Burning Stumps - feasible or a pipe dream?

[russ_alabama]

The barrel approach works real well. My dad used that approach on some mature oak stumps that were cut from down to the ground on up to 1ft above. Probably 50-60 of them. He used a several-hundred-gallon drum and cut it out on both ends. He always put a 6" or so sized rock under a side toward which the wind was blowing, to aid the draft effect of the "chimney." Took about 1-2days per stump. He said of it that the trick was to always shovel the hot coals of the last stump to the next one (that the first stump was the hardest to get going of the lot). He sowed seed over the spot those stumps were on and you couldn't tell they'd been there in a year's time.

 

[peregordusmc]

They actually make something for burning out stumps. i looked into awhile ago for my business because i didnt want to invest in a stump grinder just yet. I forget what its called but i believe it was at wesspur.com or baileys, some big tree gear company. Basically what you do is drill some holes into the stump and pour this chemical into the holes. let it soak for awhile and then light it on fire and its suppose to burn the stump out and most of the roots. I never did try it out so im not sure how it works. Wasnt really fesible for me to do. Its more geared for the homeowner to do himself i believe. Just an option for ya to look into.

 

[lxt]

Burning out stumps???????? DONT.. hire someone with a grinder & have it done right, dont be cheap.

Not to mention that when you burn stumps it leaves a charcoal like residue on the outter layer which really crushes the teeth (dull). I double my price on stumps for those who try burnin them out!!




LXT................

 

[Brushwacker]

QUOTE=Currently;2443176]I own an acre lot that had 16+ trees die after the house was built due to root damage from underground utilities and heat stress from the drought we have been getting for the last 4 summers.

I do have enough experience cutting pulpwood and firewood in my younger days where I felled the the trees I was confident in handling. I hired an arborist with a cherry picker bucket truck for the trees that needed to come straight down.

Looked into renting a stump grinder but the size they rent and the hourly rate with its lowend capability make it a wash whether to hire a professional with a big stump grinder.

I have ruined a couple of chains deliberately bringing the stumps down to ground level but still can't get the lawnmower over the root/crown of the big stumps.

Wood is oak and hickory with one popular.

What I want to do is to use a new chain to carve a cross grid on the surface of the stump about 3 -4 inches deep. Buy some paraffin blocks and wedge them in the grooves. Soak it with diesel fuel and burn them down below ground level.

Open fire permits will be available in a month and planning to do this once I get a permit.

Most of these stumps are 4 years old.

Anyone have comments to make?[/QUOTE]

If you are healthy and dont mind hard work you can dig down on the roots and cut enough roots loose with an axe or pull them apart and out from the main stump until your truck will pull the main stump out without jerking your bumper off. I done many stumps up to about 20" white oaks with an 1959 Dodge 1 1/2 ton with a 2 speed axle in low. You could start from the smallest to the biggest oaks and do what you can if you don't mind the hard work.
Oaks have a tough tap root and I believe Hickory is quite of bit tougher yet.
I've burned a few big well seasoned (probably 2 or more years) stumps in the winter by piling my brush on top. Usually I tarp the brush pile over the stump and untarp and burn after a snow fall. From what I remember most burned out well with 1 fire.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

stumps

The old or junk metal cattle tank flipped upside down. Use one or two straw or hay bales for longer burn time. This will burn for a longer time. May be to much smoke if your in town? But works well.

 

[Dumbstump]

Barrel or Stove Method

Barrel or Stove Method
Using a Stove is an efficient and somewhat safe method. Oxygen is the key. If you have ever seen a fire barrel, this is similar to what you want to build. Read full story.

Generally you need a burn permit from a local authority to do any kind of burning. Authorities consider many conditions such as winds, past and present rains. Read full story.

 

[dingeryote]

Dude......

1st post and it's advertising?

Good ta have ya and all, but c'mon.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[newsawtooth]

You could always do what my grandfather used to do...throw a couple tires over it and light the tires. It would belch thick black smoke for days. It's really hard to get tire burning permits now though.

 

[dingeryote]

Burn 'em at night, or use innertubes with the Valve stems cut out for no evidence...

The Fish cops will nail your ide to the Barn for Tire fires around here.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Dumbstump]

Dude......
1st post and it's advertising?
Good ta have ya and all, but c'mon.
Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Dr. Kim D. Coder paper on stump removal and the Warnell School, School of Forest Resources University of Georgia are well respected organizations.

Sorry. Just trying to help.
I added a link to your site here:
http://www.dumbstump.com/links.php#forums

 

[chowdozer]

Burning them out works fine. 100 years ago that's how they got rid of stumps. Funny how many people don't know that.

 

[Chris Francis]

Super Inferno Underground Fire

I have talked to really old tree guys that said they use to chop stumps out with axes. That's a long day!

I have seen where people tried to burn a stump and caught the entire yard on fire. This could easily happen with a longleaf pine (and others). Have you ever seen "Lighter-knot" or kindling? Pine makes the best fat lighter. It takes a very small piece to make quite a blaze that can be used to start a fire. If you light a gigantic lighter knot stump on fire, it will spread into it's lighter knot roots. This is a fire that is next to possible to extinguish... and it could go into the neighbors' yard or under the house. Bad news!

 

[Labman]

I came across some recip saw pruning blades cheap at Big Lots. Yes cutting roots I hit dirt and runing them. They are cheap and disposable. The chain saw stays in the garage.

I also find a drain spade and its narrow blade great for digging around roots. It is sharp enough to cut the smaller ones.

Once you have most of the roots cut off, hook on to it with a truck. the smaller the stump and the bigger the truck, the less digging. Also, leave the stump high.

 

[lxt]

Burning them out works fine. 100 years ago that's how they got rid of stumps. Funny how many people don't know that.

100 years ago....LMFAO, theres laws now caveman!! oops I`ll probably get some neg rep now uh chow chow?



LXT..............