Pulling stumps

RichS · Jun 1, 2001

<font color=blue>a false sense of security</font color=blue>

Agreed, it is not a complete solution and may not work at all, as in your solution. Hope I didn't come across as this was the be-all, end-all solution.

If performing a lot of pulling/tugging, it may be worth the effort of fabricating a removable steel mesh to go over the ROPS during these times. I know there are ones that go on the Farmi winches. Something like skidders have. Which are made to help with these type of situations.

Might be another project for some of these TBN guys with excellant fabrication skills. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Rich S.

RPM · Jun 1, 2001

That must be the official name for it then:

A false-sense-of-security-blanket

/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Sorry!

frank_f15 · Jun 1, 2001

Re: Pulling stumps/Chain Energy

gentelmen: can't even begin to understand some of your posts, but do understand the dammage that can be done by a chain or strap breaking. have seen it happen, so i am always careful.my question? how strong of a chain do u need for the tractor doing the pulling(assuming it is in good condition) in other words , if i take my 2400 and use it to pull, how much tension can it put on a chain, and what size chain do i need to be greater than the force exerted by the tractor? seems to me there has to be a point where the tractor can not exert enough energy to part the chain or strap, or am i mistaken? as usual/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif very interesting thread.

r0GuE · Jun 1, 2001

Re: Pulling stumps/Chain Energy

WOW WOW WOW!
Based on some sound Engineering principals, (I'm no grease monkey but I'm not stupid), I'll say that most of you have the right idea, but I think the key to this equation seems to be missed.
We are 90 whatever percent water. It really doesn't take much energy to spoil a good biological biped. A 30.06 rifle that will kill the heck out of you won't even knock you over if you spread the force over a few square feet. Chain is bad for skin and bone and STUFF like that. Sooooo
Buy the best darn chain money can buy and DON'T worry at all about cost! OR
Cut em low and grind em. Or leave them 4 to 5 feet tall and let some small birds breed in the holes etc. I have a liitle stump with a pile of little birds that are just getting their feathers. Really kind of cool.
Big digression. Somebody end this darn thread!

Rogue

Anonymous Poster · Jun 2, 2001

Re: Pulling stumps/Chain Energy

RPM,

Thanks for the Safety sites posted... very very good. If you get a chance, repost them again under the Safety Tips-Safety Forum.

I like your official False-sense-of-security-blanket...

That works for me.

jdkid · Jun 2, 2001

Hi ya
yep skidders do have mesh so do all logging gear in New Zealand, chains and wire ropes get checked over all the time and alot of wire rope has a life span after x hours it's striped off and renewed.. now strops and wire ropes are killers they strech and come at ya .now chain if it can strech in any way it's too light and/or poor grade.. it comes down to right tool for the job useing it the right way and keeping all gear in good working order
catch ya
JD Kid

kerr · Jun 2, 2001

Re: Pulling stumps/Chain Energy

real big fire crackers work good!Just to be safe put a jacket over strap or chain,slows er down to the speed of sound

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 2, 2001

Dug mine out with the manual back hoe and water power. Left the pine stumps, cut em short enough to mow over and left em. Pine rots here in about 3 years and you can kick the remainder out with a boot. Just dug out the oak stumps. Big devils. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

SHF

edfortmiller · Jun 3, 2001

How about weaving a small diameter steel cable through the chain every few feet. Might that stop or slow the whipping action?

RPM · Jun 3, 2001

That's an interesting idea - there would be a trade-off though:

1. Cable same length as chain.

When the chain breaks, if the cable was the same length it would also be under tension and almost instantly snap as the load was transferred to it. You would now have the whiplash of the cable adding to that of the chain.

2. Cable slightly longer than chain

When chain separates, the cable would stop the initial movement as the slack was taken up. The tractor lurching forward would soon load the cable and probably break it.

3. Cable significantly longer than the chain

Would probably prevent loose ends whipping, but would still have to deal with fragments of a broken link and significant whipping of the chain - sort of a jump rope effect assuming that the cable holds (and that the object being towed is not rolling or falling away).

If we assume that the operator would take the time to thread the cable / deal with the setup then I suspect that the real problem would be abrasion / pinching of the cable as it's in use. This would have the possibility of dramatically lowering the cable's strength and usefulness.

Probably better off spending the time / money on a newer or stronger chain!!

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 3, 2001

How about using a nylon tow strap? There is a shop here that deals in HEAVY equipment and they've got some about 6-8" wide rated at a LOT of pounds. (Far more than a tractor weighs). Get a run at it, stretch the cable and pop that baby out.

Or would that cause a stability problem? Maybe need to load the FEL first?

SHF

RPM · Jun 3, 2001

That'll test the ROPS out in a hurry - guess what that stretchy strap will do if the stump doesn't budge!

To be honest, I could see myself trying it at the end of a long day - but I would try my best to persuade myself to just dig a little more and make life easy on me before I went ahead.

To apply some theory to this situation:

I would consider the probability of the following expression to be better than 99%:

((Time take for flash of inspiration)+(Time taken to repair damage)) is greater than (Time taken to do it the old way)

That's based on my experience anyway!

MJB · Jun 4, 2001

If you need some heavy chain for pulling stumps, this stuff should hold together./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif I wonder what the ships captain thought when he noticed that his anchor chain was missing?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Computers don't make mistakes.... What they do, they do on purpose.

jdkid · Jun 4, 2001

Hi ya
where was that pic taken?? the last time i saw chain like that was in Oz where they tied 2 dozers to it and chained bush ground
catch ya
JD Kid

MJB · Jun 4, 2001

As a matter of fact that picture was taken in Australia. As you said they took a long length of that chain and hooked each end to a rather substantial bulldozer then headed off through the brush some distance apart. Everything in between was pretty much wiped out. I got that picture form the VanNatta Brothers forestry page. If you have alot of time to kill there is some fascinating reading on that site. Here is a link: http://www.vannattabros.com/index.html

Computers don't make mistakes.... What they do, they do on purpose.

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 4, 2001

Oops!

Big Yoyo. Stretch strap NOT a good idea. More digging IS a good idea.

SHF

RPM · Jun 4, 2001

Re: Pulling stumps/Chain Energy

FYI - Posted those safety links from my message under "Safe Towing and Safe Chain Usage" in the Tractor Safety Forum.