# Purchasing First Tree Chipper - Need Advice



## Brad Helm (Apr 11, 2014)

I'm brand new to the site and I am looking for some advice.

I am looking to purchase either a Bandit or Carlton Chipper (12" - 15"). I have been approved for the financing but I am wonder if it is good practice for a person to negotiate price on a new chipper with a dealer - and if so, how much a company might come down?

There is a company that is selling a pretty much new Carlton 2015 chipper (16 hour, 15" drum chipper w/140 hp John Deere engine): $56,000. Here's the link to the model on Carlton's website:

http://stumpcutters.com/wood-chippers/drum-style/2015-15-in-apache/


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## treecutterjr (Apr 11, 2014)

Bandit

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## Brad Helm (Apr 11, 2014)

Either is a top quality machine. Bandit and Carlton were once joined at the hip. Same engineering standards. The question is not which chipper, but how much to negotiate price on a new machine.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 11, 2014)

Don't know much about Carlton but it should be very well optioned out at that price. For reference I bought my 1590 bandit with winch, weld down tray, and 142 Perkins for $49,500. Think he originally quoted me $5k more.


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## Brad Helm (Apr 11, 2014)

Good to know! Should have mentioned the prices are in CAD funds. Carlton tells me the MSRP is USD $51,000, all the bells and whistles, not including shipping to Canada.


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## Zale (Apr 11, 2014)

I've used Bandit 250xp for many years with no complaints. I don't think I've seen a Carlton chipper before in my area. Do you need all the bells and whistles? What type of work do you plan on doing with it?


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## richard t (Apr 11, 2014)

Zale said:


> I've used Bandit 250xp for many years with no complaints. I don't think I've seen a Carlton chipper before in my area. Do you need all the bells and whistles? What type of work do you plan on doing with it?



Chipping brush


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## Affordabletree (Apr 11, 2014)

I bought a bandit 200xp with an 86hp cat diesel and 2600 hours for $12,500 and it has been the best chipper I have used to date. At davey I got to use a brand new 1390xp, a 1590xp and a well used 1890xp. I will never go back to a drum chipper. Disc is the way to go. I recently demoed 255xp from bandit and what a nice machine. I would go bandit all the way.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 11, 2014)

Affordabletree said:


> I bought a bandit 200xp with an 86hp cat diesel and 2600 hours for $12,500 and it has been the best chipper I have used to date. At davey I got to use a brand new 1390xp, a 1590xp and a well used 1890xp. I will never go back to a drum chipper. Disc is the way to go. I recently demoed 255xp from bandit and what a nice machine. I would go bandit all the way.


So what your saying is you're half a retard? I know a lot of dumb ****s but none dumb enough to choose a 200xp over a 1590.


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## lone wolf (Apr 11, 2014)

richard t said:


> Chipping brush


No logs?


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## treevet (Apr 11, 2014)

buy slightly used and let some other tuhrd take the depreciation.

Match the chipper with what you got or plan to get. If you only small beans with small chip box and 1 ton chasis and no bucket, then all you need is 80 or 90 ponies diesel. If you got/getting a crane, bucket, log truck, 16 ft. chip box on a big truck...go for the 200 ponies and big throat.


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## Affordabletree (Apr 11, 2014)

Blake I was just starting out when I go it and the price was right. The issue with drum chippers that I see is when you chip any sort of wood it throws chunks and not chips. If this summer keeps picking up like this spring has been for me. I will be upgrading some of my equipment. First to a gehl al340 wheel loader then to a 30yd chip truck then to a decent bucket truck. When you first started did you go out and buy a brand new 1590? When the time comes I will be buying a 255.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

Affordabletree said:


> Blake I was just starting out when I go it and the price was right. The issue with drum chippers that I see is when you chip any sort of wood it throws chunks and not chips. If this summer keeps picking up like this spring has been for me. I will be upgrading some of my equipment. First to a gehl al340 wheel loader then to a 30yd chip truck then to a decent bucket truck. When you first started did you go out and buy a brand new 1590? When the time comes I will be buying a 255.


There's nothing wrong with running a 200xp. I still have mine and use it time to time. You're thoughts on drum chippers are without merit.


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## Affordabletree (Apr 12, 2014)

Blakesmaster said:


> There's nothing wrong with running a 200xp. I still have mine and use it time to time. You're thoughts on drum chippers are without merit.


I am sure that drum chippers when they are brand new chip great but I still can't get over how they just don't have the packing ability of a disc. To each his own style of chipper. I like disc and you like drum. My biggest this is fuel efficiency between the two the new ones at work just chipping brush and wood to 8" they take approx 15gal of diesel every two days. I just filled my chipper with 17 gallons of diesel. After running it for the last five days chipping brush and some 6-10" wood.


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## sgreanbeans (Apr 12, 2014)

I'm with Dave, unless you are loaded to the gills, I wouldn't go out and buy a brand new one. Starting out, you wanna keep your debt as low as possible. U could find a pretty good machine for half that.


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## sgreanbeans (Apr 12, 2014)

We had a 1590 and a bunch of 250xp's at Davey, the 250's, we always had problems with, the 1590 was a beast.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

Affordabletree said:


> I am sure that drum chippers when they are brand new chip great but I still can't get over how they just don't have the packing ability of a disc. To each his own style of chipper. I like disc and you like drum. My biggest this is fuel efficiency between the two the new ones at work just chipping brush and wood to 8" they take approx 15gal of diesel every two days. I just filled my chipper with 17 gallons of diesel. After running it for the last five days chipping brush and some 6-10" wood.


My 1590 uses less fuel than my 200xp. Your blanket statements are simply ****ed. They each have their strong and weak points depending what you use them for, what engine you run, and how much you can invest in your equipment. Saying a disc is better across the board than a drum is dumb. As is saying the opposite.


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## treevet (Apr 12, 2014)

drum's got way more mass to move and way more mass to stop hence you get more flywheel effect and inertia/momentum and therefore need less engine involvement than a disc imo. should be better on gas if designed properly.


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## tree MDS (Apr 12, 2014)

treevet said:


> drum's got way more mass to move and way more mass to stop hence you get more flywheel effect and inertia/momentum and therefore need less engine involvement than a disc imo. should be better on gas if designed properly.



Actually, I'm pretty sure its the other way around.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

The mass of a drum is closer to its axis and therefore takes less energy to get going and less energy to stop. A disc is the opposite. Still many factors based on total drum/disc weight , horse power and type of engine to make a claim across the board that one is more or less efficient than the other.


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## jefflovstrom (Apr 12, 2014)

Affordabletree said:


> The issue with drum chippers that I see is when you chip any sort of wood it throws chunks and not chips.



All our chippers are drum. Sounds like the gap between the knive and anvil is not adjusted correctly.
Jeff


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

If you feel like digging your trifocals out of the drawer next to your depends and Metamucil I'd be happy to draw you a diagram, Sleevy.


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## tree MDS (Apr 12, 2014)

Blakesmaster said:


> If you feel like digging your trifocals out of the drawer next to your depends and Metamucil I'd be happy to draw you a diagram, Sleevy.



Play nice, Blakey. That comment was without merit.


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## lone wolf (Apr 12, 2014)

The whole reason I bought a Disk chipper was because the Bandit techs told me they are better at chipping viney and brushy material.Do you guys with disk chippers have any problems chipping that stuff, any jams?


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## tree MDS (Apr 12, 2014)

lone wolf said:


> The whole reason I bought a Disk chipper was because the Bandit techs told me they are better at chipping viney and brushy material.Do you guys with disk chippers have any problems chipping that stuff, any jams?



I thought it was the other way around?


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## lone wolf (Apr 12, 2014)

You are right I put that in there wrong! I meant Drum not disk!


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## tree MDS (Apr 12, 2014)

lone wolf said:


> You are right I put that in there wrong! I meant Drum not disk!



Now you've got me confused. Lol.
Mds


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## lone wolf (Apr 12, 2014)

Bandit told me drum chippers were better at Evergreens, Brushy material and vines! So I have an 1890 HD Drum chipper now.


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## yeahbuddy24 (Apr 12, 2014)

I use a older mitts n merril drum chipper. The thing is like an anvil you can pound it every day and is decent on gas . The thing beats you up tho and dosent like brittle deadwood much. If i had a choice to buy a new one i would get disc style so i can chip bigger logs. That being said i like my mitts n merril drum chipper.


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## Zale (Apr 12, 2014)

lone wolf said:


> You are right I put that in there wrong! I meant Drum not disk!



I've used disk for the last 20+ years and vines were always a pain in the ass. Boss bought a Morbark drum last year and it is like night and day when it comes to chipping vines. I also like the fact the drum doesn't kick the brush around like a disk does.


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## treevet (Apr 12, 2014)

that would be true given they were the same weight....which I am pretty sure they are not leaving my opinion trumping yours (both knuckleheads).

re the bobsie twins


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## treevet (Apr 12, 2014)

yeahbuddy24 said:


> I use a older mitts n merril drum chipper. The thing is like an anvil you can pound it every day and is decent on gas . The thing beats you up tho and dosent like brittle deadwood much. If i had a choice to buy a new one i would get disc style so i can chip bigger logs. That being said i like my mitts n merril drum chipper.



Mitts (I had one) is good in the 16" model....and sucks in the 12" model, both dinosaurs.


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## tree MDS (Apr 12, 2014)

treevet said:


> that would be true given they were the same weight....which I am pretty sure they are not leaving my opinion trumping yours (both knuckleheads).
> 
> re the bobsie twins



Lol.. wait, what're you saying, Dave?


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

treevet said:


> that would be true given they were the same weight....which I am pretty sure they are not leaving my opinion trumping yours (both knuckleheads).
> 
> re the bobsie twins


Any evidence to back up your theory?


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## treevet (Apr 12, 2014)

no maybe I am wrong but my theory from non science or fact is if you had 2 say 18" feed chippers and one was a disc and one was a drum (I have had both) is that the drum would be heavier and count on momentum to accomplish inertia and the disc being a lighter rotor (but wider dia.) would count on flywheel effect to gain inertia thru the log. Seems to me both would accomplish the same thing but the heavier drum would run on longer and with less stress thru the piece/log being chipped therefore using less engine power afterwards (to reboot) and the need for auto feed because of the weight and momentum. The lighter flywheel would slow sooner...?


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

You're theory relies on a drum having more mass than a disc. You need to prove that first.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

Once you show that I'll help you with the next step in our little physics lesson.


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## treevet (Apr 12, 2014)

good bluff but not impressed enough with your previously exhibited intellegence to bother researching this. I think it is apparent by observation tho. You do the work.


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## Blakesmaster (Apr 12, 2014)

Glad to hear you gave up.


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## treevet (Apr 12, 2014)

ball(s) in your court


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## Brad Helm (Apr 12, 2014)

...wow, that thread took off...nice!

I'm not new to the tree business nor am I looking for advice on drum or disc, brand types, etc., etc. (Although it's interesting to read - thank you everyone.) I was looking to find others who have purchased new and if they negotiated the price and how much they got the MSRP down.

I have been subcontracting tree work for a few years and have subcontracted so much work, even with all the other expenses and new employees I have more than enough work to pay for the unit in a single season of work (May - October).

Why do I want new or close to new? I like to know the sound of the machine, its behavior, in perfect running order...that way when things start wearing down the changes are more noticeable. In essence, you learn what an optimal running machine should be like. From here one can more readily prevent downtime - you see & hear things starting to wear. And with all the work I have coming as this winter ends, I don't want to be repairing equipment in my first year - or at the very least, keeping it to a minimum. What I might save in getting a used chipper I will make up for in not being down for the count with repairs. At this point in my business, the cost of a new chipper is worth the peace of mind - I'll need it as I tweak the tree side of my business.


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## ducaticorse (Apr 13, 2014)

Blakesmaster said:


> So what your saying is you're half a retard? I know a lot of dumb ****s but none dumb enough to choose a 200xp over a 1590.


Ha Hahahahahahhahahahahahah 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## treevet (Apr 13, 2014)

BM's on the rag. What else is new?


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## charles schwab (Dec 13, 2015)

I am currently trying to deciede what kind of chipper I want to get a 255 xp or a 1390xp...disk or drum. After reading the thread and the comments it seems to me to be a matter of opinion and what your personal preference is. This back and forth with totaly differnt opinions wasn't the help I hoped for.


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## tree MDS (Dec 14, 2015)

I looked into new chippers a few years back. My bandit dealer was trying to push one of those 1390's on me. Not sure if they just have an overstock or what the deal is, but I didn't see the advantage of having a smaller chipper than most of my competition. It kinda pissed me off, actually. 

I would look at a 1590 if you're gonna go with something as heavy as a 255. They've gotta be pretty close in weight, no?


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## charles schwab (Dec 14, 2015)

tree MDS said:


> I looked into new chippers a few years back. My bandit dealer was trying to push one of those 1390's on me. Not sure if they just have an overstock or what the deal is, but I didn't see the advantage of having a smaller chipper than most of my competition. It kinda pissed me off, actually.
> 
> I would look at a 1590 if you're gonna go with something as heavy as a 255. They've gotta be pretty close in weight, no?


Yes I believe so, however the 1590 is approx. $ 12000.00 more....so I take it your a drum cjhipper guy?


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## tree MDS (Dec 14, 2015)

Actually I'm on my second bandit disk (250 with all the "bells and whistles") . Never really got to play with a drum chipper. The capacity on the 1590 over the 255 is what impresses me. I hear you on the extra 12k, but over what, 10- 12 years that you'll likely own it?


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## charles schwab (Dec 14, 2015)

Thank you for your input sir,


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## charles schwab (Dec 14, 2015)

so the 255xp wieghs 8200lbs and the 1590xp wieght 9200 lbs fairly close for the xtra 3'' in capacity


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## tree MDS (Dec 14, 2015)

That 255 has gotta be a pretty nasty chipper in its own right. pretty sure it would eat the 1390 for breakfast. I do think disk chippers throw better quality chips further (from what I've gathered). They also seem to have an advantage chipping wood due to the 45 degree chipping angle and heavier disk. It's a tough call. 

Another thing I've thought about over the past few years (since deciding to stay with my 250) is what is really to be gained with the extra chipping capacity, and is it worth it? For me it seems to add up to just tossing a couple extra 12 to 18" poles on the top of the rest of the trunk wood. Really not that big a deal. I'm sure its different if I was doing crane jobs all the time, but I'm not.


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## charles schwab (Dec 15, 2015)

Thank you tree MDS, That seems to be in line with what I was thinking. I dont do alot of crane work either.And Im no stranger to topping off my load of chips with the chunks to big to go threw my hyroller 1200 woodchuck..


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