Stump Squashing

[Bindian]

I found a new use for my backhoe. I have pine stumps in my yard that are a little over 4 years since the trees were cut down. I drove around today in the yard and either dug up the stumps or just raked them into small crumbled pieces. The smaller ones crumbled so easy, I tried to just squash them. It worked. Check out the first two photos below. Before I tackled the stumps, I did something I have been wanting to try for a while. Now kids, please don't do this at home. A professional Aircraft Mechanic performed this stunt with a professional tractor dog supervising. Check out the third photo.
hugs, Brandi

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Brandi, you don't raise the Red Beast off the ground while using the hoe? I thought that everybody lifted their tractor off the ground while digging. No? More weight on the out riggers and front bucket = less tractor movement.

 

[PaulChristenson]

That is what they teach...

https://www.equiptrain.com/backhoes.htm

 

[Doc]

Good post Brandi. Who would have thunk that you could do that with those stumps. Cool. Good pics. Rep points for you.

 

[Bindian]

Brandi, you don't raise the Red Beast off the ground while using the hoe? I thought that everybody lifted their tractor off the ground while digging. No? More weight on the out riggers and front bucket = less tractor movement.

Brian,
The stabilizer pads are a tad small to do that. The stabilizers won't lift it off the ground like that. I use the bucket to push myself up. I just sit the pads on the ground until they quit moving. Then I curl the bucket under as in the photo and lift a little more. I leave the bucket flat and in float to act as an anchor. This way I can push myself forward or pull backward as needed. The stabilzer cylinders are a bit small I think to take the abuse of the rear wheels off the ground and forces the backhoe entails. I will try it some day when digging in just dirt. But for digging around stumps and ripping roots out, I will have to wait until I get bigger pad overshoes installed. Besides, when it is that high, I need a step ladder to get on and off the BH.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Redbug]

You are lucky having soft stumps. All mine are hard and have turned into fatlighter.

 

[Bindian]

You are lucky having soft stumps. All mine are hard and have turned into fatlighter.

Redbug,
The smaller stumps squash good. The larger ones like the one below is all fatlighter (fatwood). I had one larger than this that I dug up. It had to be pinched between the boom and bucket to carry it. It didn't have any deep roots. I have dug up a pine stump that was cut about 12 or more years before that had a huge tap root that went down 9 feet.
hugs, Brandi