Chippers Chippers Everywhere

[Arboreal Terror]

Hi
We run a Morbark 12" Twister. We have used a Bandit 1890 a couple of times and were so impressed we are thinking of upgrading to a Bandit 1590 (drum). The local Bandit dealer has also recommended a Bandit 255XP (Disc) chipper to us. We chip everything in our business from Date and Cocos Palms to Australian hardwoods. Our aims in order of preference are safety, size of infeed chute, elimination of blockages. We used an old 250XP (secondhand rental) for a day once and frankly found it scary. Many bruises from scarily slewing branches. Anybody with opinions of Disc versus Drum particularly in relation to Bandit chippers?

Thanks
Aboreal Terror

 

[ASD]

we run bandits 1090 drum 1590 drum 1890 drum and an old vermeer 1800 drum so my .02's is DRUM

 

[Arboreal Terror]

Thanks for the .02 ASD

But some reasons.

One of the other Tree Guys I talked to said that Disc chippers are great until you get a log jammed in the knives. While you can roll a drum backwards to free the knife from the block you have to virtually dismantle a disc chipper to get the block out. He also reckons disc chippers are less efficient fuel wise but on the whole produce better woodchips.

Any thoughts?

 

[BC WetCoast]

But some reasons.

One of the other Tree Guys I talked to said that Disc chippers are great until you get a log jammed in the knives. While you can roll a drum backwards to free the knife from the block you have to virtually dismantle a disc chipper to get the block out. He also reckons disc chippers are less efficient fuel wise but on the whole produce better woodchips.

Any thoughts?

We use bandit 200 and 250's. Very seldom does a log get jammed. And when it does, you just jack up the feed rollers and wiggle the piece out. No big deal. If you are using a drum with feed rollers ie Vermeer XL1000, then you would need to do the same thing.

It important to keep the revs up, so bumping large logs is necessary.

The biggest problems come when the knives are dull and the cutter bar isn't adjusted correctly.

If you were scared using a rental 250, then maybe accounting is more your line of work.

 

[windthrown]

Yah, I had a Bandit late Model 90 and all you had to do was pop the rollers into reverse with the safety bar. If that did not fix it, I would shut it down and pop the clutch, open the hatch to the disk and rotate the disk back and/or wiggle the log loose from the feed rollers. No need to tear the thing down. Ever. Rerely happened anyway. It would eat up to 8 inch logs, but I cut those up for firewood, and usually only 3 inch limbs and smaller and green leafy tops went into it.

I also prefer the chips from disk chippers over drum chunkers. Its makes for great mulch.

 

[Arboreal Terror]

Scared, Me.....Hell yes!

If you were scared using a rental 250, then maybe accounting is more your line of work.

Give me a break. I have fear all the time. It's what keeps me alive by checking twice and cutting once. It's mastering the fear that separates us from accountants.

On a more serious note. Thanks heaps for your comments.

 

[windthrown]

Yah, fear... I bought my Brush Bandit from a couple that were retiring from the landscaping and tree service biz. Said they were getting too old and were afraid that the damn thing would suck one of them into it, so they sold it.

 

[Tree Student]

But some reasons.

One of the other Tree Guys I talked to said ... He also reckons disc chippers are less efficient fuel wise but on the whole produce better wood chips.

Any thoughts?

Disc style chippers are going to require less horsepower than drum chippers because of less weight in the cutting wheel compared to the drums so a smaller engine will use less fuel. You can go to your local Bandit dealer and talk to them about the advantages of one over the other, drum chippers definitely have their uses but it's only when I'm chipping giant stuff that the drum chippers come onto my site. My bandit 250 has never gotten anything stuck in it and I trim the highways so we push everything that will fit in the opening and it eats it faster than the three guys feeding it.

Good luck with your choice, either way you'll be throwing chips.

 

[Climbing Fool]

Disc style chippers are going to require less horsepower than drum chippers because of less weight in the cutting wheel compared to the drums so a smaller engine will use less fuel. You can go to your local Bandit dealer and talk to them about the advantages of one over the other, drum chippers definitely have their uses but it's only when I'm chipping giant stuff that the drum chippers come onto my site. My bandit 250 has never gotten anything stuck in it and I trim the highways so we push everything that will fit in the opening and it eats it faster than the three guys feeding it.

Good luck with your choice, either way you'll be throwing chips.

A small beef with this reply. I know of no chipper where comparable drums weigh less than discs. A quick visit to my local Bandit dealer shows the 1590 weighs 600 lbs less than the 255xp when fitted with the same motor on the same trailer. The drum is hollow mate, the disc is solid steel.

 

[JS Landscaping]

The older Bandit 250's were known to be a violent feeding machine. Due to the speed of the feed wheels or maybe because the bottom feed wheel was slightly elevated above the feed table. I ran an older one with the last company I worked for, and you would go home with bruises and cuts everyday from it, and thats feeing it from the side...seemed like the only thing it was nice to us with was when we were chipping confierous branches....nice and strait and soft...get on some curvy hardwoods and forget it, you were hoppin and jumpin and duckin outa the way. We also had the 254's...very powerful disk chipper, could take in some big material, but could also jam up if the operator wasnt on his game and let the rpms get down...Started working for a new company today and they have 2 bandit 1590's...did a little chipping with them today after getting outa the tree to help the ground guys and I was very impressed with the auto feed and the power this machine had...Disk chippers are beter for vine like material, more stringy stuff, but this drum chipper was a beast on the big wood today....Bandit definatly makes one solid product!

 

[limbwalker54]

On the contrary. . . Remember your physics! The disc chipper will have more rotational inertia but require more horsepower to get the same result as a drum rated for the same size log. The drum will lose rotational inertia faster than the disc however because of the smaller mass, it will recover faster than bogging down a disc.

Hopefully I hit this on the nose if I'm remembering my lessons.