Chipping only business

[RootHog]

If I had a wood chipper such as a Vermeer BC 2000 with grapple or a Morbark Hurricane 18 with a loader along with a chip truck could I make a good living just by chipping?

Is there enough demand for this size machine from tree companies or land clearing companies where I could be sub-contracted to work with the company on their projects?

Any comments would be appreciated especially from any forum members in the Mass area.

Thank you.

 

[Husky137]

I would doubt it. Most tree services have tailored their equipment around their work and to some extent their work around their equipment. Land clearing companies have a big chipper, some bigger than you propose. Biggest problem I could see is a company not wanting to sit around or juggle their schedule to fit your schedule into theirs. I would imagine if you got any work it would be nasty trashy jobs that you wouldn't want. You could get a job here and there but probably not enough to pay the bills on a machine thta big. You also have to look at the sharp decline in new housing starts as a thing that will be here for a while before it improves again.

 

[OTG BOSTON]

not in this market

 

[JayD]

Hi
In theory it sounds good, but when you actually do productive tree work every piece of equipment you have makes you more competitive,me my basic equipment is..chipper truck,chipper,stump grinder..not to mention saws climbing gear ropes...etc..etc... in the last two years I've had probably no more than two outcalls for chipping that was'nt part of my overall deal...but I am in Australia, the States might be different.
All The Best and good luck!
JayD

 

[woodchux]

I wish you were in South Carolina, I hate messin with the brush more than anything !

 

[John464]

Not a good business plan IMO.

every tree service that I know of has a chipper. the ones that dont are the scavanger hacks that go cutting trees for beer and drug money and I dont think they would hire ya either.

those that do enough land clearing usually have 500K+ in equipment one of which usually includes either a tub grinder or a whole tree chipper

 

[DDM]

A stump grinder would be a much better investment.

 

[Tree Machine]

I would love to have a cleanup specialist team. You'll need a few tarps of different sizes, some rakes and a big bad backpack blower. You're in bizniz.

Like some of the posters say, most tree companies have their outfit, however, a lot of us get calls for chipping only. Personanlly, I turn these down left and right unless there's tree work to be done also, then I do it as a courtesy.... I mean they get charged for the service, but more money is to be made climbing and caring for trees so I decline the offer to make less than what I'd make elsewhere.

I think you could earn a living at it, but you'll inevitably get into small takedowns and then bigger takedowns and then you'll pull some more gear together and before you know it, you'll be a full-blown treeguy.

You may want to explore a 9", rather than a monster. The monster has it's place, but the cost of the thing and the insurance and the fuel and the size truck you would need to pull it- you'll be hard-pressed just to make your monthly payments. Smaller chipper, smaller costs and means bucking up firewood, which can be another income source. The monster may be grossly overpowered for most of what you'll do.

Best luck.

 

[jonseredbred]

you will starve as chipping only business, a niche market would be stumpgrinding.

 

[woodbutcher44]

Only in clean up after mother nature .