Stump Grinder

[StoopTroup]

Anyone ever rent one of these?

Is it better/cheaper just to have it done?

http://www.power-trac.com/images05/T12%20Attachments/stump-grinder.jpg

Could you use the cutter to get down to the roots enough to pull it out with my 4X4?

http://www.roryroberts.com/images/Tree%20stump%20pull/dsc00891.jpg

[TUSooner]

I've had several stumps ground. JMHO. I would not want to "rent and learn" how to operate one of those things. I recently hired a guy who was very reasonable -- one huge pine stump and a fair sized cedar for $300. Oh yeah, he had a remote control deal that was pretty neat.

[StoopTroup]

I've operated lots of heavy equipment but these things look pretty harsh.

It looks to me like the bigger heavier units might be safer but if the cost is as much as $300+...it would seem your right TU.

[TUSooner]

I've operated lots of heavy equipment but these things look pretty harsh.

It looks to me like the bigger heavier units might be safer but if the cost is as much as $300+...it would seem your right TU.
I have no idea what it would cost to rent one either.

[StoopTroup]

I found this...

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/gardening/1273711.html?page=2&c=y

[Beano's Fourth Chin]

And it makes a really big pile of mulch in the yard too.

We paid 85 bucks total for the machine rental and dude to do it. This was on top of 250 (200? I forget) to have them take the tree out that used to sit on top of the stump that used to be there. That grinder was a freaking scary machine. I think it is scarier than a tree branch chopper upper.

[slickdawg]

Let someone do it.

[Beano's Fourth Chin]

Let someone do it.
Yeah, after watching the dudes do it, I was like. That dud should have held out for more money.

[VeeJay]

As a cutter of large nuisance trees many times over, I have employed the services of at least three stump grinders in the last four years. Unless the stump is ground a few inches below the ground, you're going to have trouble getting grass to grow there for a while.

One grindsman told me to leave the sawdust/mulch there for a couple of weeks before removing it - something to do with the acidity. ???

When I began shovelling that mulch / ground up stump into big trash bags, it's heavy as hell. The last two stumps that were ground, I left the mulch on the ground and am just letting the grass grow over it.

[OUDoc]

As almost everyone said, hire someone to do it OR dig the stump out yourself. I was warned how dangerous those machines are when I looked into renting one, just looking at it gives you a good idea. I think digging the stump out (if reasonable) is probably the best idea in the long run.

[StoopTroup]

So far...this is my favorite. :D

http://www.kanga-loader.com/2005/general/images/attachments/Kanga-Misc-Stump%20Grinder-001.jpg

[StoopTroup]

2nd place goes to....

http://images.rermag.com/files/148/204RER2205.jpg

[StoopTroup]

3rd place looks a bit scary...lol

http://www.agtrak.com.au/Melb1.jpg

[TUSooner]

I just kinda took out the big chunks of wood and spread the rest of the chips around, but not too much because when the chips eventually decompose there will be a low spot where the stump was.

[OUinFLA]

compact, but effective
PSA: give your neighbors some notice

http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/images/wacky/props/dynamite.jpg