I've removed more stumps than I can recall at age 73 and this is the best method there is in my opinion. But I did learn from your video. I never removed the bark for a cleaner entry point. That's a good idea. Thanks

I own a stump grinding service company. Occasionally, I'll use a similar technique. I dig a little lower and then clean up the bark/dirt with an axe, like you did. But I come in a little higher with my saw and angle the tip down a little so I'm mostly cutting deeper than my entry point level. I cut around the edges with my Sawzall and then cut out the middle of the high half under the saw entry point... finally completing that cut with my Sawzall. The use of the Sawzall greatly increases the odds that your chain will emerge unscathed!

That's the most practical video on the subject I have seen

I like this cutting technique. Thank you for sharing. Regarding the bark removal, I've heard generally that it is good to remove the bark at the site of any cut since the wind carries debris which gets lodged in the bark and contributes to dulling the chain. Cheers!

All I've been seeing is fire and truck vids lol. This is a pretty good idea and shouldn't take too long. Thx 👍🏽.

This works fine. I've done it a number of times. I also just let the stumps let the stumps rot. Had a couple of 12" stump diameter Maples in the yard. Cut them about 3" above ground. Immediately put some full strength Roundup or Crossbow on the stumps to prevent shoots from coming up. Also grooved the wood on top to collect water. Every once in a while I would hit the top of the stumps with tip of my chainsaw while doing other yard work. The stumps rotted away in a couple of years.

Good video. This is how I have removed smaller stumps for years.

Good job and nice to see a homeowner actually wearing safety kit with chaps and helmet 👍🏻. I cringe when I see guys working a saw in jeans because you only have one chainsaw accident and it will be your last.

Paul if only I knew you had this knowledge and skills when I met you. Incredible work

that shovel work at the beginning was therapy for me!

In case you were wondering who gave you your 2000th upvote, it was me.

great idea! Chains are cheaper than lawnmowers!

Been grinding stumps / roots, for 32 yrs. Love to see stump vids, whoda thunk? Done plenty, as big as a pickup truck. We have had a lot of hurricanes, plenty of em uprooted.

The sounds in this video...this video needs to be trending for the editing alone. 🔔

Also if you cut it low then dig up the highest portions and cut grooves into the stump and roots you can use your axe to bust of chunks and fill dirt back on top leaving the stump and roots 5 or 6 or less inches under the ground depending on how much you want to do it

Thank you for posting this. I appreciate it! I've got to remove some stumps this week and was wondering what the best way to do that with my chainsaw was!

2:45... My ears were not ready for that! whoa ! Thanks for the tutorial

Always negative comments on a good video like this - probably most from all the stump grinders out there who buy big buck equipment and then gouge everyone for stump grinding. I like cutting them off similar to this and then burning them out. I've saved thousands of dollars over the years doing it this way. I use an older bar and chain and sharpened and clean the entire saw when finished. I say - good video and thank you.

Thank you, sir! The previous owner left a stump in the front yard and just put a flower bed around it. It was nice when there were flowers, but now it's just a hassle to mow around. I dug down a ways and cut it like the video. Then I cut a grid pattern and came in from the side and knocked out a bit more. Looks good now. I just need to pick up some sod to patch that spot up.

Thank you for sharing this tip, precious !

That makes lots of sense. Thanks!

Good job. It’s worth sharpening the chain to remove the stump below grade. It saves hundreds of dollars over a stump removal.

Nice flushcut. Easy enough to split away dirt/bark/outer layer of wood all the way around a small softwood stump like that, better chance of less chain dulling

The fast forwarding sound at 2:50 reminds me of getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist

Thanks Paul! Great idea to save your chain! I usually make pie cuts into the stump from the top n then have to chisel em out but your way looks way better than mine. The pie cuts might still be good to help it rot out faster.

Ive done it by gouging out the center with the chainsaw. An axe does a pretty good job with almost the same amount of effort and easier to sharpen afterwards.

You are really winded. But I can tell this was very hard work. Great video and very informative. I love You Tube videos that I can actually learn something. Thanks.

Yay, stumps are the worst, visually and practically. Good job.

I've been doing this over well 30 years and I think this a bit overcomplicated to be honest. A decent spade will clear the bark off and remove the worst if not all of the soil. Bear in mind the saw exhaust is blowing the soil/dust/grit around and over the chain so a good plan is dampen the ground around the stump and stamp it down before you do any cutting. Don't bother with boring into the stump (very dangerous for the inexperienced!) just cut with a 'pulling' chain straight across. Best plan is just to have a spare old crappy chain if you need to do this task!

You could put a round flat paver over top too ... for aesthetics or a bb site

I love the speed up shoveling... Gets ya goin' But the speed up cuttin' sounds way too much like a dental drill.... Great video, good logic Don't wreck your chain if you don't have to.

Thanks for sharing, helpful to a LA Beach boy/surfer who's retired in NE Texas clearing stumps from his property.

Make + shaped plunge cuts into the stump that is in the ground to fasten decay. If you are in cold climate the water will freeze and expand and crack the stump as well.

Your doing a good job. Good saw and trying to save your chain

Get you a carbide tipped chain from Stihl and the dirt will not affect it. They’re a little more expensive, but rarely need sharpening.

You sir,are MASSIVE COOL!👍

I need to do something similar, possibly a bit lower than ground level. Will anything grow back from the stump? Or did you do something to kill it before this stage?

Thank you for sharing this wonderful video with us

Great video thank you

What about cutting into the stump with the saw, sort of like slicing a cake? Then remove small, shallow chunks at a time. Seems to me you could end up cutting below ground level on all but the very perimeter. Then you'd have a sort of "bowl" to catch and hold water, to help rot the remaining below-ground root.

I hate stumps exactly this much too, and I love my Granberg as much as I hate stumps. This is exactly how I do it and it's always my last cut because I'm going to give the chain some love either way.

Excellent work son!

nice job. I've never tried it like a plunge cut. will try next time. The last time I took out a stump, it was a dig out job.

If your chain dulls from a little dirt hit, just sharpen it like you should. Don't be afraid of a little dirt, learn what maintenance sharpening is. I abuse my saws constantly, maintenance sharpening allows them to cut better than any normal homeowner that doesn't know what their doing.

You can also cut grooves down into the stump to help speed up rotting.

I little grass seed and you are back in business.

LOL the sped up sound of the chainsaw was a fun surprise.

Makes sense. I can't wait to try it. I hate low stumps but not flush stumps that I can mow over. Thanks

My cats enjoyed the sped up parts with the shovel and chainsaw sounds.

Good video, so were you able to grow grass over this stump area? If so, what did you do?:)

Just dig deeper around stump chop and saw through roots till you lift the whole thing out takes a bit of doing when it's done it's done

Jeez, you work quickly!!🤪

great idea. thanks for the vid

That'll work. Sometimes you'll hit a rock. Sometimes you're lucky. I never use a new chain for this. For the follow up, you can drill 1" holes in it with a paddle bit. Cover the area with dirt. In a few years, it'll rot away.

Is it not better to dig more deeper around the stump to be sure that it can be covered later with soil and gras?

Awesome video

True.........so many spend money on total removal when there often is no need. It does work better with a longer chain / bar ...and to keep way from the dirt..... yah only need a small starting area thats clean.....as long as the chain teeth are not pulling directly into the dirt...the natural wood is as clean as it gets...always have the chain cutting ///// pulling the dirt towards you and dont let the top part of the chain / bar go out the far end. Otherwise you would be pulling the dirt into the teeth. This way....its almost harmless to the teeth. But there is always sand and dirt in a stop since its that close to the ground

I just removed a elm tree and while it was 10ft tall I put a rope around the top and dug around the tree and cut roots and pulled the tree over and got the whole stump and roots out, much better, but don't cut it down to ground level before trying to remove it.

Well done my friend 👏

Haven’t tried it yet, but was told if roots are angled into the dirt that you can powerwash them several inches below grade. You can powerwash the dirt! Bet it’ll fly and be a dirty job. Lol.

I just did this today but dug down about 8 inches and a couple feet around. Sprayed with a hose to get any dirt off stump. Let the water drain down. Cut off well below ground level. Threw some sod over top.

Good work

U might lightly spray water on ground b4 cutting to keep dirt down.

Do you think I can clear 0.40 acres from A to Z with a chainsaw? If I have a whole year to do it on weekends! Can I do it in ur opinion? Thank you for the video sir

Great video

I been doing this where the old Christmas trees were keeps getting blunt

Good job buddy.

that good idea it take a long time for evergreens to rote

Saw arrived yesterday kzfaq.infoUgkxfQm1wmg0ItKDLavxj1nXtQY9HP7EF504 and today I cut about 3/4 cord of wood with it. Make sure you get an extension chord that is at least 12 gauge wire, minimum. This is my first electric in about 10 years, and things sure have improved. The self-sharpener works great, and it just kept cutting through some pretty decent logs. Wear your eye protection, and ear protection. Excellent saw.

Super, I put grooves in mine ...just in case my mower/bush hog happen to hit it!

Not sure what stump grinding guys charge in your area, but at a guess I would have nearly done them at $50 a pop, 6-8" under, never have to worry about them again, establish grass properly over it

I like this technique.

There was no flare on the bottom of the tree. That indicates that it was planted too deep and that's probably why it died.

I have done it this way for years. I then run a couple cuts across the face to let water into it.

Do you need to kill the roots ? How and what product ?

Nice job, I need to do the same to a few. I put rock salt on them this fall to start the killing process already

I do the same to clean the stump but I just use the tip and angle the saw at 10 degrees so it pops out like a pencil, then the middle is below ground level, only the very edge is above, its impossible to catch the soil this way

Got a bit of 'dirty Harry' channelled at the outtro. 😎

dull your blade much from the dirt?

Great idea !!!!

One thing to consider is air flow for cooling your saw . That close to the ground restricts air flow and you could fry your saw on a hot day. I’ve cut tree for thirty plus years and never cut stumps that short , maybe leave em five inches high and pay real money to have them ground out by a pro.

Just hire a stump grinder and it WILL be perfect

Before we remove the tree, think and ask. Keep timber or just remove tree and stump? For timber cut as low as possible. For tree and trunk removal - cut 6-10 ft up. 6-10 ft up enables good leverage on stump. Use pully system between 6-10 ft end and an anchor such as a second tree trunk base, of equal or a larger tree or several smaller trees. Use choke tie on trunk so connections don’t slip. Watch that stump slowly give in.

I wish we could still go to the hardware store and buy a stick of dynamite... dam it

BRAVO . Great Ex.

You could of left the height of stump you had and cut a deep cross cut from above splitting the stump in 4 parts then using a sledge hammer break the stumps apart and away from the roots. Just fill the hole with sand. It will dip over time as it rots just top it off when it does.

I use pressure washer with tip that will blow dirt out around stump .,.. This way you can cut deeper in stump and use dirt to cover and plant grass seed ... Pressure washer can make hole around stump much wider so your chain does not hit dirt ...

you could buy 1lb tannerite target and shoot it with a high power rifle and boom the stump disapeared

One smart man !!!!! Instead of paying to have them romoved.......so much cheaper and quicker to just cut them off ! Also....consider just adding a mound of dirt around the stump so you can glide over it. No need to cut them then ! At that height of a stump....might need a half wheel barrel of dirt.

Simple solution. That is how I remove stumps except that I dig around stump more so I can get my chainsaw below ground level.

Thank you

What if there is roots around stump?

I have some small stumps in the yard that I can’t mow over. I’m trying to use a hand saw. Wish me luck.

I use a Sawzall and a tree pruning blade.

Pour diesel fuel over the stump or drill holes and then add salt to the stump

All my saws have new chains on them, scared to use them for this now.

Just used an electric, 30 AMP Milwaukee with long wood blade, plus an 18lb. pinch bar to remove some 2" to 4" stumps. Chainsaw would have sure been better...

Thanks

I always dig down a lot around the stump. So I can make a cut so the stump will be below ground level. Then put dirt on top on the stump and you would not,know their was a stump their.

Good job!