Time for a Stump Grinder????

[Spruce Pirate]

I looked at a job today with 82 Stumps to grind out to just below ground level.  All ash trees, mostly around 20 - 25cm diameter at stump, some a bit smaller, occasionally up to around 35cm.  Normally I'd sub-contract the stump grinding of a job, but now wondering if a budget stump grinder is worth putting on the shopping list for this.  Any advice?  Don't have a budget, haven't got a machine in mind, might still sub-contract it.  Are cheap stump grinders worth it? going to cope with it? Is a second had machine worth considering? 

 

Look forward to opinions......

[Steve Bullman]

Take a look at the little FSI grinder.  Its well priced and would eat up those fairly comfortably

[Spruce Pirate]

Cheers Steve.  Have you used these?

[Matt McAulay]

I've used 1, want to look at the b22 (believe is the one I used) it's a pedestrian machine but it's cracking the working body moves independently of the chassis so no busting a gut moving the whole machine.

[Steve Bullman]

22 hours ago, Spruce Pirate said:

Cheers Steve.  Have you used these?

Yes lots!  Very impressed with the machine, it really is quite effortless to grind.  Hardest part is pushing it along on uneven ground really, but I think they do one with a hydrostatic drive.  Downside to this is it probably makes the unit heavier.  2 strong men can lift one of these into the back of a transit....3 can do it easy.

[Khriss]

I just contract blokes in - its easier and customer pays , k

[Khriss]

( Did grind out a 40cm oak stump with a hire grinder -only thing would fit through gate - and it did the job - but who does this day to day ??? ) K

[shillo]

I was chatting to the vermeer guy at the confor show and he had seen the usual pedestrian grinders all in use and he thought the fsi grinder was considerably better. the b22 has a 14hp engine, hydro drive. i can't quite see how that would be better than the 25hp ones but he thought so. judging by the youtube vids it certainly does look effortless compared to the blind lugging about grinding of the 25's

[Mick Dempsey]

Thing is, the concept of grinding stumps just below ground level sounds simple, but.... grinding stumps from the top down is much harder than grinding them sideways, or at least at 45 degrees, it's just the way the wood "comes away" also species is important.

 

Ash is less of pleasure to grind than say oak.

 

in conclusion, your "budget grinder" will cost you more than subbing it out.

[Mick Dempsey]

1 minute ago, shillo said:

I was chatting to the vermeer guy at the confor show and he had seen the usual pedestrian grinders all in use and he thought the fsi grinder was considerably better. the b22 has a 14hp engine, hydro drive. i can't quite see how that would be better than the 25hp ones but he thought so. judging by the youtube vids it certainly does look effortless compared to the blind lugging about grinding of the 25's

You're joking, you have to be!