Trimming stumps off at the ground

[Bigsnowdog]

I have frequent need to trim small stumps (up to 12 inches in diameter) close to the ground. The closer I trim them, the more risk I am of getting my chain into dirt and dulling it quickly.

Is this just a simple matter of.... that is what happens, or does anyone have a tip on how to more effectively do this, allowing longer chain life? I do clean around the stump as well as I can, and have shoveled around some of them.

Any thoughts?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

When you cut near the ground, the bark is often embedded with particles of soil, which can be abrasive. Another problem is between the root flares soil can be pushed up that you might not see, particularly if it's on the other side of the stump from where you are.

One trick I use when cutting dirty wood is to advance the bar through the work with the powerhead end of the bar, not the tip (unless you are undercutting, then do the opposite).

The reasoning is, if you advance with the tip through bark and there is some dirt in that bark, the cutters will pull it into the log and many more cutters will drag across the same dirt which is now embedded all the way across the cut. By advancing with the powerhead side, any dirt in the bark will be imediately knocked out and might not even dull the chain.

I have a theory, and you guys can go ahead and bash it, but by doing this type of cut, it's faster because wood chips cut with the powerhead end of the bar only need to be pulled a short distance, compared to those cut by the tip.

 

[SilverBlue]

If you are doing this frequently snowdog then either invest in a pressure washer, and a solid tip bar or buy one of those mini stump grinders.

 

[Bigsnowdog]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel
Carry a file (you should do this anyway) and touch up the chain whenever it is needed, or whenever the chain needs tensioning.

A large percentage of people using chainsaws do not know how to use a file. I do not believe this is an excuse. Learn to use a file.

I do know how to use a file, and have before. When time in the job is an issue, I think I can change chains faster than I can file. Do you disagree?

I can sharpen them later.

 

[Bigsnowdog]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
When you cut near the ground, the bark is often embedded with particles of soil, which can be abrasive. Another problem is between the root flares soil can be pushed up that you might not see, particularly if it's on the other side of the stump from where you are.

One trick I use when cutting dirty wood is to advance the bar through the work with the powerhead end of the bar, not the tip (unless you are undercutting, then do the opposite).

The reasoning is, if you advance with the tip through bark and there is some dirt in that bark, the cutters will pull it into the log and many more cutters will drag across the same dirt which is now embedded all the way across the cut. By advancing with the powerhead side, any dirt in the bark will be imediately knocked out and might not even dull the chain.

I have a theory, and you guys can go ahead and bash it, but by doing this type of cut, it's faster because wood chips cut with the powerhead end of the bar only need to be pulled a short distance, compared to those cut by the tip.

You are meaning the underside of the bar, back by the powerhead? I would think no matter where we hit the dirt with cutters, it would dull the cutters. Woudn't it?

 

[tony marks]

somebody on the forum once said he takes a small axe to the edge of the stump.
the way he described it ,,sounded like mite work pretty good. mabe he ll read this and tell it again.
alsomite be a way of putting something on the bar that would slide smooth and keep the chain about a half inch off the ground. it still would be better to clean the bark a bit.
if i did that a lot im sure i could find an way that would work. . but wouldnt have to as somebody on here is gonna be able to tell u an easy way. give it time and good luck. in any case ,,doing this ,u gonna need to use u file plenty.,,would be my guess.

 

[ricksvar]

I think stump cutting is about the most demanding use a saw is applied to.Yes I agree a lot of dirt can be imbeded in the bark and grain.Because the saw for this purpose is located at,in general,ground level I like to make a few cuts at different locations around the perimeter of the stump to avoid chip built up around the powerhead and within the side cover and sprocket.

With the oiler maxed out have a file or a couple sharp chains handy,their needed depending on the size of the stump.

Rick

 

[Bigsnowdog]

Originally posted by ricksvar
Because the saw for this purpose is located at, in general, ground level, I like to make a few cuts at different locations around the perimeter of the stump to avoid chip build up around the powerhead and within the side cover and sprocket.
Rick

That is a good idea, I think, as when the saw is pressed against the ground, it is having enough trouble as it is.....

 

[SilverBlue]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel
Huh? Been doing this all my life and never seen a single professional pressure wash a stump. Seen a couple homeowners washing off roots with the garden hose when trying to dig out a stump. Mike has a reasonable approach and washing off a particularly dirty stump is worthwhile. So is chipping off dirt-encrusted bark. Buying a pressure washer is not a reasonable solution for this problem. I also disagree with the solid tip bar recommendation.

A file costs a dollar. Learning to use one is priceless. Unless a chain has been run dull for a while and ground down till it is simply polishing the wood, touching up with a file should be faster than swapping chains.

Sorry, I keep making assumptions. I forget that my opinion of 'dull' is equal to most cutter's opinion of "Heck, that chain is good for another hour!".

I also don’t see professionals frequently cutting close or flush to the ground. I particularly don’t care to grind up the roller nose and that’s what gonna happen. No matter how good you are your going to eat dirt once in a while or find that missed object. Sow why would you care to Rocky? Now you say that a pressure washer is not a reasonable solution yet you say that washing a particularly dirty stump is worthwhile, with what? a garden hose? that does SFA to clean out dirt! Why waste your time standing there looking stupid washing a stump with a hose? So you buy a pressure washer and write it off, your gonna use it on other equipment anyways. ORRR you can buy a Minnie stumper.

 

[NeTree]

Semi-chisel eats a little dirt better than flat top does before it's useless.

For me, "flush to the ground" usally means within 4". The stumper gets down the rest, and it's made to eat some soil.

When bidding jobs, I write it up as "stump(s) to be left as low as reasonably possible" if they aren't being ground.

 

[Yellowdog]

Have any of you guys seen the backpack stump grinders? Looks like a backpack brushcutter but has a stump grinder on the end. Highly portable and light.

Also, what about a carbide injected chain for use solely on stump cutting? Any thoughts on that? Some of the guys around here that cut stumps for furniture making use carbide chains when working near the dirt/rocks. You don't need to tell me that carbide chains can hurt you. I remember one of the furniture maker's trip to the hospital where he got 40 stitches in his knee area!

 

[NeTree]

I'm hesitant on carbide simply for the sheer cost. The best looking carbide seems to be the Rapco, but it ain't cheap, and needs different tools to sharpen than you'd normally have on hand.

 

[WoodTick007]

You could borrow a saw from someone you don't really like .... With a little Brute Force and Ignorance the job will get done....

Or I usually take a couple old chains and start cutting. For some reason I find oregon DG in a full skip chain works best for me.

 

[Ax-man]

Bigsnowdog,

May I offer this as an alternative to bore cuts, dull chains, excessive wear on bars, and making mud with hoses and pressure washers.

If your doing stumps not much larger than 12" simply cut them off high 12" or more. Use a narrow pointed tiling spade to locate the main lateral side roots and sever them with tool of choice at a point away from the stump. Wrap a high test small dia.chain around the stump and litterally pull it out of the ground with a H.D. come along. anchored to a truck with the rear wheels blocked, locked in gear.
Another aid to this is to use a truck rim to keep the come along pulling up instead of down.

With a little winching, a little chopping and digging most tree stumps will come right out of the ground. This might be a little more time consuming, but you would be offering total stump removal and not sacrificing your chain saw. Once those chains have been in the dirt like what is being talked about here their really hard to sharpen, because it rounds the top plate over that requires two to three filings to get the edge back.

I've used the above method to pull stumps bigger than 12". in tight spots because I can't justify the expense of a small mini- grinder, based on the number of times I would have a use for one.

 

[Yellowdog]

You could use a tree shear too...

 

[Grateful11]

How about a cordless drill with 1 1/2" paddle bit and a stick of dynamite! Seriously, the worst tree stump I ever got rid of was huge Mimosa tree, it was about 18" across 3' up, the god awfulest root base I've ever seen. At places the side roots scretched over 6' across with 3-5" above ground level. Ended up chipping the roots away with a sharp axe and mattock until I could get the saw in a buzz it off
Grateful

BTW: I hate a d&mn Mimosa tree!

 

[Stumper]

The carbide impregnated chains aren't terribly pricey but the one I tried didn't gain much dirt tolerance over plain semi-chisel.

 

[Abbershay]

i have used the carbide chains > they are very good for stumps.. They only seem to cost more though .. In the long run they are about the same since they will out last the others. The main thing you can do is have a bigger saw with more power too run through it. Also a real good idea is to nose you blade straight in the stump and then pull your saw in the oposite direction you normaly do do most all the cutting in one spot with the blade inside the stump as much as you can. I personally dont worry about to much i like to use new chains in the cutting of the tree and the older chains i can use them as disposables on stumps and buildings or deer antlers...lol In the tree biz chains are cheap when it comes to the speed of a new chain. when i am cutting a tree i generally like to buy a new chain for a big job or for the bucket.

 

[Koa Man]

I usually tell my customers the closest I can cut a stump to the ground is 10% of it's diameter. 10 inch stump, 1 inch. 36 inch stump, 3.6 inches, etc. If they want it lower, then they need to pay for stump grinding.

 

[Gypo Logger]

It goes without saying that those lowering stumps will remove most of the dirt, but this isn't the problem as such. The problem is generaly loose chain, lack of lube and worn bar tolerance which causes an uneven kerf . On a level square plane, by eye, plunge the saw into the heart and chase the slab around the tree without removing the saw from the cut and without establishing another kerf. Your stump will then be flatter than p!ss on a plate.
This method can be used in succession until desired hieght is obtained.
John