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Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 22/03/14 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand- held). Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that wouldn't just evaporate off? I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be fine! Or any other constructive ideas!? Saltpeter. It (dead stump) smoulders nicely in an oxygen rich atmosphere We had an old elm stump - going back 50+ years - and we were burning out the ditch adjoining it. It caught fire, and we doused it, but the next morning it had almost gone to ground level and in the next few days it simply vanished underground. Could not put it out. I did the same with a leylandii 15 years ago. Built a fire on top and fed it and when it went out, no stump left. so pour diesel or put candles on it or use old engine oil on it and get a good blaze going that will draw in air. It WILL burn. -- Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers. |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:24:48 +1100, F Murtz wrote:
You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children. SBK SBK Superbike (racing motorbikes) SBK Svenska Brukshundklubben SBK Snowboard Kids (gaming) SBK Stichting Bouwkwaliteit (Dutch) SBK Short Bus Kids SBK South Brooklyn Railway Company SBK Single Below Knee (amputation) There's this wonderful new invention called "context". http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sbk+tree |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 23/03/14 10:23, Adrian wrote:
On Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:24:48 +1100, F Murtz wrote: You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children. SBK SBK Superbike (racing motorbikes) SBK Svenska Brukshundklubben SBK Snowboard Kids (gaming) SBK Stichting Bouwkwaliteit (Dutch) SBK Short Bus Kids SBK South Brooklyn Railway Company SBK Single Below Knee (amputation) There's this wonderful new invention called "context". http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sbk+tree True, but there's this wonderful old concept of "writing for the audience, not for yourself" :) |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's
probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand- held). Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on top, but there's a lot more to go. Don't waste your time and fuel. Just attack it first of all with a drill or saw. I used an old blade in the circular saw crossing the top from all directions, then finish it off with hammer and wood chisel. It only took me a couple of hours chiselling spread over several sessions and it was gone. Mike |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote:
You can buy a fungus to infect it with. Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry people use it. I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber. I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten and was easily chopped out with a pick axe. |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 22/03/2014 17:41, Lobster wrote:
I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand- held). Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that wouldn't just evaporate off? If you are serious then the only chance you stand and it is an outside chance at that is to drill a large number of 1" holes into the top as deep as you can and pack them with potassium nitrate fertiliser. Leave for about a year refilling as necessary and then after the longest hot dry spell you get build a fire on top and cross your fingers that the impregnation of the nitrate is enough to make it smoulder away until underground. It may still be too wet in which case you are stumped. This sort of works but it also primes the wood for fungi to take hold and I got a spectacular chicken of the woods on my former pear tree stump. The ground where it was is still subsiding as the deeper roots were not eliminated by this method. In the end I prized the last bits up with a scaffold pole using an axe to cut the tap root. YMMV I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be fine! Or any other constructive ideas!? I'd tend to favour digging it out. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote:
I'd tend to favour digging it out. or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant satisfaction. |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 24/03/14 11:03, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:00:24 +0000, Tim Watts wrote: On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote: I'd tend to favour digging it out. or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant satisfaction. or a machine with a stump removing attachment that will pull out the whole thing roots and all. Must check those out... Having destroyed lots of spade bits on a single stump, sometimes DIY is not always the most straightforward course of action! |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On Sun, 23 Mar 2014 13:24:48 +1100, F Murtz
wrote: You could stretch this idea to drilling holes in the flush stump and pouring SBK in them before placing the slab plinth. That way it will rot away out of site and be safe for passing animals and children. SBK SBK Superbike (racing motorbikes) SBK Svenska Brukshundklubben SBK Snowboard Kids (gaming) SBK Stichting Bouwkwaliteit (Dutch) SBK Short Bus Kids SBK South Brooklyn Railway Company SBK Single Below Knee (amputation) SBK Sarcastic Bugger Killfiled. G.Harman |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 24/03/2014 11:25, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 +0000, Lobster wrote: I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be fine! Or any other constructive ideas!? Just a thought, thermite ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite Too fast and violent. A bit like throwing petrol on a bonfire. The only method that stands a chance is to saturate the wet wood with potassium nitrate and wait until it is the dryest day and then light a bonfire on top. You need both dry wood and oxygen to make it burn. With any luck it will smoulder away deep into the ground, perhaps with the addition of some extra brushwood on top from time to time. My burn attempts served only to hollow and weaken the large stump into three manageable pieces that I could then crowbar out with scaffold poles. Eventually they were dry enough to go in the wood burning stove. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 23/03/2014 23:50, MattyF wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote: You can buy a fungus to infect it with. Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry people use it. I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber. I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten and was easily chopped out with a pick axe. I'm glad it worked for you. In principle, it's a good idea, but you could have introduced Honey Fungus or other problems. I wouldn't recommend it. -- Spider. On high ground in SE London gardening on heavy clay |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 24/03/2014 11:00, Tim Watts wrote:
On 24/03/14 09:43, Martin Brown wrote: I'd tend to favour digging it out. or just hire a bloke with a stump grinder in and get instant satisfaction. The OP said there wasn't access for a stump grinder. -- Spider. On high ground in SE London gardening on heavy clay |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 24/03/2014 11:25, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:41:34 +0000, Lobster wrote: I've got an old cherry tree stump which I really want rid of. It's probably about 10" high by 15" across, and the problem is that it's in an awkward position at the foot of a banked area, and surrounded by paving stones, so would be very disruptive and difficult to dig out. It's inaccessible to a tree stump grinder (other than maybe something hand- held). Burning it out seems the way forward, and I've tried several times (over years), burying the thing in burning coal. Trouble is the stump doesn't really burn much as such; it just chars over, and has got quite dished on top, but there's a lot more to go. Anyway, it occurred to me that maybe I could try again this summer but first impregnate the remaining timber over a period of time (maybe honeycombing it with a drill first) to encourage it to burn properly. Anyone tried this? What would be good to use, that wouldn't just evaporate off? I'm not after getting the whole thing out - if I just get the stump below ground level and cover it with a plant tub or something, that would be fine! Or any other constructive ideas!? Just a thought, thermite ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite A *termite* would enjoy doing it, but then it would probably eat all the wood in your house :-/ -- Spider. On high ground in SE London gardening on heavy clay |
Impregnating a tree stump for burning out?
On 25/03/2014 12:08, Martin wrote:
On Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:48:05 +0000, Spider wrote: On 23/03/2014 23:50, MattyF wrote: On Sat, 22 Mar 2014 18:32:35 +0000, harryagain wrote: You can buy a fungus to infect it with. Gets rid of most stumps (by rotting) in a couple of years. Forestry people use it. I went for a walk in the forest and collected all kinds of rotten timber. I put that on top of my tree stump, and after a few months it went rotten and was easily chopped out with a pick axe. I'm glad it worked for you. In principle, it's a good idea, but you could have introduced Honey Fungus or other problems. I wouldn't recommend it. I refrained from mentioning Honey Fungus :-) Until now. Copy cat. Nah nah nah nah nah :~) -- Spider. On high ground in SE London gardening on heavy clay |
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