Traditionally, larger grinders are unable to reach into tight or confined spaces, forcing time-consuming manual stump removal, which is punishing work. Compact utility loaders with a stump grinder attachment feature a compact design, so operators can maneuver into confined areas, saving contractors and homeowners valuable time and money (especially at the chiropractor).

With a stump cutter attachment, contractors are able to grind as large of a stump as they want to. The stump cutter attachment usually has no size (diameter) restrictions. It is simply a matter of how much time a contractor wants to invest in a project (i.e. larger stumps take longer to grind and hard woods grind more quickly than softer woods).

With a compact, rugged design and powerful cutter wheel, a stump grinder attachment can handle most medium-sized jobs with ease. Because it cuts well below grade, the blade ensures that stump remains can be adequately covered. For operator safety, stump grinder attachments come equipped with a protection shield placed between the attachment and the loader’s controls to deflect jobsite debris. Also, operators should wear a helmet, ear protection and eye protection when operating a loader with the stump grinder attachment.

The stump grinder requires 8 to 14 gpm of hydraulic flow to operate and most attachments come equipped with bolt-on, carbide-tipped teeth on the cutter wheel. If you're removing trees on a daily basis, a dedicated stump grinder may be more appropriate for your business. If, however, you remove tree stumps along with many other landscaping tasks, a stump grinder attachment will be used regularly enough to earn a reasonable ROI and future profits for your business.

When using the stump grinder attachment, consider these five pointers: 1) start grinding from the left-hand side of the stump at the 9:00 position and move across; 2) use the arm controls, as well as the lift and dump functions, on the loader to make adjustments during grinding, rather than repositioning the entire machine; 3) make sure the chip guard is positioned low enough off the ground to protect the operator from flying debris but high enough that the guard is not damaged from contact with the ground; 4) do not rush through a project or try to handle too big of a stump in a short amount of time; and 5) it is important to keep the moving parts appropriately lubricated by greasing the zerks regularly. Stump grinder attachments typically cost $3,000 to $4,000.

- By Greg Lawrence, Toro product marketing manager.