Bought a grinder! What other tools are a must have for stump grinding companies?

[dontbthatguy]

Thanks again for those who wrote in for my last post.

As an update, I bought a used 2005 Rayco 1625 super JR for $6500 with trailer and only 180 hrs. I went to the local dealer and left him my card saying I was looking for used equipment. A week later he called with a customer selling his super jr. I cut a deal with him and now I am one step closer to being in business.

Next step is getting a saw. I can barrow my buddy's 460, but I want one of my own. 460 or 660? Any thoughts?

I was wondering what other tools/equipment are "must haves" for grinding.

I bought some basic hand tools and wedges. I plan on tarping the grass around the stump for easy clean up and plywooding leading to the stump on nicer lawns. Also using the plywood as a gaurd against flying chips.

I figure I will get some spare equipment for the grinder itself. Battery, spare belt that kind of stuff.

I have an extra set of teeth and am looking into getting a greeenteeth wheel or duradisk.

Any other ideas? Anything helps, thanks a lot guys.

-Anthony

 

[jefflovstrom]

Maybe stock up on irrigation parts,, pvc,,christy's ,,heads,,etc
Jeff

 

[GUTS]

Rakes, Cobb fork, shovels and if you need irrigation parts you should probably do a little more homework on the home owners property. I have ground probably 800 stumps and I always ask where the sprinklers are. Not saying it can't happen. Just avoid it by being over cautious.

 

[CalTreeEquip]

Buy some little landscape flags. They are handy for marking surface roots and sprinkler heads when the chips start piling up.

 

[CalTreeEquip]

Oh, and go with GreenTeeth right away. The stock teeth are a waste of time.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Oh, and good with GreenTeeth right away. The stock teeth are a waste of time.

Hey Cal,, you should see our old 672 kick stump butt!
Jeff

 

[BC WetCoast]

Rakes, Cobb fork, shovels and if you need irrigation parts you should probably do a little more homework on the home owners property. I have ground probably 800 stumps and I always ask where the sprinklers are. Not saying it can't happen. Just avoid it by being over cautious.

Even if you know where the sprinkler heads are, irrigation guys sometimes will lay pipes in the most bizarre pattern. I've hit pipes that went in directions where there were no sprinklers. One time I hit a 2" commercial irrigation mainline that the stump was sitting on, and the installer seemed to make a 180* jog in the pipe to get it under the tree.

As for tools, wheelbarrow, ramps so you can wheelbarrow right into the truck, garbage cans for hauling chips you can't wheelbarrow and a big blower. I found that laying a tarp down to catch the chips is a waste of time. The pile gets too heavy to drag the tarp and you end up spilling it off the tarp in the end and have to rake and blow anyway.

Ramps that are heavy duty enough to run your machine up small retaining walls and small sections of stairs.

Sawzall to cut the nails on fence panels to run the machine through the fence. Just renail back in place.

Screwgun to remove gates at the hinges. Sockets for those hinges where they use lag bolts.

Comealong and rope for those steep locations where the machine just spins out.

Rope for holding shrubs out of the way.

Phone number of a crane company that can crane your machine into otherwise inaccessible locations.

 

[7.3 rocket]

Plywood or other type of shielding when working in sensitive areas such as near windows or cars.

 

[flushcut]

Insurance
diggers hotline contractor number
shovel
cutter mattox
long pry bar
big saw like 395/3120 with a 42" bar set up with semi chizzy and plenty of spare loops
hardhat
eye pro
ear pro
cones
flagging tape
caution tape
a strong backpack blower
dirt rake
groundskeeper rake
a "cottonseed fork"
just to name a few

 

[flushcut]

Oh, extra pockets, bolts, teeth, gas cans and I am sure I will think of more.

 

[OLD MAN GRINDER]

Looks like everybody just about has everything covered, the flags are great, my wife goes and flags all the stumps on a large job and i pick them up as i grind, gives a good accurate count, she also flags the sprinkler heads etc, i carry extra pvc pipe and fittings also..

i have a ms310 for smaller stumps and a 660 with 32 and 36 inch bars for larger stumps with a lot of extra chains, extra pockets, teeth, and bolts, a large tarp for protecting air conditioners, and for shielding large windows etc, we normally just fill the holes and spread the extra chips unless the customer wants them piled somewhere for mulch, lots of wedges, pry bars, and u never can have enough tools, a good blower we use a stihl bg55, and a good weedeater, we use a stihl fs55r..

I have often thought of getting a metal detector for going around large homeowner stumps, i hit a big block of steel in one the other day and busted 3 pockets, 3 bolts and 5 teeth, but haven't done it yet, just an idea...

Good luck......

Bob.....

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Lots of good ideas. But alot of extra crap to have to haul around with you. Either the battiery is good or bad so I would replace it or not worry about it. Extra belts are great but with a price take of $300 I would order one when it breaks. I would just get green teeth for that grinder. Carry the tools to change them out and also carry a couple extra sets of teeth with you. I had 3 sets of teeth with me at all times when I had my rg1625a sjr. Small machines need sharp teeth.

As far as a saw. Just get one that will ush a 24" bar. I often use a ms460.

You shouldn't need plywood to run on with that grinder. It only weighs 1200 lbs.

When I had my small grinder I would just take a garden rake, shovel and blower with me. Its all you really need.

 

[sgreanbeans]

5 hour energy, Red bulls and good gloves and a smokes, gotta have smokes

 

[thestumpsurgeon]

Grease gun

You guys all missed the most important. A grease gun.:msp_thumbup:

 

[2treeornot2tree]

You guys all missed the most important. A grease gun.:msp_thumbup:

We dont need no stinkin grease gun!!!! Lol

 

[sgreanbeans]

We dont need no stinkin grease gun!!!! Lol

YEAH! That what sweat is for!

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

A large plastic storage tub or even just the lid to load chips into the wheelbarrow.
Splice tools for cable and phone drops.
A Maddox for side roots is a must.
Lots of extra teeth for that yard that was built on a dump site and eats 2 or 3 sets.

 

[tidy]

an axe is handy too, cuts roots better than a mattock

 

[imagineero]

I used to carry most of the above, in a purpose built enclosed trailer with shelving and racks to hold everything. Makes the job nice and easy when everything is ready to go and you don't have to go back for something. I always carry a 6' heavy duty pry bar, great for busting bricks and concrete outta the way. I also carried a small 'repair kit' which had a mapp gas torch and some common copper pipe sizes and fittings, and some wire joiners for phone lines. If the machine has modern sealed bearings I wouldn't bother with the grease gun. You get about the same number of hours out of them greasing or not. Once you do start to grease you usually pop the seals and then you *have* to keep greasing regular or dirt gets in to them.

 

[buckeyebasser23]

a way to get it back on the trailer when it breaks down cuz it will, probably in a bad spot too.