Choosing a small chipper

[CoreyTMorine]

Power Windows!

 

[Tree Machine]

The really nice thing about a small chipper is your ability to get versatile with it. Something as simple as just being able to swing it around 90 degrees so the chute is in the direction of the mess, and you don't then have to step over the ball and tongue when passing between, I've done that hundreds of times.

I'd miss that ability with a bigger unit.

 

[Grace Tree]

I wouldn't feel comfortable with my infeed against a steep embankment with a plastic tarp to reduce traction and increase trip hazards. Is that set up less hazardous than it looks?
Phil

 

[Tekko]

Is this chipper as old as it looks ?

I agree with previous poster that having the chippers feed table against an embankment with a tarp to reduce drag seem like dangerous practice.

 

[bushinspector]

What if he just has that as a staging area with the chipper turned off and then when he chips he just stands to the side and pulls them off the slick tarp and feeds the chipper???

 

[squad143]

I don't believe it.

I called the local rental shop to rent a chipper and I asked if he had anything else other than the vermeer 625 and the 12" chipper he had listed and he told me he had a bandit 65 at his other rental store. To make a long story short the next day I was able to try it out.

I was very impressed with this little machine. The 6" x12" feed wheel made a big difference over the vermeer 625 (6" x 6"). There was no need to cut every fork.

I don't think this rental model (2000) had the autofeed feature, as the engine would slow down significantly when some of the bigger longer branches would go through.

Apparently this machine is for sale. Its pretty rough looking (as are all rental machines) and the hour meter is broken at 721. The guys boss wants way too much for it. I guess I'll start searching for one.

Thanks for all the posts.

 

[Tree Machine]

What if he just has that as a staging area with the chipper turned off and then when he chips he just stands to the side and pulls them off the slick tarp and feeds the chipper???

Thanks, Bushinspector. That's exactly what it was. I was thinking I could spearchuck the limbs into it from up above, but that theory disproved itself rather quickly. Having the brush up at the same level as the infeed chute worked out on that job, but I don't usually have inclines. This was a pretty isolated case, which, I think, is why I took the picture

Most often, the time I will unhook the chipper is when backing into a driveway with an adjacent fence. I'll unhook, turn the chipper 90 degrees so the chute is facing the gate, and of course, turn the discharge chute 90 degrees the other way toward the back of the truck

Long, narrow driveways with curves, I'll just unhook, push the chipper to where it needs to go, then go and back the truck up to the chipper. Most often, just back it in conventionally, but it's nice to have options.


Squad brings up another plus of the Bandit over the other models, that, yes, it's a 6" capacity model, but that is 6" in the vertical direction. The horizontal direction is 12", meaning if you had a beam 6" X 12", you could actually run it through. Having the infeed wheel 12" wide is really, really nice, it makes the chipper able to handle a lot of material that would prove troublesome to a unit with a square 6 x6 opening. This was one of my biggest draws to the Bandit 6" over other manufacturers. Not needing to cut every fork, that benefit will pay out repeatedly from minute one.

And as Tekko asks, "Is this chipper as old as it looks ?" I say yes, yes it is. I bought it one year before the BigShot was introduced, whenever that was, 6 or 7 years ago. It's had a challenging life. I don't claim to be nice to equipment. I favor performance over looks.

Also, that tarp under the brush isn't to reduce drag or friction while chipping. Brush gets stacked on the tarp, and the tarp then gets dragged to the chipper. I have a winch mounted to the back of the chipper so I can skid, like, a half a ton of brush all at once, see pic below.

I will say two things about maximizing life on a small chipper with an aircooled powerplant: Sharp knives, regular oil changes.

 

[Tree Machine]

Here's a shot of the 6x12 opening. The nice thin here, besides being able to handle forky material is that you can janm a number of limbs in at the same time. Being able to feed in two or three at qa time and jam another two or three in before the first two or three are through is nice. Generally speaking, this machine can gobble brush as fast as you can stuff it in. I've had a number of experienced treemen who've fed it and they all seem to say the same thing, "Wow, impressive."

 

[Tree Machine]

Here's a couple more shots of the chipper opening.

 

[ropensaddle]

just get goats they will chip for ya for nothing and eat good when fattened

 

[Tree Machine]

Ah, if it were that easy, Ropen.

I'm sort of considering buying a new chipper since this one is getting up in years. I'm really quite happy with the versatility and options I have, the maneuverability, economy, ease of maintenence, space requirements and just the ability of being able to handle it easily by myself. The Bandit 6" doesn't have a clutch to engage the chipper disc; it's direct, start it, throttle up and chip, about 13 seconds. This feature will be very appreciated if you're firing the chipper up 10 or 20 times a day. Very fast that way.

If I bought new again, I may very well get the same unit, but with more features. There could be greater benefits from another manufacturer's machine, but I looked hard initially and have kept my eye open at the treeguy trade shows ever since. I also visit the chipper manufacturers' websites and see who's got what. I'm not inclined to rent a chipper when I already have one, but if something looked like it had all the benefits I have, plus one, I'd pay out and give it a spin.

I wish I didn't sound so biassed toward this chipper, but I've worked a good many over the years.

I fed a Vermeer BC1000 a few weeks ago, expecting to be impressed, but the owner said he didn't like to chip material bigger than 6" in diameter, that this 10" capacity chipper didn't do so well on big stuff. Also there was this curtain over the infeed chute, apparently to keep material from being ejected out at the feedguy, an annoyance to say the least. With the clutch engagement, size, fuel costs, general overhead and the inability to move it around by hand, I would almost rather have a goat.

Here's a couple more shots, pointing the chipper at the mess, and using the chipper to jump start a truck with a bad battery (easier than pulling the battery out).

 

[Tree Machine]

Being light really has it's benefits. The other day I was towing a big maple log on the arch and the way the truck was accelerating and braking, I could tell the log weighed more than a full load of chips AND the chipper.

Part of the reason I got a small chipper was because I thought it would allow me to rationalize getting a quad-runner, to skid brush and such, but also to pull the chipper to deep areas like what our thread opener wants to do.

So badly did I want to do this that when I had the chipper built, I had Bandit create an adjustable frame, so that the unit can be unbolted, slid back or forward, and re-bolted. Look at the picture above, see the holes left and right of the fender? Those are for the adjustment of the frame, to alleviate excess tongue weight when towing with a quad runner.

I have never used those adjustments. I found that you can diminish the tongue weight substantially enough just by swinging the discharge chute around to face backwards. Wish I had know. It was an expensive add-on.

Also, I never got the quad runner.

 

[AKChopper]

Get a bigger ( CHEAP ) truck and don't mess around .... get a 12".

 

[Tree Machine]

That's great for some, AK Chopper. Personally, I don't have the space to park a bigger truck and chipper, would have to go rent space and store my rig remote from my maintenence shop and tripped-out security system. The costs and inconvenience would be huge.

I have a list of people who want firewood, and my main guys who stockpile it over the year and split and sell all Fall. They will show up with two trucks and two guys. I give them 20 bucks a load, deal of the century for me, but they seem to find a lot of benefit in it, too.

I cut firewood professionally, that's what I do. All the rest is chipping, and an occasional saw log, mebbe 4 or 5 a year.

As long as you have a home for the firewood, all that leaves is brush, 6" diameter and down. For this, does one really need a big truck and a big chipper? They cost more to buy, maintain and use. If you are a one/two man crew, like our threadstarter, and you have willing firewood recipients, bigger might just be more expensive.


Now don't get me wrong, there are days I wish I had a 9" or better. But, if I actually had the option to trade up, and lose all the benefits the 6" offers, I'm not sure I would do it. I would only be able to chip slightly bigger material, that is all, fill up the truck faster, use more fuel, have less wood for the firewood guys.

It still all depends on your business model. Most companies would laugh at the idea of having a 6". I can understand this.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Get a bigger ( CHEAP ) truck and don't mess around .... get a 12".

If you gave me a brand new 12, I would trade it on a good 6 inch the next day. We all work in different environments with different types of work and different needs. Your giving advice based on what you do, if you tried doing treework in Wellington New Zealand, you'd find that you had limited your access to most jobs, while gaining little in time or capacity.

Different strokes for different folks!!

 

[AKChopper]

I had a really BIG job recently. Thinning out dead Black Spruce ( beetle kill ) trees on a fairly large property. I rented a 6" Rayco that could only handle my small limbs. It was rather pathetic and wasted my whole day of rental
(customer) costs. The limbs would just "ball up" in the shoot and I had to go one at a time (ggrrrr!). My next rental was a Vermeer 12" that was just the tool for the right job. I had my work completed in no time. I just learned it was better safe than sorry ( bigger the better). Mind you that it would only cost a cool $29k for this bad boy. Shop around.... how about the 9"?

Basically right tool for the right job goes a long ways.

I've read much of your responses TreeMachine and I respect you to the fulliest. It all depends on the kind of work you would be doing.

 

[Tree Machine]

It all depends on the kind of work you would be doing.

That's what I keep saying.

I rented a 6" Rayco that could only handle my small limbs. It was rather pathetic and wasted my whole day of rental
(customer) costs. The limbs would just "ball up" in the shoot and I had to go one at a time (ggrrrr!).

That was sort of my impression with the rayco. I'd jam 2 or 3 limbs in and it just wouldn't pull em in. Feeding limbs one at a time is just not acceptable in commercial arboriculture, unless they're just big limbs.


How the heck are you, Timber McPherson? It's been awhile, you busy?

I often think about the smaller chippers in really hilly terrain, like Wellington, New Zealand. Bigger chippers mean more wear and strain on transmissions. Bigger trucks means less maneuverability when the going gets tight. If you have to park further away, and drag brush a longer distance, your efficiency plummets, you spend a lot more time walking.


Timber, I miss you, mang. Haven't seen you around much. Got a girl, or what?

 

[SilentElk]

Thats a cute chipper Tree machine. The 6"x12" opening is huge upgrade from the 6"x6" openings. The origninal poster will be much better off with something similiar to what you have than the vermeer 6" machine. My opinion on the vermeer's is they are designed consistently run material 1/2 there rated diameter. The 1800 I had would run up 9" material fantastic. I ran 18" stuff sometimes but a waste. Usually I kept over 6" diameter material for firewood. At $170-$250 a cord, firewood pays way too much to turn it into sawdust around here.

I would recommend for the original poster to get a machine similiar to Tree Machine's if they really have to have a smaller unit. The biggest issue I see spending all that money on small machine when for not a whole lot more a much more useful machine could be had. But to each their own.

 

[bushinspector]

Great comments that everyone has been chippin in, (all pun intended) about the correct size of machines in their operation. This is not my thread but have the same interest. Like I have always said, that they are many ways to skin a cat!!! opps I don't think that I can say that!

Great imput about cutting relief cuts on larger branches

 

[squad143]

I just put a deposit on a Bandit 65XL and hope to pick it up this Saturday. I was quite impressed with this little machine. I'm glad I was able to rent (try) one.

As most posters have been saying "to each their own", "depends on the kind of work you would be doing", "Different strokes for different folks", etc. I think that this machine will be the right "fit" for me right now. Presently I have a small car and a small SUV. In the near future I hope to get a 3/4 ton pickup.

As I said earlier, all my customers want the wood, mostly maple, birch and hemlock. I don't even have to remove the chips, just shoot them into the woods or convince the customer to make paths with them to lessen the impact of pedestrian traffic. When I had to haul brush, it was a different matter. I'd have to haul it away to the nearest dump (45 min. drive one-way).

I also plan to do some trees in the city (as I have in the past). I live in a subdivision and commercial vehicles (1 Ton and over) are not allowed to park permanently in residential neighborhoods. Therefore, if I wanted to go with a bigger chipper and truck, I would then have to find a lot (secure) to park it (More $$$). Who knows, I might be there in a year or two, but I doubt it. Like I posted earlier, I'm a one person (plus wife) company and am happy to stay that way.

I appreciate all the posts and advice. They have been quite helpful. -Thanks.

I'll let you know how I make out.

Cheers.