Stump removal

[theboman]

Your suggestions please.

Cut stump as low as you can. Add wood burn?

Backhoe, dozer, and fill dirt out of the question...and budget. Mainly out of the budget.

I was very successful on two LARGE stumps. I dig around the base of the stump 8"-1' or as the roots allow, cut as low as possible, scar whatever I can on the stump and proceed to add wood from the burn piles. I use lots of smaller stuff to get a good hot bed of coals before I add bigger material for an over night slow burn.

 

[EddieWalker]

You're making it challenging without the use of big equipment. What type of tree was it?

Way back when I lived in town, I used the biggest drill bit that I owned and drills as many holes in it as I could, then filled the holes with salt to kill it. I never tried burning them in the ground, but would imagine that after a few months, or year of drying, those holes might work good for getting to to burn. Maybe fill them with diesel?

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[srjones]

From memory:

Cut it off as low/flush as possible.
Drill in a bunch of holes with an auger bit.
Fill with potassium nitrate and/or sugar.
Water often, refill often.
keep it covered with black plastic in between.
Optional: Build a fire on it a few months later. Watch the pretty colors when it burns.

 

[theboman]

Eddie, hardwoods. Oaks (red and white) and hickory. There are a few that are just stumps now...kinda blackened by weather, but from the location I'm guessings they are the same.

Oh, a day with a dozer or hoe of sometype would do the trick. With me selling real estate we are somewhere between frugal and broke. Man, when I had to get a new career 3 years ago, boy, did I pick a good one! ha.

The drilling part sounds like a great idea too.

We are trying to get the stumps a few inches below ground level and then we have a few loads of topsoil that are to be delivered when it gets dry enough for the land owner to get his backhoe and dump truck back to his remaining lots.

What's funny..they guy who cleared our place also delivers our limestone on the driveway.
We're about 45 tons into a decent drive now...another 45 and it'll be awesome! On his last load I had him dump a wider parking area and he sunk his trucks back tires. Once it finally crawled out he said I bet that was a stump hole where he had pushed out a tree.

 

[EddieWalker]

Being hardwoods, the rot factor isn't going to be very good. They just stay in the ground forever.

Of course there is always the old fashioned way to get them out. Shovel and ax. I've done that too. It's frustrating work because of how the roots never seem to end, but I've never had one that I couldn't get out in a day this way. Of course, they were never massive stumps either. Just residential, ornamental trees under a foot thick. Now I have special pruning blades for my sawzall that just slices through roots.

Sorry to hear about the real estate career. I know some are hurting here too, but the ones I work with are all doing good. I'm told the market is still strong and the homes are moving, it's just taking longer to get the financing. People that were marginal before are just not getting the same amount that they did a year ago.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[Runner]

If you're just going over them with dirt/grass, I'd recommend renting a stump grinder. I was surprised to find it only cost $34/hour around here (two hour minimum). I did 10 stumps in a half day, including all the transport time and cutting down a tree in the process. It was easy and fun.

 

[studor]

Old metal drum with the bottom cut out and vent holes punched about 6" from the bottom. Drill holes in stump and fill with diesel. Put drum over stump, bank between the drum and the ground with dirt and build a wood fire inside. Repeat until stump gone.
It always amazes me how much of the stump will burn this way

 

[Stimw]

I have been taking a water hose with a 6' piece of 3/4" PVC and jetting down around the roots to loosen and remove the dirt. Then cut them and remove the stump. If you are on a well this works pretty well.

 

[theboman]

From memory:

Cut it off as low/flush as possible.
Drill in a bunch of holes with an auger bit.
Fill with potassium nitrate and/or sugar.
Water often, refill often.
keep it covered with black plastic in between.
Optional: Build a fire on it a few months later. Watch the pretty colors when it burns.

Kinda sounds tasty too. A copper kettle, some sugar, corn...

 

[theboman]

Yep those old hickorys and oaks got nasty old stumps. I'll get them...eventually.

Eddie, one of these days when the economy picks up I'll hookup the 5er and come to Tyler to meet you and stay at your RV park! You always have great posts and always share your knowledge, and I do 'ppreciate it!

Real Estate....The phones are ringing some. Web traffic is extremely high with lots of emails about homes. There's some excitement, just excitement ain't paying my bills , however, 2009 January/Feburary has been AWESOME as compared too 2008 January/February. Hopefully things are getting back better...