Trying to remove 50 inch oak tree stump with Bobcat backhoe. Struggling

[clydesdale]

I screwed up and did not tell the tree guy to leave me a 4 foot stump. He cut it low. So, here I am. This thing grew on a rock ledge. I have trenched around it, but I can't get it to budge. Any suggestions? Burn it?

 

[LittleBill21]

drill holes, fill with diesel, couple bags of charcoal and a big bucket to cook it over a couple days

 

[5030]

Works like a charm and smells good too.

 

[mikester]

You want a minimum CAT420 sized backhoe, a 20ton excavator preferred to yank out that puppy. Oak roots go deep.

You need to dig way deeper than you have gone so far.

 

[MossRoad]

Burn it. Those rocks look pretty large.

 

[ruffdog]

That's a tough one for sure. I had to cut down a dead oak that grew up on a rock pile and it was a mess. There were rocks INSIDE the tree that the tree grew around.

 

[Diggin It]

Four foot above ground wouldn't have helped.

If for some reason you can't or don't want to burn it, cut it as low as you can below ground level and bury it.

 

[Rebeldad1]

if your bobcat is too small you may have to step up to something bigger.... like a tiger.

 

[BigBlue1]

Four foot above ground wouldn't have helped.

If for some reason you can't or don't want to burn it, cut it as low as you can below ground level and bury it.

Since the ground is very rocky it seems unlikely that you'll end up with a hole as the stump decays, so this advice to cut below the surface and bury seems to be the easiest and best way forward.

Rob

 

[clydesdale]

I ordered potassium nitrate off of Amazon last night. From what I read, I can fill the cracks with that then add hot water to dissolve and soak into the wood. Then light it up. I like the idea of adding the charcoal as well. I really don't want to cut it. There are areas where rock is in it and areas without rock. It is a mess. I read that oak roots are 18 inches below surface. It does seem like they go deeper than that though. I think the issue here is that they weave in and out of the ledge.
Any experience with the Potassium Nitrate?