Red Acer tree

[DP]

All that is left of the tree is the stump which I am trying to extract from the ground.

Today I got a chainsaw to cross cut the stump and then using a wedge to split the stump piece by piece. Astonished to note there is dirt as filling between some timber and the chainsaw already needs sharpening

Will be at it tomorrow again to extract the stump

Any hints as to what to do or not to do

TIA

Dan

 

[jj4091]

How urgently does it need removing. I usually cut level with the ground then drill a load of 12mm holes and fill wth glycophosphate weed killer. They don't regrow and rot fairly quickly.

 

[Odds]

Got pix?

 

[DP]

How urgently does it need removing. I usually cut level with the ground then drill a load of 12mm holes and fill wth glycophosphate weed killer. They don't regrow and rot fairly quickly.

Stump needs removed quickly as the hole is to be filled in with top soil that is sitting in the front garden
Then get some colour in the garden that has been a muddy quagmire left by scamming builder

 

[DP]

Got pix?

Will post pictures later today

 

[DP]

Guys thanks for reading and offering help

 

[robinbanks]

Hire a stump grinder or a guy who has a stump grinder. FIL had a stump approx 2 ft in diameter and paid 150 quid to have it reduced to 6 inch below ground level, filled over it

My younger self once decided to dig a stump out after felling a sycamore around 2.5ft diameter, as I owned a JCB at the time. Took 3 days and realised a hole about the size of a medium car.. Never again

 

[Koolpc]

Dynamite it.

 

[jj4091]

Dynamite it.

You must have a large supply as that seems to be your answer to everything

 

[Koolpc]

You must have a large supply as that seems to be your answer to everything

I do in fact. I keep it in the attic of my kennel where its nice and warm.

 

[Alec_t]

Dynamite it.

A relative of mine tried that once with a stump on his farm. The core of the stump shot out like a shell from a cannon, travelled a couple of hundred yards and left the bulk of the stump still in the ground. Obviously should have used a few more sticks.

 

[Koolpc]

A relative of mine tried that once with a stump on his farm. The core of the stump shot out like a shell from a cannon, travelled a couple of hundred yards and left the bulk of the stump still in the ground. Obviously should have used a few more sticks.

Minimum of 6 sticks per stump...

 

[StephenOak]

Any hints as to what to do or not to do

Probably a bit late now, but don't cut it off too low. I would leave the trunk at least waist height. That way, when you have dug around the stump you can use the trunk as leverage to rock it side to side.

This is the voice of bitter experience. Years ago I removed two conifers and cut them to the ground. The smaller stump I dug out fairly easily, the larger one (50% wider maybe) was a lot harder. After a couple of hours I had removed a lot of soil and cut all the roots I could see but it still would not come out. In the end I put a board under it, the car jack on that board and gradually cranked it up and the two, thin remaining roots eventually snapped.

From where you are I would suggest:
1. Dig the soil out a good way around it.
2. Use a trowel / your hands to scrape out as much soil as you can from the roots. [a]
3. Cut off roots as you can get at them. You will need secateurs / loppers / small saw that may get ruined by use in the ground.
4. Repeats steps 2 & 3 until the stump is free.

a. I would use a Thingamadig (e.g. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/0e030d2z) I have a couple and I use them a lot.

b. If you have a reciprocating saws (e.g. https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/reciprocating-saws/cat830862) then a long blade may well speed this up. Don't forget eye protection as you may hits stones.

 

[ericmark]

Dynamite it.

The naming of knicker brook? Blaster bates.

 

[DP]

Probably a bit late now, but don't cut it off too low. I would leave the trunk at least waist height. That way, when you have dug around the stump you can use the trunk as leverage to rock it side to side.

This is the voice of bitter experience. Years ago I removed two conifers and cut them to the ground. The smaller stump I dug out fairly easily, the larger one (50% wider maybe) was a lot harder. After a couple of hours I had removed a lot of soil and cut all the roots I could see but it still would not come out. In the end I put a board under it, the car jack on that board and gradually cranked it up and the two, thin remaining roots eventually snapped.

From where you are I would suggest:
1. Dig the soil out a good way around it.
2. Use a trowel / your hands to scrape out as much soil as you can from the roots. [a]
3. Cut off roots as you can get at them. You will need secateurs / loppers / small saw that may get ruined by use in the ground.
4. Repeats steps 2 & 3 until the stump is free.

a. I would use a Thingamadig (e.g. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/0e030d2z) I have a couple and I use them a lot.

b. If you have a reciprocating saws (e.g. https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/reciprocating-saws/cat830862) then a long blade may well speed this up. Don't forget eye protection as you may hits stones.

I did what you suggested. Got long blades for saber saw. Of 5, 4 are toast
On Thursday purchased a chainsaw. Saber saw to cut the roots, chainsaw to slice down the way for a metal wedge to split the trunk.
Acer is evil in that between the wood was soil and stones that cutting tools suffered from. Chain saw sharpened twice and needs doing again

7 hours at it end of which trunk is out.

Bonus is, soil is lovely. Filled the hole with clay soil from else where and moved extracted soil ( post putting it though a sieve) elsewher3 in the garden. Will post picture later

The Acer was located forward of the ornament