Pro tip: wet the stump before grinding if it's been dry for weeks

I was fighting a big oak stump last Tuesday, the dust was choking me and the grinder kept clogging. Soaked it with a hose for 10 minutes and the teeth cut through like butter, barely any dust. Anyone else do this or am I just slow on the uptake?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_hayes2510d ago

Man I wish I had this tip last month. Ground down a massive maple stump that had been sitting in the sun for two weeks and the dust cloud was so bad my neighbor came out thinking my house was on fire. Took me three times as long because the grinder kept getting gummed up with bone dry wood. Now I feel like an absolute idiot for not thinking of just spraying it down first. Guess that's what happens when you try to power through everything like a tough guy. Definitely trying this on my next job, even if I look real silly standing there with a hose for ten minutes.

west.anna9d ago

Water is honestly the cheapest upgrade you can get for stump grinding. That dust cloud story is terrifying though, I can't believe it looked like a house fire. The moisture makes such a difference in how fast the grinder cuts through and how long the teeth last. Dry wood turns into basically concrete dust that cakes up everything in sight. A quick soak the night before saves you time and sanity, no need to feel silly about it. Have you tried letting it sit wet overnight instead of just ten minutes?