I have had a Bandit 1390 XP for around 5 years; bought it new; with financing interest, I think I paid a bit over 60k for it. Its a 15 inch with feed rollers, big diesel engine, four blades, and a winch. Yes, that is pricey -- but this sucker essentially eats anything. You can stuff the chute with big limbs (forks and all), and then turn on the machine and it disappears. Doubt smaller machines can deal with that.
Wish I could post the video of it eating an 80 ft. English elm. The technique for a large log or tree is to use the winch to get the butt into the feed rollers (and there is a lever you grab to open the rollers); once it is feeding (grinds in pulses), you take the rope off, usually attached by choking it wit a steel carabiner), and let to go. If needed, you can attach the rope farther down to help stuff it in the machine with the winch. That 80 ft. elm was gone in about 5 min.
I started our renting much smaller chippers from a crap rental business that sent out dull chippers -- while insisting they were "sharp". I was gonna let one burn one time when it couldn't chip a modest sized pine branch, and just started smoking... but didn't . Wasn't the machine's fault. My climber kind of talked me into getting the 1300XP (it wasn't his money!), but I do not regret it.
I grease the hell out of it (extends life of all kinds of moving parts), and because it is so efficient, you don't have to run it for hours at a time -- more like 10 - 15 min. to chip 15m - 20 piles of brush or logs. Even doing big removals, you might run it for 2 hours in a 10 hr. day. Haven't checked the hours lately, but I am sure the machine has held a lot of its value.
I have learned that buying used equipment can cost you -- like who knew it needed a rebuild immediately? And that warranty you paid a few extra grand for -- who knew that the warranty company won't pay for top of the line parts and service? (read the fine print!). I learned this the hard way when I bought an '08 Chevy Kodiak 4-wheel drive dump truck -- first thing I had to do was replace the turbos, and the warranty company first made me have the gas tank professionally cleaned and painted (had some rust inside), and all the fuel lines replaced, and then wouldn't pay for that ("preexisting condition"), nor the turbo replacement beyond 50%, because I didn't use their preferred parts and repair shop. Why would I go down market to repair a truck I just paid 50k for that was nearly new?
I was so pissed I didn't even put in the paperwork for the claim. Of course the truck had one of those stickers saying it was checked for "100 things, and no problems!" Somehow they missed the rusty tank, and that someone had put black tape over one of the idiot lights on the dash!! (that alerted you to the failing turbos).
Sorry for the thread hijack... but you might consider buying a new chipper!
