Bush Chipper maintenance hint tricks for profit

[derwoodii]

How many resharpen their own knives while fitted by hand and how, tools method hints n tricks

How many change their own machine knifes and hints n your tricks for this.

How much would you earn from a set of knifes eg mine cost about $180 a set but I reckon they earn me say $3000 to $4000 before resharpen wears em out.


I just flipped my set and wus thinkin while working, what say you.

 

[derwoodii]

Oh er a point to make my little bandit 65 is predominantly dry hired to the tree trade so its knife profit calculation is based upon knives used vs income in. I should be able to extrapolated the hours run vs knife time to wear out. hmm maybe later..

 

[derwoodii]

I've got 5 sets of 4 blades for my Bandit 250xp.

I'm on my last set now and am going to need to get 4 sets sharpened. I do touch them up with a on foot by 3 inch diamond stone but it only does so much. I have so many blades so I don't have to do much bed knife adjusting.

I'd love to see a 'slow grinder' designed for small scale sharpening. It just so happens just the other day I was thinking along the lines of a very slow turning table belt sander that would move at such a slow speed that heat would not be a problem....something line one revolution every five seconds! Sure it would take an hour or two do one edge but used with it a timer and left to run on it's own it would more than meet my sharpening needs.

Yup I touch up mine with a good abrasive stone n battery drill heavily lubed to cool, it works ok ish puttin on an edge for a few turns then no more I gotta flip or take away to proper regrind.

I should flip my anvil more but it often only once a year as a pain to remove reset. Nice thinkin with the slow grind hmm fixin it to wheel set knife could be a trick.

 

[millbilly]

don't all the knives have to be the exact same size, weight and ground at the same time?

 

[2dogs]

don't all the knives have to be the exact same size, weight and ground at the same time?

This applies to Brush Bandit disc chippers.

No, in fact the knives can be different edge to edge. However, and it's a big however, the bed knife (anvil) has to be checked and adjusted at every knife change. Also the bed knife wears and needs to be ground to square it up.

Keep the drive belts tight and the pulleys alligned. Replace all the belts as a set.

Replace the hydraulic filter every 100 hrs or so. If there is a strainer on the hydraulic tanl clean it once each year. If the hydaulics lose power replace the check valve assembly.

Grease the VERY expensive disc bearings twice each day. I do 10 pumps of the grease gun. Just do 1 pump each day for the clutch grease fittings. Don't over grease the clutch. Adjust the clutch (PTO) whenever it loosens up, even just a little. The 65 doesn't have a clutch so spend that time checking the belts.

Check the groove where the feed wheels slide up and down for cracks near the top. If the feedwheels turn rapidly but don't feed wood the replace or retension the springs. Inspect the suspension and make sure nothing is broken or worn out. The shackle mounts and shackles take a beating.

For small operators when the employees leave for the day the work is still not done. Chippers are labor intensive machines and they have to work all day long. There is no time for maintenace during the day.

Oh, and did I say grease the disc bearings twice a day?

Then there is the engine and radiator.

 

[arborealbuffoon]

I always used a good old Bastard file on my Bandit knives. And, it can be done with them still on the machine. Other than big damage, the file will keep em going almost indefinitely.