425 Stump Grinder versus Trencher

[tlb]

Does anyone have experience with the stump grinder and/or trencher for the 425? What is the difference between the two besides ~$650? Can I use the stump grinder (cheaper of the two) to also trench effectively? I want to create trenches 2-3 inches wide and 12-18 inches deep (as well as grind stumps).
-Tim

 

[J_J]

The stump grinder has an 18 in bld, and if used as a trencher, you can dig about 7 or 8 in deep. Price $ 1050.00

The wheeled trencher will dig about 12 in by 2 1/2 wide. It will probably grind stumps. Price, $ 1700.00

The tine trencher will dig 4 in wide and 36 in deep. Price $1750.00

If you only want a shallow trench, the stump grinder will suffice for both, stump grinding and trenching.

The Mine hoe 9 in bucket is $ 1100.00 and will dig all the trench you need. It can also did out stumps. The Mini hoe will give you more work for the buck.

I have the stump grinder/trencher and the 4 in by 36 in trencher.

 

[BobRip]

I have the stump grinder and the tine trencher (kind of like a big chain saw). I occasionally dig shallow trenches with the stump grinder and it works well, it just only digs about 6 or 7 inches. If you need a wider and deeper and long trench the tine trencher is the way to go. It is also good at breaking up a lot of soil and digging up roots around a tree. I was able to dig a small pond with it. It actually pulls the dirt out of the hole like a conveyor. I tried the minihoe in the same pond build and found it did not move enough dirt at a time. The tine trencher is not something I use every month, so you might consider renting one instead of owning, given it's high cost.

The minihoe is a good universal tool and unless you plan to dig a lot of trenches or move a lot of dirt then go with it and the stump grinder. It can also reach out and dig dirt out of my creek and swamp without driving down in.

I don't have the larger wheel trencher so I cannot comment.

I have found that the tine trencher will dig about a yard a minute when trenching 18 inches deep, through not too hard clay with roots less than 1.5 inches in diamter. At deeper depths it slows down a lot, but 18 inches is our frost line. With larger roots it sits there and bounces off the root and can take a while to cut through. Occasionaly I have to use the stump grinder to cut through the big roots. I confess that I have probably used it 4 or 5 times as much for friends and neighbors as for myself. It's a good way to make friends.

My plan is to budget a new attachment every one to two years. So I set a priority rather than saying I am getting this attachment and not that one.

Also consider that the stump grinder combined with the minihoe can be very effective. If the soil is very hard you can break it up with the grinder and then remove it with the minohoe or bucket.

Bob Rip

 

[J_J]

Bob, Your post should have been a reply to " tlb "
I agree with what you said.

Tim, It all depends on the task you have chosen. Money wise, the stump grinder would be the choice if you had a lot of stumps. True, the 4x36 in trencher will move a lot of dirt, and dig trenches, but do you have a lot of trenching to do?

 

[J_J]

The heavy duty forks that I hooked to my three point PT is the implement that I use the most. They stay on till I want to use some thing else.

 

[tlb]

Thanks for the Reply. Around Austin we have rock with a little dirt now and then. I have truckloads of stumps to grind or dig out, mostly live oak and elm. I also want to put in a sprinkler system. I am afraid the chain trencher would choke on all the rock. The mini-hoe may be painfully slow with the rock situation as well. That's the reason for looking at the grinder and wheel trencher. I only need 12-18 in of depth for the sprinkler system I think so can either of these two cut through (limestone) rock effectively is the question.
-Tim

 

[J_J]

There are two different pictures of the wheeled trencher, one showing it being used in a sprinkler situation, and the other one showing it being used to cut concrete. The wheeled trencher in the early days of PT was also called a stump grinder. My stump grinder/trencher does not have replaceable teeth.
The trencher for your 425, will only dig to 12 in. The stump grinder even less, at about 8 in. Now if you have done a lot of sprinkler systems, the supply lines can be set to any depth below ground. Code in some areas might require a set depth. A dedicated trencher might be the way to go . I use one of the old U-Haul models, and it is a wheeled trencher. Maybe Fourteen can comment on digging in that type soil/limestone.

 

[BobRip]

When cutting trenches across my gravel driveway, I have had gravel get in a pinch spot and stop the chain. This happens often enough that I keep a hammer and chisel on the tractor to remove the gravel. It could be designed better. We don't have much rock in our soil, so I have had no issues there.

Bob Rip

 

[ddonnell]

Can the stump grinder also be used to cut up the trunks of felled trees into smaller pieces to either be hauled out or buried? Obviously the diameter of the trunk could be a limiting factor.

 

[BobRip]

Can the stump grinder also be used to cut up the trunks of felled trees into smaller pieces to either be hauled out or buried? Obviously the diameter of the trunk could be a limiting factor.

I would not use it for that purpose. It would be very slow. A chain saw or even a hand saw would be better. The 2 inch wide blade on the stump grinder takes a lot of power and a lot of time to cut. It works best on a newly cut stump (actually it works bettery on a very rotten stump). A stump that has been sitting for months is a lot harder.