Stump grinder build

[Yooper]

yooper,

"Is the square tube going vertical by the grinder for 'parking' it?"

Yes, that is its "parking brake" Obviously you wouldnt want to set the wheel down and risk damaging one of those pricey carbide teeth!

"How smooth does yours run?"

With my small tractor - and small engine - it will bog down without keeping my eyes/ears tuned to its sounds/feel very closely. When it gets too crowded it will not only bring the RPM's down but will go to "hopping" I have a feeling that with a higher HP engine this would be much less of a problem...

I think that the heavy weight and mass of the frame is a critical element in
keeping the 'hopping' toned down and maintaining smooth movement across the stump. From what I'm seeing on your build youre building that "mass" into yours.

Thanks! Good info!
One more question. Do you operate it from the seat or standing off to the side?

 

[Yooper]

I would think the turn of the wheel would help with chatter also. Seems too me that kicking the chips toward the tractor would help "pull" the grinder into the stump.

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I agree. I'm planning a rubber 'skirt' with chains to handle the chips and debris.

 

[Diydave]

Think about the way the grain goes in a stump, and the angle at which your wheel hits it. The reason the wheel should rotate, to throw the chips away, is to not get caught in the grain. In a large engine belt driven grinder, it makes little difference, but in hydraulic driven grinders, you will need all the advantage you can get...

Here is what I have mounted on my ASV: https://youtu.be/m4pAhB0T5eE

Compared to a larger model, it is really rather anemic, but as a $3000 attachment, VS the $80000, for a belt driven remote controlled dedicated stump grinder, the choice was most economical. A 35 HP tractor, connected via hydraulics, VS an 80 HP engine connected via 4 v belts, the big engine wins, every time.

 

[Yooper]

Working on the design for the 3 PH. Got the tractor in the shop and I hope to start test fitting my design this weekend.

 

[bmblank]

Is that going to be qh compatible? Always a good touch.

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[pacer]

"One more question. Do you operate it from the seat or standing off to the side?"

I disconnected my FEL to add a temporary hook-up for the grinder utilizing the existing joy stick. Otherwise I would have had to buy spool valves and much more connx/hoses going the other way, with the joy stick I only had to buy a couple fitting and 2 hoses. Figured I could get by without it for the duration of the grinding - plus I have a Yanmar with a FEL. So having said that, I am able to sit in the seat turned somewhat to the right operating the joy stick with my left hand (tho I can get a bit of a crick in my neck after a while)

 

[Yooper]

Is that going to be qh compatible? Always a good touch.

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I think so. It's the same dimensions as my Land Pride rear blade.

 

[Yooper]

"One more question. Do you operate it from the seat or standing off to the side?"

I disconnected my FEL to add a temporary hook-up for the grinder utilizing the existing joy stick. Otherwise I would have had to buy spool valves and much more connx/hoses going the other way, with the joy stick I only had to buy a couple fitting and 2 hoses. Figured I could get by without it for the duration of the grinding - plus I have a Yanmar with a FEL. So having said that, I am able to sit in the seat turned somewhat to the right operating the joy stick with my left hand (tho I can get a bit of a crick in my neck after a while)

I have arthritis in my neck that isn't going to like looking over my shoulder. Going to have to stare at it for awhile to see if I can come up with a solution.

 

[cviola2005]

I have arthritis in my neck that isn't going to like looking over my shoulder. Going to have to stare at it for awhile to see if I can come up with a solution.

Anyway to mount the joystick on a swinging arm? That way it could swing to the right, about to the fender? Would that help?

I don't know how the joystick operates, is it electric? or are the hoses just hidden?

 

[Yooper]

Anyway to mount the joystick on a swinging arm? That way it could swing to the right, about to the fender? Would that help?

I don't know how the joystick operates, is it electric? or are the hoses just hidden?

These are questions I'm asking myself and that's what I mean about staring at it for awhile. Thoughts of having a seat and operating it like a backhoe may be a possibility. By the time I'm done grinding all these stumps, might have arthritis in my knees from getting on and off though. Back up camera? Don't really like that idea from an operating point of view. Swivel seat?

I'm a week or so away from mounting the boom on the back, and then figuring out the pump and hydraulic tank. That's when I'll be able to visualize what is going to be the most practical.

 

[pacer]

Yooper,

Re seat/control positioning -- I would encourage you to keep in mind movement and repositioning of the tractor/cutter wheel. With my small tractor I have to constantly reposition the cutter and this is one of the great benefits of having the HST drive - my sitting in the seat turned to the rear, with little movement of my body I can not only control the cutter position with my left hand, I can also raise/lower the 3pt, and with right foot press the reverse pedal and with left foot press the fwd pedal. This means that I only have to change position when needed to drive the tractor - this is a tremendous feature when I have to reposition the cutter.

I'm not familiar with your tractor - HST or shift? With a shift tranny you are gonna have to change seat positions to reach clutch and shifter. While a swivel seat sounds like a possibility it may present to much of a hassle to change positions. I'm thinking you might oughta try the conventional seat with you turned to the right for starters ... Course then you have to go back to where you position the controls? -- maybe rig a temporary mount for them? I've got a handful of zip ties in that mount on mine! Saw a couple rigs where the guy mounted them to the right side of the ROPS bar - could probably zip tie them there temporally for a test position.

Even if your tractor will eat more off a stump than mine, I think you will be surprised how often you have to reposition.

Course what kind of tree you are working on also - and state of rot or not will be a huge factor in all this. The 80-90 of mine are all pine cut about a year and a half ago so rot is beginning but not real beneficial. The old large pines also have a tendency to build a 'mound' of dirt around the base in which roots - some large - to run in them needing more time to find them and "root" them out

You've got the right idea about letting these problems "percolate" in the back of your mind as you go about tending to the other builds ...

 

[Yooper]

Yooper,

Re seat/control positioning -- I would encourage you to keep in mind movement and repositioning of the tractor/cutter wheel. With my small tractor I have to constantly reposition the cutter and this is one of the great benefits of having the HST drive - my sitting in the seat turned to the rear, with little movement of my body I can not only control the cutter position with my left hand, I can also raise/lower the 3pt, and with right foot press the reverse pedal and with left foot press the fwd pedal. This means that I only have to change position when needed to drive the tractor - this is a tremendous feature when I have to reposition the cutter.

I'm not familiar with your tractor - HST or shift? With a shift tranny you are gonna have to change seat positions to reach clutch and shifter. While a swivel seat sounds like a possibility it may present to much of a hassle to change positions. I'm thinking you might oughta try the conventional seat with you turned to the right for starters ... Course then you have to go back to where you position the controls? -- maybe rig a temporary mount for them? I've got a handful of zip ties in that mount on mine! Saw a couple rigs where the guy mounted them to the right side of the ROPS bar - could probably zip tie them there temporally for a test position.

Even if your tractor will eat more off a stump than mine, I think you will be surprised how often you have to reposition.

Course what kind of tree you are working on also - and state of rot or not will be a huge factor in all this. The 80-90 of mine are all pine cut about a year and a half ago so rot is beginning but not real beneficial. The old large pines also have a tendency to build a 'mound' of dirt around the base in which roots - some large - to run in them needing more time to find them and "root" them out

You've got the right idea about letting these problems "percolate" in the back of your mind as you go about tending to the other builds ...

My design incorporates the cutting head extending 18" by hydraulic cylinder inside the inner boom. Idea is to plant the tractor and finish the stump without having to reset.

 

[pacer]

"My design incorporates the cutting head extending 18" by hydraulic cylinder inside the inner boom. Idea is to plant the tractor and finish the stump without having to reset."

Well, that certainly takes care of that little problem - now wasnt that easy?

That makes a swivel seat sound much better!

 

[Yooper]

I got an idea that I wanted to use bulkheads to deliver the hydraulic fluid to to the extend/retract cylinder inside the boom. Found some 3/4" 12L14 hex stock and proceeded to set up the lathes to make them. I used the collet chuck on my 15" lathe to thread the other side of the fittings so I wouldn't mess up the threads. Fun little project on a hot afternoon (by my standards, anyway), and I'm feeling pretty good about them until I realized........they were the wrong size. Doh!

Only the end that attaches to the steel line has to be #6. All the rest are #4. Oh well, I left the lathes set up so it won't take long to make up the right ones.

 

[bmblank]

Man I wish I had a shop. And, of course, the skill to use said shop to its full potential.

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[Lil Foot]

until I realized........they were the wrong size. Doh!

Looks like you forgot the old maxim-
"Measure twice, make once, measure once make twice."
We've all been there at one time or another, really nice work on the fittings, they look great, and if you're like me, you'll find another use for them.

 

[Yooper]

Got the bulkheads machined for the #4 lines I want to use plus the #6 for the 3/8" steel line. Made up a new adapter for the steel line to the retract end of the cylinder (#4) and checked for fit. Everything looking good. Just have to pressure test my fitting before going forward.

One thing of note, to get the sleeve for the flare nut to go around the bends, I had to split it. Hopefully won't be an issue.

 

[Yooper]

Looks like you forgot the old maxim-
"Measure twice, make once, measure once make twice."
We've all been there at one time or another, really nice work on the fittings, they look great, and if you're like me, you'll find another use for them.

Yeah, tossed them in my plumbing fitting drawer and happily didn't find the ones I just made tossed in from a previous build.

 

[Yooper]

Had trouble with the o ring seal on my fitting. Usually, they're pretty forgiving but this one just did not want to seal. Tried replacing the o ring, tried a bigger one but no luck. So I did what welders do.....I welded it.

The pictures show the final installation scheme and the last one, although not real clear, shows how tight everything has to be in order to clear. I'll use a hydraulic hose and fittings for the extend port on the cylinder.

 

[Lil Foot]

Damn dude, you need to teach welding classes- sign me up!
Keep it coming, really interesting thread.