Backhoe tractor backhoe vs. mini excavator

[GreenLawnFarm]

jackhammer

 

[Botabill]

Intersting thread, I have been wondering about the mini's and how good they are. I have a 5 acre tract by my house that we clear cut two years ago, mostly pine, some oak. I want to get in there later in the year and remove the stumps and turn this acreage into pasture.

I was going to buy a used BH but I would be forever on the pine stumps. With the pine's tap root, you have to dig deep with a backhoe and end up with a hole that you could park a car in. So, does a mini ex have enough kick to break loose and pull up a 30'' diameter pine root? Or, would that be too big of a job?

The elm stumps I end up digging up are a pain. The roots, even small ones are nasty to break with my 2 ton Kubota KX41. I had to dig a big hole (5-6 feet deep) around a 24 inch elm stump to break it loose then I buried it in it's own hole. Pine roots are easier to pull up and break than hardwoods but since I've never done a 30 inch diameter pine I won't promise anything. I have no trouble with 8 inch pines though. Simply come in just off to one side and break the grip there then do the other side. Often at that point I can reach over the stump and hook under it and pull it up. Then I pat down the disturbed earth with the bucket. The beauty of an excavator is you just sit up there and manouver without ever leaving the comfort of your turrot. It's more fun than a ferris wheel.

 

[wedge40]

I rented a 3 ton machine, and if I got one it would be 3.5ton.. Pretty much max out what I can safely haul with my F150. I got pretty good at picking at the roots and tearing them apart. But toward the end I was digging closer than I had with the first stump. The last two stumps were fresh cut trees. Seemed easier to rip through the roots but the root ball and stump weighted more, which made if fun getting out of the hole and moving it out of the way.
A week ago Thursday it was a lot of fun digging things up, but after 25 hours of seat time in less than 7 days (Lost two whole days because of rain), it started to become work.

Wedge