which would you rent?

[JBA]

Planning on doing a removal for a neighbor and need to rent a chipper. One yard has a veneer 12" and another place rents bandit chippers. I know both will do the job but I was wondering if one is better than the other. Any thoughts or input greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

 

[imagineero]

You haven't really specified the models. If the vermeer is a bc1000xl and the bandit is a 250XP then bandit for sure. The bc1000xl is specified as a 12" but it's really more like a 10".

 

[JBA]

Those are exactly the models they have. Thank you for your opinion.

 

[imagineero]

Bandit no question then, and I've owned both machines. The bc1000xl is a great brush chipper but realistically it's only a 10" and does not have lift or crush on the feed roller which makes it hard to get logs in. The main draw card is it's lighter and easier to tow. The 250XP has lift and crush and the infeed is 12x19, it's a higher class of machine and will get more work done in a day.

 

[arborlicious]

Hey Shaun, if you were going to buy a new 12" chipper today what would you get?

How's the storm cleanup in the city going?

 

[fishercat]

Bandit bandit bandit.

Vermeer sucks

 

[arborlicious]

Of course Bandit, but then 990 drum or 250 disk?

 

[BC WetCoast]

Bandit no question then, and I've owned both machines. The bc1000xl is a great brush chipper but realistically it's only a 10" and does not have lift or crush on the feed roller which makes it hard to get logs in. The main draw card is it's lighter and easier to tow. The 250XP has lift and crush and the infeed is 12x19, it's a higher class of machine and will get more work done in a day.

I always found that although the vermeer 100xl is lighter and easier to tow, it is much shorter and makes backing it up a way more difficult.

 

[JBA]

Well guys thanks for your opinions. The bandit is actually cheaper to rent. So when we do the job that's what we are gonna use.

 

[imagineero]

Hey Shaun, if you were going to buy a new 12" chipper today what would you get?

How's the storm cleanup in the city going?

Storm cleanup has been pretty hectic. We did a week of finishing up around 9-10pm every day including the weekend and all the boys were so burnt out we took a day off then back to 12 hour days. Been working out Dural way as well as Avalon, lot of trees on houses, power lines etc. Few head scratchers but mostly just exhausting work. Got asked to come up to newcastle but it just sounds too hard.

If I was getting a new 12" it wouldn't be a vermeer. The new BC1000 is a little heavier anyhow with the metal hood as opposed to the older lighter one with fiberglass. It sure as **** wouldn't be a rayco 1220 either, those things suck! The 990xp is supposed to be very good but I haven't run one so I can't say. Honestly, the best 12" is probably a 14" ;-) The 254xp is a hell of a machine, every bit the work horse that the 250XP is and then some. With a winch, that thing punches well above it's class. The little bit of extra capacity makes quite a difference.

I don't have the money for a new machine anyhow, and my truck's only a 12 cube and I don't want to go bigger. I ran the numbers a few years in a row and every time came to the conclusion that I couldn't run an 18" and a 25 cube truck for the price I can hire one when needed. The size of truck and chipper I run works well for me, though I'm hoping to upgrade my NPR400 for an NPR450 with more horsepower and towing capacity. I got the late 90s NPR400 and it only has 115hp which is a waste of time and the reason that year model can be had for cheap. Same model truck post 2000 had 155 or 175, I've driven them and it makes a huge difference. Same model truck after 2,000 has an extra 2 tonnes GCM also. With my current rig I'm doing about 7km/h up hills with a full load and chipper in tow in first gear which sure does piss people off.

If I was buying again I'd be getting the exact same size truck/bin with the bigger engine, and probably the exact same model of chipper too. A winch on a 12" is kind of a waste of time in my opinion.

 

[arborlicious]

7km/h, yeah that'd piss anyone off including the 80 year old geriatrics who normally cruise along at 30km/h.

I figured you'd stick with the same chipper. The 250XP is just so simple and hungry. Surprises many with how quick it processes timber. And to use your term - 'head scratchers', those are the best money makers where you're not felling and winching whole trees so don't need a >15" chipper.

A couple of crews from around here have headed to Newcastle for cleanup work. We were offered work too but can't get away for that long and don't fancy working on the ground all day either.

 

[BC WetCoast]

. With my current rig I'm doing about 7km/h up hills with a full load and chipper in tow in first gear which sure does piss people off.

.

I have the same challenge with my International Lift truck, nothing more embarrassing that being passed on a hill by a loaded concrete truck.

 

[fishercat]

Of course Bandit, but then 990 drum or 250 disk?

250 disk. Im not blown away with drum chippers for residential work. 250 bandit has always done what was expected.

 

[fishercat]

Hell a bandit 200 is no slouch!