Removing a tree stump????

[abunaitoo]

Cleaning the backyard out to pour a couple of slabs and walkway.
Need to move many things around to clear the area.
Have two small trees and one med tree to remove.
I saw a clip on burning the stump out.
Dig down around the stump to fit a drum.
Put charcoal on and around the stump.
Light er' up.
Suppose to take a day or so.
So any other ways to do this????

[hades]

One way I did that worked OK, was get a 12" drill bit, (whatever size is cheap/convenient), and drill a multitude of holes in the stump and then a bag of charcoal. From what I was told it works best if you can cap it off after getting coals and let it smolder. I didn't have anything nearly big enough for a big old elm stump so I just let it burn down. Took a couple tries and I was using sticks and firewood after the first charcoal burn but it did work and got it way below grade so I didn't have to mow around it anymore.

I say it worked OK because it did take multiple burns. Maybe smothering it and letting it smolder would work in one idk.


I would think the fastest option by far would be renting a stump grinder but I'm cheap and had time so I burned it out.

[deltaenterprizes]

Interesting idea!

[elmacgyver0]

Dynamite would be the most fun.

[georgerkahn]

Bion, I fought with several stumps ranging from using backhoe on my tractor to using commercial stump remover, to boring lots of holes and using the charcoal. In retrospect all were too too much time and effort. With the last one -- an apple tree with a trunk in the 24" range, I dug a hole NEXT to it, about two feet deep. I then scraped and using a regular nozzeled garden hose washed 99% (I hoped) of the sand/dirt off, and followed with a chain saw -- a Stihl 019t, as a matter of fact, ending up with the top of the now cut stump almost a foot below grade. I followed with some pruning blades (worth their weight in gold!) from Harbor Freight in my Ryobi battery-operated sawzall, to round and trim the edges. When I was satisfied, I dumped one bag of Sakrete gravel mix in, which covered the cut stump by a couple of inches -- now, still eight inches or so below grade. Listening to a contractor buddy, I dumped a bag of gravel (from Lowe's) on top of this-- still affording more than enough depth for the concrete foot-path to be poured above it.
It's been four or five years -- NO problems.
What I did.
geo

[elmacgyver0]

Ok, we all know dynamite would be the most fun, put that aside.
What I have done in the past is to just cut the stump off at ground level.
You can mow over it with no problem and the stump will rot up at its own accord.
If this is not good enough, you can pay money to get it ground up.
In the end it is all up to you and how you want to spend your money.

[shell70634]

I got rid of one by cutting flush with ground, chainsaw slots in it, fire ring around it. Took 3 burns about a month apart just using oak firewood. It's below surface and I've filled in depression with top soil. I'll probably have to do more as the roots rot away.

Edit: And I have dynamite but its 10 feet from the garage.

[elmacgyver0]

I got rid of one by cutting flush with ground, chainsaw slots in it, fire ring around it. Took 3 burns about a month apart just using oak firewood. It's below surface and I've filled in depression with top soil. I'll probably have to do more as the roots rot away.

Edit: And I have dynamite but its 10 feet from the garage.

Interesting, I didn't even know dynamite was a thing anymore, as they have more stable alternatives these days.

[country gent]

We burnt out a few over the years. What really helps and speeds up the process is the addition of a shop vac set up as a bower. It really speeds up the burn. We would drill holes in the stump as deep as possible and soak with a 50-50 mix of old motor oil and diesel fuel every few days for a couple weeks before burning. Have everything back away when you turn on the vac it will be a blast furnace.

If you have lead to smelt this is the time set your pot on it and smelt while it burns down. Also make sure open burning is allowed where your at

[Ickisrulz]

I did one this last fall. Cut it as close to the ground as possible. Drill a bunch of 1 inch holes as deep as possible into the stump. Fill holes with gasoline and light. Then cover with wood (left over from tree coming down) and left it to burn. Ours smouldered for 3 days. It is now below grade.

[MarkP]

Drilled holes filled with diesel worked for me on smaller stumps 18" or so. Larger stumps were taking too long. I used a carbide chain with my MS 661 to carve out large blocks to help reduce volume for grinder. Ended up renting a grinder to do two large stumps.

[Hick]

Monterey pines: cut a trench around it and cut the branching roots, then jerk it out with my 1997 F250 4x4 Powerstroke diesel

[pworley1]

I usually use my backhoe, it hasn't failed to get one out yet.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

kno3

[jimlj]

I don't know if renting a stump grinder is even an option in Hawaii, but it was the fastest most effective (and most expensive, but it worked) way I've tried.

[dale2242]

I vote for the stump grinder.

[atr]

I have had them dug out with a back-hoe.

Also, if you are going to pour concrete over the area where the stump was, make sure that all the root debris has been cleared out and that the backfilled material is well compacted. Without the compacting you risk slab settlement and cracking.

[rbuck351]

I use a backhoe but that's because I have one.

[JimB..]

Have used a mini excavator to remove surprisingly large stumps. Don’t fight it, just dig around until the bucket gets under it. I’d think it’d be pretty easy with your soil.

Burning is slow, but I do like the idea of using a blower. I’d hook the blower to a length of black pipe and really get in there with it.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Whatever method you use, GIT 'ER DONE. If you don't the termites will make it their home and it will not take them long..