# Stump grinding in frozen ground?



## bulldoglover (Dec 13, 2010)

Hey guys, any issues with grinding in frozen ground, or should i hold off till spring? Thank for the input.


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## Norwayclimber (Dec 13, 2010)

I hold of til spring. Grinding in frozen soil causes more wear on your teeth. Specially if your grinding in rocky soils. Small rocks dont get thrown away at the first pass, but stay put and cause more wear.


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## treeclimber101 (Dec 13, 2010)

I say how bad do you need the money , because I run my machines on the hard ground here , we don't have rocky soil here though , but a rock is a rock no matter how warm it is , typically the machine will bust through the frost line with ease , its just the sweep that jams the machines up they cannot push the soil to the side , you need to raise up break it loose and then go for the stump mass...


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## Norwayclimber (Dec 13, 2010)

treeclimber101 said:


> Ibut a rock is a rock no matter how warm it is



True, but in unfrozen soil smaller rocks will just get tossed aside, while in frozen they stay put and you grind on them...


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## sgreanbeans (Dec 13, 2010)

treeclimber101 said:


> I say how bad do you need the money , because I run my machines on the hard ground here , we don't have rocky soil here though , but a rock is a rock no matter how warm it is , typically the machine will bust through the frost line with ease , its just the sweep that jams the machines up they cannot push the soil to the side , you need to raise up break it loose and then go for the stump mass...



:agree2:
I will be out today grinding, high of 10 today, stumper will grind it up just fine. Take the grindings and bury my feet for insulation while standing there!


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## treevet (Dec 13, 2010)

I agree too. Just pass the bottom of the wheel over till you get through the ice which is not as deep as you think it is now unless you are way up north.

We plant many trees with stump grinder dug holes. Just did maybe 10 or so last week. 2 had 60" dia root balls. Makes a real nice backfill too.


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## tomtrees58 (Dec 13, 2010)

its ok we do it all the time the teeth will hold up good its concrete you have to look out for:hmm3grin2orange:


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## brookpederson (Dec 13, 2010)

Frozen ground is O.K.- But what about snow, ever try to pickup chips in snow! yuck ! you allmost have to come back in spring anyways to get them all. But if you don't have much snow, grind away sir


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## arbor pro (Dec 13, 2010)

brookpederson said:


> Frozen ground is O.K.- But what about snow, ever try to pickup chips in snow! yuck ! you allmost have to come back in spring anyways to get them all. But if you don't have much snow, grind away sir



If the snow isn't too crusted over and you have a good blower, you just blow an area around the stump clear then cleanup is no more difficult than during mid-summer. 

The frozen ground does affect side sweep on my sc252 otherwise, it grinds frozen stumps in frozen ground just fine - just a little bit slower.


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## bulldoglover (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks guys, I plan on renting a machine so did not want to bust the thing up and be left on the hook for a bunch of busted teeth. I would rather hold off till spring, but the customer wants it done asap (I bid it about two months ago and figured he changed his mind).


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## brookpederson (Dec 13, 2010)

arbor pro said:


> If the snow isn't too crusted over and you have a good blower, you just blow an area around the stump clear then cleanup is no more difficult than during mid-summer.
> 
> The frozen ground does affect side sweep on my sc252 otherwise, it grinds frozen stumps in frozen ground just fine - just a little bit slower.



Never thought of that- It would still be hard in big drifts and long distances from any access though>


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## arbor pro (Dec 14, 2010)

brookpederson said:


> Never thought of that- It would still be hard in big drifts and long distances from any access though>



That's when a tracked self-propelled machine would be great. I imagine it would float over the snow just like my tracked mini skid does.

I suppose if I guy absolutely had to get to a stump with a wheeled grinder, there's always the option of using a snowblower to clear a path both to and around the stump.

Personally, I just say 'wait until spring'. Why would anyone need a stump ground that badly in winter - especially if it's covered with snow?

AP


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## paccity (Dec 14, 2010)

i would rather grind frozen than mud. my duradisk don't care if it's frozen. it just eats.


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## treeman82 (Dec 14, 2010)

I've gotta grind one day early next week. Have to finish for the year. Don't want to be grinding on soupy spring lawns, and don't want to be cleaning up a nasty, snowy mess.


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