Consistency of chip size in disc and drum chippers

[MCF Dave]

I was talking with a sales guy -- Now, don't say bad things about sales guys, one of my kids works at the local Caddie dealer -- and he said that drum chippers could produce a more consistent chip size than a disc chipper, if sharpened and adjusted, etc. Does this match your experience? I am shopping for a used chipper and am wondering if this is something to consider when buying.

MCF Dave

 

[treesquirrel]

I don't see any reason a drum would produce any better consistency of chip size. I think chip consistency is more related to feed rate and the chipper being powerful enough to maintain a relatively constant velocity.

If there was such a unit that regulated the feed rate proportional to the drum or disk speed then you would have a excellent chip size consistency. Otherwise it sounds like sales jargon to me.

 

[begleytree]

If there was such a unit that regulated the feed rate proportional to the drum or disk speed then you would have a excellent chip size consistency. Otherwise it sounds like sales jargon to me.

you mean like Morbark? where thay connect the hyd pump to the disc, so as the disc slows, so does the feed rate. its not perfect, but I have used woodchuck discs that ran the pump off the engine and had a fluid clutch. those were real quick to clog up.

sounds like the sales guy wanted to sell you a drum. ime, disc chippers produce a higher quality chip, if that maters. I personally just want chips in the back of the chipdump, so I dont' care. yes, I have a morbark disc. chip size and quality mean little to me as I just dump them and forget them anyway. there are so many other variables to buying a chipper ie powerplant, size, chipping dead and crooked or green and straight, cost, ect, that I would think chip quality would be a very minor consideration. they all make nice chips when they're sharp and correctly adjusted.
-Ralph