Stump Grinding/Fencing

[rayjayjam]

Hi to all of you on the forum. I am new to this and have read many of the posts with great interest.

 

I am a fencing manufacturer/contractor in the Notts/Derby area.

 

I am about to purchase a new Carlton SP4012D Stump Grinder.

 

We very often come across tree stumps and always need them grinding out. Hence the reason we are buying one.

As you all know these are not cheap so we would be offering a stump grinding service as an extra to our business.

 

I would value all feedback and thoughts on Grinders in general.

 

Cheers Ray

[Hodge]

Hi Ray, i own a Carlton 2700, its like the 4012d but older, awesome machine. i started with a small machine but i have found a bigger machine is quicker and easier. however will it pay?, i offer stump grinding to all our clients and i find some will pay extra to have the stump ground at the same time as having their tree removed but some wont. the machine stands me at 7 grand, i have had it a year and it has earned me 2 grand in a year without advertising it, i dont think trhats too bad.

[rayjayjam]

Hi, Thanks for your comments. Obviously you like the Carltons then?

 

Ray

[Ian C]

Hi Ray and welcome to the forum, why do you want such an expensive machine when your only going to use it now and again, With the running costs of grinders and depretiation i think it will be cheaper for you to carry on getting someone in, and let there machine take the pain! the only reason i have a grinder is so i can offer the full arb service to customers and it has got me a few jobs where the punter whats the full job doing. IMO there aint a lot of money in grinding unless you one of the big firms thats doing it all the time. Laying out 7k on a machine and getting 2k back in a year minus running casts and breakdowns, teeth etc goes to show the returns!

[rayjayjam]

Hi, Yes I can understand what your saying, but it is nice to take jobs on without relying on other folk.

[Robert_S]

There is a few on ebay, id agree with ic trees that its quite an investment to not use it all the time, i have a 15 year old ram pedestrian grinder so if it sits for weeks at a time its no big deal but connect the battery and away it goes.

But if you can justify it then go for it, Simon (big boss beechwood) who posts on here was selling a nice hardly used grinder before xmas he may still have it i think it was a greenmech.

And welcome to the forum mate

[rayjayjam]

Hi, I agree with what you are saying but as I initially said I would be putting it to work as much as I could and not just relying on the odd stump here and there.

[Robert_S]

Me bad i never read the post correct

 

You should do ok sub contracting the grinder out, get good insurance as they can throw stones very far and smash car windows!!! got the t-shirt for that one:biggrin:

[rayjayjam]

Nice bit of advice, Thanks

[skyhuck]

IMHO, stump grinding is about winning work not making money.

 

I have 2 they have both won me loads of work but neither has made me rich.