Stump Drilli/Stump Planer--Anyone use this?

Gator6x4 · Oct 17, 2014

I think it would take a lot of fluid flow to power the unit. A skid steer has high fluid flow.

npalen · Oct 19, 2014

It takes pressure and flow to create power in hydraulics. Pressure creates torque and flow creates rpm. (in this case) The product of these two is work. You can have pressure with a very small flow rate and get the job done. It will just take longer.

rd_macgregor · Oct 20, 2014

I think this stump planer bit would work OK on even the smallest standard hydraulic augers. My Belltech NC-150 produces nearly 1200 ft-lbs at 2500 psi and over 1400 fp at 3000psi. I'd be more concerned about how much maintenance a bit like that requires...it isn't really drilling, after all, it has a sharp edge that needs to shave off the stump as it goes, so keeping this edge reasonably sharp is probably critical --> how easy is that to do when you are sending it down into the ground over and over again?

npalen · Oct 20, 2014

My understand is the bits from auger torque.com have hardened steel inserts that can be resharpened and eventually replaced.

Piston · Dec 6, 2014

I would think the simplest low cost solution would be a hydraulic PHD mounted on the FEL with a specialized auger bit. This would give you the hydraulic motor already with good torque, and downforce.

The Landpride HD25 will put out (at 2,500psi) up to 700 ft. lbs, where the HD35 would deliver up to 1,600 ft. lbs. The HD 35 needs 10+ gpm to run though. I have the 25 series.

I would think, the smaller diameter auger you use, the less torque would be needed at the gearbox??? Is that true?

Have you thought about a PTO powered stumpgrinder? You can find them for decent prices used on craigslist every once in a while..
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/248173-3-point-beast-stumpgrinder-checked.html

Squeak n Itch · Dec 10, 2014

Since: 1) very many folks here have tractors in the 30 - 40 hp range, 2) most of us are not going to get into commercial stump drilling, 3) a lot of us have the time and endurance to take out perhaps 2 or 3 stumps on a Saturday afternoon, 4) we can and do cut stumps down to within a coupld inches of ground; a drill in the range of 5 - 7 inches in diameter would work well. Seems this would work with a PHD and not require a hydraulic drive or motor. The smallest of the drills or shavers that this company makes is 10" and that would be a challenge for my L3130. In this case smaller is probably better even though it would take longer per stump. With the Emerald Ash borer working its destructive havoc here in Michigan I'd settle for being able to take out a couple of stumps in an afternoon. Spread throughout the summer I could get a lot done

headwatermike · Aug 23, 2015

npalen said:
http://augertorqueusa.com/_images/ProductSpecifier-Mixer-Bowl.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_zcuiDTUVU

Wondering if any of you guys have experience with this method of removing stumps? Looks like it would be of use where the stump needs to be removed a couple feet below grade.

I bought one of these after a friend who owns a rental shop recommended it. He likes it better than his skidsteer mounted stump grinder, which he said people have trouble getting to work well.

I had an employee operate the grinder on a 50 hp Bobcat, mounted to a Prowler auger that is speced at 3000 lbs/ft at 3k psi. He used it to grind down roots from 4 or 5 trees to make room for forms (we were replacing concrete that was heaved by trees). By the end of that, it was dull and cutting poorly, though it did the job to there and showed promise. I had them mount it to our heavier machine (Gehl 7800, 11k lbs and around 110 hp) where it worked better due to brute force. However, after cutting a couple of 36" or so stumps down to below grade, it was cutting very slowly. I used it and noticed that the carbides at the drill portion were reduced to about 1/2 of the original width. It barely will allow the cutting blades to contact the stump due to the resulting resistance of driving the cone shaped tip into the stump sans the small teeth. Now it is nearly useless as it is. This is probably due to the initial use below grade, which likely put the tip into more rock than expected. We are working in very rocky soil.

My take: it will probably work well for the intended purpose. The stumps that were ground took about 1 hr each. They are large and were cut down about 4 months ago. The trees are various types of deciduous trees. When it was cutting well it made large chips of wood. It is difficult to see the work as they predictably pile up. If it was cutting well, I guess you would get through a large stump in 1/2 hr or so. I would try to use it on a larger machine that can produce more down-force, as it will inevitably dull with use. If you were away from rocks this thing would probably work really well.

I think we will hard surface the cutting edges (the little ones that were carbide and the larger ones) and sharpen them and try again, being more diligent to keep it out of the rocks (difficult on this site).