# stump removal



## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

I need to get rid of some stumps for our new home. The neighbor suggested pulling the trees over and thus not having stumps. However I did not have what was needed to do that. I did have a chainsaw. I still do not have a tractor of my own. I did a search here and did not find much or it was buried in a long thread.

I did find some info on using potasium nitrate and then burning them. Do you all have experience or suggestions. http://www.treeremoval.com/stump-removal/how-to-burn-and-rot-tree-stumps/


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## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

i guess it's a matter of how fast you have to move them. hubby just cuts ours with a chainsaw and digs out around it,then uses old grease or used oil to burn it.


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## azrancher (Jan 30, 2014)

timmie said:


> i guess it's a matter of how fast you have to move them. hubby just cuts ours with a chainsaw and digs out around it,then uses old grease or used oil to burn it.


Yes this works, build a hot fire on the stump, keep feeding it charcoal, or wood, and it will burn down into the roots, but if you are going to build on the site, it's best if you hire someone to pull them out.

Rancher


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)




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## Kodeman (Jul 25, 2013)

jnrdesertrats said:


> I need to get rid of some stumps for our new home. The neighbor suggested pulling the trees over and thus not having stumps. However I did not have what was needed to do that. I did have a chainsaw. I still do not have a tractor of my own. I did a search here and did not find much or it was buried in a long thread.
> 
> I did find some info on using potasium nitrate and then burning them. Do you all have experience or suggestions. http://www.treeremoval.com/stump-removal/how-to-burn-and-rot-tree-stumps/


I've tackled many stumps over the years. I'm not sure of the diameter of your trees but for small to medium, say up to 14-16 inches, I saw them off, leaving about 6-8 inch of stump. I then take my sawzall with a long wood blade and push it into the soil as far as it will go. Stay at least a foot away from the stump. This will get all the feeder roots and some of the bigger ones. I then dig around the stump and use the hatchet to free any stubborn roots remaining. If you have access to a pickup truck or ATV its usually an easy pull after snaking a chain under and over the stump. Good Luck!


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

*I'd need to do this after chain sawing as low as husband can get*

If manual labor isn't for you, you could always try the chemical route. To remove a stump chemically, you'll need a drill, a chainsaw, potassium nitrate, an ax and fuel oil or kerosene.

Here's a summary on how to remove a stump with chemicals:

1.Cut off as much of the stump as possible with a chainsaw.
2.Drill 1-inch holes around the perimeter of the stump. Move inward by about 3 or 4 inches and drill some more holes. Ideally, these holes should be between 8-12 inches deep depending on the size of the stump.
3.Drill additional holes around the sides so they meet with the other holes to create 45-degree angles.
4.Pour liberal amounts of potassium nitrate into the holes.
5.Fill the holes with water.
6.Wait four to six weeks or until the stump becomes very spongy.
7.Use an ax to break up the spongy stump.
8.Optional: Saturate the stump with fuel oil or kerosene and allow it to sit for another week or so.
9.Optional: Ignite the stump and let it burn and smolder until it is completely gone.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

http://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/planting-and-maintenance/diy-stump-removal


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## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

Yes we intend to pour a slab where they are. My understanding is the burn method burns the roots also. My original plan was to have the driveway contractor do it. However the guy we talked to does not use a large enough tractor.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

One important piece has to do with the type of trees they were. 

I tried using products for removing the stumps. It didn't work for me. What worked for me? A shovel! I hand dug them all out. 

I hired someone to dig out the biggest stump, an ailanthus. The roots on that sucker did not want to die or quit! For most of them, I dug down around the stump at least 3 feet, some were more. 

I had about 20 weed trees that I have removed from my property over the years, mostly elms. It was neither quick nor easy. My back went out a few times with all of the dirt removal. One time, I crawled back into the house, and not quickly. 

A few of the trees were bigger around than I could get my arms. One of the trees was a maple. I removed it because it was diseased and hollow. I could stand inside the trunk while the tree was still there. I was concerned that it was going to fall over onto my neighbors roof. I used an axe and chopped at the stump quite a bit as well. 

Elms are a challenge. You really have to dig down deep to get rid of them.

You probably want an easier solution than mine.


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## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

Mine are ash trees 24 about inch diameter. I got the quote back from the driveway guy. If I hire him that is $4,000 I will never see again, just for the tractor work. So this may be my justification to just purchase a tractor.


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

jnrdesertrats said:


> Mine are ash trees 24 about inch diameter. I got the quote back from the driveway guy. If I hire him that is $4,000 I will never see again, just for the tractor work. So this may be my justification to just purchase a tractor.


Ah yes, I have acquired many tools using the "Contractor Bid validations". It is a great way to collect "Needed Tools". :rofl:


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I don't know what your future plans are as far as the potential for wood burning or milling. If it were me, I would cut those trees down, pull them somewhere off your build site, and let them season. The deal with the stumps in whatever manner you decide to.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Since you're building a house, won't you have a large excavator coming in to do foundation work as well as dig trenches for utilities? If so, I'd just let that piece of equipment take care of them. Leave the stump as tall as you can so they have something to pull on to apply leverage.

$4K seems really high. Around here, the cost is by the hour and at about $100/hour (normally with a 4-hour minimum), they can rip out a ton of stumps per day.


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## oldasrocks (Jun 30, 2012)

I advise being patient and burning them out. We had two large trees (2 ft diameter) get hit by lightning. I cut them off about 4 ft up. I own a backhoe so decided to dig one out. Ended up with a hole about 8 ft across and 3 ft deep before I was able to knock it over.

The 2nd one I let rot by drilling it and putting Epsom salt in the holes. A year later it's rotten and falling apart. I can't burn it as too close to the garden shed.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

one thing,i find that works for me..is to dig out around the stump,as much as possible.seeing how this exposes the roots and more of the stump itself.then pile up branches on and around the stump.then set afire..


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## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> Since you're building a house, won't you have a large excavator coming in to do foundation work as well as dig trenches for utilities? If so, I'd just let that piece of equipment take care of them. Leave the stump as tall as you can so they have something to pull on to apply leverage.
> 
> $4K seems really high. Around here, the cost is by the hour and at about $100/hour (normally with a 4-hour minimum), they can rip out a ton of stumps per day.


Sorry for the confusion, I had a contractor come give us an estimate for our driveway. That $4k is what I was referring to.


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## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

At my BOL I didn't have access to any tractors or any other power equipment besides my chainsaw. I just used a pick, shovel, axe and come-along and kept digging and cutting until I could get a chain around it and winch it out. Exhausting and time consuming. Better part of a decade to get as far as I have which isn't very. Saved up enough to get a stump grinder to take up on my boat. Hallelujah.artydance: Doesn't sound like you have that kind of time, either buy that tractor or pay someone to pull them. Chemicals never worked for me and a smoldering stump while I was away wasn't appealing. Good luck.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

There was once a time when you could basically go to a hardware store, buy dynamite and blasting caps.

Seriously.

It was just about as long ago as when they used to wash and reuse pop bottles.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Just how big of a tractor will it take to pull a stump of a 2ft dia tree.

I had a 65 hp Ford 5000, and I know it wunt.

I'm thinking....









I need a large Backhoe to cleanup a creek,

My wife is suggesting buying a good used one, clean the creek and then sell it.

I bought a dump truck, a few years ago, hauled gravel for a year , sold it for more than I paid ...

Just a thought for ya.

Jim


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Would love to have a dozer like that but the quarter-million dollar (give or take) price tag is just a tad out of my reach.

For stumps, ground clearing... the John Deere 310E has been a go-to machine for many years now.

A good used one can be had for $20K or less.

Jim - When you look at a TLB for your needs, consider getting the extend-a-hoe (or other name) which has a significant extent for digging deep or for reaching out really far.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Yes , I used one with extend a hoe once, 
That's the way to go, especially for reaching across he creek.

I have not started looking around yet, waiting for warmer weather...its coming a small blizzard here at the moment.

There are always a bunch of them for sale around my area, so hopefully Ill be able to find one easy and cheap.

Buy a *good* one that's dirty , cheap, clean it up and make money.

Jim


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We have wild cherry trees that keep coming back. I dig around the stump off and on for years and finally they gave up and died. I use to use an axe but those days are over for me. The vibration hurt me a whole lot more than it did the stump.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Pour some muratic acid on those stumps, they will stop coming back.




Jim


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## Justaguy987 (Mar 2, 2013)

I saw this a while back. Might be worth a shot.


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## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

Justaguy987 said:


> I saw this a while back. Might be worth a shot.


That is cool, but my stumps are bigger and my truck is smaller. Maybe that would work with the neighbors tractor tho.


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## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

That was pretty cool I wonder how much all that stuff would cost. It looks like having them removed whether I rent something or pay someone would be around 4 to 5 hundred dollars.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

If you're considering going the stump grinder route, you might want to just have someone come in and do it for you. Rental places are notorious for letting the teeth on their machines get dull and not replacing them. It's really frustrating trying to grind a stump with dull teeth. It could end up taking a couple hours (depending on the size of the stump) to get just one done.


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