The fastest way to remove tree stumps is with a stump grinder. After clearing away rocks near the stump with a shovel or mattock and cutting the stump off close to the ground with a chain saw, you can use a stump grinder to quickly cut the stump down to below ground level and eliminate bumps in the yard. Use caution when working with heavy equipment like stump grinders, and remember to wear protective gear, especially goggles or glasses to keep flying debris out of your eyes.
Several of the brands carried by Richardson Saw and Lawnmower manufacture stump grinders. Blue Bird, Bear Cat and Toro offer you a selection of models in different sizes and with different features and power levels to fit your individual stump removal projects.
Blue Bird
The Blue Bird SG1314 Stump Grinder is built on a welded 7-gauge steel frame. It is sturdy, but lightweight enough for two people to easily lift it onto a truck for transport. This model features a new cutting system with a unique tooth design for grinding objects up to 12 inches below the soil surface. Different cutting teeth are available for different soil conditions. It is powered by a Honda GX390 engine.
Bear Cat
Echo’s powerful line of Bear Cat products includes one stump grinder – the Bear Cat SG340 Stump Grinder. The cutting head on this model is different than other stump grinders, and uses twelve carbide-tipped cutting teeth. Bear Cat’s stump grinder is compact – only 23 inches wide at the wheel base – so it can be used in any size yard, and right up next to building foundations, sidewalks, and other hardscape elements in the yard. It is powered by a Honda GXV engine.
Toro
Toro offers four different stump grinders. The SGR-6 Stump Grinder is for removing small stumps and grinding them down up to 6 inches below the soil surface. It is easy to maintain and use, and is powered by a Honda GX200 engine. The next model-size up, the SGR-13 Stump Grinder, is powered by a Honda GX390 engine. It will cut to a depth of 11 inches, and the cutting teeth are designed to be easy to replace.
Toro’s more powerful stump grinders are the STX-26 Stump Grinder and the STX-38 Stump Grinder. The STX-26 is powered by a Kawasaki 730V Twin Cylinder engine, and will grind stumps down to a depth of 12.5 inches. The engine for the STX-38 is a Kohler Command PRO ECV980, and this model can grind stumps down to a depth of 18 inches. Both feature Toro’s Intelli-Sweep system, designed to prevent heavy cutting loads from bogging down the engine.
