opinions on mitts and merrill chippers...

[joninatree]

looking to purchase a 1st chipper very soon and am intrigued by a few (fairly sublte) arguments for the mitts and merrill chippers (over the more commonly found asplundh/altec whisper chippers)...1) slower/steadier feed rate and perhaps better chip quality due to staggered knife pattern, 2) sideways-swiveling chute, and 3) low enough height to fit in a standard garage door.

I currently am thinking seriously about an 86' with a 16" drum with a torque adaptor (as opposed to clutch operated) that's 6 hours away. see pictures attached.

Anyone have any experience with these units, particularly in comparison to Whisper-type chippers?

 

[joninatree]

Anyone in or near the Loveland, OH area here with drum chipper experience? If there is, I'd like to offer to send someone a check for $75 if they'd be willing to look at it for me this weekend before I head up as planned Sunday evening (it's 6+hours each way for me...and I'm not really qualified at all to go over one of these machines as I've never used a drum chipper).