Getting a Stump to Rot Quickly

[Bill G]

I have 2 norway stumps that I cut 7 years ago, I cut them low enough to mow over & criss-crossed them on top with the saw. They are still there and quite hard.

Yes but they are still a softwood. You cannot change science

 

[pioneerguy600]

My brother has a couple Deere ones about that size and a mini along with a Deere 550 and 700 crawlers. They work well but as you noted tough on a distance move as well as on sewer and drain lines. Down here it is not uncommon to have a septic only 18-24 inches. Our frostline is 48" so you see alot of drain/sewer not very deep. The ole "orange" was king and has a short life under that machine

They actually cross drain lines without damaging them if the soil is well compacted not crossing a weeping field just a pipe in a trench, their weight is well distributed due to the wide tracks, we install one to two septic systems per week with the 20 ton . If a pipe is 16" under surface it won`t be crushed unless the soil is soft. Our soil is very dense and can bear the weight of a 20 ton excavator without leaving a tread mark. If the soil is soft then all bets are off.

 

[Bill G]

Well the ole Orangeburg here is brittle enough. You remember this stuff was put in with man and a spade. It does not matter no one with that machine is going to come grub put a 24 inch stump next to a house cheaper than a tree service needing weekend or casino money

 

[pioneerguy600]

Well the ole Orangeburg here is brittle enough. You remember this stuff was put in with man and a spade. It does not matter no one with that machine is going to come grub put a 24 inch stump next to a house cheaper than a tree service needing weekend or casino money

It costs so much to move one these days, the actual operating cost is fairly low, diesel is abhorrently expensive now.I had a hose coming right off the pump rupture last week, all told that cost a bit over $500. for parts and hydraulic oil plus the machine was down for 4 hours. You are correct, it would be too expensive to move and operate a big excavator for just one stump.plus possible underground pipe damage.

 

[ATH]

....

Now I do not like throwing dollar numbers out there as EVERYONES area is different but here a 24" softwood stump would be $100-$200 and that is money WELL spent to me.

Just a random thought

I worked with a client who who spent a weekend to dig a 2' wide by 18" deep trench around a 14" pear stump cutting roots as he went and it still wouldn't budge. I said "I have a guy I subcontract with who will grind that for less than $100". You can imagine the relief on his face!

 

[Hermio]

Stump out is actually Sodium Metabisulphate (if you look up a MSDS for it) sodium meta bisulphate is actaully a food preservative you can buy it in 40lb bags and it will last years. I have drilled 1/2 a dozen 1" holes in stumps (about a foot to foot and 1/2) and left them for 3- 6 months. With the help of moisture in the holes it gets sucked into the root structure and destroys the lignin in the stump and roots. I then did around the stump and the roots are like balsa wood (one swipe with an axe will often cut a 2-3" root). nce I have cut a few roots I stick a heavy steel bar down a hole in the stump to rock it and they usually break free quite easily.

Some are potassium nitrate, an oxidizer.

 

[Hermio]

Thank you everyone. I like the fire ideas, but this stump is too close to the house, specifically my wooden deck. One of the posters discussed how roots can smolder for weeks, which I have heard of as well. The roots of this stump absolutely go under the deck. I know I could probably keep it under control and be fine, but fire is out for me. I do not mind waiting longer. I do not have access to a stump grinder either, unfortunately.

At this point I am planning on letting it rot and facilitating it rotting as quickly as possible. My boys love peeing in the holes I cut, and I guess I am content letting this play out. Just curious how long it will take. Two years? Longer? Not sure. I may add some store-bought nitrogen as well. Some of the stump-b-gone products are just potassium-nitrate, which is fancy nitrogen, which is more or less what my little boys are peeing every day, for free. So there is that.

Has anyone ever used mushrooms or other fungi to remove logs? Any suggestions?

No. Potassium nitrate is an oxidizer. The idea is to speed up burning after it dries. Piss, or urea, will not do that.

 

[Hermio]

I am surprised no one suggested simply renting a stump grinder. I have done so a couple of times. They usually go for about $50 for a half day's rental. It should take maybe 10 minutes to grind a 24" stump, tops.

 

[Bill G]

I am surprised no one suggested simply renting a stump grinder. I have done so a couple of times. They usually go for about $50 for a half day's rental. It should take maybe 10 minutes to grind a 24" stump, tops.

Well I believe the original poster said....

................. I do not have access to a stump grinder either, unfortunately.

I understand that possibly in your area you can get one for that and on a 4hr rate but maybe not in his/her area. I am in no way discounting what you said because it is a perfect idea just pointing out what the poster said.

 

[ATH]

I am surprised no one suggested simply renting a stump grinder. I have done so a couple of times. They usually go for about $50 for a half day's rental. It should take maybe 10 minutes to grind a 24" stump, tops.

that is a lot cheaper than it is to rent here.

 

[Bill G]

that is a lot cheaper than it is to rent here.

It is not that cheap here either. As I said I really do not like throwing out numbers but a guy can look online at CAT rentals or United Rentals and get some numbers.

I wanted to prep some ground for a pool about ten years ago and stopped by the local Stihl dealer who is also a rental business. Well really that is their main business, rentals. I wanted to rent a plate compactor. Now mind ya I did a LOT of business with this dealer on saws and parts...well mainly parts. I only needed the compactor for a few hours which I know is a "me" problem not a "they" problem.

Well I knew he had a used saw that they could not sell. I went in at the end of the day after a "bundle" I figured if I paid him full price on the used saw he could throw in an overnight for the compactor. Oh no I was wrong as usual. I ended up paying full price on both.

Point of that story is renting equipment is great. Owning a rental equipment business is better.....well sometimes in some places.

 

[Hermio]

Well I believe the original poster said....

I understand that possibly in your area you can get one for that and on a 4hr rate but maybe not in his/her area. I am in no way discounting what you said because it is a perfect idea just pointing out what the poster said.

I did not catch where the OP said he did not have access to a stump grinder. Found it later, a few posts down. Anyway, too bad if his local tool rental places don't have one. That would be one of the best solutions. If he has a chain saw, he could get a carbide chain, which is slow for normal cutting, but would hold up to getting in the dirt. He could noodle it into enough slices that he could easily break it apart.

 

[Hermio]

that is a lot cheaper than it is to rent here.

It has been 5-6 years since I rented one, so I decided to look it up. Best price I found online now was at Home Depot, $106 for 4 hours. Inflation! But my usual rental place may be cheaper; they do not post prices on their website.

 

[Bill G]

If he has a chain saw, he could get a carbide chain, which is slow for normal cutting, but would hold up to getting in the dirt. He could noodle it into enough slices that he could easily break it apart.

I do not know what the price of carbide chain is in your area but I know here I could pay a good hardworking man or woman a decent amount to grind a single 24" softwood stump cheaper than I can pay for a carbide chain.

 

[Bill G]

It has been 5-6 years since I rented one, so I decided to look it up. Best price I found online now was at Home Depot, $106 for 4 hours. Inflation! But my usual rental place may be cheaper; they do not post prices on their website.

Here our closest Home Depot is a solid 70 mile round trip so that is two trips at 70 which equals 140 miles. Now with fuel at $5.00/gallon and getting 10 miles/gallon that is ...............$90 in fuel alone............ As I said everyone's area is different. I could not go get it, use it, and get it back in 4 hours but even if I did at $106 that would be just south of $200 total and I know I can pay some good local family man that to do it better than me.

Just my random thoughts

 

[Hermio]

I do not know what the price of carbide chain is in your area but I know here I could pay a good hardworking man or woman a decent amount to grind a single 24" softwood stump cheaper than I can pay for a carbide chain.

I have seen carbide chains go for $60-80. And then he would still have the chain.

 

[Hermio]

Here our closest Home Depot is a solid 70 mile round trip so that is two trips at 70 which equals 140 miles. Now with fuel at $5.00/gallon and getting 10 miles/gallon that is ...............$90 in fuel alone............ As I said everyone's area is different. I could not go get it, use it, and get it back in 4 hours but even if I did at $106 that would be just south of $200 total and I know I can pay some good local family man that to do it better than me.

Just my random thoughts

Home Depot is about 35 miles away from me. My local tool rental is about 10 miles away. But I am sure it is cheaper if you can find a highway crew to do it.

 

[Bill G]

I have seen carbide chains go for $60-80. And then he would still have the chain.

I know in my area there is ZERO chance of getting a carbide chain for that price. Still even if you could a skilled guy/gal with a grinder is going to do a much better job.

I love hearing real life experiences from folks. I assume you have done the same job with a carbide chain? How long did it take you to grind a 24" stump with a carbide chain and what were the results?

 

[Hermio]

I know in my area there is ZERO chance of getting a carbide chain for that price. Still even if you could a skilled guy/gal with a grinder is going to do a much better job.

I love hearing real life experiences from folks. I assume you have done the same job with a carbide chain? How long did it take you to grind a 24" stump with a carbide chain and what were the results?

You need to check the prices on Amazon. Some are below $50. Personally, I have never used a Carbide chain. I watched the tests done on the Project Farm channel, and the carbide chains were slow as heck. But I have noodled a few to ground level with standard chain. It is slow. But the idea is not to grind the stump down with a chain. It is to make enough kerfs in it so you can break it with a shovel, a stud bar or a loader bucket. But to go below ground level, I think you would need the carbide chain. But I would rent a grinder for a stump larger than maybe 12-14" these days. But if I cut a tree I know I will want to remove the stump from, I will cut it about 4' above ground so I can push it over with a tractor. My tractor only weighs 10,000 lb or so, so it will not push over big stuff. Maybe 6-8", depending on species.

 

[jomoco]

The cheapest easiest and economical solution to your problem is to mimick the CDF n USFS by covering the stump with a liberal layer of borax.

IMHO.

Jomoco