# Barbed wire in stumps



## kcurbanloggers (Jan 27, 2018)

Hi guys. I’m new to this site so I Hope I’m posting this to the right forum. I have a contract to knock back a tree line about 30 yards. The problem is there was an old wire fence along the first line of trees, so now I have about a dozen stumps that have wire inside them. I can’t leave 2 foot stumps for the customer. Any ideas on how to remove these? Most of them are about 12in in diameter. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## JTM (Jan 27, 2018)

I would cut the stumps flush to the ground. A barbed wire fence is usually run several inches off the ground. If there is web wire fencing you can bet that it’s in the stumps. Was the fence there before the trees? If that fence had repairs over the years barbed wire can end up on the ground. I would pick up a handheld metal detector from harbor freight if I was worried about it. They are cheap. Certainly beats ruining a few chains.


----------



## kcurbanloggers (Jan 27, 2018)

JTM said:


> I would cut the stumps flush to the ground. A barbed wire fence is usually run several inches off the ground. If there is web wire fencing you can bet that it’s in the stumps. Was the fence there before the trees? If that fence had repairs over the years barbed wire can end up on the ground. I would pick up a handheld metal detector from harbor freight if I was worried about it. They are cheap. Certainly beats ruining a few chains.



Not a single one can be cut flush. I have no idea how long the fence is been there but there are wires running through the trucks 5in under ground. Several have wires running vertically and horizontally. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## JTM (Jan 27, 2018)

kcurbanloggers said:


> Not a single one can be cut flush. I have no idea how long the fence is been there but there are wires running through the trucks 5in under ground. Several have wires running vertically and horizontally.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Time to break out an excavator. That sounds ugly.


----------



## Brian72 (Jan 27, 2018)

Find a small excavator and dig them? If there's that much wire, it'll just be one big mess for you. Can you split them from the top? I have no idea how many you have to do but I wouldn't even touch it with a saw.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk


----------



## Woody912 (Jan 27, 2018)

kcurbanloggers said:


> Hi guys. I’m new to this site so I Hope I’m posting this to the right forum. I have a contract to knock back a tree line about 30 yards. The problem is there was an old wire fence along the first line of trees, so now I have about a dozen stumps that have wire inside them. I can’t leave 2 foot stumps for the customer. Any ideas on how to remove these? Most of them are about 12in in diameter.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



If the wire is only on one side you might be able to cut partial from the back side and then break them off or maybe finish with a Sawzall if you have an inverter. Carbide chain might work but scares me if it grabs


----------



## kcurbanloggers (Jan 27, 2018)

This is the biggest one. Probably 20in base. I don’t have much experience with excavators. What size machine would it take to dig about 15 of those out? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## hanniedog (Jan 27, 2018)

Any decent backhoe will pop them out in no time.


----------



## northmanlogging (Jan 27, 2018)

kcurbanloggers said:


> View attachment 628425
> This is the biggest one. Probably 20in base. I don’t have much experience with excavators. What size machine would it take to dig about 15 of those out?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Them "bubbles" are where the wire goes through, cut around them if you can, get a bunch of old nearly worn out chains together and have at it, go until you hit something, then go a little more, swap chains and go agian.

As for excavators, Start with a 6 ton, like a largish mini, will still have rubber tracks, but be affordable to rent for a day, an 8 ton would be better, and maybe into the steel track range. Just rent one, for now, until you get hooked on em.

your not going to be able to just grab the stump and give it a pull, you'll need to dig around the base a bit and brake up some of the roots, then find a big chunk and pry it out, just like using a hand shovel, only its pointing towards you... once its loose shake it around some, and scrub some of the dirt off so you can fill the hole back in.

If you wanna go whole hog and really tear **** up, get a 200 sized machine (20 to 29 tons) Should be able to pop a wee 12" stump with nary a wiggle.

Oh and get something with a thumb on it, its not needed, but is sure is handy especially if you plan on moving said stumps.

Just don't be a total noob and start swinging into the stumps sideways, all that does is break **** you have to then pay for, like booms, and bearing... Excavators are intended to pull and they are good at it, sometimes push, but not so much, side to side is just for moving dirt etc.


----------



## Ck0461 (Jan 27, 2018)

Carbide chain. We use them on our vent saws at work. The only one I've seen ruined was when a guy ran it into a cast iron radiator on the other side of the wall. Expensive but cheaper than heavy equipment.


----------



## ChoppyChoppy (Jan 27, 2018)

Just pull the stumps with excavator or dozer once the ground thaws a bit (or better yet, summer, can shake out the dirt then)


----------



## GilksTreeFelling (Feb 25, 2018)

Like was mentioned A bunch of cheap worn out chains, or a decent sized excavator. There's always the blasting route as well if your legal to do it in your area.


----------



## burtle (Mar 4, 2018)

A mini excavator would dig them out. They can usually be rented for 225-275.00 per day. At least in my area. It would probably be your best bet in order to make things easier


----------



## dmb2613 (Mar 4, 2018)

That is woven wire ,
hope it is not boundary line trees


----------



## Wow (Mar 28, 2018)

dmb2613 said:


> That is woven wire ,
> hope it is not boundary line trees


----------



## Wow (Mar 28, 2018)

Several days ago I had the same problem. Some chainlink frown into the tree. It was easy. Using a pole axe (single bit), and a cold chisel ( hit it with the back of the axe, I cleaned and removed the bark where I wanted to cut. Left the rest of the wire in the stump. 
Yesterday, I was using my Echo 490 (bought last week on sale 20% off) to clear underbrush and drop a 22 inch oak. While working it caught a rusty wire fence buried in vines. I felt the saw grab and from years of experience knew exactly what was wrong. I let off the throttle killed the saw motor and took a look. The wire was small enough that it went between the cutters and only 1 cutter got dinged. A few swipes with the file and went back to work.


----------

