Wow- never seen that particular sort of device before. Sounds like a Tim Taylor special. Guess things have progressed a little since I got an inside job. Ordinary stump grinders and towed chippers for liftable chunks were all I ever got to see close up, and both of those weren't that hard to jam.
aem sends...
stump root balls NEVER roll cooperatively, unless it isn't necessary for them too. think it is one of Murphy's laws.
Don't know whether burning is allowed - best to check. We had a palm stump that we wanted to, at least, get the top off so's we could lay pavers over the area. Palms are like a ball of twine, soak up water and do not cut with a saw very easily. We soaked it with denatured alcohol
- which I think mixes with water - and then burned it down. Do not leave unattended, and do not put more alcohol on it when you think the fire is out but it isn't :o) Keep kids away and keep fire extinguisher handy. It's quite a shock to be holding a gallon can of alc. and to suddenly see flames coming from the can :o)
Good luck with Jeanne and Lisa :o)
Drum grinders. Come in big and bigger sizes. They are what are used for logging operations, and municipal yard waste recycling.
Amazing what you can find on the 'net, if you do a thorough search for chipper/shredders.
Yeah it's called a tub grinder, make nice mulch.
I read through the thread and don't really see any suggestions that you can use except for possibly burning. My approach would be a comgination of some of them. Pressure washer to get as much dirt as possible off, chain saw to cut them into chunks you can move.
No, cutting up the dirty root balls will not destroy your saw. It will destroy your chain, bar, drive sprocket and possibly the clutch. These are easily replaceable and not that expensive. Even just pitching the saw away at the end of the job will be cheaper than any other method (except burning) You will also be sharpening the chain several times while working.
This is one of those jobs that will cost money (unless you can burn them in place). Some jobs just can't be done 'on the cheap'.
Harry K
There's another approach which is easy, inexpensive, and won't damage anything, but it does take a lot of time: rotting it out.
Wood will decompose into soil given four additional ingredients: air, water, nitrogen, and bacteria.
Air: Expose as much of the stump as possible. Drill holes into it to let air in.
Water: Water it frequently; try to keep it moist. If you can, rig up a drip to keep it constantly moist. If possible, keep it out of the sun so it won't dry out as quickly.
Nitrogen: Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer
Bacteria: Get some rotten leaves or soil (the stuff you scoop out of your gutters is good), and spread it over the stump.
If you see mushrooms growing on and around the stump, and see grubs burrowing in it, then you are doing it right. Fungi, insects, and bacteria will all work to convert the wood back to soil.
If you keep a compost pile, start a new one on top of the stump.
It may take a year or more.
--- Chip
Better yet, drill holes in the stump, and pour in some stump remover (aka KNO3; potassium nitrate; saltpeter) which you can get at the hardware store.
Are you claiming to have done this?
-v.
Probably disqualifies that method, for this application.
He isn't covered by insurance for this???? (Unless it fell on the house I suppose.)
Sounds like disaster cleanup to me.
-v.
The only way I can think of doing it on the cheap is to dig a bigger hole and roll them in. Let the termites take care of them.
no (although memory makes me think I've seen this done before), but does that disqualify it from working? of course I'd basically rescind this advice as further info shows the stump to be three feet from the house.
You could make the best of this by (still) gouging out the center but leaving a rim of three or four inches and then filling the gouge (hopefully you've made it as deep as possible) with good soil and planting either vegetables, flowers or even something like a grape vine which could be trained to climb a trellis. This will either last a long time or rot away in a few seasons and then you can start over until it is gone or more easily managable.
The large machine metioned to grind up the stumps from the golf course is commonly called a tub grinder. Around here we haul our yard waste to designated areas when the area fills up the town brings in a tub grinder and turns it all into mulch free for the taking
Hose them clean, varnish them, and sell them as art.
This sounds like the best idea.. after all he has a root ball pulled out of the soil and if he cuts the trunk off close to the root ball, it won't be too much more digging. ---leo/lee
As has been discussed before, even talking with your insurance agent will require him to register your conversation in a database used to raise your premium. If you see your insurance agent walking down a street, divert your eyes, walk in a different direction, and don't let him see you.
In theory this sounds like a good idea, but it's not as simple as it might sound. The larger of the two stumps--even with all of the tree trunk cut off--is roughly a cube 6' on each side. The hole next to the stump is the same diameter but only about 1 foot deep. (I'm guessing that since the tree went down when the soil was saturated with water there was something akin to a small mudslide that filled in the hole.) Given that this soil is mostly clay, I don't see anyway short of using a backhoe digging a hole of that size.
I have come to the conclusion that no method of removal will be easy (or even close).
Some folks have mentioned using homeowner's insurance to cover the cost of removal. We're already contacted our insurance company. Since almost every home in this area has some damage, we figure whether we make a claim or not our rates are going to be affected. Unfortunately, insurance only covers trees that have fallen on the house, and so since these trees did not hit the house, that is not covered.
Tony
It doesn't mean it WILL either. It shows me you that have no less basis to think it will, then I have to think it won't be effective. I do a lot of chainsaw work for a homeowner (rural property owner who also has a number of business locations with trees). I have also burned a lot of "brush" which around here includes what city folk would call logs and stumps. A fresh stump doesn't burn very well. A single big chunk of wood doesn't burn very well.
Have you done much chainsaw work? Because to "gouge a big hole" is definitely NOT something easily done with a chainsaw, ESPECIALLY in a stump. If it was that easy, he'd just cut up the stump in little pieces and put them out with the trash, why bother with the hole. The OP seems well aware of the problems of chain sawing a stump.
Your other idea I don't regard as useful input either - that either it will or it won't work - so what - it won't help him if it won't. Basically you have no clue again and are just guessing.
sorry.
-v.
I think that's crap in a case like this. This is mainly a worry for people who have a history of numerous petty claims, like they are "trying to get their money's worth" out of their insurance. Naturally there will be some folks who claim its not their fault, they are not like that, its just circumstances, and maybe some are right, but they fit the pattern.
But THIS TIME there was a frickin' HURRICANE. Everybody's premiums in the whole area are likely to be effected by such conditions, while OTOH nobody in the area would not stand out merely for making an inquiry.
In the age of computers, that insurance companies track each covered premises, is fearful news only to superstitious homeowners. We operate four commerial properties and it is routine that RFPs for renewal quotes include a 3 year "loss run" (history) for each location. A zero loss report or inquiry is just that, no loss. Not a big deal. "Required to register" makes thing sound much more sinister than they are. There is a 'file' on each property - so what - no surprise there.
But as OP clarified, as the trees did not hit his house, they are 'merely' landscaping and not covered.
-v.
Bad idea. Even if the main colony of termites doesn't attack his house from where they are, the next swarm could put 10 colonies along his stem wall, three inside and five at his neighbor's house. The entire neighborhood will be panicked when they see termite alates (queens and kings) on their windowsills both inside (some will get lucky and fly in) and outside... and guess who they're going to blame it on.
Dig up the root balls. Get what you can of the roots. Chop them up with an axe (being sure not to hit any pvc pipe underground) and throw them away.
alt.consumers.pest-control
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.