Vermeer SC252 Time to Grind 3' Stump

[pyro2]

Hi All,
Not sure I'll get an answer in time since I need an answer by tomorrow morning, but I'll try anyways...

I rented a SC252, and have no previous experience with how powerful these machines should be. How long should it take to grind through a 3' sugar maple stump? I am questioning the sharpness of the teeth. It has taken me about 2.5 hours to get through a 3' stump down about 6-8" below ground level. I have 4 more, which I won't be getting to. So I have either rented an undersized machine or the teeth are dull. I did specifically ask the rental place about the teeth, but of course they assured me it was ok.

Tree was cut to a reasonable height leaving approx. 8-12" stump above ground. Stump has been sitting for one year, but has not really started rotted.

Thanks

 

[74inchshovel]

Was there any mounding or root chasing? Keep in mind stump grinding is not rocket science but a skilled operator would be much quicker. Your time, while long is not crazy bad with a low horsepower machine. These small grinders don't take much rounding of the teeth to be dull. For lack of better words, don't cut across the grain of the stump. Perfect example of wrong can be seen on Utube where operator drops wheel in center of stump and tries to cut downward. Start on the edge, get to depth, move forward an inch, make all your cutting adjustments downward. Try to rip as big of chips as you can using the grain of the wood. Keep an eye on chips, with maple they will be small anyway, but generally the bigger the chip the better your doing. If your chips are dust, your doing something wrong or teeeth are dull. Take a couple pics of teeth, if time permits.

 

[lone wolf]

Hi All,
Not sure I'll get an answer in time since I need an answer by tomorrow morning, but I'll try anyways...

I rented a SC252, and have no previous experience with how powerful these machines should be. How long should it take to grind through a 3' sugar maple stump? I am questioning the sharpness of the teeth. It has taken me about 2.5 hours to get through a 3' stump down about 6-8" below ground level. I have 4 more, which I won't be getting to. So I have either rented an undersized machine or the teeth are dull. I did specifically ask the rental place about the teeth, but of course they assured me it was ok.

Tree was cut to a reasonable height leaving approx. 8-12" stump above ground. Stump has been sitting for one year, but has not really started rotted.

Thanks

It would take me about an hour or a bit less! The teeth are fairly sharp though.

 

[pyro2]

Maybe I am underestimating the size of the stump. The top was about 3', while the root wood that I'm grinding is a good 4'x8'.

The chips are pretty small. See pics. There is some very hard caked on dirt on the teeth which took a while to brush off for this pic. Can't imagine that is affecting it.

 

[74inchshovel]

Teeth are fine, just showing the first signs of wear. Chips look ok too, given specie and machine. Now that you included that the total area ground was 32 sq ft, I think you did well. If you keep going you might be surprised how quickly the teeth dull, rocky ground having the biggest impact here. How much was rental?

 

[pyro2]

After cleaning off that tooth, it looked ok to me too. But I was expecting longer shaving like on a few youtube videos. I was just surprised since this was the biggest machine in my area, and I live in a well populated area. Had to go over 45 minutes away to get the only larger machine they had. Machine was about $315 after tax.

 

[bikemike]

After cleaning off that tooth, it looked ok to me too. But I was expecting longer shaving like on a few youtube videos. I was just surprised since this was the biggest machine in my area, and I live in a well populated area. Had to go over 45 minutes away to get the only larger machine they had. Machine was about $315 after tax.

Shavings also depends on angle of attack and the type of wood and condition of it.
As long as the stump is gone you did the job intended

 

[lone wolf]

Shavings also depends on angle of attack and the type of wood and condition of it.
As long as the stump is gone you did the job intended

There is the problem I suspect! He might be grinding on top instead of attacking from the side.

 

[lone wolf]

After cleaning off that tooth, it looked ok to me too. But I was expecting longer shaving like on a few youtube videos. I was just surprised since this was the biggest machine in my area, and I live in a well populated area. Had to go over 45 minutes away to get the only larger machine they had. Machine was about $315 after tax.

You might be better off using a tree service next time at what your rental cost.

Maybe I am underestimating the size of the stump. The top was about 3', while the root wood that I'm grinding is a good 4'x8'.

The chips are pretty small. See pics. There is some very hard caked on dirt on the teeth which took a while to brush off for this pic. Can't imagine that is affecting it.

View attachment 583119

View attachment 583120

8 foot explains why it took so long.

 

[WhisperingCreek]

I would disconnect the auto sweep if it has it, auto sweep seems to slow me down.

 

[bikemike]

If you throttle them down a 100 rpm it by passes auto sweep mode.
But thing it with root flare is set your depth first or or go across the roots and not twards the stump. They will rip through fast and make huge shreads. Then tackle the stump

 

[pyro2]

I finished my 8 hours on the machine and finished four of six stumps I was hoping to do. The oaks were easier than the maples, where I did get the nice shavings when going with the grain.

The maple was just too big for this machine. It's also the 2nd stump I did and didn't know what to expect yet. I spent a total of 3.5 hours on it, and never reached the bottom, so was never getting nice vertical slices. The 2-3' oaks I could basically just attack from the side and took just over an hour per stump.

Thanks for the help!

 

[lone wolf]

I finished my 8 hours on the machine and finished four of six stumps I was hoping to do. The oaks were easier than the maples, where I did get the nice shavings when going with the grain.

The maple was just too big for this machine. It's also the 2nd stump I did and didn't know what to expect yet. I spent a total of 3.5 hours on it, and never reached the bottom, so was never getting nice vertical slices. The 2-3' oaks I could basically just attack from the side and took just over an hour per stump.

Thanks for the help!

I hate Maple stumps!

 

[dontbthatguy]

I finished my 8 hours on the machine and finished four of six stumps I was hoping to do. The oaks were easier than the maples, where I did get the nice shavings when going with the grain.

The maple was just too big for this machine. It's also the 2nd stump I did and didn't know what to expect yet. I spent a total of 3.5 hours on it, and never reached the bottom, so was never getting nice vertical slices. The 2-3' oaks I could basically just attack from the side and took just over an hour per stump.

Thanks for the help!

Pyro-

My stump grinding company is out of CT and depending on where you I can grab that last couple stumps for you.

Also stumps are like icebergs, the majority of them are below the surface. A 3 foot stump could be the size of a sedan if you were to uproot it, so you' re never going to get all of it.

I go down 4-6" on my stumps and that is plenty deep enough have grass planted after the stumps are down. If you wanted another tree, or a fence post to go where the the stump was, i would tell you to find a new spot and if it had to go there I could grind down on a good day 12".

Message me if you want more info. I could send you my cell and you can send me pictures of the stumps you have left and I can get you a quote.