Stumped, pulling a stump

[Pilot]

3 stumps, 2 are Douglas-fir and the third is a noble. Got the DF's out, but the noble is really tough. All about the same size. DF's had a few large roots, one of which was about 8" in diameter from a 14" stump. The noble has many, many smaller roots, the largest so far only about 3". I've dug around the perimeter and cut all the roots down to about 10" below ground level and about 6" under the edge of the stump. Having trouble digging farther under the stump--hard soil and root stubs in the way--but I have cut all the roots I can find.

Worked it over with the bucket on my JD 770 (about 26hp) and it doesn't even quiver. Worked around it with my spring tooth cultivator and it made no difference.

Took the hose and washed away all the soil I could under the edges of the stump, but haven't gotten back to it yet as I am waiting for the mud to dry a little. That didn't reveal any more roots that I hadn't already cut.

Supposedly, noble doesn't develop much of a tap root--according to a prominent ecologist. However, I am not sure this is correct.

Besides dynamite, does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[bcp]

Best thing for exposing roots is a pressure washer. It helps to have a trench to drain the water away so it doesn't get in the way.

I never worked with a Noble fir, but some Douglas firs have big tap roots and some have none. It may have to do with how much wind they get.

Bruce

 

[whirly]

I'll bet that noble is going to have a tap root going straight down.

 

[cartod]

Is there enough tree above the stump to get leverage on it? You may want to trench around the stump and soak it for a couple days.

I had to call in the pros with an excavator and dozer for mine.

 

[Tig]

My tractor and truck are useless for stump pulling other than to use as an anchor for a "come along" winch.
With the come along I can put a couple tons of pressure on the stump and roll it out of the hole.
I leave the stump a bit tall if I can and then I dig and cut/chop all visible roots. Chain it over the top and crank on the come along as much as I can. Then I dig on the far side of the stump and cut some more. Crank again, dig and cut again. The stump will slowly tilt and roll, some roots will just break. I've pulled 18" spruce stumps like this. It's still hard work but it gets the job done.
One note, choose and watch your chains carefully. I had a hook straighten out on me and the come along was launched out of my hands towards the stump. No injuries or collateral damage, but it was an eye opener. I should have seen it coming. The chain that failed was a tow chain. I only used my grade 70s after that. No more weak links.

 

[big daddy ray]

a sawszall with a long rough cut blade works well

 

[Pilot]

Some good ideas there. Don't have a sawszall and don't have much need for one, but I just got a Harbor Freight ad...

Tried the come along, but mine is only rated for 1 ton and it didn't budge it.

BTW, the stump at ground level is almost 24" in diameter and the height is about 30".

The mud dried enough to work the area again and I chuncked away at the dirt between the roots with a crowbar and have found a tap root. Hard to reach, but I wonder about burning thru the root with a propane torch? Anyone ever try this?

 

[whirly]

There is another option ... burn it. There is a recent thread on burning stumps out:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/250098-stump-removal-diesel-fuel-burn.html

 

[czechsonofagun]

Thats what I was going to say. Get few bags of charcoal and burn it down. Charcoal burns hot and it will clean the stump to the ground level and tahts all you need.

My $0.02

 

[RobertBrown]

I thought that the "hose /sawzall" method was mine....ingenious as it is.....I've had great results with that but I have different trees and different soil conditions.
24" is what I would call a good sized stump maybe too big for the rudimentary methods described.
I guess the next question is: "How much time do you have" Is this holding up a bigger project?
Now that you have it exposed and cut, It should dry over time. I've had trouble getting some stumps to burn and I have no idea how much resin/moisture is in a "noble". I'm not familiar with that tree.
It will burn better after it dries out a little.