Selecting a Brush Chipper

[Grasshopper]

Hello:

I am new to the industry, and in the market for a used chipper. I need help in this purchase...looking for guidance. I know that I want a minimum of 12" capacity, but?

1.) Drum or Disc?
2.) Minumum HP?
3.) Manufacturer?

Thanks for the help!

Brayman

 

[Steve-Maine]

I have a 1990 Morbark 12" Disc chipper for sale with rebuilt Cummins Diesel, new drive belts, clutch,rebuilt rad and starter. Machine has been sandblasted ,new fenders, tires, painted, factory decals. Looks and runs like new. $9,500. Located in Falmouth, Me can e-mail pictures
Steve

 

[Oly's Stump]

Morbark or Bandit

 

[xander9727]

Woodsman

 

[ASD]

bandit fixed it

 

[vharrison2]

bamdit

LOL, that is a pretty funny typo! Bandit is a great chipper!

 

[TreeFrogTC]

Drum!!

I'd say try to get a drum chipper, we have had less jam problems with this type of chipper than the disc type, I would also sugest getting a deisel engine. We just purchased a new morbark blizzard 12" and were able to pick the engine size. We overbuilt and got the 115hp cat, the other option was a 86hp cat.
This machine rocks, i put it up aganist my buddies 2 bandit 6'' chippers, 4 guys per team, we were done in half the time and they jammed one of their chippers and spent a crap load of time sawing the limbs to put them in the chipper. We put whole limbs in ours and used the down pressure option on the feeder drum which crushes everything going to the drum. Oh yeah lets not forget all of the firewood those other guys still had to haul.
Spend time working not chipping, go big.

P.S. I consider 12'' a big chipper because being in the prairie trees don't get much bigger than 50 to 70 feet, the average for mature urban trees is 45''


Morbark

 

[TackleTree]

I had a Vermeer 9 inch diesel 45hp engine, disk type, worked well. The only problem I notice with disk style is they tend to get a lot of smaller diameter stuff tangled up in the disk. Have to routinely clean the spindle, but worked well for me, mostly pine. I say diesel engine, 12" or bigger, drum style. I have rented the vermeer bc1000xl, it is a good machine. It is 12", diesel, drum, ate the branches up and smaller diameter stick really well. Also the bigger the chipper the heavier pieces you will be putting into it. We had a bobcat to feed the bigger stick but the buddy system works ok. Also have yourself something big to chip into.

 

[DFD34]

chippers

I have used alot of diffrent manufacturers and types of chippers in my short career. Morbark, Vermeer, Bandit, and Woodsman. Both Drum and Disk style chippers. I have 17 years experience in the business. Its not alot but I might have some useful knowledge. Buy a Woodsman 12x. I bought a 15x this past year and everytime I use it it keeps on amazing me. These machines are built very strong and very easy to maintain. Check out there web site. www.woodsmanchippers.com You won't be sorry if you buy one.

 

[Grasshopper]

Thanks for your feedback guys...very helpful!

Woodsman and Bandit seem to get the best reviews.

You have also confirmed what I was thinking with repect to design...drum.

All the best,
Brayman