Stump 1 - excavator 0

[djw250]

Got a chance to work with a reasonable size excavator (16000 lb machine) yesterday, and decided to remove a stump. This was an oak stump about 2+ feet in diameter cut off near ground level. Well, I dug a while, and dug a while, and dug a while, and still couldn't budge the stump. I wound up digging a trench about 4 feet deep all the way around the stump - still couldn't budge it. As is was about to get dark, I decided I would try pulling it out with a 3/8" chain. Not. Snapped my chain like a cooked noodle and didn't budge the stump. I'm going to cover it back up this evening. How much was that stump grinder again?

 

[john_bud]

Trees are amazing things, ain't they?

I would bet that stump was from a tree that was alone and had to fight the wind it's whole life. Think about the torque the wind puts on a tree. A 2' across oak was probably 75 ft tall and had a leaf cross section 50-70ft wide. We all know what it feels like to stick your hand out the window of the car going 50, imagine what force the tree's roots had to fight being a 70x60 sail in the wind!

If you dig under the stump and get the dirt out, it will pop. But it will be a struggle!

Now a tree that grew in a thick tangle forest has piddle for roots. I've cut junk trees out around oaks and had them blow over in 20 mph winds. Yikes! Now if I want to save an oak, I leave it with some wind screen support.

 

[Richard]

Try al dente next time....




When I've fought with stumps, I've dug around them like you have. Rocked them back/forth like you probably have... I've never yet actually put a chain on one (I've got a grade 100 square link chain which is wonderful)

I have however, found the most luck trying to pry them vertical, using my bucket when sideways doesn't work.

Ultimately.... you probalby have to dig a little deeper. Think of it as therepy.

 

[dirtworksequip]

A stump of that diameter takes about a Volkswagen sized hole to get it out. I'm glad you didn't get hit with the chain when it broke...........the chain wasn't a very good idea.

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[Runner]

As much as I hate to say it, I'm sold on renting a stump grinder to get them out, unless it's going to be under a building or structure.

I recently rented a 35 HP grinder for $34/hour (with 2 hour minimum). For $156 I ground out 10 stumps in four hours. Only took about 15 minutes per stump, the rest of the time was spent moving the unit around the property, cutting down a tree and trip to/from the rental place.

It was easy, fast, kind of fun and did a great job.

Best $156 I've spent in a long time.

 

[Airic]

I find it amazing that you were not able to pull this stump. This is one of the more fun activities I like to do with my backhoe. Here is my 3500lb tractor with a 23" wallnut stump I pulled. It was a proud moment when it came loose. This took me two days to remove and it had to come out because it sat were my driveway is now. This is by far the largest I have pulled but I do have a 26" stump on the other side of the house that I maybe pulling next year.

 

[metalmeltr]

Try al dente next time....




When I've fought with stumps, I've dug around them like you have. Rocked them back/forth like you probably have... I've never yet actually put a chain on one (I've got a grade 100 square link chain which is wonderful)

I have however, found the most luck trying to pry them vertical, using my bucket when sideways doesn't work.

Ultimately.... you probalby have to dig a little deeper. Think of it as therepy.

where did you get that chain?

 

[EddieWalker]

If you dig under the stump and get the dirt out, it will pop.

John said it before I could. The stump has two things holding it in place. The roots that go off to the sides and then the suction of the ground under it. Pines are different, but on those hardwoods, there's no tap root, just the side roots. Once they are cut, then it's just a matter of loosening the soil under it to get it to break free.

With my backhoe, I just angle the edge of my teeth and bucket to get under the root ball. It usually takes a littl time, but I do this when cutting the roots, so it's all at once for me. Then I change sides and do it again. I don't usualy have to do it all the way around to get it free. Most of the time, it will just start moving on me while I'm still digging out the dirt from under it.

When it moves, it will come out real easy.

Keep at it, you are allot closer to having it out then you realize.

Eddie

 

[kthompson]

As much as I hate to say it, I'm sold on renting a stump grinder to get them out, unless it's going to be under a building or structure.

I recently rented a 35 HP grinder for $34/hour (with 2 hour minimum). For $156 I ground out 10 stumps in four hours. Only took about 15 minutes per stump, the rest of the time was spent moving the unit around the property, cutting down a tree and trip to/from the rental place.

It was easy, fast, kind of fun and did a great job.

Best $156 I've spent in a long time.

We went the way of the stump grinder for our new yard. Sad I did. Still filling in and trying to get lawn level as they rot out. It has been in grass for 8 full years and trust this will be the last time. kt

 

[asylum575]

I agree with the opinion that you have to dig under the stump. You can try to power wash some of the dirt off, since you have the hole around the stump. I'd try coming from different angle to knock out underneath the ball. It'll pop. There's no better feeling than when you see that stump move as you pull on it.

 

[bjcsc]

The other thing that really helps is not cutting it to ground level. If you leave about 4' sticking up, two things happen: 1) It's tall enough to see so you're less likely to accidentally run into/over it with anything and 2) The leverage it gives you when removing the rest is tremendous.

You've got to get the bucket wedged under it so you can use the curl to break it loose. Think of the bucket like a prybar...

 

[irwin]

those hardwoods, there's no tap root, just the side roots. Once they are cut, then it's just a matter of loosening the soil under it to get it to break free.

When it moves, it will come out real easy.

Keep at it, you are allot closer to having it out then you realize.

Eddie

I gotta agree with the "keep digging" group on this one.
Get the bucket as far under the stump as possible in at least two places ...then rock n roll the push-pull will get it free...once it's free get it on it's side and rip as much dirt off the bottom to lighten it...then lift it out.

This one here was too heavy for my L35 to lift out like that.....well, too heavy until I cut the stump down to the root. I was able to roll it out with the back hoe once I removed those few hundred pounds.

 

[Richard]

where did you get that chain?

Learned about it here on TBN a long (long) time ago. Got it from Labonville

Welcome to Labonville.com - Logging Supplies and Safety Apparel

This chain has so far, taken absolutely ALL the abuse I've been able to throw at it with my industrial sized JCB backhoe/loader.

In fact, a story about the chain...

I was cutting field on back side of farm.... (not been cut in 3 years so was very high/rough) Told myself "be careful, you know there's a small little creek right about hereeeeeeeeeee" and all the sudden I was in the muck.

This was with an International 886 tractor (maybe 80 hp?) with cab, pulling a HD Rhino 10' mower behind it. The wheels just dug into the muck and I was absolutely STUCK up to the rear axle. Having the mower behind me didn't help.

Called next door neighbor (wifes cousin) and he came out with his brother in law. his brother in law use to sell steel so he's WAY more knowledgable on steel than I am.

Got Brutus there (my backhoe), put my chain around the front of the tractor and pulled not only the tractor but the mower out of the muck with nary a wimper.

He came over and simply gawked at my chain, wondering exactly what it was. He later confided in me that he was "laughing" at me to himself, just waiting for my chain to snap with all that weight I was pulling agasint.

Seems I got the last laugh



As for it being a square link...when I wrap it around a log it simply BITES into the log.

Oh, I've got a choker hook on one end and a grab hook on other end. I think I bought 25'

 

[ragkar]

Last year I had a microburst take down about seventy oaks on my property. The commercial tree guys left about three feet of the above ground stump on them. When I asked why they said so that a machine with a grapel has something to grab.
Pressure washing the stump (zero degree nozzle) will remove over 50% of the weight. After you get it out another washing will remove another 20% of the mud and make it much easier to burn. But due to back splash, this is the dirtiest job that I know. I would wait for warm weather to do this.
If necessary, dig a ramp to help drag the stump out of the hole.

 

[nebuniram]

Got a chance to work with a reasonable size excavator (16000 lb machine) yesterday, and decided to remove a stump. This was an oak stump about 2+ feet in diameter cut off near ground level. Well, I dug a while, and dug a while, and dug a while, and still couldn't budge the stump. I wound up digging a trench about 4 feet deep all the way around the stump - still couldn't budge it. As is was about to get dark, I decided I would try pulling it out with a 3/8" chain. Not. Snapped my chain like a cooked noodle and didn't budge the stump. I'm going to cover it back up this evening. How much was that stump grinder again?

I did the same thing last week on a 2ft diameter Maple stump in my backyard with a 17000lb machine. Could not budge the thing for the life of me and just gave up figuring that I would break the excavator from the abuse. Wife gave me the "Idiot" look when I was filling up the trench I dug around the root ball. Now the front yard is a mess with the lawn all tore up. After reading all of your comments I wish I would'nt have given up on it. Dang stump hurt my pride

 

[SPYDERLK]

Learned about it here on TBN a long (long) time ago. Got it from Labonville

Welcome to Labonville.com - Logging Supplies and Safety Apparel
I think I bought 25'

That is an extremely good price for gr100 chain. Makes me wish I needed some.
larry

 

[Cidertom]

Kind of glad these messages appear. I got a lot of grief from the wife unit about the time it took to pull down the 5 75' overgrown ornamental sequoia (sp?) trees in the back . The stumps are 3'-4' across. I knew the problem I would have trying to dig them out, so I decided to use leverage by digging around the roots with the bh and then putting a choker at 40' the JD 4520 had no trouble pulling them down.

Anyway, I was able to use this thread to show why I didn't "just dig them out with the backhoe after they are cut down"

 

[drivadesl]

DJW250: Don't give up on this. Dig it until you win! Don't give in. Sounds like you're pretty close as it is. You wont' be happy if you change your plan and grind it. It will nag at you believe me. Don't give Up!!

 

[Farmerford]

Ragkar:

You (nor I) obviously do not organize as well as Tim. See his photo. That must be him with the coffee cup supervising his wife who is cleaning off the stump. She would be the one with the pressure washer.

 

[djw250]

Well, I didn't keep on with the stump. My son came in the next day and covered it back up playing with the backhoe. I really wasn't that intent on getting it out. I have about 15 - 20 stumps that will eventually have to be ground, so this one is really no big deal. I mainly wanted to use the excavator to get familiar with the controls for this weekend. We have to replace 2 septic tanks, and we have the excavator for that job. It will require some fairly delicate digging so I wanted some practice first.

One of the problems that was stated in the posts was that the stump was cut off nearly at ground level, so I had almost no leverage on it. Also, due to its location near some power lines and a concrete slab that I didn't want to crack, I could only get to the stump on 2 sides, and not at a very good angle on one of them. I was just amazed at how well that thing was stuck in the ground! There was another oak that was actually bigger, and not rotten in the middle, that uprooted in the storm, while the one that I was digging on snapped about 6 feet above ground level. I guess the tree that uprooted had some root damage because if I had dug around it like that there would have been nothing left to hold it.