Hi,
It's taken just six weeks to completely remove our 60' long hedge with mature hawthorn tree and erect a new mesh fence.
Unlike our friends in America who seem to have masses of space working on a level site using big machinery I suffered greatly with very basic kit. Below are pictures of the largest stump removed needing almost 24 tons of hydraulic jacking pressure to get it free; this is a tangled stump of Cherry Laurel when at one time had been around 30' tall; many smaller stumps were also removed including a cherry tree.
Jacks used were 2 x 10 ton bottle jacks; 1 x 1.5 ton bottle jack and a 2 ton trolley jack. Our site is very steep indeed making standing upright challenging; it took the best part of a week to get this one stump out and drag it across the steep slope using a 2,000 lb winch hoping it didn't break free and roll down towards the bungalow. The stump had to be "walked" across the garden applying as much pressure as possible with the winch whilst nudging the rear with the trolley jack; it sure was slow hard work.
Nothing about the job was easy; digging the fence post holes involved breaking through a shelf of 36" solid stone; I had to buy a new concrete breaker for this the breaker so heavy a sack cart was used to get it to the top of the garden also the sack cart was used to move the 3.6m x 100mm x 100mm posts which I could lift but after carrying the first up the mountain I thought I was going to drop dead. I moved four of the nine posts up the garden then two roofing guys next door took pity on me and carried the remaining posts up for me; I was grateful of their help. I also had some help having already felled half the big hawthorn a neighbour across the lane kindly helped with the half overhanging the lane he on the chainsaw me on the rope all the help being at the 2m social distancing due to the virus.
The trunks and thick branches were logged and collected by a neighbour for a woodburning stove; the hawthorn tree alone involved two trips using a big pickup truck; I had to be extremely careful because of the slope ensuring nothing headed at speed down the valley. Just placing tools like a spade on the ground often had the tool sliding away from me; incredibly hard work throughout.
Kind regards, Colin.
This was a nightmare.
Winch set up for use.
Slow heavy work.
Will I win.
Final resting place.
Why not have 36" deep stone to break through.
So steep I couldn't use a spade without sliding down the garden; small stones under my feet were like ball bearings. It was torture.
This is where the laurel stump was removed from.
It was worth it in the end; we also bought a full wagon load of wood chip mulch which neatens the border whilst preventing more soil erosion not that there's much soil left it being stone.
It's taken just six weeks to completely remove our 60' long hedge with mature hawthorn tree and erect a new mesh fence.
Unlike our friends in America who seem to have masses of space working on a level site using big machinery I suffered greatly with very basic kit. Below are pictures of the largest stump removed needing almost 24 tons of hydraulic jacking pressure to get it free; this is a tangled stump of Cherry Laurel when at one time had been around 30' tall; many smaller stumps were also removed including a cherry tree.
Jacks used were 2 x 10 ton bottle jacks; 1 x 1.5 ton bottle jack and a 2 ton trolley jack. Our site is very steep indeed making standing upright challenging; it took the best part of a week to get this one stump out and drag it across the steep slope using a 2,000 lb winch hoping it didn't break free and roll down towards the bungalow. The stump had to be "walked" across the garden applying as much pressure as possible with the winch whilst nudging the rear with the trolley jack; it sure was slow hard work.
Nothing about the job was easy; digging the fence post holes involved breaking through a shelf of 36" solid stone; I had to buy a new concrete breaker for this the breaker so heavy a sack cart was used to get it to the top of the garden also the sack cart was used to move the 3.6m x 100mm x 100mm posts which I could lift but after carrying the first up the mountain I thought I was going to drop dead. I moved four of the nine posts up the garden then two roofing guys next door took pity on me and carried the remaining posts up for me; I was grateful of their help. I also had some help having already felled half the big hawthorn a neighbour across the lane kindly helped with the half overhanging the lane he on the chainsaw me on the rope all the help being at the 2m social distancing due to the virus.
The trunks and thick branches were logged and collected by a neighbour for a woodburning stove; the hawthorn tree alone involved two trips using a big pickup truck; I had to be extremely careful because of the slope ensuring nothing headed at speed down the valley. Just placing tools like a spade on the ground often had the tool sliding away from me; incredibly hard work throughout.
Kind regards, Colin.
This was a nightmare.
Winch set up for use.
Slow heavy work.
Will I win.
Final resting place.
Why not have 36" deep stone to break through.
So steep I couldn't use a spade without sliding down the garden; small stones under my feet were like ball bearings. It was torture.
This is where the laurel stump was removed from.
It was worth it in the end; we also bought a full wagon load of wood chip mulch which neatens the border whilst preventing more soil erosion not that there's much soil left it being stone.
.
