How to Trench With a Stump Bucket

Slide on a hard hat, work gloves and safety glasses to protect your head, skin and eyes.

Start the skid steer and test the handle-bar controls. Push the right and left handle bars forward at the same time to move the loader forward. Pull the handle bars backward at the same time to reverse the loader. Push the left handle forward while pulling back on the right to turn the loader to the right. Push the right handle forward while pulling back on the left to turn the loader to the left. Release the handles to make the loader stop moving and idle.

Test the foot pedal controls. Press the left pedal down with your heel to lift the bucket. Press the left pedal down with your toes to lower the bucket. Press the right pedal down with your heel to tilt the bucket backwards. Press the right pedal down with your toes to tilt the bucket forward.

Move the stump-bucket loader into position so it is directly in line with the trench you wish to dig. Angle the bucket teeth downward to a 45-degree angle.

Press the teeth and bucket down into the soil. Angle the bucket teeth to a horizontal 180-degree angle. Lift the bucket out of the trench to move the soil.

Keep the bucket low while moving the stump loader -- never move with an elevated bucket. Stay a minimum of 36 inches removed from trench edges while moving the loader.

Insert the bucket into the ground at least 56 inches away from the base of a tree stump, if a stump is in your path. Remove the 56 inches of soil around the perimeter of the stump before digging out the stump itself. Stump buckets measure an average length of 56 inches.