First Stump Grinder - Advice

[Breezeblock]

if you keep the cutters in decent nick you can manage with a small one i.e. 13hp we manage and we make a good profit on one

[Kev Stephenson]

4 years ago I spent £1400 on a Camon C500 (basically a rayco RG13) and it has been brilliant. I do still sub out big stumps (2ft+) or multiple stumps but anything else or anything up or down stairs we do with the Camon. I would love one that is self driven and possibly even with a few more ponies but then I couldn't lift it onto raised beds or up and down flights of steps.

 

A set of teeth (Rayco superteeth) is about £70 (I have only bought one set), a green wheel to keep them sharp a tenner delivered and other than a couple of bolts that have been shaken loose it hasn't cost me a penny.

 

The machine I have got has paid for itself 3 or 4 times over and is still worth £1k +. I used to hire one in but it was always blunt, only had the 9hp engine and barely made economic sense.

[Rupe]

Hi Mark.

 

 

Have you got stump grinding work lined up already, or just looking to get a machine so you can broaden your service?

 

The rayco is good, used them lots, but quite limiting on the size you can efficiently grind out. So stumps that come from trunks at 2foot diameter are probaly towards its limit, it will do them and bigger, but take a long time.

 

The self drive ones have zero user fatigue and a wider sweep than you can physically manage with a pedestrian, so they will do larger stumps without finishing you off as well. But you will freeze to death due to lack of activity some days!

 

But for 1-1.5 foot stumps the small rayco is good.

 

Remember when pricing that the grinding is based on the volume of the stump, not diameter, and volume goes up by r3 (radius cubed).

 

So many people price by the inch diameter and then wonder why the larger ones make less money (take longer).

 

 

Vermeer SC252 would be my vote for best all round, not too large not too small, but everyone has their own opinions. I had a small 13hp vermeer for a while aswell (won it on a raffle brand new) but it was prettyu useless for me. Then sold it to someone who takes it out every day and says its the best machine ever.

 

All depends on the work you doing I guess.

[Johny Walker]

if youve got the budget get 1, of these, every thing is hyraulic ,exept the cutter wheel ,

[silky fox]

Johny's advice is good...the carlton is a nice bit of kit but like Rupe suggested the Vermeer252 is a great all round machine...I use one on a regular basis. Use the "yellowjacket" teeth..

[lyons e]

352 has more power and better balanced and its the same width as the 252

 

 

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[Rupe]

And even more money! I would uprgrade to one if I could justify it.

[MAX]

There's an Rg20 on arbtrader for sale.

 

rayco rg 20 Stump grinder ArbTrader Arborists Classifieds

[Old Mill Tree Care]

I've looked at and used most of them and I may soon be getting the Raptor from Arbrep Services. Same as all the others without the annoying design niggles and it has Multi-tip cutters.

Arbrep Services - Woodchipper Parts, Repairs and Maintenance - Hampshire UK

Edited April 29, 2013 by Old Mill Tree Care

[fen01]

Thanks for all the replies, really good stuff. I think in summary, small is cheaper and handy for tight access and lifting etc, but larger (20hp ish) costs more but doesn't seem to loose out too much on width and will be physically easier to use and more capable. And then there is much bigger (perhaps in the future, I've only been trading 3 months)!

 

Stupid question time: What are 'Yellow Jacket' teeth and why are they better?

 

Hi Rupe,

 

Hope every thing is going well with you, I'm starting to get busier following 4 weeks off after corrective surgery for a cocked up hernia op:thumbdown: I have some stumps lined up and quite a few coming in. I looked at hiring something, but, I reckon I would struggle to make any money as they are either expensive to hire or a bit crappy. I've just sold my old Land Rover so have a bit of cash. Beginning to think that saving for 20hp'ish' machine is the way to go, giving the best balance between performance and size...