Stump Grinder Questions!

[Highbeam]

So why not buy a stump jumper from a brushhog that will fit your gear box and then weld the disc to that? Can the typical gearbox be run sideways without cooking the bearings?

Why not just use a brush hog and replace the blades/stumpjumper with your disc/teeth? I suppose grinding horizontally wouldn't allow you to go very far below grade.

 

[tractordriver]

YouTube - John Deere 8100 and Rotor S stump grinder
this is neat but don't know if its diy.

 

[sandman2234]

YouTube - John Deere 8100 and Rotor S stump grinder
this is neat but don't know if its diy.

That machine is definitely not diy on a homeowners point of view. I also wonder if it is a feasible design for most of us, since it is being powered by a 160 horsepower machine. I wonder what the minimum horsepower it would take to operate it. In another video by the same company, they show it cutting a row of what appears to be planted pines, or maybe Christmas tree stumps, and the operator goes from one to the next just like clockwork. He hits each stump right in the center, without having to allow for slop in the 3pt, etc. It makes me wonder just how many of these stumps he has done in the past. (Or is the video edited to make the machine appear easier and faster than it may be.) I know it is larger than I want to put on my 70hp JD. Notice the way that huge tractor shakes when the auger finds something it doesn't like!!!

YouTube - Stump cutter

I saw a stump grinder made from what appeared to be the design of a bush hog/ tree cutter at the auction I went to in Ok (Brinkley Auction). It used carbide cutters on the bottom of a flat plate mounted on a right angle gearbox. I don't think it would go much below grade, but it would get them low enough to mow over!
David

David from jax

 

[sandman2234]

I also am of the opinion that using a backhoe knuckle probably wouldn't be the best idea. One of my problems is keeping the slack out of the stumpgrinder, and by adding a backhoe to the mix, you have just added several more places in which the slack shows up. Simple seems to work better than complex when trying to keep a spinning disc in line.
David from jax

 

[Scotty370]

Doggone guys! That's one serious rotary devise! My 4100 JD would be spinning around the drill bit as soon as it engaged the stump!! I'll stick to my original design, which is just about complete. I bought some steel yesterday and would like to get started, but it's only 9 degrees out, and I don't use a cutting torch inside the shop!!! Guess I'll finish drawing inside the house. Funny how the wife doesn't seem to share my excitement about a project comming together, when it involves steel plates and parts on the living room carpet. Off topic a bit: Do any of you DIY'ers find a project a legitimate reason to purchase,(read-'dream') about purchasing equipment that would really help, and be 'cool' to own? Man I'd like a plasma cutter!! Oh well, back to reality! Highbeam brings up a point that I hadn't considered about the gearbox orientation. I got to believe it will be OK, since if anything, the input gear will be 'laying lower' into the gear oil than when it's in it's upright position. only down side would be if there's a vent hole in the box! I'd have to plug it and redrill one facing skyward! Thanx again folks! ~Scotty

 

[Renze]

YouTube - John Deere 8100 and Rotor S stump grinder
this is neat but don't know if its diy.

This thing will cause more wear and tear to the average small farm tractor, than to dig and pull the stumps out... The latter would probably be more statisfying too...

 

[sandman2234]

On a gearbox vent, instead of redrilling a new position (which adds chips to the mix, and having to disasemble to correct that) how about just adding an elbow and a short pipe extension to establish the correct direction? A brace to hold it in place might also be a good idea so it doesn't get knocked out of position and you loose all of your oil. A brace/bracket might also protect it from getting knocked off in close quarters.
David from jax

 

[Scotty370]

Good point on the vent re-route. I don't even know if it's vented, but figure it must be so the seals don't blow out. Back to the MetalSupermarket Monday. The drawings are done, and those guys are great shearing parts and pieces. I know, I'll get some flack from the guys that 'cobble' stuff together from junk-yard finds, and are pretty ingenious at doing so. But, I really don't need all that much, and it's sure nice dealing with clean stock. Especially since most of our JY's are snow covered, or mud pits. ~Scotty

Oops! Just thought, if the existing vent ends up below the oil level, your idea may not work. The expansion would force oil up the re-route line.

 

[MJPetersen]

Oops! Just thought, if the existing vent ends up below the oil level, your idea may not work. The expansion would force oil up the re-route line.

However, if that is the case, then you maybe able to reverse the level check and vent plugs. The old level check becomes the vent, maybe with some extension. And the old vent can become the level check with a proper pipe extension.

I know that we are just guessing before you have actually analyzed exactly what will be.

Mike

 

[sandman2234]

Turn the gearbox by one set of mounting bolts either clockwise, or counter clockwise, to move the vent above the oil level. Mounting bolt holes are usually evenly spaced, and the gearbox doesn't know you turned it,lol.

David from jax

 

[trrjohn]

YouTube - John Deere 8100 and Rotor S stump grinder
this is neat but don't know if its diy.

The other problem is that it may remove the main stump, but all of the major roots aren't removed. My Rayco can cut them out also.

 

[Scotty370]

Dave-Only problem I see with that is "Major"! The the PTO input shaft would then be looking skyward, and not at the tractor's butt !!

 

[sandman2234]

Minor Technicality....(who wants to look at a tractors butt anyway?)
David from jax

 

[Dongerosa]

Scotty370...how is the build going? AG gear box working out?

 

[Scotty370]

It' going well. See my last post under Licoln 225 AC/DC welder in this forum. The Agri gearbox is here and plenty 'beefy'! I'm sure it will be just fine. Since this is a home-build, I needed a pattern for the tooth placement on the 22" x 1/2" steel wheel that I'll cut or have cut. I found Greenteeth.com See: Rayco 1625 at this site; Green Manufacturing Greenteeth Shopping

That machine has the wheel width, and amount of teeth that I figured. I e-mailed them.
These guys called me, asked for wheel size, horsepower, speed etc., and then sent the info to their engineering department! The teeth on grinders are not all mounted at the rim, they sort of spiral in, toward the center. Today, I got a cadd drawing in e-mail, showing the exact position to drill the mounting holes! Talk about going that "extra-mile"!!! Thanks for asking. Pictures soon, if I can learn how to post them! ~Scotty

Darn! New torches, new welder, new steel, gearbox, etc. You did ask about my Wallet-Grinder" didn't cha? ~S

 

[SuperDuty335]

I stumbled upon this site that sells rotating assemblies:
stump grinding wheel

 

[Dongerosa]

Scotty370...posting pictures is not hard...and here is how to do it...use the "post reply" button, then scroll down to "Additional Options"...under this you'll see "Attach Files"...click the "Manage Attachment" button, it will open a window, I'm assuming you will be up loading picture from a PC, so click on the "browse" tab, then find the location of the picture to post. Note the limit is under 1.000 K bites size. once you find the picture/s in browse, you'll need to click the "open" button, this get the file into the box...then click upload...it take a minute, then close that window. the picture file should show up in the "Attach File" area. So, as I'm writing this description...I'm also testing it. we should have three pictures attached if this works!

Looking forward to seeing some pictures. BTW, Jan 3 04 picture is my buddies grind built 20 years ago.

Bill

 

[Dongerosa]

A close up picture of the "Heyde Grinder" wheel. He bought the holders for the tools, and the tools are just machine lathe tools. The pictures up loaded were about 350K each in size. Also...no picture file names are uploaded. Bill

 

[Scotty370]

SD335- I looked at those some time ago. I think I dismissed them as too pricy, but I'm going to give them another look. Thanks!

Dongerosa- Tried a pic with your instructions! Let's see! Should be my JD4200 just after purchase of the BH and FEL.

Oh boy! You guys are in trouble now! I'll have to get my parts and drawings together for a "photo-op"! I'll bore ya ta death! ~Scotty

 

[Dongerosa]

Scotty370, glad to see it worked for you...bill