Stefan Palokangas

Just seen a ad here, some skinny guy holding a 14hp stump grinder, i know folks been damaged in hands and shoulders using them machines. Be careful folks, them hand help machines some of them will destroy your hands and shulders. Instead of paying small money for that and destroy yourself, just go for it and get a wheeled or tracked machine, ain't worth it using your body as a punching bag.

In Sweden it's done for Tall and Gran, or scottish pine and spruce, the hardwood trees is great for wet areas to keep. or for a frost protection for the ones getting kept and taken away in second thinning.

I’ve done tree thinning in Sweden—first, second, and third cuts to give the best trees room to grow strong and fast. Seems like it’s not a big thing in Scotland, though. Wondering why—too much wind knocking them over, or just more into clear-felling here?

Well no music, no gossip, turn the mind on to work, do toilet in the morning, don't come and tell me you forgot this and that, I had a employee but due to disagreement i ended up with community service. I work alone now and will never get a employee again. Learned grass cutting and litter picking, new skills to my name.

Just to let folks know if you have issues with Kohler Ch980 the Carb model. I got alot of parts thats collecting dust in my garage. I had engine issues and i ordered all parts new, pistons everything really. In the end i ended up buying a new engine due to the block was cracked. Got the Efi model now so not sure they will be of any use for me anymore.

The seat to the valve might have came loose, same happend to mine. if thats what it is, open it up put the seat back in and tap around it to make it staying. did you get it resolved ?

Started out in our own forest in Sweden chainsaw and a John Deere tractor from age of 12 i went up in the forest alone and came back with a load of wood, most the times i sold it in 3m lengths, sometimes i cut and splitted it and sold it that way, every weekend or after school sometimes. then at age 20 started working with tree felling around powerlines for a good number of years. and now at age 50 i'm stump grinding, done that for 11 years or so. and think thats what i will continue doing till i can't do it anymore.

Oi, you lot—Svat and Stefan in the same room? Nah, mate—Svat’s the shadow I left in Sweden

I stopped shagging years ago wont bother me

ha ha, well it's true in most cases. stick to the trees and get me a banana while up there

grinding stumps since you were swinging from mummy’s branch. Easy, you say? Tell that to the gas pipe I hit at 100mm—fumes choking, sparks flying, me laughing like a nutter while you’d have wet your harness. Started arb at 12 in Sweden, our forest, not some posh tree biz with daddy’s cash. Oil-rig welder turned stump king—I’ve tipped rigs and ditched weddings for this ‘simple’ game. Buy your toy grinder, you rope-tugging twit—let’s see you last a day before you’re crying for your saw. Stick to climbing, ya smug sod—I’m the psycho who owns this turf!

Stefan here—Arbtalk since 2014, grinding stumps out of Darvel, Scotland. Oil-rig welder turned stump lord, and I’ve got a bone to pick. Tree surgeons—tree monkeys swinging in your fancy harnesses—why the bloody hell are you lot messing with stump grinders? Machinery’s for the big boys, not you branch-hugging climbers. I’ve tipped my rig, laughed through gas leaks, ground ‘til the sparks flew—years of this shite, and I own it. You lot? Stick to saws and ropes—leave the grinding to pros who don’t monkey about. Climbed a tree lately? Good—stay up there and stop mucking with my game. Rant over—prove me wrong, you soft sods, or sod off back to the canopy!

i been thinking to upgrade to a bigger machine a few times, 90 procent of the jobs are narrow access, was i ever to get something bigger i think it would be a tractor with a grinder on it where i could use the tractor for other things to, but i'm getting older to and don't want to complicate things. Bought a pressure washer after seeing a youtube video spent daft money on it and now the passion isn't there for it, so just sits in my garage. The grinding is the best can do 2 days a week and still doing ok money wise. No stress just fun

I couldn't belive it when it happend to me, but it was just the once never happend again after that.

Was a while ago, yes doing fine grinding away enjoying it even more now then i did when i started. There is something truly special about stump grinding. Hope you are well