DIY Stump Grinding

[Qball]

I had a very large Elm tree cut down last year because it died. I also cut down a large Weeping Willow that was in my yard because it was sucking up all the moisture and killing my grass.

So I went and rented one of these stump grinders. The Elm was about 2-1/2 to 3 feet in diameter and the roots are huge so I wasn't going to try to dig it out. The pic of my yard shows where I grinded down the willow stump yesterday evening. I don't have to go below grade on this Elm since its in a natural area and will be covered by pine needles.

I just ran out of gas and taking a break. These things will kick your butt.

 

[Chdamn]

Not bad. Let me know when your whole body stops vibrating. Although Susan may like that. Lol.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Qball is one determined guy. Reminds me of this guy I used to know. I told him his truck wouldn’t go through this ditch he was gonna try to cross. He said “it’ll go through it or I’ll go buy one that will”. That’s Qball level determination right there.


Oh, and the guy with the truck, he snapped one of his front wheels completely off in that ditch.

 

[Qball]

Lol. I'd normally just leave this stump alone and let it rot since it's not in the lawn. But grinding it down will make it easier to maneuver my leaf machine up in that area.

 

[Get Off My Lawn]

I'm more lazy and patient, drill a bunch of 1" holes, fill with ammonium or potassium nitrate, wet, come back a month later & fill the holes with kero or diesel, let it soak in, fill holes next day with gas/diesel mix & light. The nitrate supplies oxygen so it'll slowly burn like a big incense stick down the roots.

 

[NCFubar]

Use to we’d drill three or four 24” or so deep holes in the stump and drop a 1/2 stick “firecracker” with cap in each hole. Then we’d touch them off on so the stump would “jump up” a foot or so and drop back in the crater. Of course in today’s gooberment overwatch that would never happen.

Now we just drill a dozen or so holes and pour gas down them and light it up. Then take a 1/2 55 gallon drum and make a fire pit over it.

 

[BASIL]

Q your son should be the one that's sore.
Not you.
Sometimes I wished I had one to help, like last night when I was bringing a pump organ into the house, by my self.

 

[Qball]

Q your son should be the one that's sore.
Not you.
Sometimes I wished I had one to help, like last night when I was bringing a pump organ into the house, by my self.

I know. But I need the exercise. Well actually he does too if he ends up going where he wants to after high school.

 

[Friday]

You were able to rent a stump grinder?
I called around to several places here and they all just kinda said yeah right.
The one guy told me they used to, but customers beat the crap outta them so they stopped renting the machines.

 

[BowWow]

Even with the grinder doing the actual work..... it's still hard work!

I couldn't find a stump grinder to rent a while back when I needed one.

 

[Qball]

Even with the grinder doing the actual work..... it's still hard work!

It is, no doubt. I rented this one from Home Depot just so you know where I found it.

 

[Les White]

All star rental in elkin rents the huge hydraulically powered self propelled stump grinding beasts. I got one and did 57 stumps in 7 hours.

 

[J R Green]

You were able to rent a stump grinder?
I called around to several places here and they all just kinda said yeah right.
The one guy told me they used to, but customers beat the crap outta them so they stopped renting the machines.

They rent them around here but they are around $200 a day, I guess they suffer more wear and tear than other machines.

I have about 40 stumps I need to get out and was wondering if you had to change or sharpen the teeth often or is that not an option?

 

[Qball]

They rent them around here but they are around $200 a day, I guess they suffer more wear and tear than other machines.

I have about 40 stumps I need to get out and was wondering if you had to change or sharpen the teeth often or is that not an option?

If you have 40 stumps to grind down, go the route Brian K mentioned above. This little grinder I rented, 13hp Toro, it would wear you out and take several days, if not a week or more to do that many stumps, especially if they're big stumps with big spider roots.

 

[hp468]

I rented one a few months back to knock out a big pine, and about 6 massive sweet gum stumps. Picked up a hydraulic powered one at my local equipment rental shop. Self propelled and up/down/left/right controls. It still took all day to knock them out. I originally went to HD to rent one, guy behind the counter talked me out of theirs, and i'm sure glad he did. Even with renting the big grinder it was still cheaper than hiring it out.

Never been a fan of burning stumps in the ground, especially in wooded areas. Seen fire run underground and days later pop up 50' away too many times.

 

[Qball]

6 massive sweet gum stumps

This Elm I just grinded down was very similar to Gum. It was a dang bear to grind down. After I was finished, the grinding wheel teeth had to have been worn out. They had a sharpie sign on the machine that said the teeth were replaced in late September. I bet it will have an updated note on teeth replacement in the near future.