I just saw some almond trees in a field. They were cut down and then a backhoe pulled out the root ball. It wasn't really that large.
Ever used a stump grinder
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
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Ever used a stump grinder
I cut down a couple of cedar trees and need to grind the stumps. I have never used a stump grinder but the local rental place (a couple of blocks from the house) has one for $75.00 for four hours.
Can a non-experienced person grind two 20" stumps in 3 hours allowing 1 hour for pick up and drop off? How hard are these machines to operate by yourself?
Here a link to the model the place rents.
http://www.rentrain.com/busylad/product.html?id=29362
Any advice is appreciated.
Can a non-experienced person grind two 20" stumps in 3 hours allowing 1 hour for pick up and drop off? How hard are these machines to operate by yourself?
Here a link to the model the place rents.
http://www.rentrain.com/busylad/product.html?id=29362
Any advice is appreciated.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,659
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From: S/C Texas
Being cedar....you could just burn it. In my experiance....cedar loves to burn.
Never used a stump grinder. But I can say for sure I start al my fires in te winter with a little bit of cedar for a fast hot burn to get the rest going.
Might work that way with your stump too.
Never used a stump grinder. But I can say for sure I start al my fires in te winter with a little bit of cedar for a fast hot burn to get the rest going.
Might work that way with your stump too.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,773
Likes: 7
From: On the road in Ohio
yes you can....... just listen to the rental personnel, and have some good gloves and safety glasses handy....and that grinder is very agressive in cutting...and that company is not the only one using that design...just be sure to grind 4-6inches below the surfaces..one thing to be aware of is that the roots and part of the stump will still be there.and will rot away over time and you will have low spots over time....and you will have to refill from time to time....if its not in a high traffic area, don't worry about it.....but if it is, consider renting a small back hoe and dig them out....then fill and compact with a plate compactor...they rent the backhoes for 150 aday.....i've been selling equipment to the tool rental industry for 10yrs+ now...but that grinder is very easy to use...good luck and be safe..... 
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2001
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I've never used that type of grinder before. Our local rental places rent the Vermeer self propeled small stump grinders for about that same price and they will definitely do what you need to do. For one of them a 20" stump takes about 5 minutes.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 218
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From: Spokane, WA
My neighbor had a guy grind down a pine stump with a Vermeer grinder. It was pretty impressive, and didn't seem all that complicated. Actually it was a lot like a trencher in many respects. Sorta loud, but really tore up the stump. For some reason he fouled a plug, but that was the only problem he had. You should be able to knock it out with little trouble. It's really cool to tear things up with machinery - just keep yer appendages outta the way.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2001
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Have you priced getting someone to do the job for you? I ask, because we took down a couple trees for someone and they wanted the stumps ground. We hired someone to come out and do it for about what the rental would have cost, and we didn't have to deal with the hastle of going and getting a machine that may or may not work correctly. Or rather, the person using it might not work correctly 
I would call a couple people and get prices before I rented.
I would call a couple people and get prices before I rented.
Last edited by keith w; Oct 4, 2004 at 12:32 AM.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: KCMO
On the side subject of stump-burning (where codes allow it), dig out around the roots 6 - 8 inches deep, soak the stump in kerosene, fuel oil or similar, and build up a bit of firewood on it as if you're building a campfire. Cut both ends out of a 55 gal steel drum, and place the drum over the stump. Use 3 or 4 rocks under the bottom edge of the barrel to hold it above the ground to let air get in. Light the fire and stand back. Once it gets going good, it'll sound like a jet engine.
The barrel starts a draft, which sucks air into the bottom. This air superheats the fire like a blacksmith's bellows does a forge. Everything combustible will burn down to at least the level of the bottom of the barrel.
The barrel starts a draft, which sucks air into the bottom. This air superheats the fire like a blacksmith's bellows does a forge. Everything combustible will burn down to at least the level of the bottom of the barrel.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: fremont ohio
shoot, only stump grinder i've seen is the one at work. Vermeer with like a 3ft wheel on it and a giant deisel engine that we have to pull with a tractor...you could do a whole block of trees in 4 hours with that one, lol. They work fairly quick, i dont think u'll have a problem.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,628
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From: Baileyton, TN
I used a stump grinder once... what fun. it shook like crazy, made more flaked wood than I have ever seen, and completely hid the stump it was grinding.. A little clean up, after, and spread some dirt.. looked great. The machine was simple to use, once you figured out how to regulate the cut.. It is a bit wearing on your frame though - it shakes a lot. It took me about 40 minutes to grind out the stumps of two big old pine trees.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
Home Depot usually runs about $40 for 4 hours and $80 for the whole day (24 hours). I try to do more then one job on the same day. Cedar will go pretty quickly and smell nice. A 20" pine or cedar tree can take about 30 minutes. The thing is to get your left to right swivel down and skim the wood without digging in, it goes much quicker that way.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: On the road in Ohio
Originally Posted by rebocardo
I try to do more then one job on the same day. Cedar will go pretty quickly and smell nice. A 20" pine or cedar tree can take about 30 minutes. The thing is to get your left to right swivel down and skim the wood without digging in, it goes much quicker that way.