chipper/shedder question

[SawS]

Sort of off topic, but chainsaw related....
Anyone here have any experience with a small chipper/shredder?
8 to 10 or 12 hp.
I am looking at a MacKissic, Mighty-Mac, good up to 3 1/2", and a Bearcat 8 hp model, 3 1/2" too
I wanted to know if anyone knows if these machines work well.
I need something, for home use, to clean up limbs, and all the chunks and debris thats left all over the ground after a day of splitting fiewood. Being able to shred it up into mulch will take care of a problem that has been "piling" up.
If not the brands mentioned above, may you could suggest another.
Thanks.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Do you mean like the one in Fargo?

 

[jbrody44]

I have used a 8 HP unit and found it to be really slow and a lot more work than it was worth. You have to feed each branch by hand and it can take hours just to get through just one good tree worth of limbs. I find it way easier to have a bon-fire. Just invite some friends over and buy some beer and have a night time bon-fire party! But make sure you take the proper precautions like having water nearby and ready.

 

[Stumper]

Having watched a few homeowner models in operation and being one of the guys with a small commercial chipper I'll throw my 2 cents in. Horsepower is only part of the equation. The fly wheel principle is a really important part of efficient chipper design. My Wood Pro 20D 160 has a 16 HP engine but it functions way beyond all the 8hp models I've seen-even when I busted a rocker arm and spent an afternoon with it only running on one cylinder.(That something wasn't as it should be was readily apparent but it still gobbled stuff up-it just bogged down quicker on long pieces). The big difference is a large heavy disc that stores centrifigul force and can keep cutting for a little bit under load with out much HP input. --My Wood Pro has a 20"diameter steel wheel a full inch thick. The homeowner models all seem to have dinky little discs and tiny little knives which slowly cut itsy bitsy chips. If you can find an 8-12 horse model with a big cutter wheel you'll be delighted. If not I think you'll be disapointed-- though the homeowner models with shredder flails might work pretty well on your woodlot bark and splinters.

 

[Newfie]

Got one of those DR chippers (manufactured by mackissic). 18hp electric start(needs new battery), alleged to chip 4 1/2 inches, 2" ball. Only 100 hours on the engine and 15 hours on the knives and disc (had to have some warranty work done). A good machine for what it is, but not for what i hoped it would do. Just gathering dust in the shed since I bought my Morbark 2070xl.

 

[preach it]

I own a 12 hp Troybuilt chipper. It has a double knife drum that does the chipping. I have three sets of knives and sharpen them myself. It is in the middle of the bridge between home owner and tree service. (A little overkill for a home owner and a little small for a tree service.) I have used it for 3 yrs. now. I only use it when necessary (unable to access a dumping site). It will chip four in. limbs with branches attached. It is self feeding and usually will eat the limbs as fast as I can throw them in. It tends to want to chew 4 in. stuff too fast and can stall it. It is reasonably safe and nearly impossible to get your hands into it. Look for the Troybuilt "Tomahawk Pro Chipper". The price is real reasonable $1500-$1800 or so, depending on where you buy it. It might be what you are looking for. It has held up real well to my abuse just change the oil when needed, replaced the the drive belt once, sharpen the knives when needed.