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Pine tree roots

thepumpguysc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
7,539
Location
Sunny South Carolina
Occupation
Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
I didn't know where to post this so that's why I'm here..
My property is lined w/ pine trees and they have invaded my yard..
I'm running out of blades for my riding mower.. and I'm afraid of bending the shaft after hitting these bad boys..
My soil is top soil over sand.. but the top soil is eroding away and the roots are popping up..
I tried to chain saw the roots but the chain didn't last very long in the sand..
A friend suggested a masonary wheel on a "skil saw"?? seems like it would work??
Anyone have any suggestions??
I hate to get a load of top soil, just to watch it wash away.. thought about "rocking" it.. but I like my grass..
HELP..
 

JNB

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
823
Location
North Texas
Occupation
Flyin' low and rollin' slow...
We always used a sawzall with a few long wood blades to remove roots from wall footing digs.
 

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
I think the grinding wheel on the Skilsaw would be sloooow. Personally, I'd just use an axe.
 

Multiracer

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
330
Location
Northern,Ohio
Occupation
Owner/ operator
Pine tree roots usually are very shallow and spread out. Rent a small backhoe and you can usually just tip them over and start piling them up at the rear of the property.
 

Belooky

Active Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Messages
31
Location
South Carolina
A good axe is really all you need to get rid of the roots. Or depending on what kind of mower you have take a look and see if you can find "zero lift" blades for them. Just a flat blade with no drop or curve on them. Don't throw rocks or dust. Extremely tough blades
 

thepumpguysc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
7,539
Location
Sunny South Carolina
Occupation
Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
YOU GUYS from S.C. REALLY like your AXES..lol.. I just need 10 guys with good STRONG BACKS to swing'em.. while I sit on the porch and drink a cold beverage or 2..
I like Racer's idea.. My buddy has a 580B he scored last year for 35-4500?? and I helped [did all the work] rehab it.. all I have to do is weld on new teeth and its mine for the askin'.. BUT I was looking for something NOT SO "invasive"..
I'm on vacation next week, so I think I'll sit on my arse in the driveway and try the masonary wheel on the skilsaw for awhile.. then the sawzall for awhile and if none of that works.. break out the rods and weld some teeth on the hoe.. Inbetween trips to the cooler and the lake ofcouse..
THANKS ABUNCH for the suggestions..
 

Scrub Puller

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
3,481
Location
Gladstone Queensland Australia
Yair . . . thepumpguysc.

We made up a ripper for a compact tractor and used a piece of sharpened grader blade for a tyne.

I set the tyne at a fairly extreme forward angle and used the hydraulics as much as traction.

It worked well for trimming surface roots down fairways. It just took a bit of hand work and a couple of hits with a hatchet to sever the ripped out root and reinstate the surface.

Cheers.
 

RZucker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
4,077
Location
Wherever I end up
Occupation
Mechanic/welder
If you can run a ripper around your perimeter that would make a big difference too. My next door neighbor blessed me with 250 feet of poplars that invaded my place with roots. Went around the outside with a ripper equipped D4 then sprayed the trees on my side with a strong dose of round up. Done deal, dead dog. No more poplars on my side.
 

techamrony

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2014
Messages
2
Location
anaheim
An AXE would be my first choice because it wont get ruined once it gets dulled from the sand. But if you have a hydraulic pump you could move almost all of the sand away so you could bring in a chain saw. But both ways should work.

Steve Sterling
http://www.motioncontrolguide.com/
Motion control Expert
 
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