# Removing stumps w. excavator



## Treewolf

I bid on a tree removal job and the written specs said "stump removal", which I took to be grinding. Now I have been informed that the stumps and major roots need to be dug out as the organic material cannot stay in the soil (road bed). The largest stump is a 4 foot eucalyptus. Can anyone advise me on the size of equipment I need? A local rental place can get me a CAT 301, 302, maybe a 305. Will I lose money :/? Good thing is the stumps can be left on site. Thanks, Treewolf


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## Goose IBEW

For production sake I would go with a 315 Cat. A 30,000lb machine will rip through stumps that an 11,000lb machine will struggle with. A 48" stump will be beyond a 305's ability to excavate efficiently if you ask me. The Cat 315 cost me $800/day plus $150 each way for delivery plus fuel. The grapple is useful for stumps as well.


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## Gjt1980

I have dug some big stumps out with a mini excavator that you can rent around here for around $200 a day and $40 for the trailer rental. It is not the ideal one for the job but it did it i got 3 30" tree stumps dug out in less than 8 hours.


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## deevo

I have one to do this week as well, thing is it's on a shoreline (insurance is paying for it) was from a job I did in June, can't believe they are paying for it (not that I am complaining) It's a 30" Ash, most of the roots are exposed and will be easy to get at. Biggest thing we can take across there lawn is our 743 Bobcat or rent a mini ex. An excavator would scoop it up in one shot but too big to drive across (septic tank and bed) I told them how much it will cost ( a lot) !!! We are taking it with us as well! Should be fun! (not)


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## Metals406

I rented a Cat 312 CL in 2008 for 34 days. . . It cost $7,400 for the rental and mobilization. I ran 10-12 hours a day everyday I had it -- I burned approximately 30-40 gallons of diesel a day.

In the end, it cost right around 13k for 34 days with a near 30k machine. Let me tell you, the amount of work done in that time was mind blowing.

Renting a month at a time is cheaper than renting for just a few days BTW.


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## husqvarnaguy

I would see if you could get a bigger machine. That would be a bit much for a mini excavator. It is also dangerous.


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## Frank Boyer

How many stumps do you have to remove, and what sizes? I had a 32K lb Komatsu excavator and it would dig with authority. Tractors are like saws. You can take down a large tree with a 16-20" bar, but a 660 will do it in a cost effective time.


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## a_lopa

View attachment 258328


Thats 21 ton and it can only shift not lift! be carefull its easy to lose $$$ digging them out.


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## Jimmy in NC

I'd recommend nothing smaller than a 320. A JD 200 would be as small as I would go in John Deere. You will want a "thumb" on it. You may be able to find a small grading out fit that will come dig them for you with their own machine for close to rental on a machine. 

A 200 is what we use day in and day out clearing. It's small for the job of clearing and stumping, but a good operator makes it happen.


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## Trx250r180

ive dug a bunch out with my 580 backhoe ,some fir and maple i have a heck of a hole when done if trying get all the roots out ,it takes some time on some of them 4-6 hours sometimes if they are deep rooted ,i had a 2800 excavator on the property for a bit ,5 min they are out ,but takes a low boy to move em that big ,most smaller stumps i can dig out pretty quick with a backhoe


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## komatsuvarna

How much time you have is the biggest thing...and time is money! I wouldn't even think about a 301 302 305 or 30anything CAT for stumping. A 313/314/315 size CAT would be the smallest excavator I'd wanna stump with and still be productive...just me though. 200 size is even better......


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## Treewolf

Thank you all for the good advise. It is 11 stumps total, from 1 to 4 feet diameter plus any root 3 inches and larger. It is supposedly an urgent job, needs to be done asap before the road crew can start, but I still have't gotten the official notice to proceed (bureaucracy). I will get the biggest rental available locally on short notice when I get the go-ahead.


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## Walt41

If it were me, I'd contact all the local owner/operators and try to find someone on their way to a job that could drop by and do it quick for cash. 15 stumps with a big machine and an experienced operator is under two hours, including unload and load time. Like others have said, the bigger machine the better, a big machine can do most stumps in one curl and sweep the hole in under two minutes, a mini could be there for an hour on the same stump.


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## l2edneck

We dig just about anything with a cat 310 backhoe. Mini excavator would just piss me off. Did use the midsize excavator a 310 i think and it wasn't bad just a little on the light side. 310 or 410 backhoe should be all you need.


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## Curbside

If there going to be building a road there going to have at least 20 tonne excavator coming out for that. Just contact the road building company and pay them a small fee to yank the stumps. Should take only a couple of hours at most.


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