Buying a chipper, need recommendations

[J Beyer]

Going to be buying a chipper in about two or three months time, just in time for the late spring/early summer storm season.  Any recommendations on brands and/or models?  Needs are only 5" max capacity, mainly for brush since any slabs of fair size and branches of 4"+ are firewood.

I do have a few models in mind, would like to hear the pros/cons of the drum and disc type chippers.  Morbark, Vermeer, and Bearcat are the ones I'm looking at.  Any other good brands?

JB

[Captain]

Jeff,

I was in your situation a couple of years ago.  I wanted a chipper for the exact same reasons.  I was more inclined to think 3-point attaching to keep cost down in your same size requirements.  I have been unhappy with mine, although I can not complain about its performance for the $800 invested - my tractor dealer had it as a demo unit with a $2200 price tag.  He sat on it for 2 years and finally gave in to me.... ;D

These are the reasons why I want a different chipper: :

My current capacity is 4x5 inches.  While this works well for brush up to fire stick size, it stinks for slabs.  Rarely do I have slabs that will fit, and if I do, I have to plan ahead to cut them small enough.

Feed rollers - while my current machine has a feed roller, it has only 1 and it is spring loaded.  This is not a machine that I can drop a piece in an walk away.  It needs help taking in the piece, and it eats a lot of time because of it.  Hydraulic pressured infeed rollers seem better on other models I have used.

Feed rate - my current model has only 2 feed rates, on and off.  While I do like the product it makes for use around the stable - a smaller, consistently sized chip.  My next machine will have a variable feed rate, to be able to slow down for the bigger ones, and diversify the output product a bit thinking resale for mulch, etc.

Ease in sharpening the cutters - Currently, my machine is very difficult to access the cutters.  It is not a job that I like doing in remote locations and prefer to do it in a well-lit, shop type of environment.  Many of the "good" models are much better at this.  

Great topic, Jeff.   ;) I am interested what others have to say.  I do need to say, take a hard look at Salsco (www.salsco.com).  I think my next chipper will be PTO driven, but one of their models.  They have a nice model with a 6x12 capacity.

Captain

[Fla._Deadheader]

I'm not a safety "nut", but, is there a way to rig a switch for the infeed????  A woman was just swallowed by one in Lakeland a couple of days ago, completely !!

[Ron Wenrich]

Have you ever considered a hog instead of a chipper?  Hogs will make a better quality of mulch and bedding material than chips.  You also have a lot less expense in the knife department.  A lot depends on what type of markets you are looking at.

A lot of guys will buy a piece of equipment that meets there current needs.  Then, when they expand, that equipment is often undersized.  I'd get as big of a chipper as you can afford and one with good resale value.

[Frank_Pender]

You know , ron, you are correct.  I often find myself in that same thought processes.  :-/  I use a Valby 3 point system on my JD 5300.  It does all that I really want, but at times I wish I had a unit that was independent of the tractor. :-[  I paid $4200 for it about 5 years ago and have had good luck.  The unit is self feeding and the knives are somewhat of a hasse to remove.  I have two sets of knives for   replacement.  .

[J Beyer]

Ron,

What is a "hog"?  Just list a website to keep things short.

JB

[Ron Wenrich]

Montogomery makes quite a few types of hogs.  

http://www.montgomeryindustries.com/

Jeffrey is another mfg:

http://www.jeffreycorp.com/index.htm

Schutte is another

http://www.hammermills.com/

There is a small mill in the area that saws about 30 Mbf/month.  They then dry the lumber and make doors, millwork and custom made trim.  They hog all their material and make mulch.  I believe they use a tractor for the power source.  

I've also seen guys throw firewood sized logs in these things to make mulch.  

You can find used hogs for a pretty reasonable price.

[Tillaway]

The company I work has a Morbark.  It is a 10" drum type with a power feed.  It has a John Deere 4 cylinder diesel for power.

The knives are easy to change in the field and will eat anything it can drag in, any length.  It works really well and it will even feed Manzanita with ease.  

You will definitely want the power feed, the ones without will work you too hard.  You just let the feed roller catch whatever you want to chip and walk away.  We chip whole trees up to 10" with it and no problems.

They have used 16" old fashioned drum types power with Chrysler gas motors and the disk types.  The Morbark easily out performs them both.  The price was about 4K used.

[MrMoo]

I have a PTO driven type chipper made by a company in Italy (sorry I don't have the name). For what I do with it I think its great.

I guess I have a different look at things than some of those who replied. I feel that anything over 1.5" inches can go in the woodstove as kindling to start the fire.

My chipper will take up to 4" but I have never put anything that big in it. It does not have knives. Instead it has a thing that looks like a ferris wheel. Where the seats on the ferris wheel would go are flat pices of metal probably 3" long by 1.5" wide. They are not sharp and the they move quite freely. It grinds stuff up well with no maintenance.
I have fed it stuff 1.5-1.75"  and up 20' long and it chews it right up. As I said anything larger I keep for the stove.

I think Deadheaders comments are on target though. I think the chipper is one of the more dangerous machines I have. I always wear a helmut with face shield. Short sleeve shirts are advised too.

[Jeff]

Moo, it sounds like you have what we would call a hammer mill, or flail.

[MrMoo]

Thanks Jeff,
You learn all kinds of neat things on the Forum.

[OneWithWood]

I have a bearcat chipper/shredder that mounts on the three point hitch.  I have been happy with it and have definately put it through its paces.  The one thing I would look for if I was to buy another one would be a chute for the chips.  This model just dumps them on the ground underneath the unit.  My leg gets a real work out kicking the pile to the side 8)
If you  go the three point hitch route be sure you/ve got plenty of horses at the PTO.  

[GarryW]

I have a Patu PTO mounted chipper with hydraulic feed. It will take a little over 6" diameter. It has the top roller for the feeder and it does have a problem at times feeding in slags. I've never had a power problem with it, I have it mounted on a John Deere 5310 tractor with 55HP. You gain a real respect for how much damage it can do when it is eating up a whole tree. My has a chute, which is pretty handy for aiming where the chips fly.



To use the chipper, you flip down the feed chute, attach the feeder switch bracket, drop the hitch on the tractor, aim the chute to where you want the chip pile, switch over the hydraulics, crank the tractor up to the PTO setting, engage the PTO, push the feeder bar, and feed in the wood.

SInce I got the chipper, I have not taken it off the back. So, I have hit more than a few trees with the chipper.  :( Most hits weren't too bad but I've dented it up a bit.

The hydraulic feed mechanism is okay, but I would like to have the double sided feed rollers that is on their 10" chipper. And, it uses the tractor's hydraulics to run the feeder, while the newer 10" uses the PTO to run the feeder.

It would be nicer to have a wider one like the Salsa slab chipper, but that was more $$$. If I want to chip slabs then I'll trim them to 6" or less in width and then chip them.

[J Beyer]

The stationary chippers or watchamacallits are not very practical when you need to haul it to a job site.  Tractor powered ones are also not very practical for my purposes.

If I were going ot be a staionary only setup, tractor powered chippers would be very enticing.

JB