alpine magnum owners

[treeman82]

I've got a 22" hickory stump to grind out... it needs to be completely removed. Only machine I know of that can semi-easily get to it is the alpine magnum. So far I haven't found anybody locally who has one. This would tell me that I need to buy one, or find another solution. I've got a couple of white pine and hemlock stumps at another location, but they are all smaller.

I'm just curious as to how well the AM would hold up on a job like that, how long it would take, is it worth the investment, how much does it cost anyways, etc etc.

 

[ropensaddle]

opcorn:

 

[Curbside]

The Alpine Magnum cuts very fast probably faster than a 25 horse powered machine but the teeth on the machine suck. Life expectancy of the teeth are brutal. If you hit no rocks a set of teeth will probably last one maybe two stumps in the 20 inch size.

 

[Snatch Block]

Quote from Plyscamp.............

"Making teeth last on an Alpine is no secret, I have posted many times on this subject. We grind in rock six days a week and I have not changed a tooth on my unit in two weeks. I touch them up frequently with a 4" angle grinder.
I only use Rock Teeth and I always leave the leading edge a little rounded and make sure the little hump behind the carbide is eliminated. A sharp carbide will shatter against a rock where a rounded edge will bounce off the rock. If you don't eliminate the little hump the leading edge can not make contact with the wood.
When you encounter a rock don't try and crash through it you will destroy teeth. Instead grind down on the left and right side of the rock to free it, then tap it with the side of the wheel and it will move out of the way. I do the same thing with my SC252 and SC505.
When I bought my first unit in 1995 I had the same complaint many of you describe. I even called the Factory to see if they sold teeth by the bucket with a quantity discount. Like so many other things there is a learning curve that you will have to live through before your teeth will last."

Plyscamp is right....especially about slightly dulling the leading edge after sharpening. I have about 100hrs behind an Alpine. It's all I use and I plan to buy another.

 

[Plyscamp]

Glad to see my sharpening info saved somebody some grief. It does work. My son spent 7 hours on a tall 6 foot diameter Eucaliptus on a bank and never put a new tooth on the unit.

 

[Hoosier]

I spent the $130 on the diamond 4" wheel for my handheld and find that I change teeth less and they last for more sharpenings than they did with the green wheel.

As far as a stump like that, 24" is not a huge deal. On flat level ground a 15" would take 5 to 10 minutes.

I should point out that I now have a severe case of tennis elbow. I was grinding a large stump in my own yard and was goofin around trying different techniques, (trying to square off the stump for the saw) and had the wheel fly up in the air, that made the handle shoot straight down and I guess it tore something. :censored: Just be careful and keep the stumper under control at all times. Try to let the lower front of the cutters do the work and not the 3 o clock position (front) of the cutter.

I am also looking for a larger machine for those large stumps on flat ground, it seems easier to run a joystick.

 

[Stihl 041S]

I spent the $130 on the diamond 4" wheel for my handheld and find that I change teeth less and they last for more sharpenings than they did with the green wheel.

As far as a stump like that, 24" is not a huge deal. On flat level ground a 15" would take 5 to 10 minutes.

I should point out that I now have a severe case of tennis elbow. I was grinding a large stump in my own yard and was goofin around trying different techniques, (trying to square off the stump for the saw) and had the wheel fly up in the air, that made the handle shoot straight down and I guess it tore something. :censored: Just be careful and keep the stumper under control at all times. Try to let the lower front of the cutters do the work and not the 3 o clock position (front) of the cutter.

I am also looking for a larger machine for those large stumps on flat ground, it seems easier to run a joystick.

From an old tool & die maker:a green wheel removes carbide, diamond sharpens.

 

[Hoosier]

From an old tool & die maker:a green wheel removes carbide, diamond sharpens.

Well, that makes sense. I am getting more milage now outa these teeth. I also dont cover the beloved Shovelhead with green wheel dust.