Can you imagine how hard it was to clear stumps from farming land with horse/ox power before advent of heavy machinery? Massive repect for those Fellas.
It's common for pines in my area, my brother was cutting some down thinking he could dig up the roots lol. He got a nice surprise, them tap roots are as big as the tree and go deep into the ground.
John, I think I've seen every one of your videos and you never cease to amaze me. The amount of detail you put into them with explaining what you're doing, why you're doing it, and what not to do in some situations is definitely what I would call "Life lessons". I learn something every time I watch one of them. Thanks for doing it and uploading the videos.
Hey John. Your problem with the tracking is probably in your travel motors. Over time one motor will become weaker than the other allowing the dominant motor to “take over” as you travel. I’m in the excavation business and have seen this on several excavators. Also, yeah I would’ve sawed those big ass trees down. Way to small of a machine for those monsters. (But hey, that would have made for a boring video lol) Love your content man. Great stuff brother.
If you are gonna have to take more large trees down then consider either fabricating or buying a single tooth shank/root ripper. It will concentrate all of your available breakout force on the single tine and make ripping roots easier for the small machine. Another option (If you have one) Is a terrasaur blade (might be a brand name?) for a petrol cut off saw. It will cut through roots, soil, nails, old fence wire, bolts etc unhindered. We use them in demolition cutting timber with foreign contamination, and have cut many tree roots in tight spaces to great effect. Addressing the "Fill the hole with water" thoughts you had, (and again this is what we do rather than what you SHOULD do 😉) We use a pressure washer with pencil jet and turbo nozzle to both cut through soil and also smaller root balls. Running a trash pump in the hole prevents creating an outdoor swimming pool as you work. It gets almost all the soil out from amongst the roots so you cold even cut them with a chainsaw.
@Bill Forrest I agree take the whole stump out while it's still attached to that big leaver. Waste more time digging out stumps from cut trees than ones that are standing.
One thing I noticed that might help you while pushing over trees, make sure you have your blade behind you not in front of you. When you lower it, it will add stability and you’ll be able to push with more force. I have pushed over several large trees this way. Good luck best wishes.
I grew up in an area that is fairly dry and is mostly forested with pine trees. When they fall or get blown down it almost always seemed to be the trunk that would break. I was so surprised when I moved to the coast and saw trees that blew down that had these huge masses of roots that seemed so close to the surface. I guess this explains why they don't uproot so much! Maybe it depends on the species? The ones native to drier climates must have bigger tap roots to get down to the water they need.
Pines (Pinaceae) can form huge taproots. It depends on the ground if they develop deep taproots or if they stay more shallow and form several smaller taproots. I would geuss it also makes a difference if the tree was planted or grew by itself.
The lodge pole pines where I grew up blew over all the time and took their root balls with them. That was in a very dry climate. Usually if they were formally in a forested sheltered forested area that was developed they would blow over.
A lot of times I've noticed it is diseased trees that go over. If I try to mill dead trees only about 1 in 10 is actually any good meaning it is an utter waste of time for the hobbyist sawmiller to try and cut lumber out of them. What it is telling me is that for the most part they fall over for a reason not immediately apparent until you get inside them. 10% of the time a healthy tree falls over because of soil saturation combined with wind or another diseased tree causing a chain reaction.
In my experience of 20+ yrs digging versus cutting I’ve learned you have to dig all the way around and go deep. It’s amazing the strength in the root system. Very hard for the tree to just fall over.
Me again. On the second tree, you really do not need to cut the tap root. I've done hundreds that size. You dug well on the side at the timestamp 40:01. You need to now angle your excavator perpendicular to the area you dug and do ALL sides that deep and it will push over easily. With your excavator I could take that out in 30 mins to give you an idea of how fast it should take with that sized excavator. I think you may be scared the tree will fall if you dig on the other side, but trust me, it will not. Don't worry about the tree falling, it won't even if you dig 100% around it, and you need to dig 100% around it. If the tree ever did start to fall, use your excavator boom to push it away, but I've done hundreds like these and they never fall.
Funny how we learn about trees in elementary school here in Finland, Pine trees got one big central root and spruce spreads their roots shallow. That's why the spruce commonly falls in storms.
Pine is well known for their huge central tap root. Makes them incredibly wind resistant. I live in Sweden and when we have had big storms, the pines rather snap than uproot. But on soft ground, they can do, and then there is always that huge tap root of several meters pointing straight out from under the root ball.
Hello John, I’ve got a mini ex E 42 and a 2 foot bucket is hard to dig out stumps. I always use a 1 foot bucket and it works great another thing with a mini ex. If you turn it on put the blade behind you you can use the hydraulics in your blade to help push over the tree, that works pretty slick. Just an idea or something for you to try great video.
As with other comments, a tungsten carbide chain is super handy when cutting anywhere near dirt. I have a carbide chain for both my big saw and medium saw. In fact I now have the carbide chain permanently on my medium saw. A freshly sharpened steel chain will out cut a carbide chain, but my medium saw gets used for cutting all sorts of rubbish and has to be constantly re-sharpened. I now stick with the carbide. You'll need diamond files to sharpen the carbide teeth.
John, after watching few of your videos, I found it interesting and I've already subscribed to your channel few days back. I appreciate the way you handle your job with every detail of what and how you are doing. Your job is always a one man army job no matter how difficult the nature of the work is. And I hope to see more of your great videos ahead. All the best.
In horse and buggy days, the farmer did the tedious part with an axe, but, don't underestimate the power of a good team of draft horses. I've seen them do some pretty amazing things. Hey, it looked like you had a lot of fun doing it with diesels! When I was a kid, "The Dutch Elm Disease" killed all the Elms. An exquisitely beautiful 60' tree with a straight trunk and dense spherical crown, that always reminded me of a Broccoli crown They made excellent shade and people planted them everywhere. Planted up and down roads they would join over the road making a tunnel of shade. But they all died when I was about 15. We cut them all down using a 2 man crosscut saw called a "Swedish fiddle." We burned the stumps with the limbs from the tree. That's how we got rid of them. ben/ michigan
When pushing over trees with smaller excavators you need to use the tractive force over the hydraulic force. Plant your bucket in optimal position and track forward once it's well dug out. You'll be limited on reach obviously higher the better
The way I was taught to fell a tree by undermining the roots was: 1) Tie it off in the direction you don't want it to fall, no tension you just want to stop the tree falling. 2) Undermine tree and take out the roots on the side you want the tree to fall and slowly work your way around the "front" 180 taking a bit from one side then the other. 3) Once that's done you pull the tree in the felling direction and put some tension on the roaps. These want to be set about 30-45 degrees either side of the felling direction. 4) Working from the back side of the tree you then open up to around 270 degrees of undermining. 5) You then dig out a hole opposite to the felling direction, ensuring the rope is always under tension pulling the tree away from you. 6) Work your back pit out wider At some point the tree will start to fall and you can control it from the rope and undermining of the earth spurs you're left with. When the tree falls it will fall slowly and you have a lot of control, especially if there's a central taproot.I hope that all makes sense.
"I didnt get much done but I learned something so its okay" 💖 wish my parents had a shred of perspective. That split looked pretty scary, glad you tried to find a safer option than the saw
My family has farmed pine trees for several generations. I've seen them knocked down by tornados and wind storms, busted up by lightning, and uprooted but I have never, ever in my life seen a pine tree with a tap root like that!
Another great video! Couldn’t wait to see how you worked in todays sponsor!!! 😂. Really enjoy and look forward to watching your videos! Informative and fun! I love how you dig into things and figure things out and bring us along for the ride! Lol 😂. I also have a Yanmar B50 and I own a tree company with a 80’ tree truck! So everything you do I can relate to! A lot of fun! Thanks man! Can’t wait for the next one 💪
Since you have a quick attach bucket, you could get a large tooth and put a cutting edge on it for slicing through roots, Also, you could put an auger attachment on it with a stump cutter and grind them into the ground leaving the whole root mess alone. Finally, don't forget to utilize your dump truck for getting your firewood, trash and wood to be milled.
After any manscaping is done it is very important to protect the skin by applying Johnson's baby oil to prevent it from drying out. The last thing you need is a rash.
I laughed when I saw you were trying to take the pine tree by the stump! My son-in-law and I spent three days with my mini-ex attempting the same thing. The tree was probably twice the size as the one you did. The tap root on these trees are insane!
Pines naturally throw a tap for water or on rocky terrain. They will also expand the tap preferentially as a sapling if the ground level rises for whatever reason; ploughing etc. Adventitious roots grow above the tap and normal system develops. Obviously it all depends upon the conditions of the pasture 90 years ago and the pine species. Great stuff and excellent video. Thank you for posting.
I have made easy work of tree stumps with a small pile of charcoal briquettes. Especially dead, dry stumps. Just pile a few on top of the stump, light it and your done. It'll burn itself all the way down into the roots with minimal or no actual flames at all.
I have never seen such a big central root! I removed a big stump in my garden with my 1 Ton mini excavator. First removing ground around it, then cleaned everything with a high pressure washer, removed all visible roots... then moved it back and forward with the bucked.... It was a nice work. I also had central roots which broke after some time - but roots like yours are impressive.
In Florida, I've never seen a pine uprooted, even in sugar sand. If the wind is strong enough, the trunk will snap, but the taproot will still be there.
Being near east Texas which is all piney woods it was hilarious watching you try to push over that pine tree. Their tap root is no joke, the trunk basically grows straight down into the ground. I don't think I have ever seen a pine tree uproot even in a hurricane, I only recall seeing them fall when the trunk breaks.
I've got a John Deere 160G sitting down where my 400'x40' chicken coops used to be. They pulled up all the footings and slabs, and loaded the 9 or 10 25cy dumpsters with all the debris. With the right tools, those jobs go pretty fast. Also have a skid steer and JD 550G dozer down there pushing stuff around. SO much faster than my JD 26G mini-ex and Kubota tractor :)
What I have learnt with trees stumps/roots is that if the tree does not have a wide canopy relative to the height the tap root will be thick and strong
Tried to dig out a 180 year old Pine Tree by hand once 21 years ago. STILL DIGGING! I live in western Washington State. We have big fir trees blow over in the wind all the time. Not so much Big Pine trees on the East side of the mountains. I laughed out loud when you stated this pine tree should be easier. I told my Wife, wait'll he sees that tap root! Love your videos. Great sense of tongue in cheek sense of humor.
I have never seen an enormous underground stump like that before. Great video! but please have safe saw pants on for your safety. I think you could push more on the tree if you have the blade in the back, so you don't push up the excavator but in this case, it wouldn't probably not help anyway.
Well, that explains why the episode was sponsored by Manscaped. Separately, i took the family '85 G10 Chevy van across country in the late 90s. Started acting up one day and for two weeks i drove it with zero power and running issues. Found a friend to tear down the carb for the 1st time *I* knew of for a case of beer and found a similar piece of white RTV big enough to make a fishing lure out of plugging a jet. Drove it for 6 months before taking it back across country before it died. Never a dull moment.
As far as digging a large tree with a small excavator, I will keep it in line with your sponsor. I would never tell another man how to maintain his bush.
It all depends on the trees local conditions, a tree that has to go deeper with its tap root for water and nutrients will grow a deeper tap root, trees in wetter environment tend to branch out their primary roots and stay more shallow. That spot that pine was at probably was arid near the surface and needed to go deep to get to the water.
John, one thing I've learnt from using my personal backhoes and rented excavators (all relatively small machines) over the past 40 years is when it comes to removing stumps, technique makes ALL of the difference... The trick I learnt is to focus on both using and enhancing the bucket's curl function. With all of the backhoe/excavators I've used, the curl function can generate the highest ripping force on stumps by far. I'll try to explain what I mean. Let's say there is a large root running left/right in front of you that you need to remove. The intuitive action is just to hook the root and pull but this doesn't work very well. Instead, push the bucket's teeth into the ground directly behind the root and, while continuing to push the bucket into the ground and pushing slightly away from you (yes I do mean away), curl the bucket. This will almost always substantially rip through even large roots (might take a few attempts to fully rip through the largest roots). Once the bucket has ripped through the root to the point the bucket's upper edge is close to horizontal to the ground, now start pulling the bucket towards you while continuing to curl it. That combination of motions takes advantage of the curl strength, combined with pushing down and away, which magnifies the curl strength further. Using this technique, even a small John Deere 1025R or our old 1989 Case 580K (with a failing hydraulic pump) is able to remove large stumps (30"+) with ease. Give it a try. Once you perfect it you will be amazed what your excavator or backhoe can rip through quickly.
I clarified my post above a bit. One thing I should admit is around here it is fairly rare for our trees to have a large tap root. Edit: I didn't have time to watch the last 20 minutes of the video earlier and just watched it now. That was one HUGE tap root! Our pine trees can have tap roots but nothing like that (probably because our property is on bedrock).
They make a ripper attachment for those about 2 feet long. It will really give you an edge on those roots. I am sure you could make one in the shop. We leave it stuck in the ground when not in use. Makes it easy for the quick connection
I always learn something from your videos. Thank you for your attention to detail and your desire to get to root (no pun intended) cause on all of your projects. Keep up the good work.
At least around here, they do teach in school (when you are 10-12 yo) how the most common trees in the area (pine, spruce, birch) form roots. Spruce trees have basicly no taproot, only small(ish) roots to the sides, very near the surface of the ground. They fall over quite easily in the wind, and lift up their roots (and the dirt around them). You definately don't want to hang around them in windy weather, but that's the kind of tree where you could probably dig up the roots and push it over. Pine is pretty much the opposite. It has basicly no roots near the ground surface, but a massive taproot. Pines can take quite a bit of wind, but if it does fall, it'll snap from the trunk, most often 2-5 meters off the ground. Birch is a mixture of the two. No taproot really, but roots go to every direction. These snap of the trunk near the ground, or from the very top of the roots (though in reality these tend to rot first, and then it's anyones guess how it'll fall). It's probably much better to just cut down the tree with a chain saw, and dig out the roots later (if needed). Or at least check the expected root structure online before attemting to dig it out with an excavator.
Your plan of digging the roots out on one side then pushing the tree over is exactly how we do it here in New Zealand when we have to remove trees to build forest roads/ tracks. Mind you, we are normally using 30t Excavators with ‘dangle-head’ grapples. We often have to dig right under the stump on the most stubborn root systems, which the ‘dangle-heads’ allow us to do. On similar sized trees, I work on no more than 5 minutes per tree.
When pushing large trees put blade behind you and keep pushing from every direction, kind of like paper clip, eventually it will snap. You deserve a cold beer after all that. Cheers
I was fully expecting the Johnson joke with the sponsor. The one I was NOT expecting was the "just me or does that thing look bigger" I died laughing... To good. Love it hahaha
In my not-knowin-a-millionth-of-what-you-know mind, I would think the smaller the equipment is, the farther from the tree to start. Where the smaller parts of the roots are. Love your videos. You teach good.
If you follow BATFE guidelines on transport, amount, etc. you can use black powder or tannerite to "split" the stump into pieces. Much easier to remove in chunks than whole and you can fell the the traditionally. Plus it's great fun.
Sadly, youtube doesn't seem to like content where stuff goes boom. Cody'sLab used to do mining with explosives but stopped because every video would get demonetized iirc.
Hey John, you should probably add a rod-guard, something that protects the rod from getting dinks and dents. Could be some 5mm that's just bolted to the moving part of the zylinder. Only needs to be as long as the zylinder itself. Btw, thing's awesome!
The method/equipment I use for such tasks is primarily a ripper tooth on my mini excavator. It makes it so much easier to cut the roots. Also, I dig thenfrontside and the rear to cut the roots and to give a relief area for the tree to pull the stump over. Naturally, you wouldn't want to do that if it's windy since the wind may blow the tree over when you're not prepared for it. I hollow out as much as I can on the side that I want it to fall. I don't know if any of this would have made a difference on that pine tree after seeing the size of the tap root. I've never encountered a pine with a tap root that size. Also, always be careful when pushing against a dead tree like that. I've had limbs to fall close by and have seen the top of the tree fall backwards when pushing the tree with the excavator. It's dangerous work for sure. You don't want to drop a tree on your Johnson.
John I myself would recommend you putting frost teeth on your Mim excavator which will allow you to do and cut through root’s much easier and around things much easier and faster. As well other things . Not to mention easier on your Machine
Your idea to cut down a tree with an excavator is absolutely right. Unfortunately, your excavator is too small for such large trees. I live in Finland and had an excavator driver take down a pine without a problem, but he had a much bigger machine. If I remember correctly, he dug the pit on the side he fell the tree towards. He told me, the best way to get a stump up is to fell it with ajan excavator. It took 15 minutes for him too fell the tree.😮
I just noticed the loader control on your tractor has you really extended out when you’re using it. My family has had Kubota tractors and backhoes for years and none of ours would have us reaching that far out of the seat to control it. Did something happen to it or is there an adjustment that can be made to bring it closer to you?
@@gnaedigerfels There are pedants everywhere doing their best to "one up" some person at any chance possible. Ahhh - the internet - what a platform to act smart from mom's basement. SMH
Dig out the spot you want to push from first to break the roots then pile everything else in that spot. Then get on top of the pile and push from there. This gives a higher push point on the tree and makes a big difference in leverage. Also, when digging stumps it helps sometimes to try to twist them out instead of pushing or pulling them over. Grab on side at ground level and try to unscrew it.
Although cutting the tree down and leaving the stump is probably the best course of action out that huge field. I think the bigger opportunity here is for you to have a reason to buy a much bigger excavator. Oh yeah!!! That will better match the size of your Johnson. 😮
You wore me out just watching this. Last time it was the video fixing the generator. That got old pretty quickly. I like videos like the one where you fixed a steel shaft by filling in dings with a welder and then smoothed it perfectly with your milling machine. That was facinating. More please. 👍
Good to see that Masdam Rope Puller in action. That's one of the unsung heroes of the homestead, imo, and way better than a cable comealong. Never would have thought to use it's own rope to anchor it like that. Genius! Seriously.
I live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle and Tacoma. I just had several Douglas Firs taken down, after having had one fall during a big wind storm a few years ago (thankfully away from the house). The root systems don't seem to have any rhyme nor reason as to where they will spread. One of the trees had a root that was perpendicular to and 18 inches around at the trunk, and still 12 inches when it finally plunged further underground. We ended up digging around it, then cutting it about 8 feet from the trunk. That made for a great place to hook on a chain and pull the stump in the opposite direction; I was actually able to pull it out wit my Chevy Silverado 3500 in 4WD (with street tires!!). I have rented a stump grinder to shave a few of them down, but it never seems to go deep enough, and you wind up with a hump in the yard. Perhaps you have already answered this question below, but here goes: You just spent a lot of time and money rebuilding your JLG boom lift. Why not bring those trees down in pieces? Finally, did your Johnson complain about itching after you shaved it???
Very entertaining and educational. From my bad experience there are pros and cons to the mini-excavator vs tree method. Pros: safer for less experienced fellers, stump comes out. Cons: wear and tear on excavator, can take longer than cutting. I've got about 20 similar sized pines on my land to remove at this time. Several are inclined in the direction of my neighbors power lines. Am I worried? A little, but they've not been real nice to me since I purchased the 4 acres next to them and then reclaimed half an acre they had been encroaching on for the last 20 years, not to mention the ton of junk they dumped on it. I feel your pain in this video, but I have an idea. I'm going to fell one with my chainsaw, then rig up some pulleys and pull the stump straight up. I'll dig around it first and break up the main side roots. I don't see how the tap root can resist the upward force. Should be interesting.
I have done hundreds of these in my younger years. Never back-drag teeth when digging out trees and don't run your saws in the dirt! You keep digging... Pushing occasionally will gauge progress, but also allows the fines to fall into the fractures in the soil and gain purchase near the end. Then you keep digging some more. You best plan on 45 rounds with regard to digging and not just three. Do not damage your machine fighting big roots. It is the many small roots attached to the big ones that you should concentrate on first. Backfill to create a pad for better approach in other areas. It is lateral roots that hold the tree upright under tension and the stump acts as the fulcrum. Trees will not fall quickly with the stump attached while in the hole. Backfilling may be used to retard a fall. Members of the Salicaceae (poplar and willow) put roots anywhere they can. Pines have a decent tap root, but the wood will be soft with little reaction wood and would not have supported your pine with repeated easy pushing if enough soil was removed around it. Sweetgum taproots are terrible and a cypress stump I dug out with a dragline one time was a murderous six foot elongated cone cemented in clay. The final lateral root holding a tree in place is the one you seldom see, so you just keep digging until resistance grows limp when you push. You get your tree to where it is on a pillar of soil that will easily fracture. Deep roots have little reaction wood, you can dig at them, but don't be a hog and damage your machine. You will mostly know when these are ready to fall through experience. The fines and rocks falling into fractures are a key to progress so again, gently rocking a lose tree may not be a waste of time. The center of balance does begin to gradually change and they no longer laugh. Once the tree is down, you stump it first. I used to do this with a Poulan Super 72 bow saw. You may to a tunnel cut with a bar blade on the small Stihl and then go downward leaving only perhaps a three inch thick strap of wood on the topside to hold the trunk to the stump. Do the top cut at a 45 degree angel from the crown side going inward toward the main cut and open the cut if necessary. DO NOT pinch your saw in this situation! You may have to stand in a loader bucket to do this on a big tree. The trunk will drop downward quickly from the stump if you do this correctly with no wedges involved. The stump and root mass generally roll backward if it has plenty of soil with it or otherwise stays in place and cutting the stump short to achieve this favorable weight distribution highly recommended. The rest of the tree will lay flatter and be much safer to cut up. We used to take trees down with 955 CAT track loaders, a tool of choice for lot clearing in the Houston area. I have also taken down a few trees with a 580 Case TLB using the back bucket with similar techniques. After the trees were pushed over, I would stump them, limb them, and then top them. We sold the logs. Many of the trees were as big or bigger than these, mostly Loblolly or Slash Pine and an occasional oak. Using a bow blade took some patience and planning in removing multiple wedges to reach the center of the trunk on a big tree. A bow blade on a 92cc gear-drive saw cuts through softwood trees in little time, but I do not advise anyone ever buy an old bow saw on eBay or wherever if you are not familiar with them and do not understand how deadly they can be.
When you are pushing with your excavator you should turn it around and use the blade as an anchor on the back will give you a lot more purchase and use the weight of the excavator
Take the time and dig it out. You will be happier with the results. With that said, you may want to weld up a root ripper / stump digger to make it easier and faster.
John..Thank you for the entertainment and education that I received from watching your video. I'm sure its only a matter of time before a big time Hollywood producer comes knocking at your door for you to direct one of their movies!
Cut it, cover the stump with soil, in a few years the stump will be gone. Pine trees roots goes strait down, no point in digging , Thank you sir for another great video! I have learned a lot from them! 👍
John next time you do some big trees dont be nervous to dig out the front side of the tree. It does seem sketchy, but those monsters tap roots hold tremendously
I don’t know why are you complaining took too long because we as the audience we thoroughly enjoyed it so it’s worth the video time that you took to make. It is shows us the struggles that farmers have and how they get around the problems which is what your show does. Keep up the good work❤❤❤❤❤
DIY Stump grinder for your MINI excavator would be cool to see. I bet you not many other RUclipsrs would have. Change out the bucket for Stump attachment. 😎
I can second the use of the carbide blade on a sawzall. I had a smaller stump I took out last year. After rapidly dulling my chainsaw and normal sawzall blades, I bought the carbide blades. Even after all the cutting I had done in the dirt, the carbide blade was just as sharp as when I started using it.
That is good advice. I have cut many roots big and small with a cordless sawzall and heavy demo blades. The dirt will dull them but only after very many cuts.
If you're left track is running slower than the right I've had this in the past it turned out to be the left hand drive motor was weak new or regen or refurbish it yourself
Get 20% off + free shipping @manscaped with code FARMCRAFT at mnscpd.com/farmcraft101 #teammanscaped. Have a fantastic weekend everybody!!
manscaping some deadwood🤣🤣
Nothing like a clean Johnson ! 👍😂
Is this a real thing? Serious question? Why cant we be happy the way we are? Please don't do anymore of these advertisements.
@@beaumershon3066 yes it's a real thing and his advertisement was less then 10 seconds grow up everyone Grooms
You are expecting to much of what equipment you are using.
As soon as I heard the sponsor, I waited for the Johnson joke and was not disappointed.
tooks me sometime to figure it out what "Johnson" is.. 😂😂😂
I was GOing to as.k you where you were from I live in Buffalo ny and did that for a living machine repair on the road
Can you imagine how hard it was to clear stumps from farming land with horse/ox power before advent of heavy machinery? Massive repect for those Fellas.
fire helps alot.
Pullys
Dynamite!
Took a lifetime! It's amazing what people were able to achieve back then, nothing but hard work and sweat.
Check out the machine that they came up with when they were digging the Erie canal
Operated heavy equipment for 26 years and never seen a root that big underground! Great job!!!
It's common for pines in my area, my brother was cutting some down thinking he could dig up the roots lol. He got a nice surprise, them tap roots are as big as the tree and go deep into the ground.
Why were you underground looking for a big root is the main question here 😂
John, I think I've seen every one of your videos and you never cease to amaze me. The amount of detail you put into them with explaining what you're doing, why you're doing it, and what not to do in some situations is definitely what I would call "Life lessons". I learn something every time I watch one of them.
Thanks for doing it and uploading the videos.
Oh now you want him to Tim Allen that sucker!
Cut it down-the poplar.
i can't agree more i love his videos
Hey John. Your problem with the tracking is probably in your travel motors. Over time one motor will become weaker than the other allowing the dominant motor to “take over” as you travel. I’m in the excavation business and have seen this on several excavators. Also, yeah I would’ve sawed those big ass trees down. Way to small of a machine for those monsters. (But hey, that would have made for a boring video lol) Love your content man. Great stuff brother.
Maybe the valve seals also
Zero turn transaxles will sometimes do that too
@@gatewaysolo104 yep, my JD zero turn has provisions to limit one of the motors travel so you can match the two motors speeds and mow straight.
If you are gonna have to take more large trees down then consider either fabricating or buying a single tooth shank/root ripper. It will concentrate all of your available breakout force on the single tine and make ripping roots easier for the small machine. Another option (If you have one) Is a terrasaur blade (might be a brand name?) for a petrol cut off saw. It will cut through roots, soil, nails, old fence wire, bolts etc unhindered. We use them in demolition cutting timber with foreign contamination, and have cut many tree roots in tight spaces to great effect.
Addressing the "Fill the hole with water" thoughts you had, (and again this is what we do rather than what you SHOULD do 😉) We use a pressure washer with pencil jet and turbo nozzle to both cut through soil and also smaller root balls. Running a trash pump in the hole prevents creating an outdoor swimming pool as you work. It gets almost all the soil out from amongst the roots so you cold even cut them with a chainsaw.
Try cutting the tree down first, da.
@@bobspring6723 We do, but how does that help John dig out a massive root ball and stump with the machine he has?
@Bill Forrest I agree take the whole stump out while it's still attached to that big leaver. Waste more time digging out stumps from cut trees than ones that are standing.
One thing I noticed that might help you while pushing over trees, make sure you have your blade behind you not in front of you. When you lower it, it will add stability and you’ll be able to push with more force. I have pushed over several large trees this way. Good luck best wishes.
I grew up in an area that is fairly dry and is mostly forested with pine trees. When they fall or get blown down it almost always seemed to be the trunk that would break. I was so surprised when I moved to the coast and saw trees that blew down that had these huge masses of roots that seemed so close to the surface. I guess this explains why they don't uproot so much! Maybe it depends on the species? The ones native to drier climates must have bigger tap roots to get down to the water they need.
Pines (Pinaceae) can form huge taproots. It depends on the ground if they develop deep taproots or if they stay more shallow and form several smaller taproots.
I would geuss it also makes a difference if the tree was planted or grew by itself.
The lodge pole pines where I grew up blew over all the time and took their root balls with them. That was in a very dry climate. Usually if they were formally in a forested sheltered forested area that was developed they would blow over.
A lot of times I've noticed it is diseased trees that go over. If I try to mill dead trees only about 1 in 10 is actually any good meaning it is an utter waste of time for the hobbyist sawmiller to try and cut lumber out of them.
What it is telling me is that for the most part they fall over for a reason not immediately apparent until you get inside them. 10% of the time a healthy tree falls over because of soil saturation combined with wind or another diseased tree causing a chain reaction.
Same, I'm near the piney woods but it's not a dry area and I don't think I have seen one uproot. They have massive tap roots just like this one.
👌👍
In my experience of 20+ yrs digging versus cutting I’ve learned you have to dig all the way around and go deep. It’s amazing the strength in the root system. Very hard for the tree to just fall over.
Wow, a rare appearance by Mrs Farmcraft101 😍🙌😎
Me again. On the second tree, you really do not need to cut the tap root. I've done hundreds that size. You dug well on the side at the timestamp 40:01. You need to now angle your excavator perpendicular to the area you dug and do ALL sides that deep and it will push over easily. With your excavator I could take that out in 30 mins to give you an idea of how fast it should take with that sized excavator. I think you may be scared the tree will fall if you dig on the other side, but trust me, it will not.
Don't worry about the tree falling, it won't even if you dig 100% around it, and you need to dig 100% around it. If the tree ever did start to fall, use your excavator boom to push it away, but I've done hundreds like these and they never fall.
I think this comment is right on. Once dug around 360° it would still take the boom to push it over and the only real concern would be a heavy wind.
If you don't know that there's a 30 inch wide tap running 10ft down? Better safe than sorry.
Funny how we learn about trees in elementary school here in Finland, Pine trees got one big central root and spruce spreads their roots shallow. That's why the spruce commonly falls in storms.
I was about to comment on the same thing. Pine is the most common tree species here in Finland.
Pine is well known for their huge central tap root. Makes them incredibly wind resistant. I live in Sweden and when we have had big storms, the pines rather snap than uproot. But on soft ground, they can do, and then there is always that huge tap root of several meters pointing straight out from under the root ball.
It's one of those things you get so far into it you won't let it win.
Hello John, I’ve got a mini ex E 42 and a 2 foot bucket is hard to dig out stumps. I always use a 1 foot bucket and it works great another thing with a mini ex. If you turn it on put the blade behind you you can use the hydraulics in your blade to help push over the tree, that works pretty slick. Just an idea or something for you to try great video.
As with other comments, a tungsten carbide chain is super handy when cutting anywhere near dirt. I have a carbide chain for both my big saw and medium saw. In fact I now have the carbide chain permanently on my medium saw. A freshly sharpened steel chain will out cut a carbide chain, but my medium saw gets used for cutting all sorts of rubbish and has to be constantly re-sharpened. I now stick with the carbide. You'll need diamond files to sharpen the carbide teeth.
Jon, your sense of humor is GREAT! I didn't see that coming. hahaha
Seeing that stubborn stump reminds me of why grandpa always said, "get the dynamite"!
John, after watching few of your videos, I found it interesting and I've already subscribed to your channel few days back. I appreciate the way you handle your job with every detail of what and how you are doing. Your job is always a one man army job no matter how difficult the nature of the work is. And I hope to see more of your great videos ahead. All the best.
In horse and buggy days, the farmer did the tedious part with an axe, but, don't underestimate the power of a good team of draft horses. I've seen them do some pretty amazing things. Hey, it looked like you had a lot of fun doing it with diesels! When I was a kid, "The Dutch Elm Disease" killed all the Elms. An exquisitely beautiful 60' tree with a straight trunk and dense spherical crown, that always reminded me of a Broccoli crown They made excellent shade and people planted them everywhere. Planted up and down roads they would join over the road making a tunnel of shade. But they all died when I was about 15. We cut them all down using a 2 man crosscut saw called a "Swedish fiddle." We burned the stumps with the limbs from the tree. That's how we got rid of them. ben/ michigan
When pushing over trees with smaller excavators you need to use the tractive force over the hydraulic force. Plant your bucket in optimal position and track forward once it's well dug out. You'll be limited on reach obviously higher the better
The way I was taught to fell a tree by undermining the roots was:
1) Tie it off in the direction you don't want it to fall, no tension you just want to stop the tree falling.
2) Undermine tree and take out the roots on the side you want the tree to fall and slowly work your way around the "front" 180 taking a bit from one side then the other.
3) Once that's done you pull the tree in the felling direction and put some tension on the roaps. These want to be set about 30-45 degrees either side of the felling direction.
4) Working from the back side of the tree you then open up to around 270 degrees of undermining.
5) You then dig out a hole opposite to the felling direction, ensuring the rope is always under tension pulling the tree away from you.
6) Work your back pit out wider
At some point the tree will start to fall and you can control it from the rope and undermining of the earth spurs you're left with. When the tree falls it will fall slowly and you have a lot of control, especially if there's a central taproot.I hope that all makes sense.
That is a great explanation and it seems like the safest method.
"I didnt get much done but I learned something so its okay" 💖
wish my parents had a shred of perspective.
That split looked pretty scary, glad you tried to find a safer option than the saw
Now the whisper in the air for manscape was very funny. Thank you very much
My family has farmed pine trees for several generations. I've seen them knocked down by tornados and wind storms, busted up by lightning, and uprooted but I have never, ever in my life seen a pine tree with a tap root like that!
@ 23:32 That makes 1 sit back;... think of the awesome power of the wind when they push over a Tree of that size...
Another great video! Couldn’t wait to see how you worked in todays sponsor!!! 😂.
Really enjoy and look forward to watching your videos! Informative and fun! I love how you dig into things and figure things out and bring us along for the ride! Lol 😂. I also have a Yanmar B50 and I own a tree company with a 80’ tree truck! So everything you do I can relate to! A lot of fun! Thanks man! Can’t wait for the next one 💪
Each control behind the panel has its own grease fitting, It matters!! VIO 40 owner 18yrs
Since you have a quick attach bucket, you could get a large tooth and put a cutting edge on it for slicing through roots, Also, you could put an auger attachment on it with a stump cutter and grind them into the ground leaving the whole root mess alone. Finally, don't forget to utilize your dump truck for getting your firewood, trash and wood to be milled.
After any manscaping is done it is very important to protect the skin by applying Johnson's baby oil to prevent it from drying out. The last thing you need is a rash.
I laughed when I saw you were trying to take the pine tree by the stump! My son-in-law and I spent three days with my mini-ex attempting the same thing. The tree was probably twice the size as the one you did. The tap root on these trees are insane!
Gotta love those pine tree tap roots!
Pines naturally throw a tap for water or on rocky terrain. They will also expand the tap preferentially as a sapling if the ground level rises for whatever reason; ploughing etc. Adventitious roots grow above the tap and normal system develops. Obviously it all depends upon the conditions of the pasture 90 years ago and the pine species. Great stuff and excellent video. Thank you for posting.
I have made easy work of tree stumps with a small pile of charcoal briquettes. Especially dead, dry stumps. Just pile a few on top of the stump, light it and your done. It'll burn itself all the way down into the roots with minimal or no actual flames at all.
I have never seen such a big central root! I removed a big stump in my garden with my 1 Ton mini excavator. First removing ground around it, then cleaned everything with a high pressure washer, removed all visible roots... then moved it back and forward with the bucked.... It was a nice work. I also had central roots which broke after some time - but roots like yours are impressive.
In Florida, I've never seen a pine uprooted, even in sugar sand. If the wind is strong enough, the trunk will snap, but the taproot will still be there.
Being near east Texas which is all piney woods it was hilarious watching you try to push over that pine tree. Their tap root is no joke, the trunk basically grows straight down into the ground. I don't think I have ever seen a pine tree uproot even in a hurricane, I only recall seeing them fall when the trunk breaks.
Those tap roots will get you every time.
I've got a John Deere 160G sitting down where my 400'x40' chicken coops used to be. They pulled up all the footings and slabs, and loaded the 9 or 10 25cy dumpsters with all the debris. With the right tools, those jobs go pretty fast. Also have a skid steer and JD 550G dozer down there pushing stuff around. SO much faster than my JD 26G mini-ex and Kubota tractor :)
Using the axe for almost no time at all and then "to heck with the chain to I can sharpen it" spoke to my soul😂
What I have learnt with trees stumps/roots is that if the tree does not have a wide canopy relative to the height the tap root will be thick and strong
Those taproots will make amazig firelighters.
With all the work you have around the farm, I'd be getting a much bigger machine.
Tried to dig out a 180 year old Pine Tree by hand once 21 years ago. STILL DIGGING! I live in western Washington State. We have big fir trees blow over in the wind all the time. Not so much Big Pine trees on the East side of the mountains. I laughed out loud when you stated this pine tree should be easier. I told my Wife, wait'll he sees that tap root! Love your videos. Great sense of tongue in cheek sense of humor.
I have never seen an enormous underground stump like that before. Great video! but please have safe saw pants on for your safety. I think you could push more on the tree if you have the blade in the back, so you don't push up the excavator but in this case, it wouldn't probably not help anyway.
if you flip one loop on your frog hitch 180 it'll be a clove hitch, which has better hold in this application. Love your content!
Well, that explains why the episode was sponsored by Manscaped.
Separately, i took the family '85 G10 Chevy van across country in the late 90s. Started acting up one day and for two weeks i drove it with zero power and running issues. Found a friend to tear down the carb for the 1st time *I* knew of for a case of beer and found a similar piece of white RTV big enough to make a fishing lure out of plugging a jet. Drove it for 6 months before taking it back across country before it died. Never a dull moment.
As far as digging a large tree with a small excavator, I will keep it in line with your sponsor. I would never tell another man how to maintain his bush.
ADD FLOW CONTROL VALVES TO THE LINES! You can adjust the amount of uneven flow, and fix the steering.
It all depends on the trees local conditions, a tree that has to go deeper with its tap root for water and nutrients will grow a deeper tap root, trees in wetter environment tend to branch out their primary roots and stay more shallow. That spot that pine was at probably was arid near the surface and needed to go deep to get to the water.
John, one thing I've learnt from using my personal backhoes and rented excavators (all relatively small machines) over the past 40 years is when it comes to removing stumps, technique makes ALL of the difference...
The trick I learnt is to focus on both using and enhancing the bucket's curl function. With all of the backhoe/excavators I've used, the curl function can generate the highest ripping force on stumps by far. I'll try to explain what I mean.
Let's say there is a large root running left/right in front of you that you need to remove. The intuitive action is just to hook the root and pull but this doesn't work very well.
Instead, push the bucket's teeth into the ground directly behind the root and, while continuing to push the bucket into the ground and pushing slightly away from you (yes I do mean away), curl the bucket. This will almost always substantially rip through even large roots (might take a few attempts to fully rip through the largest roots).
Once the bucket has ripped through the root to the point the bucket's upper edge is close to horizontal to the ground, now start pulling the bucket towards you while continuing to curl it.
That combination of motions takes advantage of the curl strength, combined with pushing down and away, which magnifies the curl strength further.
Using this technique, even a small John Deere 1025R or our old 1989 Case 580K (with a failing hydraulic pump) is able to remove large stumps (30"+) with ease.
Give it a try. Once you perfect it you will be amazed what your excavator or backhoe can rip through quickly.
I clarified my post above a bit.
One thing I should admit is around here it is fairly rare for our trees to have a large tap root.
Edit: I didn't have time to watch the last 20 minutes of the video earlier and just watched it now. That was one HUGE tap root! Our pine trees can have tap roots but nothing like that (probably because our property is on bedrock).
They make a ripper attachment for those about 2 feet long. It will really give you an edge on those roots. I am sure you could make one in the shop. We leave it stuck in the ground when not in use. Makes it easy for the quick connection
I always learn something from your videos. Thank you for your attention to detail and your desire to get to root (no pun intended) cause on all of your projects. Keep up the good work.
At least around here, they do teach in school (when you are 10-12 yo) how the most common trees in the area (pine, spruce, birch) form roots. Spruce trees have basicly no taproot, only small(ish) roots to the sides, very near the surface of the ground. They fall over quite easily in the wind, and lift up their roots (and the dirt around them). You definately don't want to hang around them in windy weather, but that's the kind of tree where you could probably dig up the roots and push it over. Pine is pretty much the opposite. It has basicly no roots near the ground surface, but a massive taproot. Pines can take quite a bit of wind, but if it does fall, it'll snap from the trunk, most often 2-5 meters off the ground. Birch is a mixture of the two. No taproot really, but roots go to every direction. These snap of the trunk near the ground, or from the very top of the roots (though in reality these tend to rot first, and then it's anyones guess how it'll fall).
It's probably much better to just cut down the tree with a chain saw, and dig out the roots later (if needed). Or at least check the expected root structure online before attemting to dig it out with an excavator.
Your plan of digging the roots out on one side then pushing the tree over is exactly how we do it here in New Zealand when we have to remove trees to build forest roads/ tracks. Mind you, we are normally using 30t Excavators with ‘dangle-head’ grapples. We often have to dig right under the stump on the most stubborn root systems, which the ‘dangle-heads’ allow us to do. On similar sized trees, I work on no more than 5 minutes per tree.
try a trencher to cut the roots on all 4 sides. Then push.
When pushing large trees put blade behind you and keep pushing from every direction, kind of like paper clip, eventually it will snap. You deserve a cold beer after all that. Cheers
I was fully expecting the Johnson joke with the sponsor. The one I was NOT expecting was the "just me or does that thing look bigger" I died laughing... To good. Love it hahaha
In my not-knowin-a-millionth-of-what-you-know mind, I would think the smaller the equipment is, the farther from the tree to start. Where the smaller parts of the roots are. Love your videos. You teach good.
If you follow BATFE guidelines on transport, amount, etc. you can use black powder or tannerite to "split" the stump into pieces. Much easier to remove in chunks than whole and you can fell the the traditionally. Plus it's great fun.
Sadly, youtube doesn't seem to like content where stuff goes boom.
Cody'sLab used to do mining with explosives but stopped because every video would get demonetized iirc.
Ah yes, the Ordnance Lab method of tree removal. XD
Hey John, you should probably add a rod-guard, something that protects the rod from getting dinks and dents. Could be some 5mm that's just bolted to the moving part of the zylinder. Only needs to be as long as the zylinder itself.
Btw, thing's awesome!
The method/equipment I use for such tasks is primarily a ripper tooth on my mini excavator. It makes it so much easier to cut the roots. Also, I dig thenfrontside and the rear to cut the roots and to give a relief area for the tree to pull the stump over. Naturally, you wouldn't want to do that if it's windy since the wind may blow the tree over when you're not prepared for it. I hollow out as much as I can on the side that I want it to fall. I don't know if any of this would have made a difference on that pine tree after seeing the size of the tap root. I've never encountered a pine with a tap root that size.
Also, always be careful when pushing against a dead tree like that. I've had limbs to fall close by and have seen the top of the tree fall backwards when pushing the tree with the excavator. It's dangerous work for sure. You don't want to drop a tree on your Johnson.
Good job. Remember a stump is almost forever. Much easier to have the momentum of the whole tree to get it -the stump- out.
Next time, dynamite... 😉
John
I myself would recommend you putting frost teeth on your Mim excavator which will allow you to do and cut through root’s much easier and around things much easier and faster. As well other things . Not to mention easier on your Machine
Your idea to cut down a tree with an excavator is absolutely right. Unfortunately, your excavator is too small for such large trees. I live in Finland and had an excavator driver take down a pine without a problem, but he had a much bigger machine. If I remember correctly, he dug the pit on the side he fell the tree towards. He told me, the best way to get a stump up is to fell it with ajan excavator. It took 15 minutes for him too fell the tree.😮
Jon buy a ripper attachment. Tears through roots pretty well. I don't even use the bucket for tree and stump removal anymore.
I just noticed the loader control on your tractor has you really extended out when you’re using it. My family has had Kubota tractors and backhoes for years and none of ours would have us reaching that far out of the seat to control it. Did something happen to it or is there an adjustment that can be made to bring it closer to you?
It could be adjusted but I don't mind it where it is. It's out of my way for getting on and off the machine on that side.
@@FarmCraft101 having been a fan of yours for a while I’m not surprised there’s a practical reason for it.
@@TF856 Read the comment above again....
The comment says loader control on your TRACTOR
@@gnaedigerfels There are pedants everywhere doing their best to "one up" some person at any chance possible.
Ahhh - the internet - what a platform to act smart from mom's basement. SMH
@@edpoints1127 Aren't you doing the same with your pseudo-intellectual condescending comment ?
Dig out the spot you want to push from first to break the roots then pile everything else in that spot. Then get on top of the pile and push from there. This gives a higher push point on the tree and makes a big difference in leverage. Also, when digging stumps it helps sometimes to try to twist them out instead of pushing or pulling them over. Grab on side at ground level and try to unscrew it.
Although cutting the tree down and leaving the stump is probably the best course of action out that huge field. I think the bigger opportunity here is for you to have a reason to buy a much bigger excavator. Oh yeah!!! That will better match the size of your Johnson. 😮
Lighting has a tendency to split the wood, depending on the severity of the strike.
Vaporizes the water in the trunk.
Notice how much quicker he worked after he shaved his balls?
Hahaha!
Ahhh, the joys of tap roots...I was conjuring up images in my head from my old Boy Scout Handbook as you were digging that pine. 😀
Woah farmcrafts wife is hot!
You wore me out just watching this. Last time it was the video fixing the generator. That got old pretty quickly.
I like videos like the one where you fixed a steel shaft by filling in dings with a welder and then smoothed it perfectly with your milling machine. That was facinating. More please.
👍
I'm not usually a "fan" of the commercial, but this one was pretty good. Reversing the bucket was something I'd never even thought of. Very nice!
You should look at "Walnut and Wineberry" for hints on using snatch blocks. Good luck, Bill
Good to see that Masdam Rope Puller in action. That's one of the unsung heroes of the homestead, imo, and way better than a cable comealong. Never would have thought to use it's own rope to anchor it like that. Genius! Seriously.
I take it as a good sign whenever you post a new video. It means you haven't killed yourself yet! I'm "rooting" for you!!!
I live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle and Tacoma. I just had several Douglas Firs taken down, after having had one fall during a big wind storm a few years ago (thankfully away from the house). The root systems don't seem to have any rhyme nor reason as to where they will spread. One of the trees had a root that was perpendicular to and 18 inches around at the trunk, and still 12 inches when it finally plunged further underground. We ended up digging around it, then cutting it about 8 feet from the trunk. That made for a great place to hook on a chain and pull the stump in the opposite direction; I was actually able to pull it out wit my Chevy Silverado 3500 in 4WD (with street tires!!). I have rented a stump grinder to shave a few of them down, but it never seems to go deep enough, and you wind up with a hump in the yard.
Perhaps you have already answered this question below, but here goes: You just spent a lot of time and money rebuilding your JLG boom lift. Why not bring those trees down in pieces?
Finally, did your Johnson complain about itching after you shaved it???
Very entertaining and educational. From my bad experience there are pros and cons to the mini-excavator vs tree method.
Pros: safer for less experienced fellers, stump comes out.
Cons: wear and tear on excavator, can take longer than cutting.
I've got about 20 similar sized pines on my land to remove at this time. Several are inclined in the direction of my neighbors power lines. Am I worried? A little, but they've not been real nice to me since I purchased the 4 acres next to them and then reclaimed half an acre they had been encroaching on for the last 20 years, not to mention the ton of junk they dumped on it.
I feel your pain in this video, but I have an idea. I'm going to fell one with my chainsaw, then rig up some pulleys and pull the stump straight up. I'll dig around it first and break up the main side roots. I don't see how the tap root can resist the upward force. Should be interesting.
I have done hundreds of these in my younger years. Never back-drag teeth when digging out trees and don't run your saws in the dirt! You keep digging... Pushing occasionally will gauge progress, but also allows the fines to fall into the fractures in the soil and gain purchase near the end. Then you keep digging some more. You best plan on 45 rounds with regard to digging and not just three. Do not damage your machine fighting big roots. It is the many small roots attached to the big ones that you should concentrate on first. Backfill to create a pad for better approach in other areas. It is lateral roots that hold the tree upright under tension and the stump acts as the fulcrum. Trees will not fall quickly with the stump attached while in the hole. Backfilling may be used to retard a fall. Members of the Salicaceae (poplar and willow) put roots anywhere they can. Pines have a decent tap root, but the wood will be soft with little reaction wood and would not have supported your pine with repeated easy pushing if enough soil was removed around it. Sweetgum taproots are terrible and a cypress stump I dug out with a dragline one time was a murderous six foot elongated cone cemented in clay. The final lateral root holding a tree in place is the one you seldom see, so you just keep digging until resistance grows limp when you push. You get your tree to where it is on a pillar of soil that will easily fracture. Deep roots have little reaction wood, you can dig at them, but don't be a hog and damage your machine. You will mostly know when these are ready to fall through experience. The fines and rocks falling into fractures are a key to progress so again, gently rocking a lose tree may not be a waste of time. The center of balance does begin to gradually change and they no longer laugh. Once the tree is down, you stump it first. I used to do this with a Poulan Super 72 bow saw. You may to a tunnel cut with a bar blade on the small Stihl and then go downward leaving only perhaps a three inch thick strap of wood on the topside to hold the trunk to the stump. Do the top cut at a 45 degree angel from the crown side going inward toward the main cut and open the cut if necessary. DO NOT pinch your saw in this situation! You may have to stand in a loader bucket to do this on a big tree. The trunk will drop downward quickly from the stump if you do this correctly with no wedges involved. The stump and root mass generally roll backward if it has plenty of soil with it or otherwise stays in place and cutting the stump short to achieve this favorable weight distribution highly recommended. The rest of the tree will lay flatter and be much safer to cut up. We used to take trees down with 955 CAT track loaders, a tool of choice for lot clearing in the Houston area. I have also taken down a few trees with a 580 Case TLB using the back bucket with similar techniques. After the trees were pushed over, I would stump them, limb them, and then top them. We sold the logs. Many of the trees were as big or bigger than these, mostly Loblolly or Slash Pine and an occasional oak. Using a bow blade took some patience and planning in removing multiple wedges to reach the center of the trunk on a big tree. A bow blade on a 92cc gear-drive saw cuts through softwood trees in little time, but I do not advise anyone ever buy an old bow saw on eBay or wherever if you are not familiar with them and do not understand how deadly they can be.
When you are pushing with your excavator you should turn it around and use the blade as an anchor on the back will give you a lot more purchase and use the weight of the excavator
Take the time and dig it out. You will be happier with the results. With that said, you may want to weld up a root ripper / stump digger to make it easier and faster.
Three's roots are simple, what you see on top, you have in the ground.
Bushi top, Bushi roots, narrow long top, narrow long roots.
John..Thank you for the entertainment and education that I received from watching your video. I'm sure its only a matter of time before a big time Hollywood producer comes knocking at your door for you to direct one of their movies!
Cut it, cover the stump with soil, in a few years the stump will be gone. Pine trees roots goes strait down, no point in digging , Thank you sir for another great video! I have learned a lot from them! 👍
Tree roots can make a beautiful table
I discovered that Pine trees do have BIG tap roots years ago..... that's how they can sway so wildly in the wind !
John next time you do some big trees dont be nervous to dig out the front side of the tree. It does seem sketchy, but those monsters tap roots hold tremendously
That Manscaped ad was pretty good!
I don’t know why are you complaining took too long because we as the audience we thoroughly enjoyed it so it’s worth the video time that you took to make. It is shows us the struggles that farmers have and how they get around the problems which is what your show does. Keep up the good work❤❤❤❤❤
Your wife has something that works... YOU!!!! Keep it up!
It's amazing how tenacious an old, dead tree can be
DIY Stump grinder for your MINI excavator would be cool to see. I bet you not many other RUclipsrs would have. Change out the bucket for Stump attachment. 😎
🤣Johnson LMFAO...you are a total mad man Jon
Another great video. I use a 10 inch carbide blade on a sazall for dirt roots. I have taken many trees out by hand or with a small machine.
I can second the use of the carbide blade on a sawzall. I had a smaller stump I took out last year. After rapidly dulling my chainsaw and normal sawzall blades, I bought the carbide blades. Even after all the cutting I had done in the dirt, the carbide blade was just as sharp as when I started using it.
That is good advice. I have cut many roots big and small with a cordless sawzall and heavy demo blades. The dirt will dull them but only after very many cuts.
If you're left track is running slower than the right I've had this in the past it turned out to be the left hand drive motor was weak new or regen or refurbish it yourself
I think it is time to invest in a stump grinder it is just so satisfying