blackwaterguide
ArboristSite Member
just wondering what you guys like in make and model...drum vs.disc and so forth for mostly residential use
chippers-what do you like best?
- Thread starter blackwaterguide
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Stumper
One Man Band
You are asking about residential use. Do you mean commercial use working on residential properties or do you mean homeowner use?
mikey
ArboristSite Operative
In my opinion,the bigger the better.Ive had good luck with the Vermeer brand.
blackwaterguide
ArboristSite Member
chippers
I was talking commercial business, yet only few climbers and no bucket truck. The 625b, the small Vermeer much too small, I really liked the 935 with diesel but now they are trying to talk me into the 1000bc or xl. The rep said Vermeer is eventually phasing out disc type altogether and replacing with drum type only. Also, I'm somewhat concerned about fiberglass hoods--sounds like an instant and expensive maintenance problem. In past I've had good luck with big Morbarks and others and agree horsepower and feed hole size save lopping/sawing forks. I save great deal of wood for the wood lot (I know, that is another subject altogether). Thanks for your personal input--chipper purchase is biggy for this guy!
I was talking commercial business, yet only few climbers and no bucket truck. The 625b, the small Vermeer much too small, I really liked the 935 with diesel but now they are trying to talk me into the 1000bc or xl. The rep said Vermeer is eventually phasing out disc type altogether and replacing with drum type only. Also, I'm somewhat concerned about fiberglass hoods--sounds like an instant and expensive maintenance problem. In past I've had good luck with big Morbarks and others and agree horsepower and feed hole size save lopping/sawing forks. I save great deal of wood for the wood lot (I know, that is another subject altogether). Thanks for your personal input--chipper purchase is biggy for this guy!
kf_tree
Addicted to ArboristSite
my take on chippers.......
diesel is the only way to go and the bigger the better. basicly i chipped every thing. i don't care if it was a 300 year old oak, it got cut up and chipped.
after destroying a morbark model 17 i started to research the big machines. this was about 5 years ago. i refused to buy a morbark again. when i spoke to vermeer on the phone the steel specs seemed too thin to me. i ended up getting 180 hp 18in woodsman. the first machine i got from them was a hunk of junk. i was breaking welds after 6 hours. i tore the tounge of the machine. cracked the drum numerous times, bent the belly pan, cracked the hyd tank, broke bearing caps, had the trap door break out, cracked the motor mounts, bent the feed floor. they used the cheapest hardwear possible. when sweeping up after chipping there was usually a bunch of bolts on the ground. i then speced out a new woodsman with the help of my dealer to trade this 33,000.00 hunk a junk for. after giving them another 5600.00 and swaping my motor over i now had a machine with NO warrenty. it was a better machine but still had a lot of bugs in it. i still had to make alot of change's to the machine. the drum still cracked twice. the problem was they were being built in a factory set up for light gauge steel, so the machines were under speced.
the owners flat out lied to me. when i ripped the tounge off they just shipped another 1/4 in tounge. why not beef it up to 3/8 if the 1/4 in failed. so i had to wait till they shipped a 3/8 tounge. they really were pathetic. it was as if bob engler grabbed a six pack of bud in the morning and kicked open the screen door went out to the garage, then took a couple of bong hits and started welding these things up.
i now feel disc machines bon't take the pounding that drum machines do, since they shave the wood instead of pound it. the key to running a big machine is sharp blades.
the other thing all chippers have in common is you need to spend big bucks if you want it to chip big wood day in day out. just because it opens up to 18 in it's only for the occasional piece of 18in wood. like the second tuesday of every month. once you get up to around 45,000.00 will the machine hold up for the long run. the more horse power the better.
if i had to do it again i'd spec out a big brush bandit. the key thing is find a dealer you can get along with. have him spec out the machine since he knows what fails on it. no need to buy a regular production model. the dealer will get it beefed up a bit.
oh and did i forget to mention bob engler from woodsman SUCKS.
diesel is the only way to go and the bigger the better. basicly i chipped every thing. i don't care if it was a 300 year old oak, it got cut up and chipped.
after destroying a morbark model 17 i started to research the big machines. this was about 5 years ago. i refused to buy a morbark again. when i spoke to vermeer on the phone the steel specs seemed too thin to me. i ended up getting 180 hp 18in woodsman. the first machine i got from them was a hunk of junk. i was breaking welds after 6 hours. i tore the tounge of the machine. cracked the drum numerous times, bent the belly pan, cracked the hyd tank, broke bearing caps, had the trap door break out, cracked the motor mounts, bent the feed floor. they used the cheapest hardwear possible. when sweeping up after chipping there was usually a bunch of bolts on the ground. i then speced out a new woodsman with the help of my dealer to trade this 33,000.00 hunk a junk for. after giving them another 5600.00 and swaping my motor over i now had a machine with NO warrenty. it was a better machine but still had a lot of bugs in it. i still had to make alot of change's to the machine. the drum still cracked twice. the problem was they were being built in a factory set up for light gauge steel, so the machines were under speced.
the owners flat out lied to me. when i ripped the tounge off they just shipped another 1/4 in tounge. why not beef it up to 3/8 if the 1/4 in failed. so i had to wait till they shipped a 3/8 tounge. they really were pathetic. it was as if bob engler grabbed a six pack of bud in the morning and kicked open the screen door went out to the garage, then took a couple of bong hits and started welding these things up.
i now feel disc machines bon't take the pounding that drum machines do, since they shave the wood instead of pound it. the key to running a big machine is sharp blades.
the other thing all chippers have in common is you need to spend big bucks if you want it to chip big wood day in day out. just because it opens up to 18 in it's only for the occasional piece of 18in wood. like the second tuesday of every month. once you get up to around 45,000.00 will the machine hold up for the long run. the more horse power the better.
if i had to do it again i'd spec out a big brush bandit. the key thing is find a dealer you can get along with. have him spec out the machine since he knows what fails on it. no need to buy a regular production model. the dealer will get it beefed up a bit.
oh and did i forget to mention bob engler from woodsman SUCKS.
Stumper
One Man Band
Blackwaterguide, Thanks for defining your needs a little better. It is hard to argue with the guys who say the bigger the better when it comes to chippers. However, whether that is actually true is dependant upon the use of the machine. If your policy is to make all wood over 6" (or 8" or 4" etc.) into firewood and you only have a limited number of hands to feed the machine then there is some point when bigger won't save any more trimming and will not gain any speed. At that point bigger just means more initial cost and higher fuel bills. Some of the guys on this forum have the experience to help etermine where that point falls for a given size of material.
My own experience is rather limited-1.a big Wayne drum which would take stuff under about 5" about as fast as 3 men could feed it with minimal trimming. 2.a small Wood-Pro which I currently own that will handle stuff under 3" pretty speedily for 1 man IF it is cut out straight. I want to move up to a larger machine simply to eliminate cutting down brush and handling so many pieces. I don't deal with very much big wood and have a handy market for everything over 4" so I won't move up to a very large machine personally.( Though I will run a lot of the small potential firewood thru the chipper to save time when I have the machine to do so handily.)
My own experience is rather limited-1.a big Wayne drum which would take stuff under about 5" about as fast as 3 men could feed it with minimal trimming. 2.a small Wood-Pro which I currently own that will handle stuff under 3" pretty speedily for 1 man IF it is cut out straight. I want to move up to a larger machine simply to eliminate cutting down brush and handling so many pieces. I don't deal with very much big wood and have a handy market for everything over 4" so I won't move up to a very large machine personally.( Though I will run a lot of the small potential firewood thru the chipper to save time when I have the machine to do so handily.)
Dan Flinn
ArboristSite Member
I found a great deal on a Bandit 200+ with the 80 hp diesel. With sharp knives, I can chip anything that two men can drag to it. That is extremely important since I don't have an outlet for the wood. I can chip a 10 inch pine tree whole faster than I can cut it up into pieces and load it. Also, I can get rid of a truckload of chips many times easier than a truck half filled with chips and the rest pieces of trunk.
I really wanted the 250xp but it is a bit big for my one ton to pull. The 200+ taxes it, but not to the point that it compromises safety. I like the idea of a winch mounted on the feed shoot. I think that would sure save some back.
I've only had mine for less than a year and put 50 hours on it. Aside from some minor feed wheel problems and the regular maintenance, I havn't had a bit of trouble with it. It is a 1995 model with 790 hours.
I agree with the guys about the smaller chipper syndrome. I have a buddy who has a Bandit 90. It's great for limbs, but stinks for removals.
Hope this helps,
Dan
I really wanted the 250xp but it is a bit big for my one ton to pull. The 200+ taxes it, but not to the point that it compromises safety. I like the idea of a winch mounted on the feed shoot. I think that would sure save some back.
I've only had mine for less than a year and put 50 hours on it. Aside from some minor feed wheel problems and the regular maintenance, I havn't had a bit of trouble with it. It is a 1995 model with 790 hours.
I agree with the guys about the smaller chipper syndrome. I have a buddy who has a Bandit 90. It's great for limbs, but stinks for removals.
Hope this helps,
Dan
treeclimber165
Member A.K.A Skwerl
Dan Flinn- You only run your chipper an hour a week? Why have one?
Stumper- Sounds like the Vermeer 935 or possibly the 1000BC would fit your needs well. Either will easily handle 6" material without wearing on the machine. What KC says is true. Just because a chipper can take a 12" limb doesn't mean you can feed it 12" wood all day long. The 935 is rated for 9" material (occassionally), and isn't as heavy as pulling a bigger machine.
Most of my experience is with 12" chippers. The 200XP and 250XP brush bandit, Vermeer 1250 and 1230. Also used several chuk-n-ducks and Brett's big 14" Morbark down in Tampa. On the 12" chippers, it seems like the BB's are easier to feed but the Vermeer holds up better. Brett's Morbark is simply awesome and blows all the others away in my opinion. But for $36K or whatever it was it darn well better!
Why have one? Stumper- Sounds like the Vermeer 935 or possibly the 1000BC would fit your needs well. Either will easily handle 6" material without wearing on the machine. What KC says is true. Just because a chipper can take a 12" limb doesn't mean you can feed it 12" wood all day long. The 935 is rated for 9" material (occassionally), and isn't as heavy as pulling a bigger machine.
Most of my experience is with 12" chippers. The 200XP and 250XP brush bandit, Vermeer 1250 and 1230. Also used several chuk-n-ducks and Brett's big 14" Morbark down in Tampa. On the 12" chippers, it seems like the BB's are easier to feed but the Vermeer holds up better. Brett's Morbark is simply awesome and blows all the others away in my opinion. But for $36K or whatever it was it darn well better!
FBerkel
ArboristSite Operative
Blackwater,
Count me as a very satisfied bc1000 owner. With sharp blades, it chips softer woods to 12 inches very easily, makes excellent quality chips, people want to pay for them. Also, it hauls brush in very reliably, even with just one wheel. Only problem is with wide crotches in tough wood, sometimes you have to cut them down.
Count me as a very satisfied bc1000 owner. With sharp blades, it chips softer woods to 12 inches very easily, makes excellent quality chips, people want to pay for them. Also, it hauls brush in very reliably, even with just one wheel. Only problem is with wide crotches in tough wood, sometimes you have to cut them down.
treeman82
Addicted to ArboristSite
Do any of you guys have any experience with the side rollers on the Vermeers? I have not heard one bad thing about them yet. All I have heard in regards to them has been good things. Brian is right though about the Morbarks... those things run like raped apes.
blackwaterguide
ArboristSite Member
chippers
Thanks for the input guys. The really large chippers, 100 hp and above are out of my league. I do spend? waste? time with firewooding. I think the 85 hp cummins would be ideal-a friend of mine in the know says its hell of a motor. I got a ground saw and loppers not far from the chute for the forks that always seem to get in the way. I've also been toying with the idea of a gooseneck dump and get a chipper I can haul with a one ton 7.3L Ford, beefed up pintle hitch should do it? Sure would get me in some tight spots, alleys and you name it, that a big chipper truck won't. Again, you all take care, God bless.
Thanks for the input guys. The really large chippers, 100 hp and above are out of my league. I do spend? waste? time with firewooding. I think the 85 hp cummins would be ideal-a friend of mine in the know says its hell of a motor. I got a ground saw and loppers not far from the chute for the forks that always seem to get in the way. I've also been toying with the idea of a gooseneck dump and get a chipper I can haul with a one ton 7.3L Ford, beefed up pintle hitch should do it? Sure would get me in some tight spots, alleys and you name it, that a big chipper truck won't. Again, you all take care, God bless.
treeman82
Addicted to ArboristSite
What do you mean by "gooseneck dump?" Gooseneck, makes me think of trailers. If you are looking to get into tight areas with a truck and chipper, then you want either a small dump, no bigger than an F550 with a 9' chip box, or a cab over with a 10' bed or there abouts. Pull a chipper of whatever size behind that and you are set.
blackwaterguide
ArboristSite Member
Sorry, wrong use of words. We use a gooseneck 18' for firewood and sometimes logs. We are now building sides for a 3/4 250 single rear wheel with 625 vermeer. The 625 wouldn't be so bad if it had more power but the chip chute even clogs up enough to ruin your day, not to mention if clutch engaged too late you got to take the dang thing apart cause of even the smallest brush. Kf said it like it is for me--I got firewood market and lots of woodlot so I keep 4" up most times. I probably need twice the horsepower though and I think I like the disc system, knives sharp and all things equal. I'm gonna check out the 935 and the BB . The truck we're using now is a dually 1 ton and we're not big enough to move up to a 450 or 550...not sure we'll need to as 1 tons are cheap and can move the crew which never seem to have transport anyway!
Dan Flinn
ArboristSite Member
Hey treeclimber,
I guess you're right, the average is only about 1 hour a week. I never really thought about it that way.
Most all of what I do is crown cleaning with the occasional removal. 2 hours of climbing, 20 minutes of chipping. I guess I could start the chipper and just let it run......
I work full time with the city fire department. Or, should I say, 10 days a month I go to the fire department to rest. I can only work caring for trees 3 days a week at the most and some of that time is looking at jobs, etc.
Why have a chipper? I got the deal of a lifetime when the rental company were we used to rent had to sell due to hard times....
Dan
I guess you're right, the average is only about 1 hour a week. I never really thought about it that way.
Most all of what I do is crown cleaning with the occasional removal. 2 hours of climbing, 20 minutes of chipping. I guess I could start the chipper and just let it run......
I work full time with the city fire department. Or, should I say, 10 days a month I go to the fire department to rest. I can only work caring for trees 3 days a week at the most and some of that time is looking at jobs, etc.
Why have a chipper? I got the deal of a lifetime when the rental company were we used to rent had to sell due to hard times....
Dan
Jock
ArboristSite Operative
Try a Schleisling................you'll be hooked.........throw anything at them..Jock
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
I agree with most that is said here,
- around 12 inch infeed to handle wide crotch angles
- around 85 hp deisel for good power, gass lugs down too easy
- not too big so you can get into residential properties, big machiens are for the removal companies
- drum is cheaper to buy and maintain then disk. Those disks are heavy and cost a lot top machine. Get the drum and put the extra weght in the engine.
- Vermeer 1000 is a very good general pruning machine, easy to back in and takes any limb. Feed wheel speed control comes standard and the clutch engage is near groundie proof.
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FBerkel
ArboristSite Operative
bc 1000
Also, drum bearings should last longer than disc, due to smaller radial momentum. This chipper model is only a few years old, so the track record doesn't exist yet, but that's one area where I would assume they will perform well over time. (down side may be greater back-pressure on engine; that may be a problem).
Also, drum bearings should last longer than disc, due to smaller radial momentum. This chipper model is only a few years old, so the track record doesn't exist yet, but that's one area where I would assume they will perform well over time. (down side may be greater back-pressure on engine; that may be a problem).
blackwaterguide
ArboristSite Member
chippers
Want to thank all you guys for your input, this site is really great and I'm finding out more all the time. I respect all the opinions. A company around here has a WC 17 and I am nearly convinced that the bc1000xl is very close to its speed. At least I can't discern a great difference. The b3.3 cummins is one heck of a motor and the machine manuverability suits my needs, as JP pointed out. I'm sure everyone has their preferences to suit their particular needs. I'm still looking around for that great bargain, however! We'll make due with what we got for now. You all have a great new year-be careful, God bless.
Want to thank all you guys for your input, this site is really great and I'm finding out more all the time. I respect all the opinions. A company around here has a WC 17 and I am nearly convinced that the bc1000xl is very close to its speed. At least I can't discern a great difference. The b3.3 cummins is one heck of a motor and the machine manuverability suits my needs, as JP pointed out. I'm sure everyone has their preferences to suit their particular needs. I'm still looking around for that great bargain, however! We'll make due with what we got for now. You all have a great new year-be careful, God bless.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
Re: bc 1000
Deisel's are designed to handle that though. Cant see it being a problem if knife maint. is kept up and infeed RPM is properly managed.
Deisel's are designed to handle that though. Cant see it being a problem if knife maint. is kept up and infeed RPM is properly managed.
