Best First Chipper for My Company

[ApexTreeService]

I am purchasing a my first used chipper soon and would value an opinion or two. My company is a few years old, and I have been doing the dump trailer routine which is old!

My climber swears by the Whisper Chippers, so I started there.

My dilema now after talking to some people is should I go chuck n duck drum chipper or self feed disk?

I will be using an '84 Ford F-350 2 wheel drive duelley with the 454 gasoline engine and 17 yard dump box.

I will be chipping alot of removals, species such as Chineese Elm, Russian Olive, Sycamore, Cherry, Apple, Crab Apple, Globe Willow, Maples, Cottonwoods, Poppler, Honey Locust, Blue Spruce (easier to trailer and dump?), Aspen, River Birch, etc.

Candidates I am considering are the Bandit 90 for disk and a Mitts & Merril 16" chuck n duck with either a Ford 4 cyl. diesel or the reliable Ford 300, or a 12" or 16" Whisper Chipper by Altec.

I need light, my truck isn't a powerhouse despite new engine. I need safe, question is do ya want the chuck n duck to take your hand off or the feed rollers to suck the new guy in. I need reliable and cheap. Sounds like the drum, but then you have to cut stuff down to get it in costing me all season with lower productivity! Is a drum self feed going to suck it all down if I hire on a couple of temps for bigger jobs?

Help, thanks!

 

[clearance]

Whisper with the 300 Ford. Old workhorse, proven. When you get a bigger truck and more money get a diesel self feeder.

 

[woodchux]

What the Heck are you doin with a GM motor In a F350??!!

 

[Canyonbc]

Have you looked into the Vermeer 12 inch BC 1000 xl....i think they weigh in right at 4,600 lbs...which is roughly i believe according to the website's the

BC 1000xl and the Bandit Model 90 are roughly the same weight.

Jmo, on something to look into.

 

[Canyonbc]

I am purchasing a my first used chipper soon and would value an opinion or two. My company is a few years old, and I have been doing the dump trailer routine which is old!

My climber swears by the Whisper Chippers, so I started there.

My dilema now after talking to some people is should I go chuck n duck drum chipper or self feed disk?

I will be using an '84 Ford F-350 2 wheel drive duelley with the 454 gasoline engine and 17 yard dump box.

I will be chipping alot of removals, species such as Chineese Elm, Russian Olive, Sycamore, Cherry, Apple, Crab Apple, Globe Willow, Maples, Cottonwoods, Poppler, Honey Locust, Blue Spruce (easier to trailer and dump?), Aspen, River Birch, etc.

Candidates I am considering are the Bandit 90 for disk and a Mitts & Merril 16" chuck n duck with either a Ford 4 cyl. diesel or the reliable Ford 300, or a 12" or 16" Whisper Chipper by Altec.

I need light, my truck isn't a powerhouse despite new engine. I need safe, question is do ya want the chuck n duck to take your hand off or the feed rollers to suck the new guy in. I need reliable and cheap. Sounds like the drum, but then you have to cut stuff down to get it in costing me all season with lower productivity! Is a drum self feed going to suck it all down if I hire on a couple of temps for bigger jobs?

Help, thanks!

16-17 yard of chips...how long or tall is your chip truck??

 

[ApexTreeService]

What the Heck are you doin with a GM motor In a F350??!!

Oh yeah, sorry, I guess the Ford is the 460! Ha, I don't pay attention to the gassers, love the Cummins . . .

 

[ApexTreeService]

16-17 yard of chips...how long or tall is your chip truck??

Yeah I know, it's a 12 foot long dump bed, by 8 wide and 5 high. The bed isn't even boxed in yet, I just figured 5' sounds like a good height if I taper the front. Is this too big or what?

 

[ApexTreeService]

Have you looked into the Vermeer 12 inch BC 1000 xl....i think they weigh in right at 4,600 lbs...which is roughly i believe according to the website's the

BC 1000xl and the Bandit Model 90 are roughly the same weight.

Jmo, on something to look into.

Yep the Vermeer 1000 is on the list along with Wisconsin 12x, but both are quite a bit heavier than a 3700# chucknduck so that was my only concern with those. Another issue is the hydraulic feed rollers and maintenance associated with the hydraulic units. Salesman told me today the bearings need replacing every 2000 or so hours at a cost of $1000 or so.

 

[Canyonbc]

Yeah I know, it's a 12 foot long dump bed, by 8 wide and 5 high. The bed isn't even boxed in yet, I just figured 5' sounds like a good height if I taper the front. Is this too big or what?

Every one here will have a different opinion...by example i worked with a guy today who has a F 350 dually..however is a diesel with 12 ft bed...and i would say just under 5 ft...with a retractable top..

We were pulling a Model 100 12 inch bandit...basically a old Bandit 150.

We filled it up pretty much to the top with Oak,...i thought it towed it fine...

i think it depends alot on your terrain and how long term are you looking...tools can pay them selves back quick...and i think the 1000 in the long run will satisfy and your company as you grow.

 

[extremewoodwork]

I started with a vermeer 6 inch chipper and soon realized I wasted my money. Trucks are cheaper than chippers so buy the biggest chipper you can and make sure it is new. I now have a bandit 250 xp pulled by a f450 with an 8 yard chip box. It does a great job pulling just has to be emptied too often. Since I have owned two different chippers and used several others, I can honestly say that I will only buy a bandit 250 or larger in the future.

 

[ApexTreeService]

That would be ideal, my budget for now is $10000. I have my eye on an Altec WC16 Whisper Chipper with 16" wide drum, inline 6 cyl. Ford industrial engine, year 2000 chucknduck with 1500 hours for $9900.


I am getting ready to buy, should I spend the extra cash and get a new Bandit 90 or bigger?


There's also a '91 Mitts & Merrill chucknduck, has 16" wide x 16" oversize diameter drum, electric brakes, 4830 hrs on Ford 4cyl. diesel (he says it will go 15000hrs ?!), up to 8" green wood, fresh yellow paint and sharpened knives, grease, oil, etc. for $7865.

 

[tomtrees58]

chipper

good chipper my first one new 1980 i paid 7500 new just sold it for 2500 i have a 1230 vermmer paid 2100.00 tom trees

 

[beowulf343]

Whisper with the 300 Ford. Old workhorse, proven. When you get a bigger truck and more money get a diesel self feeder.

Yep

 

[ApexTreeService]

Well I know the roller fed disk are great, but for my first chipper, limited budget and small company I'm leaning toward a $9900 Whisper Chipper for simplicities sake, both short and long term engine and hydraulics (or lack thereof) maintenance.

I have never used a chucknduck, will it work for me?

 

[Skywalker]

we just completed year number one

we have a Woodchuck 12 inch chuck and duck

we paid 4500.00 for it works good

I think its fine, my partner thinks we need a Vermeer 1000 or 1500

We just got back from the local farm and garden show

we have 90 ++ estimates to run down

hope we land some

 

[woodchux]

Chuck & ducks are very fast... You will get scratched up a little though.

 

[tomtrees58]

chipper

1 your climber?? if you dont climb you should keep cutting grass

 

[Magnum783]

I have used both vote highly for the hydro roller. Also as far as the bearings go grease makes things go a long way. Another thing on the rollers and bearings you can buy after market bearings form different manufactures that are way cheaper and sometimes better. Try checking out timken or someone like that. Just my opinion, I think that hydro rollers are safer because of a more controlled feed and more safety options typically.
Jared

 

[Slvrmple72]

You can get more work done with a hydraulic chipper feeding itself. That said, you will want to get one in better condition and more expensive than a used chuck and duck. Also consider getting an hydraulic winch equipped chipper. The 90XP is the smallest size that Bandit will equip with the winch. Look at your workload in respect to chipping. What do you do more of: removals,lot clearing, pruning, chipping/disposing of brush for customers that cut/prune their own stuff. A chipper is a "volume maximizer" , fewer trips dumping, savings on fuel, and decreased labor moving around the "fluff" but this will be offset somewhat by maintenance and upkeep on the chipper. The initial cost of the chipper is only the beginning, that is why a lot of startups use the reliable old chuck n ducks, low maintenance, low initial cost. Burn it out, throw a new motor in it, or just buy another used one. If you have the labor this is a good way to go but if it is just you and your partner having a more powerful, winch equipped, chipper is nice.

 

[ropensaddle]

You can get more work done with a hydraulic chipper feeding itself. That said, you will want to get one in better condition and more expensive than a used chuck and duck. Also consider getting an hydraulic winch equipped chipper. The 90XP is the smallest size that Bandit will equip with the winch. Look at your workload in respect to chipping. What do you do more of: removals,lot clearing, pruning, chipping/disposing of brush for customers that cut/prune their own stuff. A chipper is a "volume maximizer" , fewer trips dumping, savings on fuel, and decreased labor moving around the "fluff" but this will be offset somewhat by maintenance and upkeep on the chipper. The initial cost of the chipper is only the beginning, that is why a lot of startups use the reliable old chuck n ducks, low maintenance, low initial cost. Burn it out, throw a new motor in it, or just buy another used one. If you have the labor this is a good way to go but if it is just you and your partner having a more powerful, winch equipped, chipper is nice.

I get more done with a chuck and duck no waiting in line will keep
six men busy! It also is not broke down every other day!