stumped

[treeman82]

I have a little situation that I was hoping I could get some feedback on.

For the last couple of years I have had a very favorable deal set up for my stump grinding. I get the use of an RG100, and so long as I fill it up with fuel and fix any damage that it may incur, it basically costs me nothing to use. However I am told that this deal may soon be ending.

So now I find myself in a bit of a predicament...

I grind about a day a month during the regular working season... which I know is nothing relative to what most people spend time wise. Tomorrow I will be grinding for a good portion of the day, but it's a light day relative to my usual workload for such days...
Jobs:
1. 3' diameter sugar maple, 2 white pines about 15" diameter
2. 2' diameter white pine
3. (2) 30" diameter white pines
4. 1/2 dozen apple each under 1' diameter
5. 5 white pines ranging from 3.5' diameter to 1' diameter, average is about 28"


Normally I am grinding oak, with some pine, hickory, ash, and maple thrown in, but they are usually in the size range listed above, so a smaller HP grinder won't work.

Any thoughts on what type of machine I should be looking for? Or should I abandon grinding for a while? I plan on purchasing an Alpine Magnum later in the summer for my hard to reach stumps, but not sure on the big material.

 

[mikewhite85]

I have a Vermeer 252 and alpine. A great combination for me. Neither machine is amazing for the big ones but are sweet for the vast majority of stumps. Unless you are doing tons of big tree removals it's probably not worth buying that big dollar machine. You can find a 252 for 5 grand pretty easily.

Make sure you get the alpine with the husky 3120 head instead of the Stihl 760 (I heard they have an 880 now though which would probably work great). Get the lighter aluminum handle and the wheels too! Well worth the expense

 

[mikewhite85]

On second thought I just reread your post. If you are used to the RG100 the sc252 will be quite a step down in horse power.

 

[mattfr12]

If you give up grinding you will give up jobs. I work for alot of people that wouldn't give us the tree job if we couldn't take care of the stump. What kind of budget are you working with? I think I bought my last grinder this year we shot for the 140hp Carlton. It's pretty fast but I hate doing stumps. I'm hoping I can run it till retirement I deffenitly hate dishing out money for a grinder.

But it all depends on your budget, I picked mine up for a little over 50 off the tree trader. It will take out anything in usually less than five minutes and go just about anywhere. Thier 70-80 new so I saved a nice chunk going a few years older. They wanted over 50 for a 7015 60hp machine.


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[treeman82]

I think I could live with spending 5K per year on a grinder, however I know that when you factor in all the maintenance that doesn't leave much for payments. From the used machines I've come in contact with, they all tend to be BEAT, or have had cosmetic work done to cover up the beatings.

Mike, as far as the Alpine is concerned, I bought an 880 last winter with the long term goal of putting the AM on there.

 

[imagineero]

I'd say give up, or sub out. You can't afford a large machine with your small workload, and your workload can't be done profitably with a small machine. Like a lot of tree companies, I have a small machine and sub out my larger stumps. You really have to be selective about what you take on with a small machine. I get a guy in with an RG 90, or another sub with an SC85 which can get into some very steep places with its tracks. Either of these machines can knock out stumps in 10-15 minutes that would take me 6-8 hours with my small machine, and they can grind them out a lot deeper too.

There really isn't much money in stump grinding. It's like firewood... seems like you're doing ok until you add up the real cost. I pretty much throw it in at cost to help me win tree work which is profitable.

Shaun

 

[sgreanbeans]

Yep, I think stump grinding is the worst part of the biznass. I only bid them as part of the deal, never do a stump on its own, unless it is in a yard where I am doing other removals.

 

[riderup]

If you are only using a stump grinder once a month then just rent one for the day. Then you don't have to maintain or buy one. You can pick which size grinder works for you according to the stumps you have scheduled for that day.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I like my rayco 1625a super junior I picked up last year for $2500. I can grind a 48" diameter oak stump in 2 hrs or less and get all of it. You just need to learn how to run a small machine to make it efficiant.

 

[tree MDS]

I like my rayco 1625a super junior I picked up last year for $2500. I can grind a 48" diameter oak stump in 2 hrs or less and get all of it. You just need to learn how to run a small machine to make it efficiant.

Ya, just keep telling yourself that!! Lol.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Either way it sure beats a large monthly payment for a grinder that might run a total of 8 - 12 hrs a month.