Stump Grinding Business

[Yellowdog]

. The wood was Hard, Pink and gummed up sharp teeth 'til they would hardly cut because they had no relief behind the edge! [/B][/QUOTE]

Sound like you tried to grind a Mary Kay Cadillac!

I didn't realize Osage Orange grew so big. We have some here in S. Central Texas but they are relatively small.
I imagine bigger the chips the easier it is to clean up? If you are grinding in a foundation, would you remove all the chips after you ground the stumps?

 

[stump grinder]

Sometimes they become stringy and just don't grind out well, willow does this. I have a big one this week.

Dean

 

[Ax-man]

If any one is just curious 24-30 in. Osage is about average for their size if they haven't been cut off at ground level. I took one down a few years ago that was nearly 50 in. at the stump cut. The main stem was straight and clean too. I was going to get it milled into some boards, as it makes eye catching wood. Had some hardware in it and didn't want to take a chance on ruining the mill guys blade, made premo firewood though.

While were speaking of pine stumps, believe this if you want, but dug out pine stumps are worth money. I know this guy near Buffalo N.Y. who saves these things. He lets them sit a while, then cleans them up with a pressure washer, then he will cut them into 12 in. long by 2 to 4 in. widths. It's called fat wood, makes the best starter wood in a stove or fireplace. Put some fat wood in throw a match to it, instant fire. People actually pay money for this stuff, I don't know if is worth the time and effort to fool with it, but he does. Just thought I would throw this in as a curio.

 

[Stumper]

Yellowdog, Actually smaller chips make for much easier clean up-they bulk far less and do not hang up in the grass etc., I reccomend removeing chips from foundation areas but don't haul chips as a general rule-better for the contractor to have a $10 per hour laborer move chips rather than me.

Axman, if that was a straight grained Osagesounds like you burned several hundred dollars worth of bow staves. -Of course splitting them out would have been a chore. Average size of Osage varies a lot over their range-some places anything over 8"dbh is big-others 30"dbh is fairly common.

 

[Yellowdog]

Do you guys get a lot of contractor's preferring to have stump ground rather than uprooted? Down here it's the backhoe for everything. I am trying to change things a little but the backhoe is used for clearing, digging, etc. I see a lot of smashed front ends and flat tires and lots of stumps in dumpsters! I filled a 30yd the other day with just rootballs. I sheared off all the stumps I dug up from a 60x50 foundation. There was barely enough room in that dumpster and it seems like grinding would make more sense...

 

[stump grinder]

tipped in over today- starter woes.

Well,
I finally did it. I entered a hole with my rayco 1620 jr this afternoon and tipped it over. Happened so quick that I could not save it. No damage though. Just some spilled hydro out of the vent cap. It was that kind of day. I have been plagued with bad starter solenoid issues(kohler-onboard solenoid). 3 since last fall. I spent an hour on the job just fixing it. They are getting dirty, the starter guy tells me.It does happen when we get a dry spell and the dust flies. I am thinking it might not just be that though. I want to try another brand of solenoid. Anyone have this problem before? Possable solutions?

Dean

 

[Stumper]

If that is the same solenoid as on my Kohler-I fought intermittent probems for two years then my mechanic told me the "secret"-Kohler typically uses a Ford solenoid.- I went to the auto parts storeand got the solution for about $8.:angel:

 

[Yellowdog]

Don't know about your solenoids but if you are getting dirty and wood chips and dust count as dirty, then you should invest in an air compressor and blow gun... You will be surprised how little time it takes to clean stuff. Besides keeping your solenoid area clean, you can clean off your hydro caps, oil caps, fuel caps, cooling vents or radiator, etc. Blow it out and keep it clean. It has been one of my best investments and has cut back on down time for cleaning and contaminating fuel, oil, etc.

 

[stump grinder]

I've got the compressor. The problem is that this solenoid is mounted on the starter,it's a Nippon Denso. To tear it down so that I can clean it is a 45 deal.I am really starting to think this "brand" of solenoid the guy put in for me is junk.

Dean

 

[Stumper]

I wonder if there is any reason you can't just remote mount an auto solenoid and eliminate the starter mounted one?

 

[stump grinder]

There is a different type of starter that would allow me to do that. I don't know if their is one available for this engine though. That setup has an automotive type solenoid and the gear on the strarter engages the flywheel because of the rotation of the starter.

Dean