I have 30 acres on my personal farm in upstate South Carolina that was clear cut February 2022. There is about 13 acres of it that was large pines 20-30” in diameter. The other 17 was a natural growth with mostly pulpwood size trees with some 12-18” trees mixed in. A lot of the scrub sweet gum 4-8” trees are still standing on this part that I would take out as well. I’m looking to go in and stump it and turn it into more pasture and probably plant some as a dove field. I’ve never stumped something this large before and just done a few stumps here and there but want to do it myself. Im looking to rent an excavator for a month or so to knock the stumping out. I’ve got a 10k pound track skid steer, old d4d with a root rake and several tractors and disk to help with cleanup and smoothing. I’ve been getting some quotes on rentals and a smaller place local has the best “deal” I’ve found so far. They have a 160 class machine is their biggest with a thumb but rental with delivery will be just under $3k a month. While a 200 class is about 5500 and up. I’m just looking for advice from some of the more experienced people here on stumping on if it’s possible to get done in a month on a 160 class machine. I have already been going in and cleaning up with my skid steer and grapple to get the limbs and tops and things like that piled and out of the way to see the stumps easier. I also tried to attached some pics of the property for reference.
If you've got quite a few big stumps I think a 200 size machine would be a lot more productive than a 160. A 200 with a thumb would be ideal. A ripper tooth might be good to have too to rip through roots.
^ they are also great for splitting stumps. If the ultimate goal is burning, they go up 100% better split in 2 or 3 pieces.
A ripper tooth will make 100% difference. I use a 48" ripper on our 330c when I am building logging roads for my son. Stumps come out faster, smaller hole = less cleanup.
I’m going to have to check with the rental places on if a ripper is available. I counted an acre of it that I have cleared all the brush out and there were 40 larger pine stumps in the 20-28” range. That’s about what half will be. The other half of the property wont have more than 10-20 total stumps over 20”. The vast majority are 14” or smaller on that side. That half also has a lot of 4-8” sweet gums and other junk trees still standing that need to go. The end goal is to burn everything as well. Already had several fires from burning all the tops and limbs I’ve been getting up with my skid steer. I figured a big machine would be better, was just curious on if it’s worth double the monthly rate almost to go from a 160 to a 200.
Wait before burning anymore of those tops and limbs, those are the fuel you need to get those stumps burnt. If possible try to do this job when it is good burning weather and you have 1-2 helpers. Get a good hot burn pile going (or a few in the case of 30ac) and while you are digging/clearing another man is pushing back to the burn pile with the dozer or skid steer. Every now and then track back with the hoe and stack those stumps good and high on the burn pile. With a hot enough fire I’ve cleared entire forests of standing green trees, burning the tops and stumps, only thing left was a pile of ash and saw logs. I also concur on renting the 210, that is no small project. If you can’t get a ripper tooth get a narrow bucket, similar principle. A lot of that smaller scrub is cleared quicker with a dozer in my experience. I’d continue to clear what you can before renting the excavator. Get some piles of the small stuff ready, then when the excavator arives light the piles and start throwing the stumps on.