Ottis,
I haven't read all the other responses here (don't have time yet), but I'd thought I give you my opinion.
Your best money spent is going to be on a chipper. Brush takes up way too much space and too much time hauling. Get a chipper first thing, you'll be suprized. Even a junker will do wonders for your time spent. Yes, dump the chips on your five acres, you'll be suprized how fast they break down.
Mini sounds good I guess. I personally wouldn't use something that small, but I see how they could be very good. Just don't get something with tires if you can help it, go for rubber tracks.
Stump grinder? Hmmmmm. Not very profitable, seems everone has a stump grinder these days. We don't hardly make anything on stumps, they just help us complete the whole job. When I started my own business 12 years ago, I let another company do my stumps for me for the first 1 or 2 years. They just did it whenever, not the same day. Why do you need paid the same day? You can learn what stumps go for and start estimating what you need to add for the stump company to do it. Don't let the customer pay the stump company, that way you don't create communication between the customer and the stump guy (he might steal your future work.)
What state do you live in?
Most areas, stumps don't make you much money.
1.Get a chipper.
Get a used little bandit 200+, for like $7,500.00
2.Then later get a mini.
3.Then later get a stump grinder. A self propelled grinder is the way to go these days. (and I DON'T mean a Dosco). These self propelled grinders are really up there in horsepower these days. There are a lot of junky grinder out there though. I say go with Rayco on the stump grinders and make sure it's hydrostatic drive, no stupid belt drive that you can't control the speed of the cutter wheel with. Get a used RG 50 or SuperRG 50 4X4.
