AND
REW^WEI
DMAN(^5 )(^30) September/October 2019
STEP 7: Loop the 2-foot nylon sling
over the center leg of the tripod so the
eyes of the sling hang evenly beneath
the connecting rod.
STEP 8: Lift the chain fall hoist into
position, catching both sling eyes with
the top hook of the hoist (Photo 7).
Pull the Stump
Most bushes will need some prep
work before they’re ready to be
pulled, especially dense, overgrown
evergreens. Use a pruning saw to
cut branches back to roughly 1 foot
from the main trunk. Don’t cut all
the way back to the trunk; the stubs
will provide purchase to keep the
chain from slipping under a load. If
the bush is growing near a sidewalk,
foundation, or other structure which
may be compromised by roots, trench
along the structure with a ground
shovel or mattock to locate and cut
away any heavy roots presenting a
risk to the structure.
Center the tripod over the stump,
with plywood pieces under the feet
and the chain looped around the legs
to prevent the feet from spreading.
Suspend the chain fall hoist from the
center leg of the tripod.
A chain fall hoist has two different
chains: a heavy “load” chain, outfitted
with a hook, and a lighter, continuous
“hand” chain. Pulling on the hand
chain will draw the load chain up
or let it down, depending on which
side of the hand chain you pull. The
load chain travels at a much slower
rate than the hand chain, but with
proportionally greater force.
Using the hand chain, run the load
chain all the way out, so the hook
end is as long as possible. Wrap the
hook end of the load chain around the
base of the stump, and hook it back
to itself. Make certain the tip of the
hook points downward, with the chain
resting against the inside back of the
hook (see photo on opposite page).
With one hand, pull the load chain
upward and taut while you run the
hand chain up to take up the slack in
the load chain. Avoid wrapping the
chain around either hand or creating
pinch points. Either can cause serious
hand injury.
When the load chain is taut, you’re
ready to pull in earnest. Take note
of the hand chain; it may be long
enough to drag on the ground. The
key to effective pulling is maintaining
a smooth, fluid pull. Avoid snagging
the hand chain on obstacles or
snarling it on itself; either will cause
it to jam. If the hand chain jams,
don’t try to force it through; reverse
the pull to free the hand chain. You’ll
quickly develop a smooth, easy
pulling rhythm, and the stump will
begin to lift out of the ground.
As the bush emerges, its roots
will carry a fair amount of soil
with them. Pick or knock the soil
loose with a shovel or digging bar,
knocking it back into the hole. This
will significantly lighten the load
on the hoist. Watch for heavy roots
that stretch far from the trunk. Chop
or saw them free as far from the
trunk as possible, especially if you
feel the hoist begin to “load up,”
or approach its force limit. Before
cutting anchoring roots, lower the
load slightly to reduce the tension it’s
under, so it doesn’t recoil. Over time,
the roots left in the soil will break
down, returning to the earth.
Cleanup and Storage
When the stump and attached root
system is hanging free, knock and
pick the rest of the soil off the roots
and back into the hole. This will
make discarding the stump easier and
minimize the size of the hole. Lower
the bush to the ground, unhook the
load chain, and you’re done. It’s just
that simple. The entire process, from
cutting the bush back to a manageable
size to pulling the root system and
disposing of the waste, takes about
half an hour, depending on the extent
of the roots, and light to moderate
effort. You can also use a bush jack
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