Running costs of a chipper

[DDM]

A New piece of equipment is much easier to Cost out than a used one.If you go out and buy a new chipper you can assume that the machine Cost's X it will be ready for replacement in X amount of yr's.Servicing this piece of equipment will Cost X Amount for a predetermined period blades will need to be replaced every X period of time.

With a used piece you know what it cost's how many yr's you anticipate keeping in What you maintenance should be but then it is an older piece so then hopefully you
wont start having maintenance issues.

Example I Bought a 4 yr old Carlton 4400D With a Duetz Diesel on it last september this machine had 560 hrs on it Machine ran perfectly.At 589 Hrs Last Month The Machine Spins a rod bearing and ruins the engine. The engine cost's Right at 6K to replace.
Who would ever thought a Duetz would self destruct at less than 600 Hrs?
That would have been hard to foresee and bill out accordingly.

I REALLY Wish i had purchased a new grinder but O Well There's that stupid tax again...........

 

[DDM]

A new crank is 1800.00 and the price For piston,Rings,bearings is 450.00 per hole.It will have to have a new head 2400.00 Piston hit the head when the bearings went.
And a new oil cooler 525.00. Way too much for a repair.

Theres that stupid tax again. Shoulda bought a new one.

 

[DDM]

A New piece of equipment is much easier to Cost out than a used one.If you go out and buy a new chipper you can assume that the machine Cost's X it will be ready for replacement in X amount of yr's.Servicing this piece of equipment will Cost X Amount for a predetermined period blades will need to be replaced every X period of time.

With a used piece you know what it cost's how many yr's you anticipate keeping in What you maintenance should be but then it is an older piece so then hopefully you
wont start having maintenance issues.

Example I Bought a 4 yr old Carlton 4400D With a Duetz Diesel on it last september this machine had 560 hrs on it Machine ran perfectly.At 589 Hrs Last Month The Machine Spins a rod bearing and ruins the engine. The engine cost's Right at 6K to replace.
Who would ever thought a Duetz would self destruct at less than 600 Hrs?
That would have been hard to foresee and bill out accordingly.

I REALLY Wish i had purchased a new grinder but O Well There's that stupid tax again...........

So? Now i have another 6K in my tow behind.So? Do i now re evaluate My operating cost's? Do I nowCharge 200.00 for a stump everyone else would grind for 100.00?
Or do i use my new S-300 With the stump grinding attachment? Now The S-300 with the grinder cost's 38K so do i now charge 400.00 for a 100.00
stump? No I'll just get to sit in the A/C with the stereo on while i grind that
100.00 stump. Maybe i should just not grind the 100.00 stump But then i loose the 800.00 tree.
Point is If the market will only bear X$ you will have to get your cost's at or under that # or you have a problem.I can justify owning a skidsteer
stump grinder because it will load out the wood on the job and Lower labor cost's as well as grind the stump.

 

[Redbull]

I think skid steers and minis can justify themselves in more ways than one in the tree business. I can't wait until I purchase one.

 

[DDM]

I'd still like to see a mini load these.

 

[xander9727]

There is no way you can do an accurate cost analysis on a used piece of equipment that you don't KNOW the usage and maintenance history on. This is why you have to buy new and sell before the end of it's life cycle. Trucks usually don't have major problems under 100k if maintained properly. If you drive 35k a year you need to expense it over 3 years. If you drive 10k a year, then expense over 10 years. It's not so much the repair cost that are expensive it's the down time. It is easy to lose $2,000 a day if your chipper is down. Ditto for your chipper truck. If it takes 2 weeks to get the equipment fixed you not only lose thousands but you may lose part of your customer base as well. Buy your car used......they're easy to rent. Chip trucks and dump trucks are a little more difficult to find at budget rent-a-car. If it makes you money, you have to be able to depend on it.

It really does take money to make money. You gotta spend it to see the return.

 

[xander9727]

DDM,
Is your grinder a highflow?

 

[DDM]

There is no way you can do an accurate cost analysis on a used piece of equipment that you don't KNOW the usage and maintenance history on. This is why you have to buy new and sell before the end of it's life cycle. Trucks usually don't have major problems under 100k if maintained properly. If you drive 35k a year you need to expense it over 3 years. If you drive 10k a year, then expense over 10 years. It's not so much the repair cost that are expensive it's the down time. It is easy to lose $2,000 a day if your chipper is down. Ditto for your chipper truck. If it takes 2 weeks to get the equipment fixed you not only lose thousands but you may lose part of your customer base as well. Buy your car used......they're easy to rent. Chip trucks and dump trucks are a little more difficult to find at budget rent-a-car. If it makes you money, you have to be able to depend on it.

It really does take money to make money. You gotta spend it to see the return.

If Possible you should keep a backup chipper. I learned that lesson 3 yrs ago
2 days before a severe ice storm hit. Now i keep 3 chippers for 1 crew. LOL

 

[DDM]

DDM,
Is your grinder a highflow?[/QUOTE

O Yeah it wont take a cut unless High flow is on.And running 1900 RPM High Flow Its The Cat's Arse.

 

[xander9727]

I have a Gehl 6640 high flow witha miller mfg high flow grinder. I ordered one of the sandavik duradisk wheels for it. I talked to them today and they said it would be done in 2 weeks. If you go to 1" body fittings on your quick disconnects you will cut about 20% faster.

And faster is goooood.....

 

[SteveBullman]

Your probably coorect,what i should of said who out of big guy 'n' little guy is the more proffitable at the end of the year..

i'd say the little guy

 

[Acer]

What are Jensen spares prices like? Are they any cheaper than Timberwolf? Be difficult to be any more expensive...

 

[PTS]

Redbull,

I know that there is a lot of talk about always buying new. But the flip side to that coin is that you have to start somewhere and if that means buy used, using it for a while and then selling to upgrade so be it. I have yet to buy new and I have a lot of really nice toys. You just have to shop around and have an expert check the piece out before you buy.

 

[timberwolf150]

What are Jensen spares prices like? Are they any cheaper than Timberwolf? Be difficult to be any more expensive...

Acer: Being a dealer now and not working for TW, we repair all makes of chipper. TW parts def cheaper than Jensen. Also find them hard to deal with. Only a landline phone. No computers / faxes mobiles etc because of their religion. Model numbers in this country differ to other European countries so often there is alot of confusion.

 

[Redbull]

Redbull,

I know that there is a lot of talk about always buying new. But the flip side to that coin is that you have to start somewhere and if that means buy used, using it for a while and then selling to upgrade so be it. I have yet to buy new and I have a lot of really nice toys. You just have to shop around and have an expert check the piece out before you buy.

The chipper I have now was a blessing to have only being in the business for less than a year before I got it. I was doing what most of us were when we started and I was loading a trailer and pulling it off at the dump or burning it. I have a used chipper, but it is in great mechanical shape. It could use a little paint, but thats okay. When I do buy a new chipper, I probably will buy new, and I'll keep my current one as a backup since it's paid for. But, I do not know what the future holds and those plans can change.
DDM,
So far, I've only had to deal with wood that big twice. Both times the cleanup was subbed to a buddy with a claw truck. About 80% of my jobs are in residential backyards, with gates...so a mini would best suit my needs. You a nice piece of equipment there, though

 

[DDM]

About 80% of my jobs are in residential backyards, with gates...so a mini would best suit my needs. You a nice piece of equipment there, though

That came out of a residential backyard.We just removed the fence for the removal.

 

[Redbull]

Okay, ya got me there!

 

[Redbull]

How does that handle on the turf. Does it tear it up much. I know a lot has to do with the operator.

 

[DDM]

How does that handle on the turf. Does it tear it up much. I know a lot has to do with the operator.

Me and 1 other Employee are the only 2 that can operate on turf without Damage.Of course you cant do a 180 in it either.And you cant use the same trail every trip thru either. But hauling out a 5K chunk of wood in one trip is priceless.
LOL. Even if it is on 2 wheels...........

 

[Redbull]

Yes, I would say that is priceless. Next time, get pics of the two-wheel motion though!!!