Slow tree removal

[peejos]

I have a small copse of very tall trees and right in the middle is a dead one. Cutting it down in sections will be pretty hairy so what are your thoughts on burning it down? I have read that it is possible to burn an old stump by drilling holes and filling them with sodium chlorate weed killer, leaving it for a few months and then lighting it. If I drill holes high up and do the same thing, the fire should then burn what is above it. At least that's my theory: what do you think? Paul

[Weatherlawyer]

I think you are an idiot. Sodium chlorate is hydroscopic. The problem is getting the tree down is it not? Call in an experienced tree surgeon if you are afraid of causing damage or getting killed or maimed.

Yes I know this is D-I-Y but the price of kitting up to do a safe job is less than an expert's wages and the expert might have had a modicum of training.

[Lobster]

I think you'll burn down the whole copse.

David

[meow2222]

What a daft idea. Theres nothing difficult about cutting down tall trees, just cut them part way though then use a rope from ground level to snap the top section off. Rinse & repeat. Cutting them into 8' plus a bit sections is just right for saw into useful sizes.

But dont undertake tree felling unless you understand what youre doing, they dont call the branches widow makers for nothing.

NT

[Frank Erskine]

Reassembly is the reverse of dismantling...

[peejos]

How true, but apart from the difficulty in getting a straight pull vertically and horizontally the 8 ft secions will wipe off a number of branches from the surrounding trees, which I am trying to avoid. If it was that easy I would n't have asked.

Accepting that the weed killer is hygroscopic, how does it work in enabling stumps to be burnt out?

[Weatherlawyer]

What you do if you haven't coppiced the grove properly and don't intend to is build a scaffold and saw the top of the trunk at an angle steep enough to take the top story straight down. It's a skilled job that requires good timing. Modern mountaineering techniques allow the same sort of thing to be done without a scaffold but using ropes and etc.

I hadn't heard that it does. Perhaps there is another nitrate involved. Nitric acid should do it but where would you get that?

You haven't mentioned the type of trees involved. If they are a valuable timber, root them out. Walnut is worth more money with the rootstocks attatched. They use that for gunstocks. (Hence the term stock.)

[gort]

When you start to burn the wood the Sodium Chlorate gives off large quantities of oxygen so aiding the combustion process. Be aware that Sodium Chlorate sold as weed killer has a fire retardent added to prevent its use in IED's ( improvised explosive devices)

Dave

[Tim S]

It's a very effective oxidising agent when near red hot.

I wouldn't follow the original theory - I've played with chlorate and potassium nitrate on stumps. You *could* burn then out if you were happy to keep pouring the oxidiser on (it will take loads IMO). It also gives rise, at least in one case, to a load of molten oxidiser by-product at near red heat temperatures dripping everywhere. I wouldn't do any of this above head height, not to mention the fire risk to other trees.

Cheers

Tim

[The Natural Philosopher]

Meow is full of half understood factoids.

Mostly he is best ignored.

[Stuart Noble]

What's this, multiple choice? Make your mind up

[Stuart Noble]

How high is this tree?