Need help deciding. Chipper vs Skid Steer

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So I'm going to look at a 1997 GMC 454 big block 2wd DRW dump truck tomorrow morning. If the price is right, I'll be buying it. The current plan is to rent a chipper for a week or 2 and chip everything from palm fronds to live oak with it. I suppose after that I'll make the decision on a chipper or dump trailer, or maybe both lol.
As someone said above, I don't think I can really go wrong either way. Just trying to find the most efficient, time effective way to go about this expansion.
 
Whenever we hauled material without chipping it. We were taking it to a yard that had a tub grinder and then they were grinding it down. We also were using 50 yard boxes but we came to the conclusion that they are no good for are area. Tight quarters in most places we could only set that truck up like 30% of the time. I also hated unloading the truck with the grapple. Going to the dump was always like my break time just like pulling a lever and saying bye bye.
 
Florida23 said:
So I'm going to look at a 1997 GMC 454 big block 2wd DRW dump truck tomorrow morning. If the price is right, I'll be buying it. The current plan is to rent a chipper for a week or 2 and chip everything from palm fronds to live oak with it. I suppose after that I'll make the decision on a chipper or dump trailer, or maybe both lol.
As someone said above, I don't think I can really go wrong either way. Just trying to find the most efficient, time effective way to go about this expansion.
Click to expand...

By dump truck do you mean a one ton? If so, that's the way to go and then decide to get a chipper first before a dump trailer or skid steer. I have been doing tree work for the past 10 years part time and have always had a chipper and one ton. Used to load the logs by hand. Just recently, I bought a mini skid for the big logs, loading them into the one ton. Chip all I can through a BC 1000, dump the chips, drop the chipper, come back with the mini for the logs. Couldn't get where I am now with a dump trailer as opposed to a chipper and didn't need a mini or full sized skid steer to get me where I am. Also, local tree guy has been hauling a dump trailer around for the past couple of years, just started. Decided to get rid of the trailer and get a chipper. No regrets.

One ton, chipper, mini.
 
I've been looking at one of these. I haven't bought it yet.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/220277139779?lpid=82&chn=ps
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/220277139779?lpid=82&chn=ps

If you're going to get a skid steer instead of a chipper you can crush the brush down and dump it into a high side dump.
There are some jobs where we need a skid steer anyway to move the big wood. You could do everything with the one machine and then about 50 other businesses by just changing out the attachment.

But chippers are sooooo nice. My chipper is on tracks so I typically bid jobs to leave the chips onsite in a pile or using the blade to spread the chips out.
 
I worked for a company that had a big compactor truck trailer rig. They did mostly big jobs. They used a loader to pick up brush piles off the street. It was way faster then chipping. The trailer had a big ram that would compress the load. It held a lot. I my self use a trailer. I think its faster then a chipper so long as it all fits. The mlnuite you have to cut the load down your losing money.
I do a lot of work for a guy who has a venmer 18in. You cant bog that thing down. Id get the biggest meanest chipper you can. A 10 in. is better then a 6 in. but a 18 in. you can make short work of even the biggest brush pile. Be it green, dead,vines, logs. Just keep the knifes sharp.
 
Ok so I got a 1990 f350 7.3 idi diesel the other day. the dump truck I mentioned before was in reallllllllllllllllllllly bad shape. The truck I ended up buying has a 8 x 12 bed with 4 foot sides. I am in the process of fixing it all up as it has in pretty rough shape. For $2000 I couldn't complain and with about another $3000 I'll have an awesome chipper truck. I will add pictures when I get everything done. I currently have another truck with the same motor but it is a flat bed and I use it to haul the dump trailer and 2012 mt 52 bobcat with grapple.
I believe that running a log truck/trailer and this chipper truck will make life alot easier. Now just to find a chipper and an employee with a license.....
I find that everyone I interview either has a vehicle and no license, or a license and no vehicle.
It's tough to find good help these days and I know it's a little off subject, but I strongly believe that a lot of the problem with the economy is not that there is no work, but that people just aren't willing to work anymore!
 
Nice, I just picked up a one ton and will most likely purchase a chuck and duck later this month. Yeah, there are not too many good workers these days. Not too many good employers either though so it's a vicious cycle for our economy. Worked my ass off for some of the most crooked employers and finally started working for a really, really good tree service.
 
I have seen a lot of smart money down sizeing there equipment. If I was finanally able to go into buisness for my self right now, I would run a ninja crew, a small one ton dump, smaller chipper,something I could increase my area without being eaten up by fuel cost. A well paid highly motavaded 3 man crew (motavaded and well paid goes hand in hand) I would cultavate the high end markets.
More equlpment=more over head
 
beastmaster said:
I have seen a lot of smart money down sizeing there equipment. If I was finanally able to go into buisness for my self right now, I would run a ninja crew, a small one ton dump, smaller chipper,something I could increase my area without being eaten up by fuel cost. A well paid highly motavaded 3 man crew (motavaded and well paid goes hand in hand) I would cultavate the high end markets.
More equlpment=more over head
Click to expand...

The problem with that is that the high end market is either residential or not. I quess a small company would have to work hard to break out in the residential tree care category, where as the high end non residential companies must have all the cert's and stuff to be able to bid. Most of the jobs we do only accept bids from a TCIA Accredited company with CTSP's and an ISA cert. arb. on site and that can narrow the field greatly.
I just think it would be really tough to compete with the lowest bid on residential work in these days.
Good to see you still around Wade!
Jeff :)
 
Hey jeff. Yeah im back in the land of the living after crash diving there for a few months. I know what your saying but there is a small percentage of residential costomers out there who understand what good work is and willing to pay for it. I market a unique style of trimming that most people," dont get",but those that do, are willing to pay for. Its a specailly market. You need to set your self apart from the masses, to stand out some how. Im preaching to the choir. Thats what your company has been doing for years
 

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