Whats the best 12" chipper

[jeffe80]

I work in the front range of colorado and currently use a vermeer 1250 from 1990 and am looking for a new chipper. Any advise, praise or problems with brands and models would be greatly appreciated! I am testing a bandit 250 soon and was also considering vermeer and morbark.
Thanks

 

[tree md]

Personally I prefer Bandit and Mobark over Vermeer. I have a 9" Bandit and it rocks. I used to work with 12" and 18" Mobark chippers as well and they rocked. Vermeer is my least favorite. The feeder shoot is higher than the Bandit and Mobark chippers.

 

[chips_r_flying]

I've ran them all and would highly recommend a Bandit. I currently own a 1590 but used a 250 in the past. You will find the feed system is better than anything out there. The resale value is a lot better also. I'm not sure who the Bandit dealer is in CO but I'm sure they would be able to help you out, you can find the dealers on the manufacturers web sites.

 

[mnewbold]

Rayco RC12 can't go wrong.... its the best

 

[Mikecutstrees]

I have a BC 1000 vermeer 12" chipper. 85 hp diesel. Chips great and Iv'e had very few mechanical problems. Put well over 1,000 hours on it and it had 1,000 when I bought it. It pretty light to haul too at just under 5,000 lbs. good feed opening too at 12" x 17" ..... Mike

 

[prentice110]

definatley the bandit 250. make sure you get one with the feedwheel lift cylinder. It comes in handy for crushing brush and assisting the feed. stay away from vermeer. they put all there r and d money into the horizontal boring machines because they pull more profit from them. If you look there machines over there are alot of flaws. like dust and chips clogging the pto because they made a nice shelf for them to get caught on, or the autofeed servos located right over the feedwheels without a gard on it so when the right stick goes through the hole, the servo gets ripped off and you get to spend $250 or more on a new one. Fun. dont know much about morbarks but we put a bandit 250 next to a brand new vermeer 1400 , put the same size log in them at the same time and the bandit won. try to get one with the cummins in it

 

[ropensaddle]

One that has its own loader to grab the brush!

 

[tree md]

We've got the Bandit 90XP with the 90 horse Kubota in it. It 's been a good one.

 

[motoroilmccall]

Bandit 250 is the best we have, and we have a few Vermeer's. The nicest feature you'll quickly find is the Winch... Choke a whole pine and drag it to the chipper, then chunk it up and throw it in. Of course, occasionally it'll get jammed, but thats a time or two per season, and mostly because we do stupid things to it...

 

[2dogs]

We work off the beaten path quite often and a Vermeer doesn't work so well there because of the low hanging fiberglass cowling and short tires. The Bandit is much more rugged, though louder, when being drug around by a tractor or a dozer.
The best chipper is the one that is paid for. Dealer support is next most important.

 

[ropensaddle]

Tub grinder and grapple truck is my feelings.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Hey guys, Is this a "DE JA VU" - seems like a similar post, anyway, uh, I guess read the other posts.
Jeff