Flush cutting this big ol' stump

[cbfarmall]

Needed to clean up this crappy looking stump in my front yard. It had grass growing all over it (and will again, I'm sure), my dad poured mortar on it (???), and my last attempt at flushing cutting it was less than perfect.

So, I used my string trimmer to run around the base of the stump and knock loose the dirt and grass and debris. Uses alot of string but does the trick. Also, cleared a little dirt with the shovel.

I remember what Gypo said about working the bar around the inside of the stump before exiting it. With this method, my chain stayed sharp and was throwing big chips the whole time. Actually, it started off a little rough when I threw a chain pretty quick. I realized I had a 9-pin sprocket and it wrecked some of the drivers on my chain. Switched it over to my 8 pin and Stihl loop, cut much better.

Instead of the stump surface having valleys and overlaps, it came out pretty smooth.

My 066 is still the best saw around!

Chris B.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Outstanding ALAP, bro!

 

[cbfarmall]

ALAP???

 

[MasterBlaster]

As Low As Possible, my man.

 

[cbfarmall]

Ah, an industry term. I'll need to add it to my vocabulary.

Chris B.

 

[Stumper]

It is now becoming an industry term due to Butch. I used to ALAP stumps with a chainsaw but since I got a stump grinder I don't. I ALAC them-As Low As Convenient. ALAPs can be hard on saws.

 

[Andyshine77]

I have a stump that size I need to work on, the stump was at one time four large black walnut trees.

BTW. you did a good job with that stump.

 

[cbfarmall]

The stump represented 2 large white oaks that grew together. One half had died and we had the rest taken down (before I started using saws) for fear of it hitting the house. I remember it being a huge tree. Probably 80 ft high, not necessarily tall, but substantial.

One I got going, it was actually kind of fun cutting it. Hard to tell, but the backside is not really flush. I wanted the stump level, but the ground isn't. There's a low spot in the background of the photo.

Since I pulled this off, I got a couple others that need attention.

Chris B.

 

[BigSawMan]

Thats a nice job you did there. I got a 3' oak stump partially rotted in my woods, but I dont belive I have a reason to cut into it. When your doing an ALAP job, what keeps the weight of the stump from pinching the saw if the stump if like 2' or higher? Would you take like a notch out of it, not like a felling notch, but one so you could cut into the back of it and make it tip forward. Im obviously new to stump cutting.

 

[rumination]

Whenever I have a stump that wants to pinch the saw bar I just stick a wedge in there. No problem.

 

[Andyshine77]

Yup I always have a couple of plastic wedges in my pocket when I work with a saw.

 

[cbfarmall]

The piece I sliced off wasn't very thick, but if the weight were an issue, like everybody else, I'd use a wedge or two. Got 3 three sitting right here on my desk.

I'd leave that 3 foot stump in the woods alone. At that height you can't miss it. Cut it low and you might trip over it. Ran over a stump with my tractor. Low enough to miss the front axle, but it caught the drawbar and stopped me dead.

Chris B.

 

[BigSawMan]

That oak stump is 3' in diameter, and its like 6' tall. I got the biggest wedges possible, they are the husky ones, like 12 or so inches long, and I also have some 5" ones. They truely are good to have, but the big ones, you need a tool belt for it, wich baileys has.


Neil

 

[johncinco]

thats a real woyk of awwt there. Its so much fun when it all goes well. Its just not fun that often!

 

[Shade]

stumps make good seats!

I have been hunting off of the same stump in the woods for years, it's almost completely rotted off now, probably wont' be able to use it this fall

in your yard, it's a long term lawn chair. I've also thought it would be cool to do stump carvings for people and paint or outdoor varnish them, they'd last a long time

 

[Toddppm]

Good thing that shovel didn't slip!
Now you can make a clock out of that slab

 

[cbfarmall]

Todd, that thought had occurred to me, especially after looking at the photo again. But I think the slab understood the he!! it would have been in for had it fallen. As it was, it fell backwards during the night.

No clock out of this slab. It cracked when it fell.

Chris B.

 

[Dadatwins]

Nice flush cut on that stump, shows that you had a evenly sharpened chain to make that flat of a cut given the bar length and diameter of stump. Nice job.

 

[HappyHack]

Good job. Just goes to show what can be done with a, "short" bar and a little know-how and patience.

 

[mryb]

Put legs on it & shellac it, it would make a nice table. (Before it cracked.) You still might be able to save it with some dowel pins. Its a very nice looking piece. Has potental...Rick/Saw ****