Loader Stump Yard Wars

[k0ua]

I had a little tussle with a stump today, and so far the stump won.
I started with just the bucket, but quickly switched to the home made
"Shovel" to get between the large roots this tree had and dig down
beside them to be able to cut the roots. I ran out of time and energy.
With the stump still standing and the tractor unable to pull it over.
The dirt was bone dry which does not help. I can either keep cutting,
or add more water, or wait for a good all night rain. The front yard
now looks like "someone has been testing missile's" to borrow a line from
an old Tom Hanks/Shelly Long movie. This war is not over yet. Pix and
Vid's below.

http://videos.tractorbynet.com/video/1012/Stump-Yard-Wars-1

James K0UA

 

[rekees4300]

Hope you get it out before your tractor is broken. A better choice of tools for that job would be a chainsaw and stump grinder...both can be rented.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Looks like the perfect excuse to buy a backhoe for your tractor

Rick

 

[k0ua]

Looks like the perfect excuse to buy a backhoe for your tractor

Rick

Ah heck Rick, if I had a backhoe, the stump would have been out, and what fun would that be.. hey the little home-made shovel worked pretty well, but those roots were awesome I just run out of energy and the desire to whack on them any more tonite..later..

James K0UA

 

[Ductape]

If you need to weaken it by cutting some of the roots, I recommend using a sawzall with a pruning, or wood cutting blade. Or......... borrow a neighbor's chainsaw.

 

[me0418840987]

Wish I had pictures of the small stump that the neighbor and I removed. He tried to be nice, and remove the stump that we were going to remove eventually, while we were on vacation. He has a ford fel/back hoe industrial loader, dug all the way around, and gave up. We didn't feel like digging, so we called my brother. He brought his freind who works on the largest farm in the area. He came over with a front dual, rear triple set up New Holland, don't know the model, but the fronts were taller than me at 5'6''. We broke a 120,000 lb recovery strap from a concrete truck. I got out the old 5/8 inch link chain, and stood WAY back. He had to put it down into 3rd gear before it would budge. The stump was only 2 ft across, Box elder, but stubborn as ****. Took 3 years before I could mow that grass without bouncing off the lawnmower seat.

 

[k0ua]

If you need to weaken it by cutting some of the roots, I recommend using a sawzall with a pruning, or wood cutting blade. Or......... borrow a neighbor's chainsaw.

I thought about the sawzall, but did not go and get it, may give that a try. I don't dislike any of the neighbors enough to use their chainsaw.:laughing: Of course a stump grinder would be really good.

James K0UA

 

[simoutdoors]

With my BX i found that undermining the cut roots to get a chain under, then lifting with 3 pt hitch worked well.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I'm afraid all you're accomplishing is tearing up your loader. I'm one to really push what my tractor/loader can do, but when it comes to stumps (unless they are tiny, like 3-4") then I go straight for other equipment, even if I have to rent it. The ONLY loaders that are good for this type of work is a track loader. Even a small track loader might have to work to get that stump out depending on the species. Bottom line is rent/borrow the right equipment, backhoe or mini-excavator would be my first choice, chainsaw/stump grinder my second choice. Or if you want to get it yourself keep working at it by hand. Honestly you'll probably accomplish more with a good spade and an ax than your loader. Not trying to be harsh, just speaking from past experience.

 

[wedge40]

James I'd suggest coming at the stump straight on with your home made shovel. Basically digging the dirt out between the roots. Then cut the roots.
Just my 2 cents.

Wedge

 

[JerryK]

Like I have suggested before, put some C4 plastic explosive under the thing.....AND, if you use enough..... the stump will not be on your property when you are done....

 

[k0ua]

Like I have suggested before, put some C4 plastic explosive under the thing.....AND, if you use enough..... the stump will not be on your property when you are done....

Its a little close to the house for the explosives, though I am sure they would work really well, Just some more cutting of roots, I can see (maybe a better method of cutting, those things are huge) and it will be out.. probably gonna have to wait for a bit, I am out of town for a while. The loader is fine, and the little shovel worked well for what it is.. a backhoe would have been a lot better. But the shovel broke a lot of the smaller roots, and dug up a lot of rocks and dirt. There is no damage to the loader or bucket. Updates when I can work on it again..

James K0UA

 

[tungularafishcamp]

James, what about getting a old mobile home and tie it to the stump, next passing tornado should just come along and grab both of them:laughing:

Rick

 

[k0ua]

James, what about getting a old mobile home and tie it to the stump, next passing tornado should just come along and grab both of them:laughing:

Rick

Along the same line, how about sticking an 8 foot copper coated ground rod in the top of the stump and wait for the next lightning storm. KABOOM.. kindling.

James K0UA

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Along the same line, how about sticking an 8 foot copper coated ground rod in the top of the stump and wait for the next lightning storm. KABOOM.. kindling.

James K0UA

You folks get all the fun weatherthunderstorms, tornados, and Dolly Parton too

 

[two_bit_score]

If you need to weaken it by cutting some of the roots, I recommend using a sawzall with a pruning, or wood cutting blade. Or......... borrow a neighbor's chainsaw.

Probably not f you want to stay on good terms with the neighbor.

The sawzall is the best way. :thumbsup:

 

[KSagal]

I have dug out Oak stumps on my property. There is not enough money in the world to have me do it for someone else...

I did use my sawzall, with a 12 inch blade. (You can by a multi pack of blades for the same cost and damage repair efforts to driving your chainsaw into the dirt)

The advantage of the sawzall is that you can dig below a bit, and cut the tap root.

I did find that dragging hard on the stump sideways, then cutting on the other side make the cuts, especially those 1/2 in the dirt worked well. Each root cut let the stump roll a bit more. At first the movement is very little, but as you cut more, it will lay over more.

I have not seen an easy way to do this on the cheap. Rent big stuff, or work hard. If it was easy, many of us would have less stumps.


In reading some of the other responses, I am reminded of the movie 'Fandango' I think. Is there a train track nearby? Maybe you could wrap a chain around it, and have a large hook on the other end at the railroad track, and wait for a train to go by...

Have fun.

 

[JerryK]

I got rid of a huge willow stump many younger years ago by digging all around it by hand. Even dug underneath it...all pick and shovel work. Then wacked all the roots I found with an axe. Took two 4 wheel trucks to yank it up out of the hole, even after I dug a half arse ramp for it to slide up. Every time I pass on of them 'pay to exercise here' places I remember that stump... old memories, or maybe it was old nightmares.

 

[Stonehaller]

A method I used to get out stumps with taps roots (before I had a backhoe) was to cut as many of the surface roots as I could easily get to then hook a chain around one of the larger roots and rap it part way around the stump so when I pulled with the tractor it would twist the stump. Sometimes I would have to reverse the chain rap to twist both ways to break the tap root.

 

[DAY]

If you have electricity at the tree (sawzall), you probably also have water. Then, if you have a pressure washer, you can get down in there and weaken the lifelong relationship between the roots and the soil.

When my chainsaw guys says "this is the last time I can sharpen this one" it gets assigned to Root Detail.