Stump Cutter Reversal

[Spiffy]

I've read several posts on this but my problem may be different.

I have a stumping job this weekend, and I'm already tired of eating chips. Time to reverse! I took my cutting wheel off only to realize it has a tapered shaft. While I was very happy to see the quality construction, I can't reverse that! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Now what? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

BTW...I do have some good advice (I don't have a 2ft gear puller): the wheel drills and taps like butter. I put a couple 3/8fine taps at 2inchs each from center. Matching holes in a bar. Snug a couple bolts down pretty good, then give it a good whack from the back with a rubber hammer; comes right off. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[J_J]

Are you placing the stump grinder on the stump and grinding from the forward part of the stump. There seem to be different approaches to stump grinding. Start cutting at the stump close to you. start cutting at the stump farthest from you. Blade direction, some cut with the blade cutting from the top down, and others cut from the bottom up, other wise, teeth are cutting up in stead of down. I called PT, and they said to place the stump cutter on the top of the stump and lower the cutting teeth to the stump and cut with the teeth cutting from the bottom to top. Several have reversed the blade on their stump grinder, and say that it works much better. I can not reverse mine, no bolts. and tapered shaft.

 

[Spiffy]

Many thanks for your quick reply J.J!

May be in J.J.s response, but it's a little early for me: for those who can't reverse (I will find a way someday (likely make a new blade....one for stumps and one for trenches then); which technique is the best for either cutting or operator comfort?

Thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Spiffy]

One more thought; if I cut a plus sign into say 18 inch [deciduous; don't think any pine] stumps will they be weak enough for 4 quick tugs from the BH?

 

[MossRoad]

Hmmm. Can your BH break a 9" wood beam? If so, maybe it will work. Just be careful the hydraulics don't bend the machine before the wood breaks.

As for stumps in our yard, I like to cut an X or two into them with a chainsaw, then let them sit for a few months. Then a couple more X's, etc... after a year or so, the stump is usually rotting on its own and easier to pop out with the forks.

If I had many tens of stumps to remove and a stump grinder, I'd probably do the X thing in them with a stump grinder and hit each one a little more every few weeks over a year or so rather than spending lots of time on each individual stump. Unless, of course, you want them gone NOW! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Spiffy]

Good points MR! The little playing I've done, I don't think the BH will find weak spots on itself or the tractor, by why push the limits.

I took out a 6" stump with the hoe, but quartering an 18 may be too much. Now if I go # instead of +, just maybe.

Now if I could reverse it, perhaps I wouldn't be asking these crazy questions, but alternate solutions make for good discussions anyway! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[toy]

I am addressing your comments on not being able to reverse the direction of the stump cutter because of the way the shaft that the blade connects too is tapered or the bolt holes that are in the blade that they are tapered I beleive what you said about getting a blade that has the tappers or the other side of the blade would work. I know others have reversed theirs and it has worked for them but as I understand your situation your stump cutter is not like theirs. I don't have a stump cutter but it is a fact that if you turn a motor end for end with the shaft pointing in the opposit direction that will get the bottom of the blade running away from you instead of toward you. Now how hard it would be to do this I don't know but I would assume that you would have to rework how the motor mounts are on the quick attach. The folks at Tazwell welded the mounting up the way they did and I beleive a weldor can weld up a mounting bracket in reverse order to the way it came. That is an alternate way of doing it and I don't know how hard it would be to do this, it may be too ambitious a job to under take. What you said about the ease that the blade was to drill it might be easier to rework the blade to fit your application . I am aware that some have reversed theirs and they have worked well for them but you expressed concern about that for your particular situation. I hope that this don't come across too curt but I expressed this before and it was not received very well.

 

[Spiffy]

No offense taken here, but it was nice seeing your heads up about the curt tone anyway, as words on a screen will never mimic face to face exchanges.

I didn't see your earlier postings but do agree reversing the motor would work. The problem here is that the weldment is shaped about like a channel iron; the motor fits inside, and the blade runs about inch from the flat side.

Maybe I could get some place to cut the hub out and reverse it; I certainly don't trust my hand on that one.

So, as you're saying: easy enough to fab up an entirely new one with a mirror image. But the extra time and expense just aren't quite available right now. Maybe someday.....

Oh, I got an email from the previous owner reminding to disconect the BH hoses when using front attachments. Sure adds some power! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Of course now those chips really hurt! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[cqaigy]

I've done something similar in adding to the surface area on the top of the stump, then a nitrogen source like ammonium nitrate layered on top. In this climate, the stump stays moist until mid late summer and it rots pretty quickly.

 

[Marks481]

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( I hope that this don't come across too curt but I expressed this before and it was not received very well. )</font>

I remember the previous discussion, where you recommended reversing the motor mount, and everyone piled on to say it wasn't required.

I guess this proves that you are a forward thinker, since it appears that the design of the stump cutter has changed, and the easy fix everyone else tried is no longer applicable. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif