# Advice for trimming stumps to near ground level



## dwarren241- (Jan 19, 2009)

I have been removing some dead trees on my property for the past year - and slowly climbing the chainsaw learning curve. One thing that I haven't yet been able to figure out: almost any time I try to trim a stump to near ground level, I end up making a crooked cut: the cut doesn't seem to be straight (the bar can't move freely in the cut) and the chain gets dull real quick. I know to keep the chain away from contacting the ground, but this hasn't helped me.

I don't have this problem when felling / cutting up felled logs. Only when trying to trim the stump down. I'm using a fairly small saw (Husky 350), but it makes the felling cuts OK for the size of trees I'm removing.

Any advice on proper technique for trimming stumps? 

-Dave Warren


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## Mad Professor (Jan 19, 2009)

I save old bars/chains for this work as you'll hit dirt rocks and other crap.

Remove as much dirt away from the base so you can get the saw level into the cut.

When you get into the cut put a wedge (felling wedge, plastic or wood) in it to keep it from closing up on the saw.

After I'm done I mound up some green manure on the remains to speed up the rotting process of what's left, I usually can live with a little mound until things rot away.


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## clayman (Jan 19, 2009)

This will work on smaller trees, say 20" and smaller, at the ground.

I had a lot of pine trees killed by pine beetles, some pretty big, and in an area that I mow once or twice a year. This is how I got the stumps low enough to mow over. Maybe another fellow told me how to do this, but my memory is too short now to know for certain. Anyway, here's what I do, and I not saying this is easy.

If the tree is of any size the earth around the tree will usually be raised up a bit all around the tree. This is helpful. I take a mattock and level the dirt around the tree down to the level of the surrounding dirt. Then I dig around the tree and expose the roots and cut them below ground level with a sharp axe (this is the hardest part). Then I chop off the outer edge of the stump a little bit at a time all around it until I have cleaned all the dirt off of it. I do this to save the saw chain.

Then I locate a place somewhere around the stump where I can dig a hole large enough that a chain saw motor will fit down into. I do this because I am right handed and if I start to cut the stump without doing it there are two bad problems. (1). I can't cut the stump down below ground level, and (2) the saw exhaust will be right against the ground and I figure that can't be good for the saw. Then I start the saw, drop it into the hole, and cut the stump as low, and as level, as I can. I have done this to perhaps twenty stumps.

None of the stumps I did this to were over 20" at ground level. I don't think I would try it on a really big stump. If I *had* to get rid of a really big one I would rent a stump grinder. One oak stump I burnt out. I took a long drill bit, filled it full of holes soaked the stump in kerosene a few days and built a fire on top of it. It burned and smoldered underground for days.


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## CentaurG2 (Jan 19, 2009)

Flush cuts are the hardest cut of the day and they are always the last cut cuz you usually rock out the saw doing them. If you have the option, try to remove dirt, rocks debris and wash the stump before the cut. It is very difficult to keep the flush straight. The longer the bar in relationship to the diameter of the stump the easier time you will have. To keep the cut straighter with a short bar, cut all the way around the outside of the stump before trying to cut the center. Sorta like cutting a bagel or roll. If you are going to do a lot of flushing, you might want to get a little higher up on the food chain than a 350. The Makita dcs-6401 would make a good flush cut saw and the dolmar7900 is even better.


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## Nailgunner (Jan 19, 2009)

There have been a couple of solutions for this - My favourite was to put a steel tube over the stump and burn the rest of the tree on top of it to devour the stump. 

My grandfather used black powder, by the way. He over-egged it the first time out and made matchwood of it  This was back in ww2, when they had other things to worry about. Wouldn't get away with it now. Not with neighbours and windows and such. 

bummer.


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## Mad Professor (Jan 19, 2009)

I read an old Bureau of Agriculture pamphlet (1940s vintage in a college library) that recommended a good dose of prilled ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil set off with BP as a booster. Said it worked well on stones/boulders too for clearing fields.

You'd be up on terrorism charges if you tried this today, but it sure must have been fun back then.


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## mattinky (Jan 19, 2009)

Mad Professor said:


> I read an old Bureau of Agriculture pamphlet (1940s vintage in a college library) that recommended a good dose of prilled ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil set off with BP as a booster. Said it worked well on stones/boulders too for clearing fields.
> 
> You'd be up on terrorism charges if you tried this today, but it sure must have been fun back then.



LOL, Boy you would would'nt 'ya... I remember when I was 11 or 12 I watched our landlord blast some huge stumps out with dynamite, that was way cool... I'll never forget it


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## turnkey4099 (Jan 19, 2009)

mattinky said:


> LOL, Boy you would would'nt 'ya... I remember when I was 11 or 12 I watched our landlord blast some huge stumps out with dynamite, that was way cool... I'll never forget it



Same here. When I was a kid on the farm anyone could wander into the local hardware or Grange Supply and buy dynamite, no questions, no permit. My old man was a firm believer in the "if a little bit is good, more is better". When he blew a stump only chips were left but they covered a big area.

Harry K


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## Brownpot Deaton (Jan 19, 2009)

only advice i can offer that hasn't been said is if there is any slope, put the powerhead on the higher side so there is less work moving dirt around, take time setting up cut...i usually get into cut about an inch, stop then take a step back with saw still in stump just to make sure its not going into dirt,...always make sure can use the dawgs cus otherwise you wont be cutting a thing very fast....
other than that...carry wedges, use lots of oil, get practice...after awhile you can make 3 cuts look like same one from a bigger saw....


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## blackoak (Jan 19, 2009)

Rent a stump grinder.


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## Work Saw Collector (Jan 19, 2009)

*Poulan*

Some here may not approve if a Poulan fan read no further!

I don't use my Stihls below the dirt but when I get my Poulan out, chain is cheaper for it and can replace the saw every year so far. I cut it at dirt level and let the chain and clutch sling dirt. I'm trying to get it low enough haying equipment doesn't hit it.


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## stihl sawing (Jan 19, 2009)

blackoak said:


> Rent a stump grinder.


:agree2: The easiest way.


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## J.W Younger (Jan 19, 2009)

sit a salt block on it and the deer will eat it. May not apply to your area.


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## tomtrees58 (Jan 19, 2009)

1 chaps opcorn: tom trees


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## blackoak (Jan 19, 2009)

tomtrees58 said:


> 1 chaps opcorn: tom trees


You out of meds tom. Having a harder time than usual comprehending.


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## AOD (Jan 19, 2009)

If you're gonna burn one out drill big holes in it and fill them with old motor oil, let it really soak into the stump. It wil repel moisture and keep it burning longer and hotter. 

Best stump saw would be a WildThingy for smaller stumps or a SXL-925 for bigger ones. It's pretty hard to kill any of the XL/SXL series saws, run them at 16:1 and a little diet of topsoil wont even phase them.


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## 2000ssm6 (Jan 19, 2009)

J.W Younger said:


> sit a salt block on it and the deer will eat it. May not apply to your area.



Those sobs are eating a pine stump of mine that way also, LOL.


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## 2000ssm6 (Jan 19, 2009)

AOD said:


> Best stump saw would be a WildThingy for smaller stumps



Bury the wildthing after you are done, kill 2 birds with 1 stone.


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## Brushwacker (Jan 21, 2009)

dwarren241- said:


> I have been removing some dead trees on my property for the past year - and slowly climbing the chainsaw learning curve. One thing that I haven't yet been able to figure out: almost any time I try to trim a stump to near ground level, I end up making a crooked cut: the cut doesn't seem to be straight (the bar can't move freely in the cut) and the chain gets dull real quick. I know to keep the chain away from contacting the ground, but this hasn't helped me.
> 
> I don't have this problem when felling / cutting up felled logs. Only when trying to trim the stump down. I'm using a fairly small saw (Husky 350), but it makes the felling cuts OK for the size of trees I'm removing.
> 
> ...



When you get near 3 to 4 inches from the ground or less usually the chain will dull some significantly from the chain coming in contact with dirt imbedded in the bark and crevices etc.. The closer to the ground you get it seems the worse and dirt and other debris has its dulling effect on the chain. More often one side of your chainsaw chain dulls ahead of the other and when it starts cutting crooked the bar will not move freely in the cut. The things mentioned ahead of me are successful methods to help get around the problem but I don't always have enough time for a lot of cleaning and digging.
I can usually cut stumps to 1 to 3 inches high with out overwelming problems, just touching up the chain more often. Some other things you can do to help keep it cutting staight is be meticulous keeping your chain sharpened and filing the depth gauges even and uniform. Like wise your bar rails being even with a good fit to the chain to the bar groove. If your saw starts cutting crooked in the cut but still is throwing decent chips when it starts not moving freely , keep a good grip on the saw with the power still to the chain pull the bar and chain most of the way out of the cut and bore back in with the bottom front of the bar tip . Doing this you can realign the cut parallell with the ground making some room for the top of the bar and chain to rock the saw through some more and repeat until you complete the cut if your chain is sharp enough. Unless the next cut was very small or doughty wood I would sharpen or change chain before doing the next cut. I prefer RM semi chisel chain . Easiar to keep it cutting straight . Be alert for kickback especially boring. Remember the top 1/2 part of the bar tip contacting the solid wood almost always causes an kickback. Anti kick links on chain can interfere with boring unless altered. If your stump is a little higher then you want after you get through its easiar to trim off an few inches or less afterwards then fighting with it initially to low with a big heavy stump on top the bar and chain. You can also split out ( with an maul or axe)or cut the wood above where you have it cut out to give yourself more room to finish the cut without all the boring. The wedges 1 thing worth always having to lift the weight off the bar and chain when needed. A mattok and or pry bar are excellant aids breaking loose or lifting the cut wood off the final stump.


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## windthrown (Jan 21, 2009)

I use Stihl RM chain and it has never been a big problem for me to flush cut stumps. I usually run my 'spare' RM2 safety chains for that type of cutting too. Semi chisel chains tend to run better in crud, and stay a lot sharper in that stuff. Full chisel chains will get dull in crud really fast.


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## 7sleeper (Jan 21, 2009)

I read here or in another site that making deep cuts with the tip of the bar into the stump lets them rot real quick(in approx. a year). I have no personal experience with this technique. 

7sleeper


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