trying to get rid old tree stump?

[jape]

Big felling axe is probably nearly as dangerous as a chainsaw in some ways, in the wrong hands.

'
Yeah Dave, as you imply, they can turn and bounce and get stuck etc. and the worse is a skid off as it happens so quickly - but we are talking to adults I assume? Most of it is commonsense and the scars teach the rest. We all started somewhere! And some of us still have all our fingers and toes. I think there are probably chain-saw intro courses about, unlikely any axe-using courses. Anyone swings a few pounds of sharp metal about on a stick needs commonsense else should go back to watching TV. or Youtube.

A carpenters' axe or small hatchet will do the same job of under cutting, just take longer. Sharp tools do the work, not our muscles.
A wooden wedge or three knocked in with a club hammer rather than heavy wedges and maul or sledge will gradually open up the same splits. I have felled big trees with just axe then ripped six yard by three foot thick trees into quarters with wedges alone and then split planks from them ... a small stump will be easy if you take time, it's impatience does us in. rocks are similar, most will fail if you find a fault or tap along a line. Lots of our ancestors learned that stuff the hard way, shame to relearn it!

And much as dislike Argyll's ideas usually he is right about digging, I hate it myself but it is just time and perseverance with a mattock or pick and a spade. Bloody roots always p*ss me off though, always one more needs chopping before it will heave or winch out.

[Timllfixit]

I did the stumps down the side of my house some years ago. I cut them off and let them to die/rot for a year or so. Then I cut all the roots I could get at(saw/axe) and levered the small ones out with a 6' crow bar. The bigger ones had a tap root I couldn't get at so I used a length of webbing strap and a Tirfor type winch and ripped them out. Of course you need somewhere solid to anchor that but I had another stout tree handy.

[Grendel]

Also you are not just cross-cutting a log, you are ripping a lot (if you intend to chunk up a big stump) when the tool is designed best for crosscut (many don't even know that). You can rip and even plunge cut tip first with a chainsaw but best with the correct chain tooth design and after much practice.

Very true , and it reminds me of the last chainsaw course I went on . Slightly off topic I know but I and many others had probably been using a chainsaw for twenty years or more when we were sent on the course. We had all used them for all kinds of work including ripping and plunging even for morticing without incident. To comply with regs requiring us to have tickets the firm I worked for organised that course but presumably to save a few quid they got in an instructor that trained railway workers in the use of chainsaws. That meant cross cutting only as the P-way staff used them only for cutting sleepers to length and not down the grain. When we asked the instructor he said that cross cutting was all he could "teach " us.

[philprime]

It's hard work but dig round the base an cut the roots, remember that the stump will be heavy depending on what tree it was.

Never use a chainsaw to try an remove a stump

[Hitch]

Stump grinder... Hire it for a day, or you should be able to find someone offering the service- probably not much in it cost wise.
A chainsaw isn't the correct tool for the job.

[jape]

I don't understand why a chainsaw is not seen as correct tool. They are used for felling massive trees and cutting stumps all over the world! A stump is easier as it has less weight to fall, less likely hood of snapping and so much more. It is more difficult only in that it is closer to ground and some clearance would sort that, a few inches of soil and debris raked away. I have cut dozens like that in clearing 4 acres without a problem. Simplest would be a wedge cut as for felling, then working back through that allowing for weight pressure by using a plastic wedge. That also allows for shorter bar. A practiced user would cut through at any level in one go with some experience and use of wedges to keep kerf open, a less practiced user would use the wedge method. No-one in-experienced would or should use a chainsaw at low level without some practice cuts higher up stump to be sure of balance and clear movement. No-one should use a chainsaw without clear ground around. apart from some basics like that, it is in fact the correct tool especially where access is limited for a stump grinder.

[philprime]

I don't understand why a chainsaw is not seen as correct tool. They are used for felling massive trees and cutting stumps all over the world! A stump is easier as it has less weight to fall, less likely hood of snapping and so much more. It is more difficult only in that it is closer to ground and some clearance would sort that, a few inches of soil and debris raked away. I have cut dozens like that in clearing 4 acres without a problem. Simplest would be a wedge cut as for felling, then working back through that allowing for weight pressure by using a plastic wedge. That also allows for shorter bar. A practiced user would cut through at any level in one go with some experience and use of wedges to keep kerf open, a less practiced user would use the wedge method. No-one in-experienced would or should use a chainsaw at low level without some practice cuts higher up stump to be sure of balance and clear movement. No-one should use a chainsaw without clear ground around. apart from some basics like that, it is in fact the correct tool especially where access is limited for a stump grinder.

I have to disagree with your comment.

A chainsaw can be used to reduce the height of a stump, but you shouldn't use a chainsaw to remove a stump from the ground. Firstly soil an stones will dull your chain 2nd the risk of kickback is vastly increased, not something a novice user really wants to find out about.

I'm lantra trained in chainsaw use from felling to dealing with wind blown trees and highly recommend that one way attempts to remove a tree stump with a chainsaw.

[jape]

Obviously I have already talked of clearing area of soil and stones. And I also made it clear that beginners should be extra careful or get someone else to do it. If you read the thread from the beginning instead of jumping in you would see that in my post on first page I advised OP not to use it here. But then I explained why and how such tools are used. Everyone has to start somewhere. It is pointless making short statements, especially negative ones, without careful explanation. Others said an felling axe that I also suggested, is dangerous, and it is. You don't turn in every instance to 'get someone in', especially if you are intelligent, independent and willing to try new opportunities to learn a task.

My opinion is still correct, a chainsaw is a good tool for this job and has been used for many years all round the world by professionals and farmers and more. I believe you exaggerate to make your point. I started out cutting pit-props forty-odd years ago and have since cut many, many hundreds cubic tons of timber for mills and various other purposes in all sorts of situations. I also was part of putting together training courses for Forestry Workers in Oz and have taken refresher and manufacturer courses many times.

It is a dangerous tool, most tools are in the hands of fools. I am simply suggesting an experienced DIYer with tool-handling background is not a fool and would have competence and awareness enough to learn and employ this tool in this situation. OP asked for opinions and got several. I disagree with you, that is obvious and simple and no certificate you have is going to override my own decades of experience and training. I have taught dozens of men and women to use the tool. CFA Fire-fighters, Saw Mill workers, builders and more. Treat them like adults and they learn.

[thescruff]

Jape, unless you know differently I think you need to treat all DIYer as white collar workers.

On site the wood butchers used a chain saw to cut the joists/rafters etc, never saw anyone loose a finger or two, unlike a bench/table saw.

Talking dangerous, not a single poster has mentioned what else is in the ground other than a tree stump. Could be any of the services, gas, electric, water, drains etc and even a ww2 bomb

[jape]

Thanks Scruff, I will treat everyone as a benign, well-meaning idiot then! That would suit me fine.

OK OP, give up the whole idea, get a concrete slab and stick it on the top with half a tube of liquid nails (exterior grade.)
You now have an instant beer or coffee table in your yard!
Please note, place a warning sign and red tape barrier around the site while the glue is going off and leave permanent kneecap and shin danger signs in the vicinity. Please make sure they are fully illuminated at night and written in 5 languages of your choice with flashing nonverbal danger signage backed up by emergency batteries also.
You never know, a poor, half-starved and unappreciated burglar might bash his shins on your stump.
Note: coffee is a HOT beverage and may burn your fingers, throat and belly, it may stain your clothing and napkins if spilt and should NOT be consumed after 10.pm at night or else you will need a p*ss at 2.am with the danger of tripping over the bathroom mat.
Note2: beer is a dangerous and addictive consumable and may give you delusions of grandeur, especially about your ability to fight, drive or screw.
Note3: none of the above comments or notes or explanations should be expected to make sense, to be of any constructive purpose or suggest alternative lifestyle. The author is not affiliated to any political party or religious persuasion, has not taken his tablets lately and is not worth suing as he is a lazy b*stard with little dosh and a big club.
thank you.

[thescruff]

You didn't say whether you were applying for leadership of the

Conservatives

Labour

Ukip

And possibly the SNP.

Not sure whether Liberals are still active.

All good jobs for the bone idol. (lazy barstuards)

[dewaltdisney]

Looking at this thread I think that the point missed is that this trunk is about 8" thick and the same amount off the ground so it can be done with simple tools. Use you bow saw to cut vertical cuts across the stump a close to the ground as possible. You should be able to lever and snap off the segments leaving the remaining part close to the ground. Drill holes and fill with tree stump killer. This will rot the stump somewhat over six months to allow you chop away at it to get it below ground level. The stump will be dead by this time with no chance of regrowth.

DWD

DWD

[jape]

Thanks, we all missed that dwd. Note to OP: if you accidentally cut a finger off with the bowsaw then the blood and bone is a good fertiliser. Nothing is lost in this Universe and it is all suffering/enjoying entropy. Just leave the stump a few million years and it will become dark matter. Relativity'all'y speaking, could be worth a fair bit. I personally prefer this cosmic type of DIY where one does nowt.

[Grendel]

Obviously I have already talked of clearing area of soil and stones..........
My opinion is still correct, a chainsaw is a good tool for this job and has been used for many years all round the world by professionals and farmers and more.

I do agree with jape , I've used a chainsaw for such things before , keeping an older chain for just such things but I tend not to now because I nearly always seemed to find that one stone invisible to the naked eye or the hand hiding in the root system just waiting to blunt my chain nowadays as I said I will use a reciprocating saw . I still hit stones but the blades are cheaper.

[darrenba]

What we don't know is if the OP is removing his own tree stump or is doing it for a client. If it's for a client then I doubt they want to wait months/years for it to rot away