Good first chipper?

[bonker81]

I hoping to break out on my own in a year or so full time. I'm looking to acquire a chipper probably in the 6"-8" range as I really only need it for brush not ruining good firewood. What is a good "starter" machine and what should I look for on used machines when I check them out? I'm very mechanically inclined but I don't really know much about chippers. What are the most maintenance friendly chippers out there?

 

[arbor pro]

whisper chipper with ford 6cyl industrial engine (300 cu in). a bit dangerous if you're not careful but very easy to maintain and cheap to own.

Or, you can get a bandit 90 or 150 if you want feed rollers or a vermeer 1230 or 1250. It's somewhat of a ford, chevy dodge question though. Everyone on this site will have his or her own opinion but no one will agree on any one single chipper. Most however, seem to agree that the whisper chipper is a pretty good basic chipper for 6" material...

 

[2dogs]

There is a world of difference between a 6" chipper and a 9" chipper. A 6" will take material in the 2" range and maybe up to 3" if you are in a hurry. A 9" will take 4" and up to maybe 6" but slowly. Either size can be found with a diesel powerplant but it is rare in a 6" model. A 9" gas chipper is a gas hog (unless you get it with a diesel). I would look around and find out what dealers are close to you and buy according to that. Bandit, Vermeer, and Morbark are the only brands to consider in this area.

Keep your disc knives sharp and (if you buy a used chipper) pull the bed knife and learn how to adjust it.Don't over stress your chipper, you will regret it.

 

[bonker81]

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about a 6" chipper but maybe a 9" would be a better fit.

 

[tree md]

I got a Bandit 90XP, 9" with a Kubota 90 horse diesel for my first (and only) chipper. The Bandit 9" chipper will indeed take limbs up to 9". Bought it with money I made on an ice storm. Got a hell of a deal on it but had to travel a good distance to pick it up. It has been rock solid

 

[bonker81]

funny you mention that, i was just checking out that model

 

[tree md]

Here's what mine had on it when I bought it. That's 2.4 hours, not 24.

Another pic.

 

[arbor pro]

Here's what mine had on it when I bought it. That's 2.4 hours, not 24.

Another pic.

Must've had a new paint job put on it before you bought it as it looks like overspray next to the hour meter. The factory wouldn't have painted it with the guages on it - someone else did that...

 

[tree md]

Yeah, I noticed that too. I didn't have it painted though. Must have been either the equipment company I bought it from or the municipality that they bought it from.

The story on the chipper is that it was bought with FEMA money by a municipality in AR who either had to use the money or loose it after a hurricane down South. They supposedly used the chipper once then garaged it for ten years. We have used it for over a year and the only problem we have had is having to replace old hydraulic lines. The thing EATS wood.

 

[bonker81]

How fast will it go through a 9" limb?

 

[tree md]

How fast will it go through a 9" limb?

It does a decent job on 9" limbs. I haven't timed it but the auto feed kicks in frequently on hard wood. To tell the truth though, only time I chip 9" is when I have a lot of wood to haul and I'm trying to save a second trip. Otherwise, anything over 6" is firewood to me. I chipped a lot of 9" stuff when I first got it but I don't try to max it out unless I have to anymore. I try to take it easy on the chipper.

 

[bonker81]

I burn too and wouldn't chip anything that big. Frankly 3-4" is firewood to me. I was just curious about how it would handle it.

 

[tomtrees58]

whisper chipper with ford 6cyl industrial engine (300 cu in). a bit dangerous if you're not careful but very easy to maintain and cheap to own.


:agree2:that was my first got it new in 1980 think$ 7400.00 just sold last year got $2500.00 not to bad tom trees

 

[radisoon]

RE good first chipper

Check out Altec's new 912 chipper. They seem to be a good chipper for the smaller timber. It has a 49hp engine and chips from what I heard good.

 

[Bearcreek]

What are you pulling it with?

 

[bonker81]

F-250 for now.

 

[Bearcreek]

I have a Morbark Model 13 that I pull with a Dodge 2500. Its been a great machine. Only problem I've had is a bit of cracking in the welds at the bottom of the chute. Mines got the Cummins engine. I think they put a john deere in them as well. I like the Cummins because a lot of the parts are the same as my trucks engine and I know my way around it pretty well. Might be a heavier chipper than what you're looking for though. I could get away with a smaller one, but it is nice to have the extra capacity when I'm doing pines or cottonwood or something that's no good for firewood. From what i've seen, it's really not much more expensive to get a little bigger chipper if you're buying used.