chipper

[uglydukwling]

I've been burning wood for 30-some years (OWB for the last 2). Naturally, I accumulate quite a bit of brush. I've managed to ignore the piles until now, but they really don't rot fast enough. The last straw happened this winter. I was given 12 tractor-trailer loads from a powerline project. There's good firewood and maybe even a few milling logs, but also a LOT of brush. So it's finally time to break down and buy a chipper.
The homeowner models like the 7.5 hp MTD claim to be good for 3" but I can't help feeling that they're being optimistic. If I could be sure that they'd really handle 3" consistently, that would be good enough. Anything bigger is worth cutting and stacking.
Does anyone have any experience with the little ones? Are they just toys or do they really work? I can buy one new cheaper than any of the larger chippers I've found so far used. It did make me a little nervous when the salesman bragged that the MTD had real steel blades. He said that some of the competition used string, as in weed-eater.
One used one I'm supposed to go and look at, that Google couldn't find any information on is a Finchman. I've spoken to the owner on the phone and that's the spelling he gave me. He says its an older machine, US made, powered by a V-4 Wisconsin, works well, but he has no manuals or specs. Has anybody here ever heard of it?

 

[lxt]

for what you`re doing I wouldnt waste my money on them!! sounds like you have alot of chipping & possible future work due to the way you get your burning source!!

I would look into a vermeer 6" or a bandit 6", however you might be able to find a good used 9" for the price of these, most pro`s dont really use this small of machine so I imagine theres probably not many out there???

If they do use em its for small tight access areas & small jobs!! what you need is something capable of handling more debris & a machine thats meant to run for long periods of time, the smaller units usually have aircooled engines nothing wrong with em!! but if you have alot of work I wouldnt recommend them, A 12" machine I think would be too big but depends on your budget.

I just hate to see someone get an MTD thats for hedges & small branches, its not gonna chip a 10ft long 3"diameter section of oak very well if at all, its basically a beefed up food processor at least the way you feed it anyhow!!

LXT...............

 

[STLfirewood]

You might just want to rent a big one once a year. Get a 12inch and get all your chipping done in a day. It might cost you $200 or so but that is a lot cheaper then buying and maintaining a 6inch plus chipper. Those small ones aren't very good.

Scott

 

[Bigstumps]

It is probably a Fitchburg - an old chuck and duck. Do a google search on it, you'll find some.