Stump Remova Suggestions Please

[bitseeker]

We had a pair of black oak trees growing out of one stump (a fire here about 50 years ago burned down everything and the oaks seem to grow back in rings around the old stumps). One of the trees developed the only mistletoe we've got, and the trees were in a path where we wanted to reroute a driveway turnaround. We cut the trees off at about 10' tall to leave a lever to be able to tip out the roots. With a 8,000 lb winch on the pickup, the one tree broke off without moving the stump. After cutting the other tree off just above the ground (big mistake), I drilled a couple of dozen holes and filled them with potasium nitrate and waited six months or so to burn out the stump. The burning did not progress past the top, and the stump needed to go, so having just got the BX23 in January, I spent approximately 11 hours with the backhoe and FEL digging down approximatley 4' all around the stump. This was my first BH experience, and the time was mostly spent learning technique. A dozen or so roots were too big to break, So I sawed through those. There do not seem to be any more roots, and from roots removed years ago by a cat, the black oaks don't seem to have a big vertical tap root.

Pushing and pulling on the stump's top with the BH had absolutely no effect (except on the BX23). I got out the trusty F250 pickup and hooked a tiedown chain to the trailer hitch and banged stump three times with the chain positioned to tip it out in two directions and to twist it. Only one tiping attempt moved it, and only about 4", according to my wife. It settled right back down.

For scale, the wood part of the stump is approximately 4' across, even though the two tree remnants are lots smaller.

Stump 1. Bitseeker 0.

What to do next? Dynamite? Hire a CAT? Give up the plan?

 

[Junkman]

Get a bigger backhoe.... a much bigger backhoe. A bx can only do so much and if you continue to dig another 11 hours, you might get it done, but this is a case of who is going to be worn out first. You or the tree. I fought with one last fall and I finally won the battle, but at what price? Next time, I intend to call in the TBN troops with the big machine for back up help. It isn't worth fighting for 11 hours to land a tree stump that a bigger machine can reel in in less than a half hour! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[sandyc]

I have the same problem and intend to ask a friend with an excavator to help out. I'll pay for the trailer rental and diesel fuel. With his machine he can pull out stumps as well as dig a hole to throw them into...the bx is great for pushing earth back over the stump dump.

 

[MarkV]

If bringing in bigger equipment is not an option I would dig a ramp on one side. With the way your hole is dug so close to the stump it has to be lifted out which is to much for our small tractors. Dig a long wide ramp that will let you scrape out some of the dirt under the stump and pull it towards you. Pull as much as you can out and you should be able to lever the stump towards you.

MarkV

 

[RET]

What about hiring a stump grinder? I had to remove 5 trees a couple of years ago to make room for a pool. I cut down and removed the trees myself. Then, I called a local guy who does stump grinding on the side. He came in with a Vermeer stump grinder pulled behind his truck. He would back up to a stump and grind down to ~12" below the surface. He also swept the grinder out well past the diameter of the trunk to ensure that he ground up the largest roots near the surface. He ground 5 tree trunks in about 45 minutes and charged $200. I was left with 5 good sized piles of mulched wood that I tilled into the garden. Best $200 I ever spent! He did such a good job of grinding the major roots that I did not have a concern at all when I had a concrete slab poured where the trees once stood.
roger

 

[Pks]

I think Mark V has a pretty good idea. I've done smaller oaks that way.

My procedure was slightly different in that I was digging with the FEL and as I exposed a root, I would loosely wrap a chain around the root, attach it to the tractor's tow hook and break the root. The loose chain would saw and scrape the root just before it would tighten and then the root would break. I would then lift the stump, from underneath, with the FEL. That helped expose other roots, where the root breaking procedure was repeated. After each root broke, the stump could be lifted a little higher with the FEL.

 

[GregJ]

I would have to agree with everyone that is suggesting larger equipment. However, if you are stubborn (like me) /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif, I have used the ramp technique several times. There is no way that you can lift a stump like that with a BX23. The only way to move them is by dragging. I have done like you did, cut a deep trench around the stump, breaking all the roots. Then cut a ramp down below the stump. At this point you should be able to tip it over onto the ramp. I have used a high pressure hose to blow away the dirt from the root ball. Then you "might" be able to rap a chain around it and pull it out of the hole. Then you "might" be able to push it to it's "final resting place". It's a lot of hard work, but if seat time is what you're after........ /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have attached a photo of one of the stumps I removed, getting pulled up a ramp.

Hope this helps,
Greg

 

[Youare]

If you have a garden hose near by you could try flushing some of the dirt from the stump to ligthen the load.

Another method I have used can from a device used over a hundred years ago. Back when oxen and horses were used to clear land of stumps they would have a set large diameter wheels connected by a short axle shaft. A chain was fastened to the stump and wrapped several times around the axle right over the stump. As the wheels and axle were rotated the chain would wind up around the axle acting like a winch.

The force of the pull was directed upwards instead of to the side as when you would pull with a truck or tractor. Today if you could get a large diameter strong cable reel you could position it in front of the stump run a chain over the top down to a root out as far out on the edge of the stump as possible.

Pulling this with truck or tractor directs the horizontal force vertically on the stump tipping it out of the ground. I have aslo used a "handyman" jack to tip a stump out of the ground by jacking on a good strong root.

Randy

 

[theboman]

Most folks don't know a stump is mutiple times bigger under ground than above ground. One needs loads of dirt to fill the stump holes.

 

[bitseeker]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Before I hire a solution, may try removing dirt and rocks from the root ball. I have water nearby and a fair-sized pressure washer. After washing, I will probably have to wait a few days for the water to subside.

We have excess firewood from a mild winter, so after seeing what the stump looks like with some dirt and rocks removed, and the water gone, I may stack firewood around the stump and try to burn it before the summer burn restrictions.

-- BS