Homeowner Chipper Recommendation

[sideofabarn]

I'm in the market for a homeowner chipper. I recently purchased 15 acres and I'm clearing brush and some trees. I'll use the trunks for firewood but I'll need to chip small limbs (2-4 inches) and invasive brush (Autumn Olive). Trees are pine and mixed hardwoods.

I'd like to spend no more then $1,500-$2,000.

Anyone have first-hand recommendations? Thanks for the knowledge.

 

[greg13]

Why mess around with a home owner unit? You should be able to find a good used commercial 6" chipper in that range, remember that it doesn't need to be pretty to do a lot of work. Vermeer, Morbark & Bandit are all great chippers.

 

[SCOTT S.]

I agree with greg13. We bought a used merry mac chipper a high end home owner model. I seen original sales receipt it was $3000. We used it for one day with brand new blades it took most of the day to cover one small flower garden. Go commercial or burn your brush and buy chips.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Check Home depot rentals ...they sell there rental units. Better yet rent one for the day to see what you would need/like!

 

[velvetfoot]

I bought a real old MacKissic (MightyMac), along the lines of this:
http://www.mackissicchippers.com/11grtochsh.html

It works a lot better than the Troy Bilt, or whatever (there are many that seem alike), that was a total POS. Doesn't clog.

But, if you're talking a bunch of 2-4" branches, fuggedaboutit. Maybe it can do 2". Maybe. You need horsepower. Horsepower isn't cheap. I'd make big piles and rent one. Or burn it.

 

[Allagash350]

Unless you have a tractor with PTO in my opinion there is no such thing as a home owner chipper. They may say 4 inch peice but your lucky to get 3 in, then it takes 5 minutes to do.
I would make brush piles and lay out all the brush. Once a year Go rent a 12 inch bc1000xl and be done in 4 -6 hours.

 

[sideofabarn]

Allagash-interesting, I was just looking at the PTO chippers.

I do have a tractor but its on the smaller side. It's a Kubota B7100. It's rated at 16 HP and it runs like a top. Unfortunately most PTO chippers require minimum 15 HP at the PTO (mine does 13 HP at the PTO).

I've been watching youtube videos on the PTO chippers and they appear very capable. I'm just worried about the size of my tractor.

 

[Allagash350]

I think for that size tractor you may be looking at something with a 3-4 inch capacity. The problem with small chippers in general, even 6 inch ones, is the amount of processing you need to do to get it in the opening. A 2 inch hardwood branch with a fork wider than the opening won't go into a 4 inch chipper. And you have to cut it again. That's why I like the big chippers. If you've got a tractor you could tow a bc1000 into the woods with you. You'd be amazed how fast you can chip with those. And it throws them much further.

 

[peakbagger]

I have borrowed troy built home chipper in the past, it was quite waste of time, made lots of noise but was very slow.

 

[mustash29]

My neighbor has a 4x4 Ford tractor that is about 35 hp. Not sure of the PTO hp. He has a 6" hydraulic self feed chipper. It does the job but will bog down with the larger stuff.

I have 2 acres of mature oaks with 1/2 acre of lawn in the middle. We get a lot of crap that falls with each wind storm. The 2" chute on my tow behind leaf vac / chipper SUCKS. I've been keeping my eye out for a decent homeowner unit myself. The DR chippers seem to have a decent reputation. But then I came across WoodMaxx. I am seriously contemplating one of them this spring.

They are made in NY, owner is a veteran, 5% vet discount. http://www.woodmaxx.com/

This is their 13.5 hp 4" model.

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[greg13]

I think for that size tractor you may be looking at something with a 3-4 inch capacity. The problem with small chippers in general, even 6 inch ones, is the amount of processing you need to do to get it in the opening. A 2 inch hardwood branch with a fork wider than the opening won't go into a 4 inch chipper. And you have to cut it again. That's why I like the big chippers. If you've got a tractor you could tow a bc1000 into the woods with you. You'd be amazed how fast you can chip with those. And it throws them much further.

The 6" units are more for the homeowner, You can pull them home with an SUV and at home we have had had people pull them with a garden tractor or 4 wheeler. The BC 1000 require a truck, they are around 5000#.
The smaller units do not have the crushing capability that the larger ones do to snap the limbs before feeding them but they still do a fair job. I would rent one before you buy anything.

Greg

 

[blades]

I have a 5" echo bear cat unit 20 hp chipper shredder - way out of your price bracket though it will do a 5" branch and like others ya got to get what ever you are feeding in the chipper port down to less than 5" dia. anything under an inch goes through the shredder portion . Bear cat makes a chipper only version as well as several others self powered or pto.

I would recommend the hd rental unit or similar to get the job done quicker Most of these are of the chuck and duck variety that I have seen - but by now they might have controlled feeds on them. Still you likely will have to do some sizing- to that end I use a right angle grinder with a 4" saw blade on it runing off a 1000w jenny- don't know how long those battery rigs would last.

I Think HD rents the BC 650 - I just looked at hd rental page don't see the 650 or 1000 but some little 2" thing. They may have changed due to liabilty reasons because I know that the store I pass every often had them on the lot.

 

[TreePointer]

If your goal is clearing an area one time, then I'd go with a rental chipper. If the goal is to have a chipper around for annual production of wood mulch for landscaping, foot paths, etc., then MAYBE I'd consider owning one.

My bottom line is that I'd rather not own and have to maintain a chipper if possible.

 

[firestorm]

To buy or rent, wrestled with the same problem and decided to buy. Mainly because of the ash borer and the need for one for sometime into the future. Did considerable research and ended with a Woodmax chipper. Its been 2 years, and the deciding factor besides the fair price and warranty was the weight of the flywheel, heavier than the rest. With a tractor, its one less motor to worry about. Woodmax is definitely worth considering. Here is the one I purchased.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I'm in the market for a homeowner chipper. I recently purchased 15 acres and I'm clearing brush and some trees. I'll use the trunks for firewood but I'll need to chip small limbs (2-4 inches) and invasive brush (Autumn Olive). Trees are pine and mixed hardwoods.

I'd like to spend no more then $1,500-$2,000.

Anyone have first-hand recommendations? Thanks for the knowledge.

I have an old super tomahawk, 8 hp. I love the thing, just have to be aware of what it can do. It'll go 3", but some stringy wood, like cedar, it does not like. With hard stuff like oak, better if it's green wood. Anything under an inch gets tossed into the shredder hopper. It is not self feeding. One day I'd like to buy a used 6" model as described above, until then, I'm limited to small stuff, but I really like using it.

 

[velvetfoot]

I have borrowed troy built home chipper in the past, it was quite waste of time, made lots of noise but was very slow.

I put mine at the end of the driveway and put a "Free" sign on it.