# Dump Trailer or Chipper?



## ChrHerrman (Mar 30, 2011)

Currently I have a 5' x 8' single axle dump trailer that is great for my small tree business and firewood sales, but I have been thinking about upgrading to either a 6 x 10 dump trailer OR an old chuck and duck chipper. I have 5' sides on my trailer, so I can fit a lot of brush, but I feel I could fit a heck of a lot more in either a 6 x 10 trailer or buying a chipper and chipping into the dump trailer I already have. My budget would be $4k or under.

So what is your opinion, larger dump trailer for brush or chipper? I am hauling with a new 1/2 ton chevy so I would not want to go any larger than 6 x 10 trailer and yes I know I would have to make 2 trips if I bought a chipper. 

For those of you who are fans of chippers, what is the best 6" chipper that will work for the 15-20 tree jobs I get a year?

For those of you who are dump trailer fans, which is better, low profile for easier access or deckover for tighter piles?


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## Blakesmaster (Mar 30, 2011)

Get a chipper. The few cubic feet you gain with a bigger trailer is nothing compared to how much smaller a brush pile gets when turned into chips. Even if you have to make an extra trip it's worth it, or just get one of your guys to haul it with his truck, easy enough to pull an old chuck n duck with a small toyota. You can find good, used chuck n duck's for 3-4 grand no problem.


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## ATH (Mar 30, 2011)

I think the answer has to account for the typical size of jobs and how far you travel.

how do you get tighter piles in a deck over compared to a low profile/drop deck?


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## sgreanbeans (Mar 31, 2011)

Get a chipper, wouldn't go with a 6", get as big as you can afford. 
Ive seen 12" disc chippers go for 3-4gs, old, but still worked.


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## ChrHerrman (Mar 31, 2011)

ATH said:


> I think the answer has to account for the typical size of jobs and how far you travel.
> 
> how do you get tighter piles in a deck over compared to a low profile/drop deck?


 
I mean when you are dumping beacause the deckover is higher you get tighter piles when dumpimg firewood than a low profile. At least this is what I am told.


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## ChrHerrman (Mar 31, 2011)

sgreanbeans said:


> Get a chipper, wouldn't go with a 6", get as big as you can afford.
> Ive seen 12" disc chippers go for 3-4gs, old, but still worked.


 
I wish they went for that around here. I have been watching for the last month and the cheapest chipper I can find is $2500 for a dinosaur 6" drum chipper. They look like they work really well, but man talk about putting the fear in you when you see one work up close and personal.


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## Blakesmaster (Mar 31, 2011)

ChrHerrman said:


> I wish they went for that around here. I have been watching for the last month and the cheapest chipper I can find is $2500 for a dinosaur 6" drum chipper. They look like they work really well, but man talk about putting the fear in you when you see one work up close and personal.


 
Those old drum units aren't fun to run but they work, and in your price range would be your best option, IMO. Any hydraulic, self feeding unit at that price is going to need a lot of work and wouldn't be worth the hassle, for me anyways. There is a lot less to go wrong with a C n D and, like I said, you can find a good running one in your price range.


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## ChrHerrman (Mar 31, 2011)

Blakesmaster said:


> Those old drum units aren't fun to run but they work, and in your price range would be your best option, IMO. Any hydraulic, self feeding unit at that price is going to need a lot of work and wouldn't be worth the hassle, for me anyways. There is a lot less to go wrong with a C n D and, like I said, you can find a good running one in your price range.


 
Thanks for your help. Do you have or have you had one of these older chippers? Any recommendations and brands, models, or years? Also any key things to look out for when purchasing an older chipper?


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## Blakesmaster (Mar 31, 2011)

ChrHerrman said:


> Thanks for your help. Do you have or have you had one of these older chippers? Any recommendations and brands, models, or years? Also any key things to look out for when purchasing an older chipper?


 

They're all pretty basic. I've owned one and worked with 1 other. I can't really help you with which manufacturer makes a better one but it's a very simple machine and therefore hard for a manufacturer to screw up, so you're pretty safe no matter which brand you buy. 

Check the basics on it as if you were buying a car. Make sure the engine runs well, see if the knives are sharp, make sure the belts are in good shape, ask for some service records, etc. Pretty much everything on these units is easily serviceable by anyone with some mechanical aptitude and tools. Hell, I'm just a dumb tree guy but I was able to completely rewire mine, change the oil pan, bed knife and drum knives, belt, etc. They're very straight forward.

The best advice I can give you is don't buy the first one you look at. Check around, compare hours and overall condition. Impulse buys are never a good idea.


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## BCbound (Mar 31, 2011)

If your really only doing 15-20 jobs a year, I would just stick with the 5x8 dump until your 4x busier. 

Maintenance on the chipper vs dump for those 20 jobs might just eat up some profits. One breakdown is all it might take. The dump will probably never let you down. 

If you get some big jobs you maybe able to rent a chipper for the day to blow into your trailer. 

I 100% agree a chipper is better, but it's about $$$. Make as much as you can before you grow.


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## conlan (Apr 2, 2011)

Do you have to pay a fee to dump a load of branches? I used to use a huge trailer to haul away all the branches and wood, and I would have to pay to dump it. I was paying anywhere from $800 -$1,400 per month in dump fees. It didn't take me long to figure out that I could by a 12 inch wood chipper for $35,000 and make monthly payments of $825/mo. and dump my wood chips for free!! No more dump fees if I had wood chips because they are a usefull procuct, unlike piles of branches, which are of no use and usually cost money to dump. Its also way faster using a chipper, rather than loading and unloading a trailer.


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## pbtree (Apr 3, 2011)

I vote chipper.


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## beastmaster (Apr 3, 2011)

I use to run a buisness and had three trailers, 12, 14,16 feet. Trailers are good so long as you can just throw the stuff in and go. If you have to keep cutting the load down to stuff more brush in now its costing you time and money.
Many times I spent hours loading a job that I could of did with a chipper in 20 min. A trailer full of brush is only a small pile of chips, that means less trips to the dump, not a lot of time wasted dumping loads.
I am thinking of buying a 16 ft dump trailer my self. For doing small to medium jobs part time their are some advantages. The main one is no maintenance and storage problems, simplicity.
But if your trying to run a real tree service, you have to have a chipper. Even a small one will(I use to rent those little 6in vermeer) save you time and sweat.


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## lxt (Apr 3, 2011)

For 20 jobs a year..................Id rent before buying untill you see where things are going, now if those 20 jobs are spread out over the year then it makes it tough to make profit while renting.....

honestly if thats all you are doing? maybe have a local guy swing by & chip it up for ya, that might create a little bitterness though, until you are doing 1-2 jobs a week.........id stay with the trailer.

a chuck n duck will have you wishing you were loading a trailer & the resale for when & if you do grow will be terrible!!! drum chippers to me show that you`re a newbe & young in biz...........along with making me laugh knowing the pin oak your gonna chip will beat the hell outta ya!




LXT....................


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## fishercat (Apr 4, 2011)

*without a doubt....*

get the chipper!


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## davistree (Apr 4, 2011)

*Dump Trailer vs. Chipper*

Go with the chipper. I started my tree removal business (like many) with a truck and a trailer. I "upgraded" to a chuck n duck woodchuck brand chipper with 12" drum. I bought it at a machinery auction for $1900. I have used it for two seasons and it paid for itself in a few months. At one time, I rented chippers for $125 a day for large jobs that were not feasible to haul. The best set up for a smaller budget that I ve found is building a chip box on the back of a one ton dump, with the chipper. You will be amazed with how much a chipper will increase your production and reduce the man hours spent hauling brush = greater profit. Check around with other local tree companies, many may have a back-up hanging around that they would be willing to part with. 3-4 grand is reasonable for a c n d that needs little to no work. Once you start chipping, you ll never go back.


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## ChrHerrman (Apr 6, 2011)

*Bought a Chipper*

Thanks for all the good input. I found a chipper on CL that I bought last night. It is an older Promark 310 hydraulic feed. It needs a little TLC and a tune-up but I definatley think it will be better than hauling brush. 

Does anybody have one of these chippers or used one before? I am thinking about mounting some springs on it to put more tension on the feed roller to really have more grab on the branches. 

The next step is to put a piece of plywood on top of my dump trailer to make a chip box. Ill try to post some pics in the next couple of days. 

Also, I now it would look goofy and unprofessional as h*ll but is it legal to tow the chipper behind the dump trailer?


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## jefflovstrom (Apr 6, 2011)

ChrHerrman said:


> Thanks for all the good input. I found a chipper on CL that I bought last night. It is an older Promark 310 hydraulic feed. It needs a little TLC and a tune-up but I definatley think it will be better than hauling brush.
> 
> Does anybody have one of these chippers or used one before? I am thinking about mounting some springs on it to put more tension on the feed roller to really have more grab on the branches.
> 
> ...


 

You should not try to convert your chipper. You should make sure the roller's are in place. ProMark is not bad. I remember back around 1987 or 88 on a job I was on, they had a ProMark C-10 chipper. The guy towed it behind a Ford F-350 and it was a 10 yard chipper, side to side feed, hydraulic dump body and the motor was in front of the box. He ran it for year's. If you need a manual on you chipper, I could probably hook you up. 
Jeff


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## CNBTreeTrimming (Apr 6, 2011)

ChrHerrman said:


> The next step is to put a piece of plywood on top of my dump trailer to make a chip box. Ill try to post some pics in the next couple of days.
> 
> Also, I now it would look goofy and unprofessional as h*ll but is it legal to tow the chipper behind the dump trailer?


Depending on state laws maybe. Some require doubles and triples cdl to pull more than one trailer others have a total length limit, but the first trailer has to have a weight distribution hitch, or be gooseneck.


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## deevo (Apr 8, 2011)

ChrHerrman said:


> Thanks for all the good input. I found a chipper on CL that I bought last night. It is an older Promark 310 hydraulic feed. It needs a little TLC and a tune-up but I definatley think it will be better than hauling brush.
> 
> Does anybody have one of these chippers or used one before? I am thinking about mounting some springs on it to put more tension on the feed roller to really have more grab on the branches.
> 
> ...


 It is if you have everything set up right. Check out squad 143's posts. He has a set up like that.


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## rarefish383 (Apr 10, 2011)

I think the guys in Canada have an edge on us below the border. Can't do it in MD and I'm pretty sure it's no in PA also, Joe.


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## stumpjumper83 (Apr 12, 2011)

Glad you bought a chipper, they are a necessity more so than a trailer for the tree work.

When I started, I rented a 12" from the local rental yard, and blew into a dump trailer, made sides from 2x4's and metal roofing, worked like a charm.

Next thing I would be looking at is a dump truck If I were in your shoes. Older single axle med. duty trucks are cheaper than 1 ton pickup dumps and are heavier duty. I'd look at a 16' dumping flat bed w/ removable sides. They are awesome for hauling gravel and mulch, chipping into, carrying firewood and logs, you can pull the chipper behind them or another trailer with a skidsteer or something on it, just plain handy.

You should be able to find a single axle dump, 26-33k gvw with a gas motor for 4-5k, 2x for diesel but they are worth every penny.


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## jefflovstrom (Apr 12, 2011)

stumpjumper83 said:


> Glad you bought a chipper, they are a necessity more so than a trailer for the tree work.
> 
> When I started, I rented a 12" from the local rental yard, and blew into a dump trailer, made sides from 2x4's and metal roofing, worked like a charm.
> 
> ...


 
Really?! How much weight on a rear axle? You know it's gotta be less than than 20k, right? 
Jeff


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## lxt (Apr 13, 2011)

so im gathering you dont have a truck/dump truck????? you want to haul out the dump trailer with the chipper towed behind it??????.....are you pulling this setup with the family station wagonor what 

where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!



LXT................


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 13, 2011)

lxt said:


> so im gathering you dont have a truck/dump truck????? you want to haul out the dump trailer with the chipper towed behind it??????.....are you pulling this setup with the family station wagonor what
> 
> where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!
> 
> ...



I know what you mean, LXT, but we all started somewhere. ####, 4 years ago I only had a Toyota and a few chainsaws. Nothing wrong with giving the guy some pointers and helping him out.


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## ChrHerrman (Apr 14, 2011)

*Clarification*

Just a little clarification...I do have a new 08 Chevy pickup that I pull my dump trailer with. It is only a 1/2 ton but it handles weight better and can outpull my old 89 F250 that I got rid of (not to mention look a lot better). I know that a dump truck is next on the list but that will be a few years down the road. For now a new chipper is enough money spent. I plan to chip into the brush or into my dump trailer on jobs. I also sub out a friend who has a farm for bigger jobs to use his F650 dump truck, skid loader, and deck over trailer. It does not make much sense for me to buy all this equipment when he is close and available at a reasonable rate.

I do tree removals on the side from my teaching job during the day. I do not feel the need, nor have the money, or the amount of work lined up to make buying a lot of equipment a feasible option right now. I am certainly not an arborist nor a tree expert but I know enough about take downs to be safe and make some extra money.

I had a feeling towing a chipper in tandem with a trailer was probably not legal and would look awful goofy, as well as impossible to back up, but I wanted to see what others out there do. I figured at least a few people out there have either encountered or thought about this problem before. Is that not what this site is for? 

I realize I do not have all the proper equipment to be a full fledged tree business right now, but as Blakemaster pointed out we all have to start somewhere. 

By the way, I do not believe I have ever complained about cheap customers or hacks in any of my postings. I have been seeking some information about setups, chippers, woodsplitters, and dump trailers, but have not complained about jobs or customers.

P.S. I have actually used my little old tracer stationwagon to pull my woodsplitter before. Sorry if this offends you.



lxt said:


> so im gathering you dont have a truck/dump truck????? you want to haul out the dump trailer with the chipper towed behind it??????.....are you pulling this setup with the family station wagonor what
> 
> where do they come from...............? it just amazes me that people will start/run a biz looking like the most un-professional jack wagon in town.............& then complain about cheap customers or hacks!!
> 
> ...


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## lxt (Apr 14, 2011)

blakes.....yes start somewhere, nothing wrong with that....BUT, atleast do it in a some what pro like manner!!!!!

I mean whats wrong with a 1 ton dump & chipper......its those who want pointers & then would haul around a set up as mentioned above that gives this trade the...(anyone can do it title)

I just dont have any use for any one who doesnt wanna do it right, but still wants to make a buck off being cheap themselves!! not the way to do biz & even less professional!!!!


LXT..........


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## lxt (Apr 14, 2011)

ChrHerrman said:


> I do tree removals on the side from my teaching job during the day. I do not feel the need, nor have the money, or the amount of work lined up to make buying a lot of equipment a feasible option right now. I am certainly not an arborist nor a tree expert but I know enough about take downs to be safe and make some extra money.
> 
> 
> I realize I do not have all the proper equipment to be a full fledged tree business right now
> ...


 


you teach??? so you admit you are not an arborist or a tree expert??..............but yet you SELL jobs & think you know enough on how to do removals?? just clarifying your statements!!

you realize you dont have the proper equipment "right now"!! & admit to pulling a woodsplitter with the family stationwagon!!!

Not trying to be ignorant.......But, you are the type of guy who ruins this trade...........how about I start teaching, like you!! & teach in the same manner in which you would run a tree care biz?? ya think that would be a proper education??? you think parents would be happy? Ill bet the PA dept of education would really like that!!!

seriously.......if you teach, then you should know better & honestly why ruin a trade when you already have a Career???


LXT................


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## conlan (Apr 14, 2011)

Hey ChrHerrman - You're on the right track and thinking your way through this carefully. Don't listen to lxt, if he was doing so great he wouldn't be wasting his time trying to beat down a small time stater like you. You sound like you are getting into this business slowly and there's nothing wrong with that. It takes a huge amount of money to get fully equiped with all the right equipment, and usually takes time to aquire the stuff you need (or a rich dad who's willing to help you). As you do more tree work and see the money comming in, you can reinvest it back into your business. After you start to build up a client base (it can happen fast) and get more jobs under your belt, you can decide whether you want to make the jump out of teaching and into the tree business full time. I think it is prudent to move slowly instead of a headlong plunge. You may find that doing tree work 5-6 days a week is not for you, and you might rather just do it part time for the exercise, outdoor experience and the rush of climbing and being on the edge of danger. Some guys get into this business because they find it exciting and like the adrenaline rush, then after a few years (or even months) the excitment wears off and it become a regular job. Don't be lured into it full time for the wrong reasons. It can be a very lucrative business once you eventually get all the right equipment. Good luck.


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## jefflovstrom (Apr 14, 2011)

conlan said:


> Hey ChrHerrman - You're on the right track and thinking your way through this carefully. Don't listen to lxt, Good luck.


 
You do not have to like LXT, you are an idiot! Most of us guy's know what tree work is! Dope! I had 2 beer's!
Jeff oke:


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## lxt (Apr 15, 2011)

Tried to Rep ya jeff.....No bullets!

all we can do is hope for the better & in the mean time...just laugh!



LXT...........


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## jefflovstrom (Apr 15, 2011)

:msp_thumbup:
Jeff


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## stumpjumper83 (Apr 15, 2011)

Rear axle weights are determined by truck class, about 75% of the gvw will be rear weight.

For instance a chevy c-60 I had was 13k rear & 7k front. In a 10' & shorter truck its impossible to overload it with wood chips. I regularly hauled 5.5 ton on it legally and more occasionally.

Try to stay below 26k or you will need a cdl license, also you need one to haul a trailer 10k+ for commercial purposes. 

The manual transmissions in the trucks require double clutching, but that is easy to learn.

The nice thing about a med duty dump is that the bed is bigger than a pickup style, for instance my ford 800's bed is 10' long, 4' high, and 7' wide, can haul alot of firewood in that hole. Fuel use is about 12 mpg. 

I use mine mainly for pulling the excavator and dirt and gravel, if tree work were my main income I'd go to a 12'-16' dumping flatbed with removable sides.


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## jefflovstrom (Apr 15, 2011)

stumpjumper83 said:


> Rear axle weights are determined by truck class, about 75% of the gvw will be rear weight.
> 
> For instance a chevy c-60 I had was 13k rear & 7k front. In a 10' & shorter truck its impossible to overload it with wood chips. I regularly hauled 5.5 ton on it legally and more occasionally.
> 
> ...


 
Gotta love the scale's!
Jeff


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