stump removal

[debushau]

I have had a 3520 for a few months now and have been generally pleased with it. The main use I have had for it is clearing a trail through my property (which is almost entirely wooded).

Through a combination of a grapple, chipper, brush hog and chainsaw, I have been making steady progress. Thus far, the immovable objects have been tree stumps from larger trees and big rocks. From what I have seen on this website, the two methods of getting rid of the stumps are with a backhoe or a stump grinder.

Either one of these implements are an investment and I am just wondering if I will be better off renting a tow behind stump grinder or bulldozer or bobcat or something else? I like the additional utility of the backhoe but the soil is rocky and filling in all those stump holes would be a core.

I am also a little concerned about safety - the land is uneven and sloped in places. No accidents yet but certainly a few three wheel moments.

Appreciate any thoughts.

 

[daBear]

I recently rented ($140/day) a Vermeer Model 252 stump grinder which is self propelled and has a hydraulic arm w/ 16" wheel. Worked good except the teeth were dull and the shop said they do not sharpen them. If you rent, make sure the teeth are sharp. I got about 20 stumps in as many hours.

 

[kennyd]

You should think about renting a mini-excavator to dig out the stumps, then buy a box blade for your tractor to smooth the trails.

 

[bjcsc]

I think the answer depends on how many stumps you're working with and how big they are. There are a lot of things to consider:

1) Grinding or digging depends on how big the stumps are and only you know that so far.
2) If you have a bunch of big stumps, and this "trail" is extensive, you could be better off buying a used dozer or backhoe than renting anything. Most used dozers/backhoes are already at their bottom value. You could easily sell it to the next guy when you're through and make all of your money back. The only net cost is diesel. Three-wheeled moments can have disastrous consequences. If your terrain is technical, think tracks (dozer). This solves your rock problem, too.
3) If you dig the stumps out, do you have dirt to fill the holes in? If they're big stumps, you might be surprised how much backfill they'll need.
4) You may be able to trade work with someone who has a backhoe, too.

 

[debushau]

The trail is about a half mile long and is intended to be wide enough to allow for a pickup to drive down there.

My guesstimate is that I'll have 40 or so stumps to take out. Mostly oak, beech or hemlock. Varies from 6 inch diameter to 24 inches. Mostly trees that have been felled some time in the past.

I don't have much fill for stumps as the land is mostly shale after the first few inches.

 

[SFish]

Debushau:

I have a similar situation. What I do is dig out around the stump so that I can cut it off with a chainsaw at, or just below ground level. I always take a sharp limbing axe and chop off a thin rim around the outside where I am going to cut to minimize damage to the saw chain from grit. It takes many years for roots to rot, and you can just put in dirt or gravel as needed over time for the big ones. Big machines and stump grinders are expensive, and are slower than what I suggest.

As for the three wheel stance, I suggest you add ballast (fill tires, add weights) to lower the center of gravity, and go slow.

Steve

 

[Georgia Boy]

debushau, what I did when I dug my stumps was get the stump out of the hole, dig the hole a little deeper, drop the stump back in and then you have plenty of fill.

 

[debushau]

Thanks for the various suggestions.

I have used a ballast box to improve stability though have also recently ordered some wheel weights too. The ballast box (unless it's resting on the ground) doesn't seem to help side to side stability that much. I looked into filling the tires but I just don't like the idea of anti-freeze (no rimguard available locally).

Putting the stump back into the hole with minimal fill is a good idea.

SFish - when you dig around the stump, are you digging with a backhoe or just a plain old shovel? I can't imagine getting far with a shovel on the bigger stumps.

Renting a mini excavator isn't a bad idea. Hadn't thought of that.

 

[Mike058]

This might be a bit extravagant, but you can get a fellow with a 27,000 pound excavator for about $110 an hour. (That's what I paid) It adds up to a lot of money, but that bad boy can pull those things out PDQ. He'd pop them out, shake them off, swing around and drop them. You pick 'em up and haul them to a burn pile. It's a heck of a show too. I don't think there's any faster way to take care of it.

 

[D7E]

$75 an hour you can have this ?