Looking for chipper-shredder recommendation

[NuclearNick]

Good afternoon all,

I'm in the market for a new chipper-shredder - ready to retire my old beast. I'm a homeowner with about 12 acres, half of which is wooded so I have a lot of brush to deal with. I would put a good number of hours on it shredding / mulching brush for trails and landscaping, but I'm definitely not a professional user. Looking to spend less than $2K.

Any suggestions? Personal testimonies on a recent purchase? I want to make a good long-term buy.

Thanks, Nick

 

[mrhemihead]

Is that really $2K? What is the largest size material you need to chip?
For that money maybe a used PTO driven chipper.

 

[NuclearNick]

I probably won't need to chip anything greater than about 3 inches. I like the idea of a PTO chipper, but not sure I want to pull the shredder off my tractor every time I want to use it...

 

[NuclearNick]

There are a few used DR and Bearcat chippers & chipper-shredders in my area on craig's list in the 2K range. Any experience out there with these two brands? They both seem to have a following...

 

[mrhemihead]

There are a few used DR and Bearcat chippers & chipper-shredders in my area on craig's list in the 2K range. Any experience out there with these two brands? They both seem to have a following...

The posts on this site are typically for the commercial chippers $6K and up. Good luck with your search.

 

[Brookbee]

Good afternoon all,

I'm in the market for a new chipper-shredder - ready to retire my old beast. I'm a homeowner with about 12 acres, half of which is wooded so I have a lot of brush to deal with. I would put a good number of hours on it shredding / mulching brush for trails and landscaping, but I'm definitely not a professional user. Looking to spend less than $2K.

Any suggestions? Personal testimonies on a recent purchase? I want to make a good long-term buy.

Thanks, Nick

I am in a very similar position. We have a smallholding with 14 acres of woodland and lots of hedges. We want to clear brushwood up about 4 inches and also mulch hedge clippings ready for composting. Looked at a timber wolf 18/100 but wondered how it would cope with the hedge clippings?



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[mrhemihead]

I am in a very similar position. We have a smallholding with 14 acres of woodland and lots of hedges. We want to clear brushwood up about 4 inches and also mulch hedge clippings ready for composting. Looked at a timber wolf 18/100 but wondered how it would cope with the hedge clippings?



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Viewed a few YouTube videos on this chipper, it looks very capable for DIY use. If you could rent or borrow one to try that would be ideal. This model appears to be a gravity feed, the weight and hardness of the material will affect how it performs for you. The dimensions of the feed chute opening and engine HP will limit the chipping speed. Rental machines here in the US with gasoline engines are too slow for a professional tree service.

 

[windthrown]

I bought both of my Brush Bandit chippers for under 2 grand. One was $500 (older 95), the other $1800 (90). They both needed engine work, but they were fixable for under $400 each. The discs, knives and chassis were in good shape on both of them. There is simply no comparison between them and any DR or Bearcat chippers. I have owned a few Bearcats, including their largest one, and I used a DR once (and only once). They were useless in comparison to the Bandits. Little vibrating slow boxes, basically. Even my smaller bandit ate 6" diameter wood like it was taffy. IMO, you are better off with a older Tecumseh engine 5 HP Craftsman type chipper for way less than any DR or Bearcat. Cut the 1.5" and larger limbs for firewood with a chainsaw, and chip the small stuff and leaves. Seriously. I had one of those and it ran for years with no problems. Otherwise go big, avoiding the drum chippers. As most larger chippers are really spendy (pure luck that I got mine so cheap) just rent the large ones as needed. A 6" Vermeer chipper is $175 a day rental here, and that is worth it. They eat wood and fast. No time wasted. You do not have to sharpen the knives (a PITA) or do any upkeep. Also no sorage needed (they are big). Just return them when you are done.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

You don't want to mess with light-duty chippers that are not self-feeding. DR Power Equipment makes some nice self-feeding chippers that handle 3" and bigger limbs. Just throw the limb into the self-feeding hopper and the machine does the rest. Any chipper costing less than $2K isn't worth owning.

Wood Chippers and Chipper Shredders | DR Power Equipment​

Chip Away Your Branches. DR Wood Chipper self-feeds branches up to 5.75" thick. All models towable! Factory-direct sales and FREE SHIPPING!

www.drpower.com

 

[Blue joe]

Hello I have a brand new DR C350-CHP never used been in storage. I just filled oil and gas for sale purpose.

 

[Blue joe]

View attachment IMG_6837.MOV

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

View attachment 949699

Looks like the lightest-duty, non-self feeding chipper that DR makes.