# chipper which to buy which not to buy



## trentausherman (Mar 15, 2013)

I am looking to buy a small chipper something to chip in the range of 6"- 12". Dont want a big chipper as I will be using a one ton dump truck to pull. What chippers are the bad ones. What chipper does good on fuel? Looking to buy used. Price range of 3k-8k. Thanks for the help.


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## BlackOakTreeServ (Mar 16, 2013)

trentausherman said:


> I am looking to buy a small chipper something to chip in the range of 6"- 12". Dont want a big chipper as I will be using a one ton dump truck to pull. What chippers are the bad ones. What chipper does good on fuel? Looking to buy used. Price range of 3k-8k. Thanks for the help.



A good small chipper would be the 9" bandit model 90, about 3800 LBS.... a fair condish one could be bought for 8k or so, dont go with the 6" its just to small and so much more work just FYI


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## 2treeornot2tree (Mar 16, 2013)

with you price range, your looking at old chippers. I bought my 1985 morbark model 200 chipper for $5300. Its a 12" chipper. I would stay away from the chuck and duck style chippers.


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## imagineero (Mar 16, 2013)

good advice already give re: 6" chippers being pretty much a waste of time, and chuck n ducks being too dangerous. You might get better advice if you post more info about what sort of jobs you're doing, and how big your truck/chip bin is. 

In general, bigger is better. The XP90 is not a bad machine, and I'd take bandit over a vermeer because the parts are available everywhere, for cheap. You can pretty much rebuild one from any auto shop, same story with the engine parts, clutches, blades etc. The computer that runs the auto feed is probably one of the few proprietary parts, and its $$$. Different story with vermeer, most of the parts seem to be proprietary, so you've only got one place to buy and they're gonna stick it to ya. 

If you look around you may find a half decent XP150/200/250 within your price range and those are all real workhorse machines. I've got the 250 with the 120hp perkins turbo and it goes great. Weighs about 6,000lbs, single axle and tows pretty good. The infeed is 12"x19", so it swallows some good size limbs without fuss. Throws the chip out real fast and hard, packs more into a chip bin than most drums can.  Nice consistent chip size too, you just gotta keep your blades sharp and anvil adjusted. 

9" is ok, but you'll be real glad you got a 12 if you can.

Shaun


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## ROPECLIMBER (Mar 16, 2013)

I agree with whats already been posted I ran a '87 vermeer 1600 drum (cunk and cuss) for almost 10 years was better than the trailer and wieghed around 4K so could pull it with my fuso but beat you to death and had to chip myself cause it was so dangerous and you have to throw it at it or it slaps you silly, I bought a 2002 vermeer 1230 and it is a big improvement but I dont like the feed set up with the one wheel swing it leaves a 6-8 inch long peice in there jambing if there is no more brush to push it through, and it wieghs almost 6200lbs so have to limp home and leave chipper to go to the brush dump, I think if you are mostly trimming a bandit 90 would be a good starter most of the stuff larger than 9" gets cut into firewood anyway the advantage of the bandits is horisontal feed wheels and wider infeed for the forks the 1230 is more pain because it doesent crush the forks good, have toe trim it down like I did for the Chunk and Duck,
Paul


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## KenJax Tree (Mar 16, 2013)

I agree with Shawn we have a Bandit 250xp and its great.


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## CalTreeEquip (Mar 16, 2013)

Bandit model 90 is a good choice for a 1 ton truck. The 250 is way to heavy for a small truck and a load of chips. 
If you want you can give me a call, just go to my website and find my number there.
I talk guys through this process very day.


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## yardguy26 (Mar 17, 2013)

*bandit 200 xp*

i bought a year 2000, 200xp bandit chipper (12", roughly 83 hp deutz) in the year 2009 with only 600 hours on it. i shopped online and made some calls and found this to be city owned and maintained. it was cleaned and solid and i have racked the hours on it. the intent was for a one year start up chipper but it is reletively light to tow and chips like a dream. i own it out right and cannot seem to part with it. i paid 9500 for it and it has been awesome. at the time of purchase i had a one ton and did only climbing. since then, i bought a 60' bucket/chip dump and it is still on the back of my truck. hope this helps.


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## cedar (Mar 17, 2013)

I just listed my 2004 Mitts and Merrill chipper in the classified section on this site and it will be on Treetrader soon. It has been a dependable machine but I recently bought a new Woodsman chipper and don't think it will get much use from now on. If you are interested send me a PM.


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## capetrees (Mar 17, 2013)

I tow a Vermeer BC1000XL behind my one ton and have zero regrets. It's a 12" chipper, weights 4500 lbs and has never let me down. Only repairs after 1100 hours was I had to replace the drum and bearings due to wear. As far as price, I don't know about getting a good one for 8K. Might have to look around.


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## CalTreeEquip (Mar 17, 2013)

capetrees said:


> I tow a Vermeer BC1000XL behind my one ton and have zero regrets. It's a 12" chipper, weights 4500 lbs and has never let me down. Only repairs after 1100 hours was I had to replace the drum and bearings due to wear. As far as price, I don't know about getting a good one for 8K. Might have to look around.



You don't think having to replace the whole drum and bearings after only 1000 hours was regrettable??
This is the problem with the BC1000, it really can't take the strain. The drums frequently fails and they are
very expensive to replace, especially if they cut loose and tear up the chipper.


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## Goose IBEW (Mar 17, 2013)

I bought a really old Badger chipper. It is a 12" hydraulic feed disc chipper. I am very grateful that I stuck to my guns and held out for a 12" in feed. It sounds like a Bandit 150 would be a great candidate for you, light enough for a one ton to pull but strong enough to crush and pull in some decent size limbs, that saves a ton of time in the field.

I got my chipper for $2700 and its been a good start up machine. I am mechanically inclined and a good welder, both necessary with such an old piece of equipment. I wish I had $8-12,000 to get a much newer and nicer unit but I will get there. I do wish I had a diesel unit as the gasoline engines just do not have the torque in comparison.


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## old_soul (Mar 17, 2013)

trentausherman said:


> I am looking to buy a small chipper something to chip in the range of 6"- 12". Dont want a big chipper as I will be using a one ton dump truck to pull. What chippers are the bad ones. What chipper does good on fuel? Looking to buy used. Price range of 3k-8k. Thanks for the help.



Stay away from the 6 inch toy chippers if you want to chip 6-12 inch material.

We have a vermeer 1250 its been reliable and pulls good behind the 1 ton dumps.

Shaun is right, the bandit 250's are good machines too. We don't have any Bandit dealers in this area so we ended up getting the Vermeer. Always good to have a dealer close by in case you need support for the machine


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## deevo (Mar 18, 2013)

CalTreeEquip said:


> You don't think having to replace the whole drum and bearings after only 1000 hours was regrettable??
> This is the problem with the BC1000, it really can't take the strain. The drums frequently fails and they are
> very expensive to replace, especially if they cut loose and tear up the chipper.



Mines got 1178hrs on it, drums fine, I change the knives when needed and has been great to me. Getting it painted in the next month due to our crappy salty roads/highways here in the winter it has the rusty's! The cummins 3.3 is a great strong reliable engine as well.


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## capetrees (Mar 18, 2013)

As wear items, I don't find replacing the bearings to be a big problem. Big cost, yes, but how much did I make with it for those 1000 hours? Gotta put money back into the machine on occasion. I'm not the type to trade for no good reason. My chipper BTW is a 2002, bought used in 05. As mentioned, the Cummins engine is awesome.


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## kinburn (Mar 19, 2013)

I have a older brush bandit 12 inch model 250 I believe, it will chew through anything, I have replaced the clutch and bearings on this old boy and it still works great, I upgraded to a 2010 Vermeer 12 inch I find this machine is safer, less maintenance and easier to tow behind my Dodge 1 ton. As stated above don't do do anything less then 12 inches, as people have told me if it says 12, keep in mind it operates at its maximum at 10 inches. I still have the brush bandit as a backup.


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## Pelorus (Mar 19, 2013)

A diesel powered 6" chipper with sharp knives / properly adjusted anvil will do a lot more than the general opinion expressed here. And it will tow a lot easier behind a small truck, and be easier to back up into tight spots. And cost less to operate and maintain. (And is totally inefficient if the job requires a 12" chipper.) I only wish I had a larger machine on maybe 1 outta every 10 jobs I do.


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## timberland ts (Mar 19, 2013)

Ive run most all the brands. They are all good when maintained. Buy the biggest powered lowest hr. You can afford. I had a gas chipper just upgraded to a 1250 vermeer perkins diesel. What ever you buy make sure its a name brand. I have a bearing wharehouse close prices are alot cheaper than a dealer. My napa store can get me motor part. And my vermeer dealer will ship me part to my house. I tow it behind my one ton no problem. Try to buy from someone that didnt abuse it look for welds on the machine that arent factory.


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## CalTreeEquip (Mar 19, 2013)

capetrees said:


> As wear items, I don't find replacing the bearings to be a big problem. Big cost, yes, but how much did I make with it for those 1000 hours? Gotta put money back into the machine on occasion. I'm not the type to trade for no good reason. My chipper BTW is a 2002, bought used in 05. As mentioned, the Cummins engine is awesome.



Your post said you replace the drum and bearings. Did you replace just the bearings??


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## capetrees (Mar 19, 2013)

I replaced both . Once the bearings went, they began to eat into the drum supports. I plan to replace the bearings at a point that I feel comfortable that I have used them enough that they should go as a scheduled maintenance issue and thus they won't eat the drum supports next time. Cheap replacement if it's bearings only.:msp_wink:


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## CalTreeEquip (Mar 19, 2013)

That's what I thought and that's my point. Bearing go, if you don't catch them they will ruin the axil. With the older BC1000's you can't replace just the axil you have to replace the whole drum. That is just one of the design flaws of the machine, one that I believe they have corrected. They are good machines for the money, no doubt, and I have seen plenty with high hours on them that have never had a problem.
I have also seen a few with really low hours that have smoking engines and bad bearings and drums, sometimes with catastrophic failure.
It along with the BC1400 and BC1800 I will not buy without first inspecting thoroughly first.
Compare that with a Bandit which I am always happy to buy, sight-unseen, with low hours.


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## BTL (Mar 19, 2013)

We have an 04 Bandit 254 with a winch and 2600hr and it chips extremely well. The machine has the 140hp Perkins with the extra wide feed system and we tow it with a gas. We are about to put the machine are up for sale for a bigger one after having it for 2 years. I know the large ones can get tricky to pull with smaller engine trucks but they make up for that in raw power. The easy of use and efficiency of a large chipper for a 2 man crew is incredible. Like the gentleman above said buy the most power with the lowest hours you can.

BTL


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## TimberMcPherson (Mar 22, 2013)

Pelorus said:


> A diesel powered 6" chipper with sharp knives / properly adjusted anvil will do a lot more than the general opinion expressed here. And it will tow a lot easier behind a small truck, and be easier to back up into tight spots. And cost less to operate and maintain. (And is totally inefficient if the job requires a 12" chipper.) I only wish I had a larger machine on maybe 1 outta every 10 jobs I do.



Chippers like all equipment are equally valuable or worthless dependent on there environment including

Budget
Tow vehicle
chip box size
fuel costs
dumping access and costs
size of crew
value of firewood
drive on access
drag out access 
support machinery
off road use
storage
Parking
Size of trees
species of trees
nature of work
access to servicing
cost of labor
etc etc etc

Theres no point owning a 18 inch if you cant tow it, get it up driveways, or only do light trims part time

And theres no point owning a 6 inch if your doing massive roadside dismantles with a large crew, crane and excavator.


The right size chipper will be money in the bank, the wrong one will sink you. 
Its your work environment that will decide which.

(but dont go near the 6 inch vermeer, its anorexic)


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## AshTree (Mar 22, 2013)

*1 Ton Dual or Single Wheel?*

If your running a Dual One Ton you can manage the bigger stuff, but unless your truck is built Rock Solid a 12" chipper is a lot for a One Ton, Day in Day out, it can be hard on the truck especially full loaded. Best Chipper is the one you can afford bottom line but I would have an old, trustworthy and seasoned treeman with you when you go to look at stuff. He has nothing invested in the machine and will help you keep your head cool and also not let you pass up a good deal. I recently helped a friend get back up and running with a truck a chipper and he was under a lot of pressure and I had to help him along through the process. 

He got a 1 Ton Dually Dodge Cummings and he just picked up a Bandit 150, nice set up and the chipper was in good shape for its age. To be honest, most of what vermeer is selling... Its junk, it's poorly designed, under-built and a nightmare to fix. Bandit or Morbark are Great Units, I've owned 3 morbark chippers and can tell you they are built like tanks, made for the abuse we put can them through... Bandit's are built lighter but they do not comprise quality. 

You have to look at how many removals you do to figure the size of machine you need. You may also think about how often your able to access trees from the front and weather your taking or leaving wood most of the time. That's all critical in how much chipper your going to need, but whatever you buy MAKE SURE ITS DIESEL. That is an absolute, any gas chipper will be slow and ineffective and possibly very problematic down the road, if it's infeed is too large for the motor the motor will go. You may hear a few other opinions, ignore them, just look at the rpm / torque curve chart for gas and diesel engines and you'll begin to understand.

Also, a 65xp with a diesel is a great startup chipper, just try to avoid the Duetz Diesel, it's not a good engine long term, Hatz or Lombardi is much better for that sized unit, small CAT's are also junk, stay far far away from them. I know a lot of guys who have built themselves from the ground up with a 65xp, just make sure its diesel, and your core business is not doing removals most the time, other wise bigger is better and then get a bigger chipper. Look up what you can tow and what your local bylaws are for trucks and wieght ratings and that too.


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## Broken Branch (Mar 23, 2013)

We have a Vermeer 1230, its a 98 model with 1900 hrs, always towed behind a one ton with no issues. It is for sale now due to getting a 17" morbark for all these eab removals. Asking 7000 , pm me if you would like more info.


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