sharpening backhoe bucket

[redfernclan]

Anyone ever try this? I'm about to go dig a stump that kicked my butt two years ago. This time the ground is a little wetter and I sharpened the side of the bucket. Got some good bites on some of the old Doug Fir roots but the little BX just doesn't have enough power to rip them out. Granted, the stump has to be at least 45 years old and about two and a half feet in diameter and I thought it would have rotted away underground. Uh-no. Not even close. If anything, the roots are pristine, the stump above ground is what is crumbling.
Anyway, just wondered if anyone had tried it and if they thought it had helped, I'm thinking edge might cut the roots where a 3/8 blunt edge just made the hydraulics go grrrrrrr. I'll let you all know..........

 

[34by151]

Been digging out some giant hardwood stumps with the BX recently.
All of them have massive roots the go straight down in heavy clay

What do with these is a combination of the the BX, pressure washer and chainsaw.

Fist I dig as much as I can around the stump. I use the backhoe teeth the break as many roots as I can.

Next I use the pressure washer to break up the clay. I've found the turbo nozzle works best for this.
When the trench gets full of mud and water I pump it out using a venturi nozzle. this is the one I have https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Cobra-Venturi-Sludge-Mud-Pump-Aluminium-Design-Up-to-5000PSi-15LPM-to-60LPM/303098725447?hash=item4692178447:g0MAAOSwpChch06f
I tend to just pump the muddy water as it mas a lot less mess and bucket out the mud using the backhoe.

Now the roots are exposed and the dirt is cleaned off them I use the chansaw to cut them off. This stops running the saw in the dirt.

I tend give it a go to pull the stump out. If it doesn't move I setup the snatch blocks and plasma rope. This gives me a 10:1 advantage.

If it still does not move back to the pressure washer cutting under the stump exposing roots and cutting them off.

 

[i7win7]

Stumps-PITA hardware stores sell stump remover - some sort of bacteria. Drill holes in stump, add remover, add water every day for 2 weeks (here's where I fail), fill holes with diesel an light.

I have the wrong Stihl chainsaw. They make one where you can buy a carbide tipped chain for cutting tree roots. I use a reciprocating saw and a pruning blade to cut 3" or so tree roots.

2 1/2' stump, if you get it cut loose the BX may not lift it out of the hole. It's still a good excuse to play with tractor, explain to spouse all the $$$ saved doing it yourself.

 

[redfernclan]

The last one I dug that size took a bit to get it out of the hole, and once I did I just rolled it to the burn pile. Come to think of it, that was about four years ago and there is still some left in the burn pile. I just keep working it down. I'm sure it would burn better if I covered it because we only burn when it's wet out here.
Hoping the sharpened edges will cut the roots. Got about 1/3 of it uncovered today.

 

[Q tip]

CHeck out the. Bx panded ripper for the backhoe
Works great On roots

 

[GreensvilleJay]

drill a few big ,deep holes, fill with diesel, come back when soaked in, add a wee bit of gas, set stump on fire. It'll smoulder/burn for days allowing you to get other stuff done...

 

[D2Cat]

Don't forget to add a couple bags of charcoal briquettes. Then make a forge with your leaf blower.

 

[Nicfin36]

CHeck out the. Bx panded ripper for the backhoe
Works great On roots

You ain't kidding. I was able to use mine for the first time on a live sycamore stump yesterday. The tree was not massive, maybe 12 inches at base. I really did not think it would work so well. I had to reposition once, and after that, the stump came right out. I was very impressed with how it cut the roots.

 

[redfernclan]

How long does it take to switch from the bucket?

 

[redfernclan]

My problem is that I am dealing with Douglas Fir. I have to dig down to the roots before I could try and rip them.

 

[miketrock]

redfernclan, checkout "bxpanded.com" . On their site, click on: "Kubota", then "BX series", then "BX23S" or "BX25D", then scroll down to the "Quick-on Back Hoe Bucket Connector Kubota". There's a video showing a guy changing from a ripper to a bucket in like 15-20 seconds (once its all set up).

 

[Nicfin36]

How long does it take to switch from the bucket?

As said, seconds if you use the quick attack device BXpanded sells. Longer, of course, if you just swapped bucket for ripper without it.

It probably will take a minute or two for me since I have replaced the wire-clip pin that keeps the bucket on with a bolt and nylock nut instead. Others have said it comes off easily, and I agree. Mine was about to come off with just a few minutes of use, so I put a bolt through it.

Even if the tree has a tap root, I would think once you could get the stump dug out on one side and leaned over, you could cut the root.

I was cutting roots that were encroaching on my barn today from a nearby tree and realized that the ripper can be used just like a saw to cut roots by going back and forth in a sawing motion with the backhoe arm rather than curling it. Not ideal, but it helped me get through a couple of big roots.

 

[redfernclan]

Copy that, thx for the advise, heading to bxpanded. I have already bought there back hoe cart and cutting edge for the bucket. Quality stuff.

 

[Nicfin36]

The quick attach assembly was insanely easy to install. I had it in my head it was going to be aggravating, especially since I had the factory thumb. I had it on in just a few minutes. I bought the ripper and 6 inch trencher bucket for some projects I have planned. I'm so happy with the ripper, I have not removed it since I put it on the backhoe. This is my first fresh cut stump removal. I had removed a couple of small cedar stumps previously that were from trees cut down last year.

Yeah, I have been happy with their products. I bought the Piranha bar last year and it is great.

 

[Jwoo 1800]

If you're digging doug fir there's a fair chance you'll have a pitch stump. Anywhere the pitch is heavy the roots/stump will be hard as a rock. You will just have to keep probing to find the soft spots. I dug one the other day that appeared completely rotten above ground. As I tried to lever it out of the ground the stump split and the air was filled with the distinctive scent of turpentine. It took a bit of work to finally get it out, but now it's sitting next to my kindling pile waiting to be busted into the world's best fire starter. 2 rules of digging stumps. 1) Dig wider and 2) Just keep digging

 

[redfernclan]

Went to BXpaneded, a little more than I want to spend. I only have a couple more stumps on the property to get out and not getting the ripper doesn't meen I won't get them out, just that it will take a bit more.
Haven't got a chance to get back out there, it's been raining all week. I don't like using a spud to clean out the bucket every ten times. Got to love the clay. I'll get some pics when I get back at it, if I can just figure out how to post the nice big shots, not just little thumbnails.