frozen stumps

[tcalvin48]

Hi Everybody,

I would like to know your thoughts about using a WG24 stump grinder while everything is frozen. I’m also thinking about taking out the wood chipper. I can get my tractor around while the ground is frozen and get something done. My land is very wet and I would have to wait until late summer otherwise.

Please let me know what you think,

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

 

[JimmyJazz]

I can tell you that splitting wood when frozen is much easier than when it is thawed. I believe this may apply to your situation as well. Good luck.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I think the opposite of jimmy, I think it's a bad idea.
Frozen wood may split easy, but it cuts and grinds really hard and is really hard on equipment.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I have no experience stump grinding but lots chainsawing.

Frozen logs take longer to cut and are harder on chains. We use half skip chains in summer but in winter no need as wood is much harder.

Think about taking a serated knife and cutting block of frozen hamburger versus thawed. (haha) I would think grinding would be about the same. Much different than longitudinal splitting which is more about shearing

 

[Daferris]

The cutter bits are carbide. It will cut the wood but I agree it probably will be harder on the bits. That said. If the have to do it I would say you just need to go a little slower and make sure your not feeding the grinder into the stump so fast that the grinder starts to swing on it's pivot. I have seen the bit's on E-Bay for $10 each. Forget how much they are at Woodland Mills but I know it's a bunch more...

 

[bucktail]

I think the opposite of jimmy, I think it's a bad idea.
Frozen wood may split easy, but it cuts and grinds really hard and is really hard on equipment.

I don't think I'd worry about the frozen wood so much as I'd worry about the frozen ground. I do agree on it being a bad idea though.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Get your FAVORITE knife and buy a block of ice.....
Go chop the block with your knife..
Report back who wins....
hint..... you'll be looking for another favorite knife....

As for when jobs get done.... everything 'weather related' HAS to be done when the weather permits it to be done.. an extension of the 'make hay ,while the sun shines' saying

I spent 3 hours today , clearing out roadside ditches(city's job...) for neighbours as it was warm,sunny and didn't want their basements flooded. I could have been waxing the BX23S.

 

[NCL4701]

Personally, I wouldn’t chip frozen wood with my chipper. I might move the brush from wherever it is that the ground has to be frozen to get to it to somewhere I could access it for chipping when it thaws. We actually do that sort of thing routinely moving logs from swampy areas back to the wood yard when the ground is sufficiently frozen or dry, either of which is normally a small window.

 

[bird dogger]

If you find you'll need some replacement teeth after your grinding there's other options for them. I ruined 8 teeth instantly when I found a buried chunk of rebar while grinding a stump below ground level. It left no time to react as the damage was done in an instant.

Info on sources of replacement teeth here

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: I ruined 8 teeth instantly when I found a buried chunk of rebar

OUCH !!!!

neighbour 'found' a chain ink fence pole IN his tree. After 3 years ,still trying to figure out HOW to get the trunk gone. It's 4' diameter, pole 1' in..and I'm thinking 'something' else is in there as well....

he 'should' have removed it when excavator dug the basement for new house...wifey said no.,it's pretty....

 

[tcalvin48]

Thanks for the replies and thoughts about frozen wood. Guess I'll let it pass, stay inside and read a good book.
Tom Stoltz
in Maine

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

I've used my homemade stump grinder quite often in the early spring with frost still in the ground. Being that the teeth on mine are carbide I didn't really notice to much difference .I actually like doing stumps with frost in the ground. Way less mess . I have very stony land so the stones are what are hard on them. When I hit a stone you hear the sound and I'am usually pretty quick on backing off. It takes a few hits before I have to change them out.

 

[D2Cat]

I've used my homemade stump grinder quite often in the early spring with frost still in the ground. Being that the teeth on mine are carbide I didn't really notice to much difference .I actually like doing stumps with frost in the ground. Way less mess . I have very stony land so the stones are what are hard on them. When I hit a stone you hear the sound and I'am usually pretty quick on backing off. It takes a few hits before I have to change them out.

I like your stump grinder. Do you have other pictures, or a link to how you built it? Thanks.

 

[tinkerwitheverything]

I like your stump grinder. Do you have other pictures, or a link to how you built it? Thanks.

Sorry I don't have ant pics of the build. It was done even before I have a cell phone , and never took any pics of builds at that time. Was salvaged gear box from ??? just picked up the metal from scrap yard etc: It was first made to be 3 pth on Massey 1655 [rear pto 1000 rpm ] over the years it's been changed to mount on a Massey gc 2300 [with home made front quick hitch] now its on my Kubota bx 2370-1. I'am guessing well over 1000 stumps done and more to come.

 

[NHSleddog]

Up here in the northeast on hardwood, it is much harder when frozen.

On softwood, you get better chips when it is frozen and less ripping.

 

[MuttCat]

Explosives. Just saying....