Stump Grinders

[49erinnc]

I have about 12 stumps scattered around out back where the previous owner took down some trees but left the hideous traces. A couple are small (less than 6" diameter) but I have several that are pretty large (10"-12" across).

I was considering renting a stump grinder from Home Depot but I was told that they have two kinds. One is for small stumps (6"-8") and one is for large stumps that comes with it's own trailer for transport. Sounds like I'll need the big one which is $135 for the day.

First of all, how labor intensive is it to even grind stumps should I rent one and how quickly can a typical 10" stump be ground down flush with the surface? Second, would it cost significantly more to just have someone in the landscaping business come out and do it for me?

I want the stumps gone ASAP so I'm not really interested in other means of removal such as chemicals or burning. Nor do I want to destroy my yard by yanking them out. I'll just be happy if they aren't completely obvious when you look out back and I can run a mower over them.

 

[Rogeee]

I used to rent these way back in the early eighties when i ran a rental shop,the large tow behind will grind an oak stump two feet in diameter within ten minutes (6 inches below ground level)


Stump Grinder

These machines require common sense and a sharp eye to run,one little mistake and it will cost you a limb or your life.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

they are easy....the big one can usually eat a large stump in under 15 minutes. The trick is to aggressive bang the head against the stump from different angles until it's all gone. Don't bother with the small one, if you have big stumps it will wear you out.

 

[squirrel dog]

Have you called around and tried to get some quotes on a stump dude to come out and do this for you? I did last year,not quite as much as you've got,it was $125 where I live(Deep South).

 

[alien42]

gasoline and match ftw

 

[Syrch]

honestly i'd hire someone. i'd loose both legs if i tried to use one of those

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: crustyoldman
I used to rent these way back in the early eighties when i ran a rental shop,the large tow behind will grind an oak stump two feet in diameter within ten minutes (6 inches below ground level)


Stump Grinder

These machines require common sense and a sharp eye to run,one little mistake and it will cost you a limb or your life.

Okay, that's certainly far more machine that I want to be renting if that's what Home Depot has. I couldn't even get something like that into my back yard to be honest because it's fenced and gated with only about a 5' opening for entry. I thought the "large" ones that Home Depot rents were still significantly smaller than the one you linked?

As for gasoline + match: Believe me, I'd love nothing more. But despite living in NC, my neighborhood isn't very rural and I can't get away with something like that. I also have a lot of other trees and things that could become fire hazards. Not to mention, I don't have the time/patience to monitor a slow stump burn. I may just call some freelance landscaping guy to see what he says. If I can get it done for under $175, then I'm not going to bother with renting something.

Don't stump grinders make a good bit of a mess as well? Seems like if I hired someone, they would also be responsible for cleaning up the chips.

 

[MrManly]

These stump grinders from HD can really beat you up. They shake and jolt. You have to put a lot of body into them. You'll be sore the next day. BTW, ALWAYS get the biggest one they have. I guarantee you will NOT regret it. It is completely worth the extra cost.

I recently needed four stumps removed, include a full 5' tall palm tree. I solicited bids from several tree companies wanting $399-699 to remove the tree stumps. Ha. But one other landscape company gave me the number of the guy they use for stump removal.

He came over and agreed to remove all my stumps for $100. He brought this dog and was gone within an hour.

Cheaper than HD, faster than HD, and my back felt great afterward.

-MrManly

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

this is more like the grinder Home Depot typically has, but even this is a bit bigger.

Link

They are not difficult to operate at all. Everything is motorized and you just push buttons.


oh, and after you are done there will be a pile of chips and dirt mixed together, just pack it back into the hole. It makles good mulch for the soil and after a few weeks you can barely tell.

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
this is more like the grinder Home Depot typically has, but even this is a bit bigger.

Link

They are not difficult to operate at all. Everything is motorized and you just push buttons.


oh, and after you are done there will be a pile of chips and dirt mixed together, just pack it back into the hole. It makles good mulch for the soil and after a few weeks you can barely tell.

That's more along the lines of what I was envisioning at Home Depot. I think I could manage that but now I'm really starting to be concerned about access to my back yard. I don't think I'm going to be able to get a machine of that size back there to be honest. I may be forced to use a smaller grinder and just be miserable the next day from using it.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: 49erinnc

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
this is more like the grinder Home Depot typically has, but even this is a bit bigger.

Link

They are not difficult to operate at all. Everything is motorized and you just push buttons.


oh, and after you are done there will be a pile of chips and dirt mixed together, just pack it back into the hole. It makles good mulch for the soil and after a few weeks you can barely tell.

That's more along the lines of what I was envisioning at Home Depot. I think I could manage that but now I'm really starting to be concerned about access to my back yard. I don't think I'm going to be able to get a machine of that size back there to be honest. I may be forced to use a smaller grinder and just be miserable the next day from using it.

I changed my link to one more like the HD here has....much smaller. Take another look

 

[Syrch]

just rent this, http://www.langtool.com/images/stumpgrinder.jpg

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: 49erinnc

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
this is more like the grinder Home Depot typically has, but even this is a bit bigger.

Link

They are not difficult to operate at all. Everything is motorized and you just push buttons.


oh, and after you are done there will be a pile of chips and dirt mixed together, just pack it back into the hole. It makles good mulch for the soil and after a few weeks you can barely tell.

That's more along the lines of what I was envisioning at Home Depot. I think I could manage that but now I'm really starting to be concerned about access to my back yard. I don't think I'm going to be able to get a machine of that size back there to be honest. I may be forced to use a smaller grinder and just be miserable the next day from using it.

I changed my link to one more like the HD here has....much smaller. Take another look

Yeah, that's more like it. That would fit through my access gate as well.

I just called a couple local places that do stump removal. I was very specific in describing the stumps and the first guy said he'd come out to do the job for $175. I called another place, described the exact same situation and he quoted me at $670. WTF?

First guy FTW

Though, I still may rent one simply because I think I'd get a kick out of grinding them down myself. I'm also very accident-prone so this may not be a good idea.

 

[chr6]

this thread was not at all what i thought it was about

 

[Dualist]

Originally posted by: alien42
gasoline and match ftw

To me that's not effective enough for removing stumps.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: Duality210

Originally posted by: alien42
gasoline and match ftw

To me that's not effective enough for removing stumps.

Stumps don't even burn well in the middle of burn piles.

<-- speaking from experience.

 

[Lonyo]

Dig a big hole

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

about an hour per stump for the home depot kind.

 

[cardiac]

Make sure if you do it yourself that you grind the stumps down to at least 4-6 inches below grade. This way you can fill them in and actually grow something there

It is around $75-100 for EACH stump if you have someone come in and do it here in NW Indiana.

Bob

 

[Krazefinn]

Dont try to burn, the charred remains are preserved therafter...
take a shovel, and water hose, and open up the ground around stumps, then use a chainsaw to trim the stump few inches below grade. If you make the top cut concave, water and dirt will sit in it and hasten the decomposition process. Cover with sod, done. Not that hard to do, and free if you have a saw.

After the hurricanes we've had last few years, I've done this to quite a few stumps. Wasn't about to pay $200 per stump for grinding. The machine should do each one in less than hour each.

On second thought, breed beavers????

 

[Vegitto]

Anyone else have visions of perverts grinding stumps of people who have lost arms/legs?

(Neither did I. )

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: Krazefinn

On second thought, breed beavers????

No thanks, I'd rather just stuff them.

The chainsaw method sounds tempting. I'm just a little leery of working that close to the ground with a chainsaw for the number of stumps I have. Last thing I need to do is lose an appendage trying to beautify my back yard.

 

[JDrake]

Originally posted by: alien42
gasoline and match ftw

That doesn't work But I guess it'd be most fun..
The guys who cut down our trees removed the stumps for free for some reason