Stump Grinder Rental – What You Need to Know

Stumps can break up your lawn, are tripping hazards and can make basic lawn maintenance more challenging. While you could hire a professional service to remove your melbourne stump grinding for you, a stump grinder rental may be a more economical route.

A stump grinder is large gas-powered tool that resembles a tractor mower with a large lever protruding out the front. A steel studded disc is mounted on the end of the lever and is used to chip away at the wood, leaving a large hole in the place of the stump. The lever is generally operated with hydraulics and can be moved up and down and side to side. A basic stump grinder rental is usually about the size of a lawn mower, though some models are as large as a truck.

Using the stump grinder to remove a stump is fairly easy but does require some serious safety precautions. Before you begin, you need to remove all rocks from around the base of the stump. Rocks can dull the steel teeth and can cause the disc to skip. Your rental company will likely provide safety and operating guidelines for the specific model you rent, and it is important to follow these closely. Wear protective goggles, hearing protection, a helmet, gloves, a face shield and sturdy footwear. The machine throws wood chips in the air as it goes, so being properly protected is important. Because of flying debris, it is also important to make sure that no one is within 25 feet of the stump grinder and that it is positioned so that debris will not damage vehicles, windows, or other property.

Once you have removed rocks, and donned the appropriate gear, you may want to trim the stump down as close to the ground as possible, using a chainsaw. Though not required, this step will make the stump grinding process go faster. Then, it’s time to get started. Using the hydraulic lever, position the disk a few inches above the stump, then carefully move it into position directly above the stump. Turn on the machine and slowly lower the disk into the stump. Move the lever back and forth as it chips away at the wood until you have gone about 4 inches below the surface of the ground. Raise up the lever, move forward a few inches, and repeat. Continue this process until you have removed the entire stump.

Choose a stump grinder rental over a professional service if you have more than one or two stumps to remove, or if you plan to share the rental costs with a neighbor.