# drum vs disk chippers



## foodforests (May 7, 2006)

Can anyone here explain for me the differences between a drum and disk chipper? Okay, okay, so one has a disk and one has a drum... Is one generally better than the other? Is one designed for a different purpose? Does one last longer than the other? 
Thanks.


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## rbtree (May 7, 2006)

Here's an old discussion....be sure to real all the way through, there was some flawed data presented.....but I've heard from a few folks that the Conehead ( a uniquely designed drum chipper) is a great design. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=30133

I run a BB 250XP, great tried and tested design. The new self feeding drums get good reviews, but you need a large, heavy drum like the Bandit's 37 inch tall drum. Woodsman and Morbark make great drums, and the new Vermeer drums are well liked. 

I assume you are not interested in an old style non self feeder. If you were, the still made Mitts and Merril is the best, though it will only chip 6-8 inch material. It feeds much more slowly than all other hand feds, thus is not a true "chuck and duck" and produces a superior chip.


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## foodforests (May 7, 2006)

Uh, thanks. I gotta admit, after reading through that thread I understand hardly any more about the qualitative difference between drums and discs than I did before, other than that discs apparently cut with the grain, and so according to a manufacturer that makes a lot of discs, they are more efficient...

So far, I have worked for a couple of guys... One had a bandit disc, and we were feeding whole tree trunks into it, relatively soft woods like breadfruit and avocado, and it just chewed them up, hardly with any pause... Now I am working with a crew that uses a vermeer drum, and it seems to bog down on the larger stuff, although we have been working on harder stuff like eucalyptus. I think that the two machines have a similar hp, and both are pretty new too. 

I am interested to hear about the olderstyle chuck and duck kind too. I am not actually anywhere near buying one myself or anything, I am just trying to educate myself. Although, having used these two machines with the hydraulic feed I sort of can't imagine using one where you had to manually feed material in.


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## Koa Man (May 8, 2006)

A disc will usually chip finer. A drum will usually handle the bigger stuff better. At least that as been my experience in chipping and using a combination of about 20 different brands and models.

Currently have a Woodsman 18X and a Discone 50.


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## Grizzly (May 8, 2006)

*Master*



foodforests said:


> Can anyone here explain for me the differences between a drum and disk chipper? Okay, okay, so one has a disk and one has a drum... Is one generally better than the other? Is one designed for a different purpose? Does one last longer than the other?
> Thanks.



The disc chipper is a slow expencive ancor on the back of your truck.


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## Grizzly (May 8, 2006)

Koa Man said:


> A disc will usually chip finer. A drum will usually handle the bigger stuff better. At least that as been my experience in chipping and using a combination of about 20 different brands and models.
> 
> Currently have a Woodsman 18X and a Discone 50.



Hows the spider lift holing up?
Koa Man Has Spoken  25 years experience and every trick of the trade he has sugested was sucessful.


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## Koa Man (May 9, 2006)

The hour meter on the lift shows 37 hours. It is still shiny and does not have a scratch yet, although I won't cry about it when it gets its first one. It has not had a single problem yet and I hope it stays that way.


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