# Six inch chipper, or do I go larger



## BranchWalker74 (Jan 18, 2005)

Hi I have been running my own small tree service for over a year now. In the past my town would chip the brush on the side of the road. They saw my truck too many times. One of the guys on the town crew pulled up when I was doing a large removal, and said they were cutting me off. They are not suppose to clean up after tree services. I can understand. I will go into the next season with a brush chipper. What my question is: I am prepaired to spend about $4,000 for a chipper. Do I go with a 6" chipper like a Vermere 626 or do I go with a older large drum style? I have never used a 6" chipper, I have used a old large drum chipper at my last job. I am chipping into the back of a 3/4 ton pickup with plywood sides, untill I get a dump. I plan on using a chipper allmost every day. What should I do?


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## huskycandoit (Jan 18, 2005)

I would stay with the 6" until you get a dump unless you wanna kill your truck. Anything bigger your truck will be dogging anywhere you go with a full load of chips. And a 9" or a drum is to heavy for a 3/4 ton. It would pull it but not to good with a full load of chips. The only thing is that you will need some one to take the big wood.


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## BranchWalker74 (Jan 18, 2005)

Thank you huskycandoit. I did not think about the towing part.


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## arboromega (Jan 18, 2005)

hey bushman did you read this post? you were talking about a 6" vermeer today.


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## tnttreeman (Jan 18, 2005)

I have an old Asplundh 9" drum chipper that I pulled with a 3/4 ton truck just like what you're describing. I used it for places where my 5 ton was too heavy. Motor wise my truck had plenty of power to pull it, but suspension wise I was usually overloaded. Plus, in Pennsylvania chippers aren't usually registered so their gross weight is included in that of the truck. With an empty bed you are probably technically overloaded. If your state requires registration on chippers then this is not a problem because their plate will carry the weight. 
Also, you have to decide how fast you need to chip and what size branches you want to chip. My 9" drum will chip at least twice as fast as a 6" disc and bigger stuff.
Another factor to consider is safety. The disc chipper usually has a reverse on the feed. A drum usually does not (unless equipped with self feed wheels). I've never had a problem, but it only takes the blink of an eye with the drum chipper's speed versus the speed of a disc chipper.


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## topnotchtree (Jan 18, 2005)

Heck, I thought I was the only one in the world using a 9 inch drum chipper! Glad to see I am not the only one. You will have to look into the legal loading that tnt was speaking of. Here in Michigan, chippers are considered an implement so they do not carry a plate, but, I have never heard of the chipper weight being added to the truck for legal loading purposes. I pulled my chipper with a 93 Ford half ton, but I added two leafs in the back to help carry the load. I love my drum whipper chipper. Its lightweight and can chip armfulls at a time. Anything too big for me to chip usually is firewood anyway. With your budget, I would recommend a smaller drum chipper. 9 inchers I am sure are hard to find, but you should be able to find a 12 incher with a smaller 4 cyl. motor. You may find a 12 incher with a v8 also, but I would stay away from them due to the extra weight, and fuel consumption.


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## OutOnaLimb (Jan 18, 2005)

If your gonna be towing your chipper with a 3/4 ton truck you may wanna go with a lighter drum style chipper. Disk style chippers are usually a lot heaver than the drum style, You can pick up an old Asplundh chuck an duck for reasonably cheap. Ya just gotta make sure ya keep the knives sharp, other wise they can be a pain. I try to sell most of the firewood that is 6" or larger, so a smaller chipper is OK, even though I am running a 12" Bandit. It makes it easier to run bigger limbs through, or if you gotta deal with wirey branches, like locust, Russian olive, or apple, the bigger chipper eats em up with less trimming.

Kenn


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jan 18, 2005)

From what it sounds like you would want to go with a 6 inch drum. Engin is not too big of a deal, because you're chipping small stuff. Say 4 inches and less, the rest you cut to firewood and stack roadside for people to pick up.

Find people who burn that will pick up for free.

I've several jobs where we chip the little stuff and the client hauls the wood out to the curb for the scavengers to pick up. Some places even willow disapears over night.

The thing you want to look for in a chipper is a wide infeed shoot so that crotches will break. Newer small chipper will have narrow infeed hight, but a very wide width, some 15-20 inches to accomodate wide angle branches.

Older chippers can be a PITA because you have to cut everything down, or at least put a curf in the crotches so they will feed in.


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## Stumper (Jan 18, 2005)

Dynamite, It sounds like your operation will be well served with either a 6" capacity Disc or a smaller drum style chipper. the Disc will be both lighter to tow and will make smaller chips that allow more on the truck. There is no doubt that you need to get the chipper but I am always fascinated by municipalities that pick up brush _"but not from a professional's work". On one hand this almost seems reasonable. "We are providing a service for our citizens but it doesn't extend to debris generated by pros.".....But wait a sec. Joe Citizen cuts down his tree and piles it by the curb-No problem. Now Joe pays a pro to cut his tree down and pile it by the curb-"You can't do that". Hmmm .... so now Joe Citizen who the city wanted to provide a service to (justifying the tax rate he pays on his property) has to pay double so that the pro will haul his mess. Well served wasn't he?


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## Davidsinatree (Jan 18, 2005)

Dynamite Wedge,
I also have a small tree service and chip into my 1ton pickup with plywood sides. My first chipper was a 6'' disc, it did serve me well but cutting stuff down to fit through the feed chute was adding to my clean up time. I sold it and went with a 4 cyl 12'' drum. No more cutting brush down to fit the feed chute, these drum chippers eat brush about as fast as you can feed them. I would go with a drum......its as simple as that. Good luck!

Here is a pic of my little rig.


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## TimberMcPherson (Jan 19, 2005)

Swings and roundabouts, I think either would be good for you, I personally love my 6 inch disc. I think its the deal you get on either chipper that will decide it.


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## Ekka (Jan 19, 2005)

(SNIP)

_very poor taste-
Mr. Moderator_


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## bushman (Jan 19, 2005)

The 6 is ok for weight to pull with a load,pulled with a heavy half ton.the verm.6 is a good chipper to start . drum chuck and ducks are fast but are not as safe as a disc chipper.


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## huskycandoit (Jan 19, 2005)

*Chipper*

On the chipper I would go with a 6" Bandit or Morbark. I choose them because they run nicer than the vermeer. And on the Vermeers they are to compact and if your not good backing them up you will jakc knife real easy. The Bandit and Morbarks are little bit long and it wont give yoi such a hrad time.


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## treeman45246 (Jan 19, 2005)

On a different tack, with no dump you're going to get sick of shoveling out that truck. As someone who chips into a 3/4 ton with no dump myself, I highly recommend getting a slick (Plastic) truckliner and a loadhandler. The loadhandlers run about 150 bucks or so and you'll not regret the purchase.


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## Davidsinatree (Jan 19, 2005)

Treeman45246,
I am interested in knowing of people who have used and unloaded chips with the load handler. Is this the gadget that lays in the bed and has a crank handle on the tailgate. I would like to here some testimonies on this subject. Do you have one?


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## DDM (Jan 19, 2005)

David? Why are there Chips all over your Chipper? Blow Back? Or is there a Chute Leak?


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## DDM (Jan 19, 2005)

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...isplay?storeId=6970&productId=466604&R=466604

Had one gave it to goodwill about a yr ago never tried it for chips didnt work well for sand though.


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## Davidsinatree (Jan 19, 2005)

DDM, 
There are small gaps around where the chute hooks to the drum housing that have rubber flaps that are supposed to seal but they where wore out at the time this picture was taken. I have since done a partial fix to the problem and is much better. It was throwing alot of chips out the top making a nice little mess.


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## DDM (Jan 19, 2005)

David, You might want to put a screen up on the chute side of the engine i had a chip get into the timing belt on my whisper chipper. Made for a short day of chipping.


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## NeTree (Jan 21, 2005)

DDM said:


> David, You might want to put a screen up on the chute side of the engine i had a chip get into the timing belt on my whisper chipper. Made for a short day of chipping.




Huh?


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## BranchWalker74 (Jan 21, 2005)

Thanks to everyone for all the great advice. Though I am still torn between the two styles of chippers. I do like hearing all the advice from all you pros. When I decide on one I'll post a few pics.


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## topnotchtree (Jan 21, 2005)

David, I was a chip shoveler at one time too. The problem I had with the loadhandler is everything in front of the wheelwells stayed there. Most everything behind the wheelwells came out (usually, but not always)


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## SilentElk (Jan 21, 2005)

My first Chipper was a Vermeer 1800. Was a model 96' with only 41.5 hrs on the machine and paid $23,690 with tax for it. It was sold as New from the dealer. Long story why I got such a good price. 

At any rate, a week into doing my own tree's foir a living, I rented a 6" vermeer. To be honest, I would have saved time and a little money by hauling these to the local compost recycling center even after dumping fees.

I was literally able to cut down, drag 100+ feet to the chipper faster than 2 guys could cut and grind these 35' trees. Was ridiculous to say the least.

About the Load Handler- To answer another question, I used to pull my 1800 with a 78' F250. Was slow and ran that truck into the ground after 3 years but it did work. Worst part was that it could literally fill the truck in 20 minutes. I didn't have a dump bed, but I did use one of those hang crank puller thingmabobs. The one with woven nylon mat that sat under the load. It worked dent till I broke off some cheap plastic part. It saved me quite a bit of work but it wouldn't handle a full load, at least without alot of strain on it and the tail gate. I fould that if I laid some pieces of wood, like 15"-18" tall I forget exactly, so it made a sort of V shape and covered up the wheel wells the full length of the bed, the load actually pulled much easier. The peices were the same lenght as they were tall so as I unrolled it I could stack and pile them.

Personally I dont have a chipper anymore, BUT if I had a chance to buy a brand new 6" for $500 but I wasn't allowed to sell it but had to use it, I would laugh at them and hitch up the trailer. I would never willing to do tree work full time with a 6" chipper. I would rather have 1970's 9 or 12".

I know the vermeer 1250 (12") out performs the 6" by at least a factor of 10 to 1. My 1800 was easily a 12 to 1 if not more. Basically, with my 1800 I could do in one hour what it would have taken me 12 to do with that little 6".

Me and 4 guys once chipped 3 piles for a complex after a very early snow. EACH pile was 20 yards x 30 yards x 2 yards tall. It was ideal conditions as they were cut less than a day before, full length and all were piled one direction. We ran 3600 yards of branches in 7 hr 42 minutes.

It also didn't hurt that if I rented the 1800 out twice a month for $350 a day and made my payment of $490 too!

Ok I'll shut up, long day, wired on too much mtn dew and haven't been around anyone else so kinda stir crazy and all here.

-If you primarily do light trimming and alot of bushes, hedges then a 6" might not be too bad but you will come to hate the small opening if you ever remove a crooked, wild growing tree.

That's my $0.02


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## Koa Man (Jan 22, 2005)

A 6" cap. drum chipper would be OK. A 6" disc, too small of feed opening to be efficient. The minimum size disc chipper for commercial work IMO, is a 9 incher. I have a Gravely 395 (not made anymore), 9" disc. I think it is a great chipper and have been real satisfied with it. I bought it new in Dec. 1997 and it is still going strong. I also have a Woodsman 18X (18" capcity drum). That is an awesome chipper as well and will easily out chip the Gravely 10 times, even if all the branches were less than 6 inches. Go as big as you can afford. If you don't have enough to go more than a 6 incher, wait and save. The biggest problem is the huge amount of limbing you will have to do to even begin to feed a 6 inch machine.


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## Reed (Jan 22, 2005)

To you guys who have combined the 'load handler' with chips into a standard bed pick-up: would it have made sense to modify it with a dam-like riser on the trailing end (under and ahead of the load)? Thinking that the tailgate will tensile only so much load, could a frame be welded on to secure the winding end more?

I'm about to modify a whole truck - four door luxury into a dusty dented chip hauler. Have hydraulic hardware to play with but rather than engineer a pump/distribution/control/ram/hinge/frame nightmare, the rolling bed liner-bottom makes more efficient sense. Just don't think the commercials they show will equate to reality on green hardwood chips unless it's possible to harden and strengthen the system as it stands. 

On the six inch chippers - great for two man operations and a 3/4 ton with only a few limb trimming jobs for the day. Seriously overtaxed for take-downs and hardwoods like oak, live oak especially. Chips do rule overall though...it's 40.00 per ton of brush to dispose away from home, 24 hours of fire monitoring at home. Have people paying for chips, more just want it free - good enough for this guy.

Disk chippers over 50hp need that powerplant ahead of axle, tongue weight may be 2,500 or over - another considering factor in chipper size relative to weight ration and truck options open. Drum's have a much higher weight/brutality ratio - a four cylinder Ford can chip 18" through a drum where 110 hp would be a disk necessity.


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## Stumper (Jan 22, 2005)

Koa Man said:


> A 6" cap. drum chipper would be OK. A 6" disc, too small of feed opening to be efficient.... The biggest problem is the huge amount of limbing you will have to do to even begin to feed a 6 inch machine.



Koa , Very true. I dinked around for too long with a 4" capacity chipper. It chipped fast and fine but required so much limbing. There is more than one way to look at this though.-While none of us who have done a lot of chipping are much inclined to drop back down to a small disc, they do still serve a purpose or two. One is to access hard to reach locations-I've used the little WoodPro a couple of times in the last 2 months for that. The other consideration is this-Even while I was using the small machine everyday on every job and KNOWING that I needed something a bit bigger for removal cleanup, the little guy was still saving me time compared to hauling brush. Efficient brush loading requires extensive trimming and proper placement on the truck or trailer-Feeding the little chipper look as long or slightly longer BUT I then had far fewer trips to make to dispose of the stuff AND the chips could be dropped a few blocks from my house or from many of the jobs-for free. The brush had to be hauled 12 miles and a fee paid to dump. I was actually contemplating moving UP to a six inch machine with controlled feed. Do I regret getting a 12" machine instead?-NO! Do I want to go down to a six inch disc? No. Would I like to have a Drum rated for 5-6 inch stuff for a back up and for right-of-way clearing etc,? Yes. 
The small machine was actually quite efficient for running around to several small pruning jobs per day. Light , easy to pull with a pick-up,and used very little fuel. I doubt that anyone would ever deeply regret buying a 9" disc instead of a six but If someone is primarily doing light pruning with the occassionaly removal and doesn't run a crew, they may not feel frustrated with a good 6" capacity disc. :angel:


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## Reed (Jan 22, 2005)

I think you convinced me Stumper - being older, winning the bids on selective over-house trims, my modified truck, and just plain conservatism in size has me bidding on three six inchers today.

Have a cool dialogue going on with Salsco right now regarding a new 6" chipper w/ Kabota diesel 40hp. The infeed is better than Vermeer and it's rated on pull and response, not diameter - meaning crotches will yield better with the chute being bigger. Nice unit but pricey, but so is any new rig. If keeping tongue weight down equates to more chips to haul, 40 horses is max unless one ton or more is your truck. Mine's a 1/2 converted to a ton. Same frame, new axles, drives and springs. If I could get back my 18" Asplundh Beaver (351 F) I'd be out bidding on deforestation but getting too old for that stuff. 

I think there is a growing demand for arborist single dudes w/ one employee, and a manuverable 6" with swing shoot and low tongue weight and a one ton truck can be a very lucrative/minimal investment outfit.


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## NeTree (Feb 13, 2005)

oakwilt said:


> Mine's a 1/2 converted to a ton. Same frame, new axles, drives and springs.



You do know that a 1-ton has thicker frame rails, right?


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## glens (Feb 13, 2005)

and taller


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## lxt (Mar 11, 2005)

oh my god!! love the pic of a pickup and chipper, chips all over the place very nice!!! really professional!!!! 3/4 ton or 1 ton(hopefully 1ton dump) brush bandit 9inch 4cyl gm is way to go,easy to work on @ 4000-4400lbs not too heavy. the 6inch machines simple suck!!! this is a machine a home owner would rent to clean up the back yard & if your shootin chips into a pickup truck, well what can i say home owners watching this might try it themselves, and we would laugh at them right? take your time save your $$ and get the proper equip. the problem with this trade is just that lumberjack ted gots him self a 1/2 ton & a craftsman pwr saw and now hes startin his own tree co. what ever you do be safe & take care Doug.lxt......


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## Reed (Mar 13, 2005)

NE, yeah. I welded "sister" plates of 3/8th's alongside the existing frames and 1/4" channel on top to hold the bed frame which is now hinged and lifting. It is in essence now a 1-ton, except the front end only got new heavier coils. The bed sits .5 inch higher than standard pick-up, nobody knows it's a sleeping dump truck. Got a few 'wows' when I dumped yesterday back into a garden in town. Elapsed time full up and back is 20 seconds (little more when including getting out to drop the tailgate).

Could've bid on a '02 F450 with multi fuel and a chip dump, but the miles and condition didn't make sense compared to the modifications I just made to my ex-personal truck. Besides, painting a truck is more work than a little welding I think, and the 450 was pink and yellow. I refuse to go back to a bobtail dump or Tornado chipper, going portable and light now, this rig should handle what chips I give her every day coming up.


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## NeTree (Mar 13, 2005)

Pink & Yellow? Yikes... Yeah, it's a pass!

Welding and fabricating is fun for me, and brings in some extra income in the off-season.

(I don't know about YOU, but I can weld all day, but can't paint worth a ****)


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## tophopper (Mar 13, 2005)

lxt said:


> oh my god!! love the pic of a pickup and chipper, chips all over the place very nice!!! really professional!!!! 3/4 ton or 1 ton(hopefully 1ton dump) brush bandit 9inch 4cyl gm is way to go,easy to work on @ 4000-4400lbs not too heavy. the 6inch machines simple suck!!! this is a machine a home owner would rent to clean up the back yard & if your shootin chips into a pickup truck, well what can i say home owners watching this might try it themselves, and we would laugh at them right? take your time save your $$ and get the proper equip. the problem with this trade is just that lumberjack ted gots him self a 1/2 ton & a craftsman pwr saw and now hes startin his own tree co. what ever you do be safe & take care Doug.lxt......


  

most everyone here has humble begiinings....nothin wrong with that truck and chipper, gotta start somewhere right. ive seen much worser lookin rigs than that, besides maybe he likes putting his hard earned money in his pocket instead of the banks


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## Davidsinatree (Mar 13, 2005)

Doug lxt,
That truck & chipper happens to be mine. I had just bought that chipper. That was its first day out on the job in ice storm aftermath. 
Sounds like your an established tree guy.......I'm sure you own a professional chippen rig...lets see it. :Eye:


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## Reed (Mar 13, 2005)

Never forget that the less you invest in and keep spotless equipment the more take home for the piggy bank. Imagry is important, but word of mouth is right up there too. The most productive ranches out here would scare Martha Stewart out of her panties. Now I have a Irish green chipper, a burgundy truck, firengine red sprayer, and a Bob Marley t-shirt collection. 

Personally I love the rig Tom D. drove around. Chitty chitty bang bang. I'd rainbow it with close-out paint samples applied by stoned naked hippy chicks after an afternoon of tofu Bar-B-Q. Electric Gatoraide Tree Trippin' Service. Bound to attract at least a few curious minds. Some of these sterile subdivisions need it. 

Love weldin' NE - my idea of a great road trip is snoopin' around for scrap metal. Plasma pleasures. Thing 'ama jigs. Don't have one? Weld it! 

Thing is though - my Ford now rides like a backhouse of bricks hauled around on iron tires. The C.D. skips songs a lot, and me achin' 'ol bod feels every bump. Yah hoo.


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## NeTree (Mar 13, 2005)

...and if ya screw metal up, you can always weld it back on and try again!


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## lxt (Mar 13, 2005)

dave, my rig is a modest one a well kept 1 ton 79chevy dump(restored) a 96,9inch brush bandit & a tow behind ameriquip 45ft lift pulled by a 03 ford 250hd 4x4, the ameriquip is listed in the equip. for sale section, reason for sale gettin a new tow behind lift. the reason for my comment & i apologize if it seemed offensive but were i live north of pittsburgh everyones gettin layedoff(us-air,etc..)these unemployed go out,no insurance, no experience,no equipment but a pickup and the rental chipper and become cutthroats, they by their lack of talent and lack of professionalism give the rest of us a bad name. forgive me for my comment but that picture was like deja vu be safe & take care Doug;Lxt.............


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