looking to purchase a chipper on a college students budget

[climber338]

hey guys im in school for arborculture right now but id like to do some side work over the weekends and over the summer (when im not on my internship). I have a good friend who is going to be working with me but i need a chipper of some sort. I have a small ford ranger and im not looking to do any huge removals just some smaller pruning and removals and shrub care. Ive been looking into getting a very small chipper and ive come across a few of the Wallenstien 4-6 inch chippers that are pretty reasonable and within my price range(2-4k). Just wondering what your ideas on this were. Im pretty much open to any ideas that you guys can throw at me.

 

[Rudedog]

I was thinking about getting one of these. Looks like it would load on a trailer with ease.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200389619_200389619

 

[lumberjack333]

If your just doing small prunes and little sidies, I'd recommend a small landscape style (low frame with fairly high sides) trailer to pull behind the ranger.

Redneck Woodchipper:
- Lay rope on trailer prior to loading brush
- Load the trailer until you think its full
- Get on top of pile and pack it down as much as possible
- Standing on pile, with saw pants, leather gloves and proper headgear on, grab your favourite chainsaw and start mincing that mess up inside the trailer. Careful not to hit the rope, or the floor/sides of the trailer.
- Contiune loading brush and repeating these steps until at maximum weight. The more you cut, the more you get in.
- Throw a few long logs a tarp or whatever on top, strap it all down and away you go. You'll be surprised what fits.
- To unload, use the rope to choke the entire load with a running bowline, tie it to something big and heavy, prefreably higher than the load, and drive away. (Gotta use proper knots, and a clove hitch to anchor or you'll never get your rope back.)

Give it a try, alot less expensive, and less overhead than a chipper. Plus it leaves the box of your truck free for tools. Some might say it looks unprofessional... But it'll probably help buy you a chipper in a hurry.

 

[Philbert]

. . . id like to do some side work over the weekends and over the summer . . .just some smaller pruning and removals and shrub care. . . . Im pretty much open to any ideas that you guys can throw at me.

Chippers take a lot of abuse and you have to have modest expectations for a smaller or less expensive one. From what you describe, maybe also think about firewood, People with smaller wood stoves often like smaller wood than the big stuff that OWB burn. And in a college town, you might find a niche selling 'local' firewood, or emphasizing its source.

So if you only chip things smaller than say 1 - 2" you can get by with a smaller chipper. Everything else, you cut into lengths and sell by the bundle or face cord as firewood. Selling the firewood might also be a way to make additional money.

JMHO

Philbert

 

[climber338]

of coarse i just got rid of my trailer because i never used it. The chippers that i was thinking about getting can be towed behind my small ranger.
http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-...05-Wallenstein-Woodchipper-W0QQAdIdZ225634801

 

[BCbound]

Personally I'd get a little trailer if you just doing the odd job. I hate shovelling chips, hard work. If you do get the little chipper check this out:
http://www.loadhandler.com/

You can find them for under 200. Not sure how well they work but even if you only have to shovel out half a load it might be worth a try.