Found a simple wedge cut trick for stump grinding near foundations

After chipping my grinder teeth on a hidden patio slab last month, I tried making a shallow V-cut first to expose buried concrete and it saved me $300 in replacement teeth, has anyone else used this method before hitting hardscaping?

2 comments

2 Comments

shane_fisher372h ago

Oh man, that's a good one. I wish I'd thought of that before I smoked a set of teeth on an old sprinkler system line that was buried just an inch under the dirt. That V-cut idea is smart because it lets you see what's hiding before you commit to the full swing. I've started doing a similar thing where I just take a really shallow pass first, like barely skimming the top layer, to feel for any hard spots. It takes an extra minute but it beats the hell out of replacing $30 teeth every time. Plus you can spot old roots or rocks that way too, not just concrete. Definitely gonna try your wedge trick on my next job though, sounds way more precise.

hollyl451m ago

That shallow pass trick sounds good but doesn't it kinda defeat the purpose if you're trying to move fast? I mean, you're still taking two passes instead of one, right? And that V-cut thing sounds like it would work for concrete but what about hitting something like a buried gas line that's just as shallow as that sprinkler? Seems like you'd still be in trouble either way. Is there really a way to tell the difference between a hard rock and something dangerous before you hit it?