New PT-180 owner

[agjones]

Ajones- the stumps i have are just the immediate need of it right now. In the future it may be much more.

Understood.

The 425 is a competent stump grinder, I use mine a couple times a week... but the efficiency and operation are better on a dedicated machine. The wear and tear is significant.

For those reasons, I rent a dedicated grinder once a month or so... Developing trail corridors.

For the money, I'd maybe consider a pt-->dingo adapter plate that would let you rent, locally, any mini skidsteer attachment. There posts about that.

Mini skidsteer use 10 gpm at 3000 psi. Flatface couplers are standard. I use an adapter ff-->ag coupler. Easy to make.

1/2" ff body coupler set
1/2" ag coupler set
1/2" nipple or #8 hose 1 mpt on both ends
Thread sealer

 

[MossRoad]

I'm leery about renting hydraulic attachments. Who knows what crud was floating around in someone else's hydraulic fluid, or if their fluid is compatible with mine, etc...

 

[agjones]

Yeah, I know. Just wear a face mask I'm sure you'll be fine. ;-)

I knew I was opening that can of oily worms.

Fly by night rent-all? Couldn't agree more.

In my experience, the reputable ones like home depot, united, sunbelt that will rent individual attachments take a lot of care to ensure returned equipment doesn't have a bunch of crud going in to their gear.

To maintain warranty for the fleet, they have to meet pretty high standards for fluids and documentation. Do they always? Of course not. I've had good experience and no problems. I stay on top of my own fluids (this Tecate included)and filters. Using an oil cleaner ($150 on ebay, Parker) in the tank to filter helps.

Most of the miniskids I run into use motor oil anyway. So I don't worry a ton about compatibility.

To check, I force the coupler open and look at the contents. Smelly? Milky? Pass.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I know. Just wear a face mask I'm sure you'll be fine. ;-)

I knew I was opening that can of oily worms.

Fly by night rent-all? Couldn't agree more.

In my experience, the reputable ones like home depot, united, sunbelt that will rent individual attachments take a lot of care to ensure returned equipment doesn't have a bunch of crud going in to their gear.

To maintain warranty for the fleet, they have to meet pretty high standards for fluids and documentation. Do they always? Of course not. I've had good experience and no problems. I stay on top of my own fluids (this Tecate included)and filters. Using an oil cleaner ($150 on ebay, Parker) in the tank to filter helps.

Most of the miniskids I run into use motor oil anyway. So I don't worry a ton about compatibility.

To check, I force the coupler open and look at the contents. Smelly? Milky? Pass.

Good advice. Thanks. :thumbsup:

 

[curtjeep]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I will rent.

 

[m5040]

Rent? They had me sold on a grinder and I wasn't in the market for one.... I do want the trencher to put some outlets and light poles, water line out to remote garden etc around the yard. Just think it would be nice that with a blade change you could grind stumps or trench.

 

[curtjeep]

I'm not sure where, I researched these machines for about 2.5 years before I finally bit the bullet and got one, but I remember a couple of posts where a guy said he just uses the stump grinder attachment for cutting ditches.

 

[agjones]

M5040 The trencher is an awesome tool!

I use it for way more than trenching. In fact, I pretty rarely trench with it.

 

[m5040]

What else do you use it for? While we are talking about it, what happens when you hit rocks? Do you have many rocks in your soil?

 

[agjones]

I quit brushing my teeth w it after the accident. But since then I use it in trail building and dirt road repair to loosen grade, knock out rocks and bench cut.

How? Keep the tool parallel to the ground and auger aimed downhill and you can precisely liquidate a contour, kick out stones, rip roots and reset the rough grade fast. Sweep slowly uphill-->down, cut down toward the intended grade and apply traction not drive. Clean up with the 4n1, power rake or box blade.

There are rocky seams here but not largely rocky. I work a wide area so have a lot of opportunities to choose trencher to solve a problem. Why dig w the bucket when you can scoop it up after the trencher breaks it? much easier on body and machine.

If you have a really rocky situation, my $0.02, rent a tracked trencher w a rock chain & hand the wear and tear back at the end of the day.

Though mining is in their DNA, PT doesn't that I'm aware of have a rock chain and in my experience their tool excels at soil w some rocks. If back dragging won't cough up something that gets stuck, 3# hammer it is. If everything is getting stuck... See also rock chain.