005

I have had good success by digging a ramp down one side with the fel to get underneath some nasty stumps. If it's moving, you're close. I have used water to clean the roots as well, although it really gets messy. With a JD110 you should be able to dig a ramp and get underneath it no problem. I have also used chains to pull them over into the ramp so I could drag them out.

As far as the crater.... there's no gettin' around it. That's half the fun of owning a tractor, cuz then ya get to fill it back in when you're done. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Just make sure you're not pouring a concrete slab where the tree was.

Greg

froggy · Jun 3, 2005

Why not just pour diesel on it and let it burn?

jrepp · Jun 3, 2005

I also use the ramp method, usually digging a ramp down from opposite sides deep enough to dig slightly under the root ball works.

Indydirtfarmer · Jun 3, 2005

At times like that, I'm reminded of those immortal words from Jimmy Walker.

DY-NO-MITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SCB · Jun 3, 2005

If you have access to a come-along or a chainfall, I like to get ahold of one of the bigger roots and tie off to a tree or truck and pull at the root with a direction that would be similar to twisting the stump in place. It works well sometimes when I can't get the tap root to break by rocking back and forth.

PineRidge · Jun 3, 2005

If your BH doesn't have enough reach to curl under the stump with the bucket then the next best thing is the ramp. It does involve a bit more seat time though.

Sounds like a good title for a song. "I fought the stump and the stump won." /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sparkeee24 · Jun 3, 2005

The stump is still fighting!! but it is a losing battle for the stump. My roommate was so awesome as to spend the afternoon digging down at the sides. So I took a pick axe to under the root ball, and it appears this is working. am finding 1" - 3" thick roots every now and then, and hacking them with my hatchet (sharpening every so often). but now the pick axe is cutting under it nicely. just alot of work for such a little stump. I mean, it's only like, 4 ft across, how bad could it be? famous last words...
Thanks for the advice folks! I am in an un-incorporated county, and our land is about the last piece of "hobby farm" size acreage around anymore. Burning is out of the question. Burn ban as well. Thanks again everyone! Brian Sparkeee24

Bye the way, I would recomend the LTB 110 to ANYONE looking for a smaller TLB. It rocks!

BoneheadNW · Jun 3, 2005

Sparkeee24-

What part of Washington are you in?

Pics of the stump would be great.

Bonehead

PBinWA · Jun 3, 2005

( hacking them with my hatchet (sharpening every so often) )

A reciprocating saw (cordless would be best) with an aggressive blade works great on cutting through those roots.

Sounds like you will get it. You can also beat it up with the backhoe - wiggle it a lot and give the occasional pull too.

Most important question: Are you having fun? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

frank_f15 · Jun 3, 2005

( "I fought the stump and the stump won."
)
UH MIKE . you are telling your age with that title, sadder part is i am older than you /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

EddieWalker · Jun 3, 2005

Slow down!!!!!!

You have all you need with the backhoe, you just need to take advantage of what it does.

The reason the stump is still there is you didn't dig "DOWN" deep enough. Four feet is just loosening things up a bit.

A stump that big is gonna have feeder roots all over the place.

You need to dig down twice that far all the way around the stump. With the backhoe, it wont take that long, just plan your dirt piles so you can get in-between them.

Once you get the dirt out of the way, it will push over real easy. Sometimes it might fight you a little, but if you change positions, it will just fall over.

Never get in the hole with the stump. That's manual labor, and you NEVER do that when you have a tractor to do the work for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck, relax and enjoy the tractor. You'll be done in no time.

Eddie

Sparkeee24 · Jun 3, 2005

Howdy! WOOO HOOO!!! The stump is out!!! it's kinda on it's side and rolled out of the hole. Now what? I gotta find a place to put it, and figure out how to get it there. The FEL doesn't want to pick it up but about 6" off the ground, and half the stump is still on the ground. I dug down an extra 2' on all sides, then smacked it from the side at full force with the side swing a few times and what was left snapped. I even heard it pop! (the stump) I used the BH to roll it out of the whole. This machine is sooo awesome. (my first BH experience) It has an 18" HD bucket on it with 4 teeth. I may end up rolling it to a distant corner of the property, if I can't get it above the ground somehow. I live in Edgewood , very near wild waves / enchanted village. I'm glad I demo'd this thing. I really don't think I would be happy with anything less. The BH's that go on the ag series tractors can't compare. I can't see how they could. You guys are AWESOME!!! THANKS! Heya, 1 more thing. any ideas on how to move it? now that it's out of the ground? Thanks! Brian Lee Sparkeee24

SCB · Jun 3, 2005

, then smacked it from the side at full force with the side swing a few times 

Wow. I'm glad it was a demo. That sort of movement puts alot of stress on the bushings. Glad you got it out though. I have had luck carrying the stumps with the backhoe. In your case it might be too big. Does the loader not have enough lift capacity? If it does, wrap a chain around it and back to the bucket and you may have luck. Otherwise you may be rolling it like you said. Glad to see another NW TBN'er. I'm a little north of you in Snohomish county.

Sparkeee24 · Jun 4, 2005

Howdy! I looked at the BX pics, and WOW!!! Your stump trophy is awesome! As to how hard I was on the backhoe...I am curious if you have seen the JD 110 setup? Do you think I am / would cause damage to it with the sideswing? It says you can backfill with full force, is this not the same motion? Just curious since I am going to purchase this model, though a different setup machine. Thanks! Brian Lee Sparkeee24

Highbeam · Jun 6, 2005

Full force with steady motion is easier on the equipment than the bang of smacking it into an imoveable object. Kinda like hooking a chain to the bumper of your truck and easing into the load vs. going full speed and jerking with the chain.

Edgewood eh? I'm just up the hill, or down depending on whether I'm at work. Nice area with some whacky politics.

SCB · Jun 6, 2005

Brian,
I haven't seen the 110 setup. I think highbeam said it already, and I agree. Slow and steady force should not be a problem. But banging the boom into a stump sideways seems awful hard on it. Maybe the setup of the 110 can take it? Not sure. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif And thanks for the nice comment. Happy tractoring, and show us some pics when you get your new machine.