Chipper Necessity or Mandatory?

[minifly3]

I am looking into starting a new tree service and was wondering if it necessary when you are starting out to have a chipper or can i be added at a later date when funds are flowing alittle better? if it's mandatory is there a good/cheap starter model ?

 

[mikewhite85]

They are extremely helpful, saving you huge amounts of time and money. That said, you can survive without one. Depends on your locale. If you are in a rural area you can get by pretty well without one, especially if you have a free dump. In Los Angeles, there is about a $50 minimum at the dump so it's pretty nice to have one.

a bandit 65xp or 90xp is a great first chipper. The vermeer 6" is decent too but can be a pain in the neck.

Ultimately, it's best to have experience running one with another company before purchasing one on your own. They can be pretty dangerous machines.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Finally, asked in the right Forum. Might go over better.
Jeff , oh yeah, get a chipper.

 

[carolinaclimber]

I started without one but am very glad to have one now, it was well worth the money to me. Even though its a (sometimes pain in the neck) 6" vermeer. The price was right for it. I've also found towing a chipper helps to get jobs just in the sense of people seeing you work around town.

 

[Kapriel]

They are extremely helpful, saving you huge amounts of time and money. That said, you can survive without one. Depends on your locale. If you are in a rural area you can get by pretty well without one, especially if you have a free dump. In Los Angeles, there is about a $50 minimum at the dump so it's pretty nice to have one.

a bandit 65xp or 90xp is a great first chipper. The vermeer 6" is decent too but can be a pain in the neck.

Ultimately, it's best to have experience running one with another company before purchasing one on your own. They can be pretty dangerous machines.

I was wondering what a decent used bandit 65 or 90 might cost ?

 

[jefflovstrom]

I was wondering what a decent used bandit 65 or 90 might cost ?

Yeah, you just made me wonder too.
Jeff :msp_unsure:

 

[tree md]

If you have to ask, then you don't need one.

 

[treemandan]

Condsidering necessity and mandatory pretty much mean the same thing I would say a chipper is a mandatory necessity.

 

[treemandan]

If you have to ask, then you don't need one.

And that is true too.

 

[Kapriel]

If you have to ask, then you don't need one.

Does that mean I can't get a bucket truck, and maybe a 30 ton excavator, and some other things. :hmm3grin2orange:

Just messing with yeah.

But am thinking of getting into the business. Time for a career change.

 

[tree md]

Yeah, I'm not trying to be a smartass or anything. Just saying that the guys who could really put a chipper to work aren't asking that question, they are humping it out everyday wishing they had one.

 

[Kapriel]

I'm just messin with yah.

But I do want to make a change. Something that I know almost nothing about.

I was thinking something with trees, or demolition, heavy equipment. etc...

I really don't want to do any more Electrical or HVAC work.

I 've had my fill.

 

[treemandan]

I'm just messin with yah.

But I do want to make a change. Something that I know almost nothing about.

I was thinking something with trees, or demolition, heavy equipment. etc...

I really don't want to do any more Electrical or HVAC work.

I 've had my fill.

Well when you first started in the electrical/hvac feild did you just run out, buy all the equipment and start your own company? If you did then did the real professionals in the feild call you a hack? Cause if you do that here most likely we will... being calling you a hack that is.

 

[Kapriel]

Well when you first started in the electrical/hvac feild did you just run out, buy all the equipment and start your own company? If you did then did the real professionals in the feild call you a hack? Cause if you do that here most likely we will... being calling you a hack that is.

Oh lord no. I'm 56 now.

I had my own business for 15 years doing Industrial Machine Repair.
I incorporated in 1988 back in those days we use to manufacture things but it was dying out.

Anyways I would go from factory to factory and there were tons of them here in Mass.
I would get my foot in the door doing electrical troubleshooting work.

That spread to plumbing, welding, hydraulics, HVAC, Machine shop work,compressors and pumps. etc.
I put almost 100% of my profits back into the Co. buying tools and trucks.

If there was a wrong way of doing things I've done it. Went to the school of hard knocks.

I also owned a restaurant let's see that cost me 25,000 before I pulled the plug on that.

So yes I'm dumb enough to try something else. :msp_tongue:

 

[formationrx]

chipper?

get one..... at least a 6 inch machine..... it ####### sucks brush loading......

 

[jefflovstrom]

Oh lord no. I'm 56 now.

I had my own business for 15 years doing Industrial Machine Repair.
I incorporated in 1988 back in those days we use to manufacture things but it was dying out.

Anyways I would go from factory to factory and there were tons of them here in Mass.
I would get my foot in the door doing electrical troubleshooting work.

That spread to plumbing, welding, hydraulics, HVAC, Machine shop work,compressors and pumps. etc.
I put almost 100% of my profits back into the Co. buying tools and trucks.

If there was a wrong way of doing things I've done it. Went to the school of hard knocks.

I also owned a restaurant let's see that cost me 25,000 before I pulled the plug on that.

So yes I'm dumb enough to try something else. :msp_tongue:

Only way that could happen is if you hire guy's that know the biz.
Jeff

 

[Kapriel]

That's what I was thinking, but not sure this is what I want to do.

Also there are other things I can make more money doing but the work doesn't interest me anymore. Just done too much of it.

Time to figure out what's next...:msp_thumbup:

 

[Kapriel]

Yeah, I'm not trying to be a smartass or anything. Just saying that the guys who could really put a chipper to work aren't asking that question, they are humping it out everyday wishing they had one.

hahahha.... I'm too old to be doing any humping ! :msp_tongue:

 

[tree md]

Here's a big mistake I see a lot of guys make: They figure if they buy a nice big piece of equipment like a stump grinder or chipper they are gonna make a killing. Believe me, grinding stumps, chipping/brush removal and firewood or the like is a meager living. You need to know how to make the brush and the stumps in a big way on a consistent basis to really make any kind of living at it. People don't usually call on the easy ones. Of all my friends that I have known who have bought a stump grinder or chipper and do not know how to climb and do the specialized stuff, almost all have sold their equipment (at a lose) and gotten out of it.

Most guys that I know who run a stumper or do their own thing on the ground usually do it on the side and have another primary income. I know one guy who invested over $150 G's in a nice stumper and new truck. He does make good money but he travels to storms where there is lot's of stump work. He told me that that is his rocking chair money. It's a way for him to make money to supplement his retirement and keep him active and busy.

 

[jefflovstrom]

That's what I was thinking, but not sure this is what I want to do.

Also there are other things I can make more money doing but the work doesn't interest me anymore. Just done too much of it.

Time to figure out what's next...:msp_thumbup:

Yeah, I get it. Probably easy money just to cut a tree.
Jeff :msp_confused: