How they built the pyramids (Moving Cypress Stumps)

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

I recently got the chance to get some cypress stumps that were left as a result of clearing a lot of land. The first thing I learned was that technique is everything. I tackled the first one with my 20" bar chainsaw and spent forty five minutes getting it cut off a little above ground level. The next one I cut much quicker by plunging straigt in with the blade of the saw and then just pivoting it around like a can opener...

These stumps are 14 - 18" at the top and 24 - 36" at the base and stand between three and four foot tall. The guy clearing the lot set them out on the shoulder for me with his backhoe. All I had to do was load them up and go. (Did I mention I own a GMC Sierra? I think Sierra is espanol for tiny...)

I have already built a platform for my truck to protect the tailgate when moving heavy items. I also built a ramp that can be attached. So I loaded up the come-along, chains and cable and went to load up a couple of stumps...



My first attempt failed because the stump was too heavy to drag up the ramp with my come-along. The next day I modified things a bit...



Using the small piece of plywood and the 3/4" pvc pipe as rollers made things much easier. I was actually able to push the stumps up the ramp and didn't have to use the come-along.

Here's two loaded and ready to be strapped in for transport:



Just think. The Egyptians used this basic technique to move all the stones for the pyramids.  At least I got to drive the five miles across the bridge and home to unload and didn't have to push these things all the way by hand.

BTW, I plan to slab them lengthwise and make some nice tables.

Course, my wife thinks I'm nuts. Hope she changes her mind when I finish the tables.

[Onthesauk]

I don't doubt that she'll change her mind.  Nice job.

[DanG]

Good thinkin' PC!  It's amazing how easy things move around when ya put wheels on'em, ain't it? 8) 8)

Hang on to that land clearin' guy!  Most of'em around here don't care nuthin for the wood they're destroying.  You got one that does, and he can be a real asset! ;D

[metalspinner]

Hang on to that land clearin' guy!

Yeah, maybe make him a table with one of those slabs.  He won't stop calling after that!

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Onthesauk:

I don't know. She's held that opinion for quite a long time now... But that's me, "Still Crazy, After All These Years".

DanG:

Well, to tell you the truth, the stumps were just the tip of the iceberg in this particular job. The guy who normally takes the non-pine items for him apparently left town and has not returned yet. So I sort'a volunteered to help out. Now I've got to figure out how to get 30-40 cypress sawlogs 8 - 24" small end, most 20' long or more from the site to my "yard"...

Of course, if my better half gets too upset I may have to move up to the facility in your community  :D

The land clearing guy has already started talking about other jobs and how he hates to just pile up the trees for debris removal. So there's definately potential there, if I can keep up my end of things.

metalspinner:

I was thinking along the same lines myself. I believe in giving back to those who have been good to me.

[DanG]

Hmmmm.  Now ya got the wheels turning in my old bald head, PC.  What ya gonna do with all them logs?  Did ya ever get a mill?  How long have ya got to get the logs out?  Would the guy load them if a trailer should magically appear?

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Hmmmm.  Now ya got the wheels turning in my old bald head, PC.  What ya gonna do with all them logs?  Did ya ever get a mill?  How long have ya got to get the logs out?  Would the guy load them if a trailer should magically appear?

Better put some grease on them wheels DanG. I can smell the smoke from here!  :D

The answer to questions 1 and 2 will be forthcoming in a new thread in the Sawmills and Milling section once I've got something specific to say. But in the meantime I'll PM you my cell number and we can chew the fat remotely...

I need to get them out by the end of the weekend. I've got a sort'a deal with a neighbor who has a large debris removal rig which includes a boom to load and unload. The land clearing guy is being great just to stage them out to the edge of the road and will not be available to help load them...

[Ianab]

Yup, you got to love those simple ideas like levers, ramps, rollers and pulleys  ;)

Hopefully you will find a lump of wood like this inside.



Get some teenagers to help carry them  ;)



Thats some local macrocarpa cypress that we sawed a couple of weeks back, cut a couple of table slabs from the bottom slabs. I think your cypress looks similar 

Cheers

Ian

[Ernie]

Nice slab Ian.  Use those teenagers while you got 'em. In their twentys all they do is come home to borrow your tools, chuck them in their vans and take off. :(

[submarinesailor]

Yes Ernie, I know what you're talking about. : : :  It happens with 3 twenty plus year old daughters also.

Bruce

[Quartlow]

Did you notice, on one end is Ian, on the other end is TWO teenagers  :D

[metalspinner]

Yes, but they are the ones walking backwards...and not wearing socks!

[Ernie]

But he sure has to push hard to shove them up the hill.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Well, about time for an update...

I had one last stump left to get home:

The stump and logs at the land clearing site.

Last Saturday I got a guy who runs a tree removal service to pick up the stump and logs and deliver them to my home.

The stump and logs wait for me to move them to the backyard.

My side yard is rather soft so I put down sheets of plywood and OSB to keep the stump and logs from sinking into the dirt as I moved them.

A long and winding pathway into the backyard.

Once again I used PVC pipe as rollers to move the stump.

Stump is ready to roll sitting on a piece of plywood that rests on 3/4" PVC pipe rollers.

It rolled pretty easy. There's a bit of downslope along the much of the way.

Halfway there!

The gates make the boundry of the backyard. Just another twenty feet or so to go.

The stump passes through the not-so-Pearly-Gates...

After about ten minutes of moving pipes from back to front, the stump reaches the end of the path.

End of the Line!

Tipped it over so the kid's don't hurt themselves climbing on it while it waits for me to bust it into slabs to make a couple of nice tables.

Rest a while (well, I sure did...)

Now all I got to do is move those logs!

[farmerdoug]

Great job and path.  8) Now let us see you moving those logs down the path with PVC pipes. ;D

Farmerdoug

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Great job and path.  8) Now let us see you moving those logs down the path with PVC pipes. ;D

Farmerdoug

Well, I've got a little bit heavier equipment up my sleeve for those...