Six inch chipper, or do I go larger

[BranchWalker74]

Hi I have been running my own small tree service for over a year now. In the past my town would chip the brush on the side of the road. They saw my truck too many times. One of the guys on the town crew pulled up when I was doing a large removal, and said they were cutting me off. They are not suppose to clean up after tree services. I can understand. I will go into the next season with a brush chipper. What my question is: I am prepaired to spend about $4,000 for a chipper. Do I go with a 6" chipper like a Vermere 626 or do I go with a older large drum style? I have never used a 6" chipper, I have used a old large drum chipper at my last job. I am chipping into the back of a 3/4 ton pickup with plywood sides, untill I get a dump. I plan on using a chipper allmost every day. What should I do?

 

[huskycandoit]

I would stay with the 6" until you get a dump unless you wanna kill your truck. Anything bigger your truck will be dogging anywhere you go with a full load of chips. And a 9" or a drum is to heavy for a 3/4 ton. It would pull it but not to good with a full load of chips. The only thing is that you will need some one to take the big wood.

 

[BranchWalker74]

Thank you huskycandoit. I did not think about the towing part.

 

[arboromega]

hey bushman did you read this post? you were talking about a 6" vermeer today.

 

[tnttreeman]

I have an old Asplundh 9" drum chipper that I pulled with a 3/4 ton truck just like what you're describing. I used it for places where my 5 ton was too heavy. Motor wise my truck had plenty of power to pull it, but suspension wise I was usually overloaded. Plus, in Pennsylvania chippers aren't usually registered so their gross weight is included in that of the truck. With an empty bed you are probably technically overloaded. If your state requires registration on chippers then this is not a problem because their plate will carry the weight.
Also, you have to decide how fast you need to chip and what size branches you want to chip. My 9" drum will chip at least twice as fast as a 6" disc and bigger stuff.
Another factor to consider is safety. The disc chipper usually has a reverse on the feed. A drum usually does not (unless equipped with self feed wheels). I've never had a problem, but it only takes the blink of an eye with the drum chipper's speed versus the speed of a disc chipper.

 

[topnotchtree]

Heck, I thought I was the only one in the world using a 9 inch drum chipper! Glad to see I am not the only one. You will have to look into the legal loading that tnt was speaking of. Here in Michigan, chippers are considered an implement so they do not carry a plate, but, I have never heard of the chipper weight being added to the truck for legal loading purposes. I pulled my chipper with a 93 Ford half ton, but I added two leafs in the back to help carry the load. I love my drum whipper chipper. Its lightweight and can chip armfulls at a time. Anything too big for me to chip usually is firewood anyway. With your budget, I would recommend a smaller drum chipper. 9 inchers I am sure are hard to find, but you should be able to find a 12 incher with a smaller 4 cyl. motor. You may find a 12 incher with a v8 also, but I would stay away from them due to the extra weight, and fuel consumption.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

If your gonna be towing your chipper with a 3/4 ton truck you may wanna go with a lighter drum style chipper. Disk style chippers are usually a lot heaver than the drum style, You can pick up an old Asplundh chuck an duck for reasonably cheap. Ya just gotta make sure ya keep the knives sharp, other wise they can be a pain. I try to sell most of the firewood that is 6" or larger, so a smaller chipper is OK, even though I am running a 12" Bandit. It makes it easier to run bigger limbs through, or if you gotta deal with wirey branches, like locust, Russian olive, or apple, the bigger chipper eats em up with less trimming.

Kenn

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

From what it sounds like you would want to go with a 6 inch drum. Engin is not too big of a deal, because you're chipping small stuff. Say 4 inches and less, the rest you cut to firewood and stack roadside for people to pick up.

Find people who burn that will pick up for free.

I've several jobs where we chip the little stuff and the client hauls the wood out to the curb for the scavengers to pick up. Some places even willow disapears over night.

The thing you want to look for in a chipper is a wide infeed shoot so that crotches will break. Newer small chipper will have narrow infeed hight, but a very wide width, some 15-20 inches to accomodate wide angle branches.

Older chippers can be a PITA because you have to cut everything down, or at least put a curf in the crotches so they will feed in.

 

[Stumper]

Dynamite, It sounds like your operation will be well served with either a 6" capacity Disc or a smaller drum style chipper. the Disc will be both lighter to tow and will make smaller chips that allow more on the truck. There is no doubt that you need to get the chipper but I am always fascinated by municipalities that pick up brush _"but not from a professional's work". On one hand this almost seems reasonable. "We are providing a service for our citizens but it doesn't extend to debris generated by pros.".....But wait a sec. Joe Citizen cuts down his tree and piles it by the curb-No problem. Now Joe pays a pro to cut his tree down and pile it by the curb-"You can't do that". Hmmm .... so now Joe Citizen who the city wanted to provide a service to (justifying the tax rate he pays on his property) has to pay double so that the pro will haul his mess. Well served wasn't he?

 

[Davidsinatree]

Dynamite Wedge,
I also have a small tree service and chip into my 1ton pickup with plywood sides. My first chipper was a 6'' disc, it did serve me well but cutting stuff down to fit through the feed chute was adding to my clean up time. I sold it and went with a 4 cyl 12'' drum. No more cutting brush down to fit the feed chute, these drum chippers eat brush about as fast as you can feed them. I would go with a drum......its as simple as that. Good luck!

Here is a pic of my little rig.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Swings and roundabouts, I think either would be good for you, I personally love my 6 inch disc. I think its the deal you get on either chipper that will decide it.

 

[Ekka]

(SNIP)

very poor taste-
Mr. Moderator

 

[bushman]

The 6 is ok for weight to pull with a load,pulled with a heavy half ton.the verm.6 is a good chipper to start . drum chuck and ducks are fast but are not as safe as a disc chipper.

 

[huskycandoit]

Chipper

On the chipper I would go with a 6" Bandit or Morbark. I choose them because they run nicer than the vermeer. And on the Vermeers they are to compact and if your not good backing them up you will jakc knife real easy. The Bandit and Morbarks are little bit long and it wont give yoi such a hrad time.

 

[treeman45246]

On a different tack, with no dump you're going to get sick of shoveling out that truck. As someone who chips into a 3/4 ton with no dump myself, I highly recommend getting a slick (Plastic) truckliner and a loadhandler. The loadhandlers run about 150 bucks or so and you'll not regret the purchase.

 

[Davidsinatree]

Treeman45246,
I am interested in knowing of people who have used and unloaded chips with the load handler. Is this the gadget that lays in the bed and has a crank handle on the tailgate. I would like to here some testimonies on this subject. Do you have one?

 

[DDM]

David? Why are there Chips all over your Chipper? Blow Back? Or is there a Chute Leak?

 

[DDM]

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...isplay?storeId=6970&productId=466604&R=466604

Had one gave it to goodwill about a yr ago never tried it for chips didnt work well for sand though.

 

[Davidsinatree]

DDM,
There are small gaps around where the chute hooks to the drum housing that have rubber flaps that are supposed to seal but they where wore out at the time this picture was taken. I have since done a partial fix to the problem and is much better. It was throwing alot of chips out the top making a nice little mess.

 

[DDM]

David, You might want to put a screen up on the chute side of the engine i had a chip get into the timing belt on my whisper chipper. Made for a short day of chipping.