Improving The Health Of Our Trees

« Back to Home

Three Pitfalls To Avoid When You're Using A Rented Stump Grinder In Your Backyard

Posted on

If you have some experience working with large outdoor machines for DIY projects, renting a stump grinder to remove a tree stump in the middle of your backyard instead of hiring someone else must be a tempting option. But while a stump grinder isn't so complicated that an amateur can't use it effectively, you'll need to be a little more cautious than you would be with a lawnmower. When you're using a rented stump grinder in your backyard, remember to avoid these three pitfalls.

Starting Your Work When The Stump Is Very Wet

If you want your upcoming job to be both easy and effective, the stump should be as brittle as possible. This will allow it to separate into tiny pieces quickly under the pressure of the grinder. A stump that's absorbed a lot of water from a recent rain shower, in contrast to a stump that's completely dried out, will resist the grinding process much more stubbornly.

Touch every part of your stump with a bare hand before you start. If you feel any moisture press itself against your palm, wait a few hours for the sun to dry everything out. If you haven't rented your machine yet but the weather forecast doesn't look very good, you can spread a small tarp over the stump.

Cutting Right Into The Center Too Quickly

Before you get too deep into one part of the stump, re-position the grinder over another part of the perimeter that hasn't been touched. If you don't do this, the interior of the panel surrounding the grinding blade could get stuck on an ignored corner of the stump, potentially leading to significant damage.

Although you'll have to move the grinder around a little more than necessary, making clean circles around the stump in a swirl pattern is a great way to avoid trouble.

Letting Too Much Sawdust Build Up Under The Wheels

As you grind down more and more of the stump's bark, more and more sawdust will collect in a pile around the machine. If you ignore this pile and it gets too big, the grinder's wheels could slip on it when you're in the process of re-positioning the machine.

So every few minutes, shut the grinder off and collect as much of the sawdust as you can into a garbage bag. Use gloves during this process and take them off when you're done so that you never lose your grip on the stump grinder's handlebar due to dirty hands.

For a tree removal service, contact a company such as Robert Jefferies Logging & Tree Service.


Share