6"chippers

[1I'dJak]

Just wading thru all the chipper posts...I'm thinking of getting a small 6" chipper...pain in the ass, but i think i want small, so I don't need a big truck... plus i burn firewood and where i live, many other people do as well...so i think most of the chipper will be just branches for now...I climb for the logging industry as well, so I don't really need a production chipper right now....so, what chippers in this range are the most powerful...and what are the most lightest (able to sneak onto a lawn without thrashing it?

 

[clearance]

Hi Jak, my advice is still an old Whisper chipper. Run away from that little Vermeer, the v-twin gas self feeder, slower than the second coming. Whispers are easy to tow with a pickup, reliable and I hear many are available now.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I know a guy with a rebuilt whisper style that he may still want to get rid of for ~5k USD. I think it has a Ford engine in it.

 

[Dadatwins]

I agree, a whisper is what you need. A 4 or straight 6 motor will chip all the 6" brush you need. There are some 8 cylinder models out there but probably a bit overkill for your purpose. Those small rental type chippers are a pain to tow around and back up also.

 

[treebogan]

in defence of the 625

The little Vermeers are slow yes,but good value,simple and hold their value well.i had one for a while and repowered it with a perkins Diesel engine after the Kohler died,so that is always an option.

 

[Wolfking42084]

if you're looking for a small 6", i would highly recommend a bearcat. i have even thought about getting one, so i don't have to drag the big one around for small jobs. I had ran other smaller units and the bearcats will seriously surprise the snot of of you. I desperatly want the new 86hp bearcat.

 

[Log hog]

I had a model 65 by Brush Bandit, it was a tuff little chipper, it had a 35 horse Wisconsin 4 on it and did a good job of chipping all the small stuff you would want and it also had a auto feed on it. I sold it though, for about $3,500. Its a chipper I would highly recomend for the six inch catagory.

 

[1I'dJak]

I seen one of those 65's for sale on the island here....it was a '97 and listed at $8000...it looked tiny (as all 6" look like i guess) the price seemed high... i did use one of these for i guy in victoria i worked for.... what are reasonable used prices for these kinda chippers? whisper included...John Paul Sanborn, I imagine your friend lives way out east, eh? However with the cdn $ so high, buying stateside not a bad deal...although i don't know what kind of duty a guy would pay....

 

[TimberMcPherson]

There are alot of good 6 inch chippers out there, bandits and vermeers have a great reputation. As long as you can get parts and have it serviced you should be okay.

My Gravely pro chip has been fantastic. I like the kohler engines as they are fixable, servicable and replacable everywhere and they are very light on fuel use. Saying that mine has never needed a repair!

 

[squad143]

Hey 1I'dJak,

Check out the thread about choosing a small chipper in the Arborist101 area.

I hope to get a chipper (bandit 65xp) from the U.S. this weekend. The duty will be the pst + gst (14% total), I live in Ontario.

Different states have different revenue laws on wheather you pay the state tax or not.

 

[mckeetree]

I loaned this bum some money on one of those 35 H.P. vermeer chippers and ended up with it. You would be better off holding a rat by it's hind legs.

 

[Stihl User]

Why not get a 10-12" diesel? It will outlast and out run a gas 6". Plus if you ever had to sell it you'll get alot more $$$$ for it.

Anything smaller then 12" & isn't diesel is a waste of time for me.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

John Paul Sanborn, I imagine your friend lives way out east, eh? However with the cdn $ so high, buying stateside not a bad deal

With yesterdays close that would be ~$5212CN

Not way out east, just half way there in Milwaukee. Only ~2100 miles

 

[Stihl Racer]

If its good enough for rentals

Hi Jak,
I work at a rental shop up in ontario canada, 6" is our most demanding size of chipper, if your going with the small size i say stay away from the vermeer, there machines under 9" are horrible, we tried a Rayco, which quite honestly aint that bad, we ran into a few snags here and there but pretty good, now what i recommend hands down is the Brush Bandit Model 65 XP, disc chipper. We got one of these probably 15 years ago, and this year with over 5000 hours on it the motor puked an old 30 hp wisconsin. But these new ones come with a 30 hp v twin kohler which is plenty of power. Now a few things i also like about them is if you look at the feed hole on most other 6" its 6X6 whereas thses are 6X10, allowing a 6" tree to have a few little branches etc still attached, super easy to service and maintain as well, and like i said.....if its strong enough to hold up to rental specs its all you need. I recommened looking ito them though at banditchippers.com. talk to ya later....happy chipping