Stump grinding

[Treeaddict]

Well, the first time using a considerably powerful machine to tear up a dense wooden mass should prove fun. There may be something cathartic about watching a stump disappear little by little (like watching fire maybe?) and listening to the engine while trying to keep rpm’s up. The 30th time may prove to be a drag.

 

[cory]

Stumping is awesome, no complaints from me except maybe doing extremely rocky stumps, those can be annoying.

 

[flushcut]

I liked watching the grain change with each pass.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Thats probably my favorite part as well.
Throw a little water onthe grainwhen it looks interesting.

 

[Nutball]

Hose the stump a day or 2 before if it is dry and dusty, just give it time to dry out enough that it won't be muddy or thick clay.

Find a grinder with fresh Green Teeth.

Grind up to and maybe a wheel's width past the center, then come at it from an other side.

I prefer to start grinding down to the desired depth, the avoid changing the depth and advance forward from there. You can get away with the center of the wheel axle being a little below the top of the stump, but if kickback becomes a problem, raise it up.

Find a Baretto if you can.

Maybe it would be worth sacrificing a short chain (20" full skip or top handle saw) to carve out as much wood as possible.

 

[flushcut]

Small grinder tip: is to grind all the way around the stump exposing fresh wood and sawing off another chunk. Hitting dirt pockets likely if the stump has lots of root swell above grade, but worth it at the cost of a few old chains. And will save a yard or six of chips if cleaning it up.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Renting a stump grinder is often a problem. I saw more than once the teeth so dull that all you can get is smoke. The teeth are costly for what they are and the rental crew seems to never want to put set of nice edges for each customer. Renting this machine is completely unreliable in my experience. I much prefer having my own machine, even if I have to stay with the baby model. I don't have the work to justify a nice powerful one.

 

[Mick!]

Renting a stump grinder is often a problem. I saw more than once the teeth so dull that all you can get is smoke. The teeth are costly for what they are and the rental crew seems to never want to put set of nice edges for each customer. Renting this machine is completely unreliable in my experience. I much prefer having my own machine, even if I have to stay with the baby model. I don't have the work to justify a nice powerful one.

The teeth are bloody pricey in France! Can get them less than half price back in the UK.

 

[Treeaddict]

Renting a stump grinder is often a problem. I saw more than once the teeth so dull that all you can get is smoke. The teeth are costly for what they are and the rental crew seems to never want to put set of nice edges for each customer. Renting this machine is completely unreliable in my experience. I much prefer having my own machine, even if I have to stay with the baby model. I don't have the work to justify a nice powerful one.

Rentals are a crapshoot, for sure. I don’t know if I’ll ever buy one. Not against it but I’m not putting out 8K for a used one at this point in time. There’s not a lot of money in grinding in our area as far as I know. We’ll see how it goes with this one.

 

[Mellow]

I've been considering the Dosko 691SP for small stumps. I had one many years ago, then upgraded to a Vermeer 630B. Finally gave up stump grinding altogether and have been subbing it out for the last 10 or 15 years. The small Dosko works well for stumps up to about 10" to 20" but it's a full body workout for anything bigger.

 

[Mick!]

Grinding used to be a good earner here.
But a few expats came out here with machines and the prices divebombed.
I mostly just do my own stumps now
Rayco RG35, always been impressed by the build quality.
Only downside is the funny size nuts and bolts (and threads)

 

[Steve Mack]

I've been considering the Dosko 691SP for small stumps. I had one many years ago, then upgraded to a Vermeer 630B. Finally gave up stump grinding altogether and have been subbing it out for the last 10 or 15 years. The small Dosko works well for stumps up to about 10" to 20" but it's a full body workout for anything bigger.

I had a Dosko like that, 20hp and a smaller one 13hp (not self propelled). Got them for really tight access jobs, could fit through a doorway.

Got the 13hp off ebay cheap and delivered with a blown up motor. Stuck a Chinese Honda replica motor on it and did one job.

Sold both of them to a bloke from Melbourne. Not sure what the happiest day I've ever had was, that day or the day I sold my boat.

 

[Kaveman]

Bust
Out
Another
Thousand

It was the boat.