bigyin

If youve got a cut off saw you could try using one of those tungstan rippa blades which cut through anything ...probably

http://www.dtas-diamonds.com/l-gb/diamond-tipped-cutting-tool.asp?p=13

I only have a 115mm angle grinder and a hand held circular saw neither of which would cut deep enough.

If you have the space I was actually being serious!

 

Fireworks

 

You don’t have to use lots, you just need to use enough

 

12v bulbs with the glass broken off so the element is exposed make good igniters & suitable long lengths of wire + a 12v car battery is all you need

 

Obviously don’t overlook safety & legal considerations

I might experiment with that. I have 10 acres of space but the back of the house is only about 20 metres away. Legal considerations don't come into it as we're out in the sticks. Obviously would be concerned about my own safety.

Sensible head on now - air compressor with a fine nozzle and jet them off - sandblasting / air pick style. Anyway you slice it, it sounds like a PITA way of getting firewood without a machine.

I didn't think anyone was going to suggest an easy way as it's a big old job. Excuse my ignorance.....PITA ? Like I said, I don't have access to compressors etc and don't want to end up blowing my head off. I need to move it anyway and it's worth about £150/tonne. I have time but not the kit.

I don't have any pics of it in it's present state but could take some tomorrow if it's any help.

If we're going down that road surely a 12 gauge with a solid slug should do it:001_tongue:

I think I'd better post some piccy's so we can get a feel for the size of the challenge

why not use a drill to bore a hole then use black-powder/ cordite/ explosive

I note you put a smiley on the end but that may be the only way around it. I can drill holes but not sure about obtaining or using explosive. I could probably buy some shotgun shells

I had wondered if once having drilled strategically placed holes (say working from the outside in) whether I could get something in the hole to apply LOTS of lateral pressure. I already use concrete blocks and a car scissor jack to raise logs for sawing so it would have to be something I could operate manually that supplied a lot of mechanical advantage.

Unless you really want to split it for firewood etc then cant you get a stumpy in to shred it to bits?

Yes, I would like to use it for firewood and also I need to get rid of it as it's gonna be in the way soon.

Thanks Peter. If I had something that would make a dent in your "Ass", I probably wouldn't have a problem with my roots :-)

Hi everybody,

I'm not an Arboriculturalist (at least not by profession). I live in Catalonia and earlier this year I had twenty redundant old olive trees grubbed up and stacked round the back. I've cut up most of the trunk material but I'm left with 5 - 10 tons of very tough root. This stuff burns well but because there are so many stones and stuff in amongst them, cutting them with my chainsaw means resharpening every 5 minutes. I have no tractor or similar so power splitters are out. My maul obviously just bounces off. I was wondering if anyone knows of a hand operated splitter that perhaps works on the same principle as the HyCrack for example. I know it's a tall (probably impossible) order.

Thanks,

Bigyin