Chain Fall
How do you get rid of several old shrubbery stumps, still taking up valuable space in an otherwise attractive flowerbed, after the bushes themselves have been gone for many years? In times like these, it might be nice to have a small tractor. Then, we could attach a length of chain around a stump, and simply pull it out with the tractor.
We don't have a tractor of any size.
And even if we did, I don't believe it would be able to maneuver around our two, rather large, pine trees on the south side of our house.
Those old stumps have bugged me for several years now. Earlier this week, after we received several inches of rain, I hoped that the rain-softened dirt would aid in my attempt to get rid of those offending stumps. I suppose it was wishful thinking that made me hope that the roots had disintegrated sufficiently so I could just dig them out.
I was right about one thing. The dirt was easy to dig. And, after grubbing out several inches of moist dirt from all around the smallest stump, I tugged just enough to pull that decaying stump right out of the dirt.
My attempt to use the same method on the other three stumps was fruitless. My shovel didn't provide enough leverage to pry those remaining, larger stumps out of the dirt. So I asked Bill to fire up his chainsaw so he could saw them off below ground level. Then, I would be able to cover the remaining roots with dirt, and no one would ever know they were there.
Bill was afraid that sawing through several tree stumps, even small ones, would be too hard on his chainsaw. But he had another method in mind.
When Bill needs to move some heavy equipment into the basement of his office building, he uses a pulley system, called a chain fall, to ease the equipment from the main floor into the lowest level of the building. So, he made a quick trip across town to get the chain fall.
The chain fall is made up of a pulley assembly and, as its name suggests, several sections of heavy duty chain, with a hook attached at each end of the chain.
Bill wrapped some woven nylon straps around the smaller pine tree's trunk, and attached the first section of chain to the straps. The other end of the chain assembly was wrapped around the largest stump.
It's always fun to see science in action, so I called Levi to come out of the house so he could watch, and even help pull the chain though the pulley. I was amazed at the speed with which the chain fall pulled that stump out of the ground. Levi didn't seem too impressed.
The second stump came out just as easily as the first. But the third stump was all that remained of a dead, ornamental, cedar tree that Bill had cut down just last week. The tree had died only last summer, and the stump and roots showed no signs of decay. After trying the chain fall, Bill had to resort to cutting the last, stubborn stump out, piece by piece, with his chainsaw.
While Bill put his tools away, I filled all the holes with dirt, and raked the soil smooth. I had hoped to finish planting that flower bed right after supper. After all, it doesn't take long to dig holes for a black-eyed Susan and another Shasta daisy. But, I don't think it's wise to plant anything in the freezing, pouring rain and pea-sized hail. Tomorrow will have to do.
Then, I'll start up the wood chipper so I can grind up the piles of sticks that have accumulated since last summer, and I'll spread the resulting mulch in the flower bed. We plan to install some new edging around the flower beds, but that job will have to wait a while, until Bill can find a little more time to help.
Such is spring.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...a time to plant and a time to uproot...What do workers gain from their toil?...That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2, 9, 13
We don't have a tractor of any size.
And even if we did, I don't believe it would be able to maneuver around our two, rather large, pine trees on the south side of our house.
Those old stumps have bugged me for several years now. Earlier this week, after we received several inches of rain, I hoped that the rain-softened dirt would aid in my attempt to get rid of those offending stumps. I suppose it was wishful thinking that made me hope that the roots had disintegrated sufficiently so I could just dig them out.
I was right about one thing. The dirt was easy to dig. And, after grubbing out several inches of moist dirt from all around the smallest stump, I tugged just enough to pull that decaying stump right out of the dirt.
My attempt to use the same method on the other three stumps was fruitless. My shovel didn't provide enough leverage to pry those remaining, larger stumps out of the dirt. So I asked Bill to fire up his chainsaw so he could saw them off below ground level. Then, I would be able to cover the remaining roots with dirt, and no one would ever know they were there.
Bill was afraid that sawing through several tree stumps, even small ones, would be too hard on his chainsaw. But he had another method in mind.
When Bill needs to move some heavy equipment into the basement of his office building, he uses a pulley system, called a chain fall, to ease the equipment from the main floor into the lowest level of the building. So, he made a quick trip across town to get the chain fall.
Bill wrapped some woven nylon straps around the smaller pine tree's trunk, and attached the first section of chain to the straps. The other end of the chain assembly was wrapped around the largest stump.
It's always fun to see science in action, so I called Levi to come out of the house so he could watch, and even help pull the chain though the pulley. I was amazed at the speed with which the chain fall pulled that stump out of the ground. Levi didn't seem too impressed.
The second stump came out just as easily as the first. But the third stump was all that remained of a dead, ornamental, cedar tree that Bill had cut down just last week. The tree had died only last summer, and the stump and roots showed no signs of decay. After trying the chain fall, Bill had to resort to cutting the last, stubborn stump out, piece by piece, with his chainsaw.
While Bill put his tools away, I filled all the holes with dirt, and raked the soil smooth. I had hoped to finish planting that flower bed right after supper. After all, it doesn't take long to dig holes for a black-eyed Susan and another Shasta daisy. But, I don't think it's wise to plant anything in the freezing, pouring rain and pea-sized hail. Tomorrow will have to do.
Then, I'll start up the wood chipper so I can grind up the piles of sticks that have accumulated since last summer, and I'll spread the resulting mulch in the flower bed. We plan to install some new edging around the flower beds, but that job will have to wait a while, until Bill can find a little more time to help.
Such is spring.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...a time to plant and a time to uproot...What do workers gain from their toil?...That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2, 9, 13
Comments
Post a Comment