Tree stumps are unattractive and a headache to remove. You could get a grinder for under $200 for 24 hours. If you have the skills and time, renting the equipment can be an affordable option. Though, it would be best if you first learned how to use a stump grinder correctly.
How to Use a Stump Grinder: Rental
The grinder size offered at several rental places is a 16-in. cutting wheel with a 25-hp engine.
This machine is mighty and will work for most projects. Be sure that you ask the store to make clear to you how to operate the grinder before leaving. If you don’t own a truck that could tug 1,000 pounds, several rental businesses will bring it to your residence for an additional cost.
Remember, before you start digging in your yard, call 811. A technician will put flags and paint markings down to let you know where the underground utility lines are.
Prep
The most vital tip for using a stump grinder is to wear safety gear, including earplugs and safety goggles.
Look around for people and turn the machine off when you aren’t using it. Work the equipment from the control panel, so you get protection from the wheel all the time. Then, you want to be sure you clean all rocks from the space. Rocks could dull the wheel or come off and injure someone.
To ramp up the stump removal project, slice the stump with a chainsaw as close to the ground as possible. This option is an excellent one. It makes the job much more straightforward.
Stump Grinding
Use the lever to put the wheel a couple of inches over the stump. Align the machine so the wheel is right above the front of the stump. Please turn on the wheel and drop it. Make sure it’s around three inches into the stump.
Use the lever to shift the wheel around, grinding away at the stump until it is four inches into the ground. Don’t push the grinder into the stump. Instead, let it buff away the top layer and shift on its own.
Move the machine forward and do the earlier two steps again. Keep moving the device on in tiny increments until the stump is gone and you have a hole. Next, go to the visible roots and perform the same steps to ensure that the tree removal work is correct.
Clean and bag the wood chips. Put topsoil in the hole. Apply grass seed and make sure the roots get into the soil. Water the spot and wait for the results.
Leftover Wood Chips
If you don’t use wood chips, numerous places will take them off your hands.
Contact Hickory nurseries and ask if they need the wood chips for anything. If not, you could compost them. There are recycling centers that will take the wood chips off your hands.
If you need assistance grinding a stump, ask Hickory Tree Service. Give us a call today.