Best homeowner-style wood chipper for the $$$

[marcos]

I'm generally more of a landscape, nursery and lawn care guy than I am a 'tree' guy, but I come onto this site every once in awhile and screen thru older threads for different perspectives and ideas...

Good site!

Yesterday I had a homeowner stop me, and ask what brand of wood chipper I'd recommend for them to buy for their 2 acre yard.

They DO have quite a number of trees that they like to chop around on...including a copse of aging fruit trees of some kind, and a couple HUGE hackberrys.

They like to cut up the thinner branches with their chain saw...down to as small as maybe 1 1/2" (or so) diameter, to use as kindling wood.
So really...all this chipper would ever need to handle, would be approx 2 1/2" diameter wood MAX.

TSC has a 11.5 hp unit for about $600 right now.

This customer said they'd like to spend $400 or so on this.

Is there something else durable enough out there that can fit their bill???

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

$400? I think all they are going to get for that is some box store MTD junk.

 

[computeruser]

How much patience do they have?

In their price range, they will be limited to rotating-disc chippers. Larger hammermill ones like the classic MacKissic and Crary-Bearcat units are out of their budget, period. These machines do a very respectable job, especially on the sort of small branches and twiggy stuff that is such a pain to dispose of. This means they'll be stuck with slower chipping, but still a workable machine.

I've owned an older Craftsman 4hp with the curved plastic intake, have used a 10hp TroyBilt of similar design, and currently have a MacKissic LSC800 (6hp). Here's my take:

They want a chipper with a disc that has small banks of swinging hammers on it. My 4hp Craftsman and the 10hp TB have this feature, the MacKissic has fixed, serrated teeth. The hammers do a much better job of chopping up stuff fed through the hopper that is pencil to Sharpie size, the sort of stuff that is too small to feed into the chipper blade. They also seem to increase the volume of air that the chipper moves, easing discharge and sucking leaves and small twigs into the chipping chamber with some force. The MacKissic LSC is more refined and quieter, but is not designed to grind up finger-sized twigs on the hopper side, and these have to be sent through the chipper disc side.

HP matters, but blade sharpness does, too. Chipping 1+ material is going to be slow, unless it is green and soft. Dry and hard material will tire your hands out BIGTIME from the vibration as you force it into the chipper chute.
With judicious use on green material, the chipper blade will last quite a while before needing sharpening. On dead, hard material, though, frequent sharpening will be required.

All of these machines follow a similar design, and for all I know may have their chipper housing made by the same supplier or subject to the same patent. They all have a series of bolts holding the two halves together. It is easy to break the machine in half to sharpen blades, lubricate the little banks of hammers, etc.; it is a bit tedious though, without air tools. I wouldn't get too bent out of shape on brand, given the tremendous similarity in design and construction.

I would encourage them to look around (Craigslist, particularly) for a used machine. Unless the disc is warped/bent, they're easy to service and a repower with a new engine wouldn't cost that much, if and when it becomes necessary. Most folks who buy them find that they use them far less than they anticipated, and after years of having the machine in the way, they sell it for a fraction of its purchase price. I got my Craftsman one for free (all it needed was an oil change and some seafoam in the first couple tanks of gas), and ran it for three years until the rear oil seal crapped out, at which point I freecycled it away rather than fix it (bad move...oh well). I've seen a half-dozen units in the 6-10hp range on CL this summer for <$350.

If they currently have a LOT of debris to clean up, I would suggest that they spend a weekend collecting it into accessible piles and then renting a commercial chipper for a few hours. From that point, they could then keep up with the clean-up with a homeowner unit, save for big storm clean-ups. A 6" Bandit or Vermeer unit can be rented for about $180/4 hours or $230/24 hours around here.

 

[hickslawns]

Marcos- I finally bought a 3 point hitch mounted chipper today. I have had 2 smaller units and found they did not suit me. Just not enough Tim "The Toolman" Taylor for my liking. As long as they took to chip, I would rather collect limbs, invite everyone over, and have a bonfire. I will be selling my Craftsman chipper on craigslist soon. I am in Lima and will be asking $250. It has been very well maintained and has a bag to collect everything if so desired. I am just under 2 hours from the river. I am 2 miles off I-75 exit 118. If interested my cell is 419 233 9339. Honestly though, you could probably find a similar deal closer. I am not worried about it one way or the other, it will sell on craigslist locally just as well. Just thought I would throw this one out there to you. Phil

 

[Swamp Yankee]

+1 on renting a commercial machine

They run about $175 a day for a 6 inch Vermeer. Much faster and more efficient.
If they want a small unit to have for light brush work and leaf shredding around the house, I am very pleased with my Simplicity. It's done a lot more than it was ever designed too and just keeps going. It will chip a 3 inch piece as long as it's straight, otherwise the real capacity without a lot of pruning and cutting is about 1-1/2 inches.
One suggestion though, be sure to use only stabilized gas in the chipper. They tend to sit for sometime between use and any gas left in them will create starting issues if not properly stabilized.

Take Care

 

[macbuz]

+1 on renting a commercial machine

They run about $175 a day for a 6 inch Vermeer. Much faster and more efficient.
If they want a small unit to have for light brush work and leaf shredding around the house, I am very pleased with my Simplicity. It's done a lot more than it was ever designed too and just keeps going. It will chip a 3 inch piece as long as it's straight, otherwise the real capacity without a lot of pruning and cutting is about 1-1/2 inches.
One suggestion though, be sure to use only stabilized gas in the chipper. They tend to sit for sometime between use and any gas left in them will create starting issues if not properly stabilized.

Take Care

Hello - I'm new to the site here and am wondering what stabilized gas is, I've never heard of it .... thinking I should because of the occasional trouble we have with mowers, trimmers, chain saws, etc. Usually after a period of not being used.

Thank you

 

[Swamp Yankee]

macbuz,

Stabilized gas is gasoline that has Sta-Bil or a similar fuel conditioner added.

Add the appropriate amount of Sta-Bil when filling your gas can to prevent the fuel from breaking down and creating varnish in the carb. Properly mixed fuel with Sta-Bil is good for a year. The new -gas seems to break down so fast I've had issues in less than a month with non stabilized fuel.

Hope this helps
Take Care

 

[macbuz]

The new -gas seems to break down so fast I've had issues in less than a month with non stabilized fuel.

Hope this helps
Take Care

Definitely helps - appreciate the comment regarding new gas. Have a Husq chainsaw that seems very tempermental sometimes and I've always suspected the gas.

Can't seem to spell temperamental (?) got it.