Rock stump grinder

[Connagh]

Has anyone on here got the new rock stump grinder. Need to buy one as I’m always hiring. I currently hire the camon stump grinder which is a little beast but is £1500 more expensive. Moneys not really much of an issue I did like the predator 460 but looks quite big and may need lots of room to store 

[marne]

If money isn't an issue, go with a self propellered unit. 

[Dan Maynard]

I hire the predator 360 and 460. The 460 cuts a lot faster, and because it's self propelled you can work it all day and not be knackered in the same way as the 360.

I wouldn't say it is a huge amount bigger to store either, if I had the work for it I'd definitely get that one instead. There have been a couple of gardens where I had to lift or shuffle the 360 round a corner, but you could always hire the little grinder again to cover those.

[Connagh]

What’s the difference between self propelled and not? I thought apart from the large tracked ones you had to still sway it side to side like you do the smaller ones? 

[rapalaman]

The wheels are driven on a self propelled so it’s easier to get to the stump, up ramps etc and whilst grinding small back and forth movements are much less strain.

the predator 460 drives off the battery making it lighter, but the power can drain on long walks. Others like the bandit hb20, and I believe the fsi b22 are engine driven, but heavier as a result.

[maybelateron]

I have got the new version of the Rock grinder, the SGR-33. I think it is excellent value for money, and well built. It is surprisingly good in my opinion. It is certainly adequate for stumps up to 10-12 in diameter, as long as you don't need to go more than about 8 inches below ground, and it is not on a difficult slope, or up a slope to get to it. I think unless you are planning to do quite a lot of grinding, and larger stumps, this is a value for money machine. 

I know one guy from Stumpbusters, with loads of experience of machines, who feels that Predator lack something in build quality, and says FSI are much better.

[rapalaman]

I have 360 which has been brilliant but not without it’s problems. Exhaust shook  itself to bits (kohler engine) and the brake arrangement is poor at best - I always keep at least two spare cables with me.

was very tempted by the fsi but shame they don’t use a bigger engine around 25hp or so. 
I picked up a used hb20 but have only used it once so far. Doesn’t bog down like the 360 can, but I feel the multi tip teeth and/or rhino seem better than the green teeth on the bandit

[Connagh]

Well considering I’m probably only using it once or twice a month it may be worth maybe buying one of the rock stump grinders instead of going all out. Stump grinding is only really something we do when removing hedges to put a fence up. Or removing small trees. Hire at 50-100 a day soon builds up and sometimes I struggle to get hold of one which then delays the jobs 

[Dan Maynard]

As long as you mean privet, hawthorn etc then generally hedges are easy to grind, you'd probably be fine with a cheap one and then maybe hire a bigger machine if it's a big row of tree stumps.

You do have to swing a 460 side to side yourself, but it's well balanced and on a turntable so that part is easy. Some of the smaller grinders just have a brake on one side so swinging means pushing one wheel back and forth through the pile of grindings. You then end up fighting the machine forward to grind without it falling in the hole you've just made. So much easier to just press a button for a couple of seconds between passes.

[Connagh]

It’s mainly really leylandi hedges never big big trees we usually turn down the bigger tree stump grinding jobs as we’re more landscaping and small trees so recommend the bigger trees to bigger companies who usually have a stump grinder