Tips and tricks for burning a stump needed

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Apr 8, 2014
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I have about a 4' oak stump flush cut to the ground I am trying to burn out. It's been cut for about 4 years. I have dug around it to get it air, but i build fires on it and it just scorches the top, I am not getting anywhere. Any good ideas out there before I give up?
 
I had success doing this several years ago. I used a 1" wood bit with an extension and drilled several holes in the stump, crushed up charcoal and fed it into the holes, little starting fluid and lit it. Took all day and I had to add some charcoal a few times, but as soon as I got a burned out hole it went pretty quick. The spot the worked best I drilled holes close together and it looked like a 5 on a dice and that spot burned out fairly quick.
 
I have been told to put a barrel(open both ends)over the fire and it axes like a chimney. Just remember to block it up for ventilation on the bottom.
 
I would assume after four years it should be plenty dry to burn out. I would try splitting it in several places from the top down. How you do that is another question. that will give the fire more surface area. Then just keep it stoked with kindling.
 
I've drilled holes with wood bit from top and the sides making sure some of the holes connect to get air through them and then soak with gas & burn. Although I've never did this with an oak stump that large.
 
I had success doing this several years ago. I used a 1" wood bit with an extension and drilled several holes in the stump, crushed up charcoal and fed it into the holes, little starting fluid and lit it. Took all day and I had to add some charcoal a few times, but as soon as I got a burned out hole it went pretty quick. The spot the worked best I drilled holes close together and it looked like a 5 on a dice and that spot burned out fairly quick.

I'd throw some of the Kingsford match light on for charcoal. That stuff seems to burn crazy hot. I used a ziplock bag full this past weekend and was able to get wet firewood going easily.
 
I took my digger bar and dug dirt around the edges to get it loose. I blew out the extra dirt with my blower, put brush on it, and lit it. Later, when there were coals, I put blower on it sporadically, and the thing burned until the morning.

A lot of the potassium salt based "stump disolver" products are actually used to light them on fire. Drill hole, fill with stump disolver, either let it sit and have rain wash it in or pour water in it. That stuff and nearly any organic material turns into a very flammable substance. It basically soaks into the wood, and the wood is very flammable.

Just seems diesel or lighter fluid is easier and cheaper.

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+1 on stump grinder. One phone call away and probably $150-250.00. Tell them you want to go 4" down.

You won't have to look at a blackened stump burn fail for a few years until it rots.

Soil puts fires out.
 
Take a long bar saw and cut across as far down as you can go. Do a star pattern all the way to the center. They create airflow to the middle. Soak with diesel and it should burn to the core.
 
If you don’t want to rent a stump grinder and do it the cheap way do the following.

Drill into the stump several times as deep as possible with a minimum 1” bit.

Pour DIESEL **not gas** into the stump several times a week for a few months. The wood will slowly soak up the diesel even down into the main roots.

When it’s wet and prime burning conditions light it on fire. It will slowly burn and smolder to ashes.

Be sure there are no trees close by that you don’t want harmed bc that diesel can affect their roots as well as the heat burning into the ground.

We did this when I was a kid. If you had a stump that was above ground (or bulldozed root ball) I hear tires stacked around it works well generating heat that will burn stumps really well. Best practice to do it at night. So I hear.


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If you don’t want to rent a stump grinder and do it the cheap way do the following.

Drill into the stump several times as deep as possible with a minimum 1” bit.

Pour DIESEL **not gas** into the stump several times a week for a few months. The wood will slowly soak up the diesel even down into the main roots.

When it’s wet and prime burning conditions light it on fire. It will slowly burn and smolder to ashes.

Be sure there are no trees close by that you don’t want harmed bc that diesel can affect their roots as well as the heat burning into the ground.

We did this when I was a kid. If you had a stump that was above ground (or bulldozed root ball) I hear tires stacked around it works well generating heat that will burn stumps really well. Best practice to do it at night. So I hear.


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My dad does this, but with used oil.

And he owns a stump grinder.
 
My dad does this, but with used oil.

And he owns a stump grinder.

lol. Him and I would get along!

Oil works great too. Used oil is always cheaper than diesel! Our used oil always seemed to find its way to a clump of cactus or unwanted bush. And always in a fence row bc using an axe or chain saw to cut it off ground level several times wasn’t doing the trick.


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