Stump grinder

[swreeder]

I bought a Baumalight 1P24 last year from shopgreendealer.com (use discount code TTWT) It has been great. I have ground cedar stumps from 5-20" and live oak from 10-24 inches. It does a wonderful job on them. I have 100's of stumps to grind and I'm slowly working my way in taking them out. Its nice to have it here on the ranch so when I get time, I just go out and grind.

I live in very rocky country, there is less than 2" of topsoil anywhere on my property. Its just all caliche and limestone here. I was concerned about tooth wear/breaking, but the limestone is soft enough the grinder has no issues with it.

The only negative I have found with this setup is your neck will get sore from turning around to grind!!!

 

[BackRoad]

Another Q. for this stump grinder thread...

When you're chasing roots, as you get to the root end close to the dirt, do you manually dig out the dirt around the root before you grind...

...or do you just keep on grinding to take it down below ground level?

My ground is not terribly rocky, but there are a few...

 

[sixdogs]

Another Q. for this stump grinder thread...

When you're chasing roots, as you get to the root end close to the dirt, do you manually dig out the dirt around the root before you grind...

...or do you just keep on grinding to take it down below ground level?

My ground is not terribly rocky, but there are a few...

You'll get the best results cutting with saw as close to ground as possible and then grinding. No digging. Also better results if you let the stump rot for a year first.

I kill all my stumps with 43% glyphosate when I cut the tree and a year later it's a breeze to grind.

 

[BackRoad]

Thanks for that...it's been a year, but I didn't use the poison. At least I have one requirement checked...!

Waiting another week or two for the stumps to thaw...hoping by St. Patrick's to be grinding...

 

[swreeder]

Another Q. for this stump grinder thread...

When you're chasing roots, as you get to the root end close to the dirt, do you manually dig out the dirt around the root before you grind...

...or do you just keep on grinding to take it down below ground level?

My ground is not terribly rocky, but there are a few...

I just keep grinding. I typically end up with a trench 6" or more below ground level and I just have to rake all the debris back in to the hole afterwards. Some good videos on youtube showing these in action.

 

[sixdogs]

I just keep grinding. I typically end up with a trench 6" or more below ground level and I just have to rake all the debris back in to the hole afterwards. Some good videos on youtube showing these in action.

After grinding a stump, I rake up as many of the wood chips as I can and throw them on a burn pile. Do you just rake everything back in the hole and does in grow grass successfully afterwards? I always thought the concentrated wood chips would interfere with grass growth.

 

[swreeder]

After grinding a stump, I rake up as many of the wood chips as I can and throw them on a burn pile. Do you just rake everything back in the hole and does in grow grass successfully afterwards? I always thought the concentrated wood chips would interfere with grass growth.

I just rake them back in and I have had no problem with growth of grass coming back in so far. Here that is native grasses, little bluestem, big bluestem, switchgrass and Indiangrass.

 

[kyryder]

Here is a novice question, but when trimming the pto shaft, did the manual instructions work for you? I followed what the instructions said, however when I raise the grinder up the bottom of the grinder doesn't tilt all the way forward because the pto shaft bottoms out. I'm thinking I need to trim more off the shaft, but not sure how much?

You didn't state which grinder you're using. Sounds like Bauma. If using Bauma on cat 1 tractor an extension kit is required (moves grinder away from pto approximately 6 inches) otherwise shaft can't work properly. Too long when up too short when down. It mentions the kit on their website. I bought mine before the extension kit appeared on their site. I had to replace the 3 lobe shafts.☹☹

 

[Bill Guenthner]

After grinding a stump, I rake up as many of the wood chips as I can and throw them on a burn pile. Do you just rake everything back in the hole and does in grow grass successfully afterwards? I always thought the concentrated wood chips would interfere with grass growth.

I have ground at least 60 stumps over the last 10 years and always put the chips in the hole. It’s hard to impossible to tell where the stumps were. It’s not a golf course, use clover and a pasture grass mix and it will turn green. BTW: I used a rental for half and had the other half done by a pro at day rates. The pro is the better option unless your time has no value. With a tracked remote controlled grinder they can do an amazing amount in one day. BTW: load up the chips with nitrogen fertilizer the first year, then do the grass.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

If you can find a forestry mulching service they can wipe out an acre of small to medium stumps in a day