Chipper Chipper...or chipper/shredder?

[acohen100]

I was chatting with my sales rep today and asked him to price out some chippers. He recommends that I avoid chipper/shredders. His reasoning was that chipper/shredders self feed poorly and in general will have handling limitations with regard to diameters (smaller) and ages (can't cut green) of wood per a given HP tractor. Can anyone comment on this?

 

[Ductape]

What is your goal? Lots of heavy chipping, on your hundred acres? Or, chipping a few weekends per year on your half acre?

I have a smaller (about four inch) chipper shredder. I think its works great. And since i got the clearances corrected on the knives... it virtually feeds itself. It also makes small mounds out of hugh piles of leaves and sticks in the fall. It has no problem chipping green or dry stuff..... though a good dry three inch oak limb will rattle your teeth a little.

However, if i were maintaining some acreage... i'd own a commercial duty 6 inch or greater chipper with an auto feed.

I suspect your PTO horsepower will also be a determining factor in what you purchase.

 

[jdbower]

There's nothing inherent in a chipper/shredder that says a 4" chipper/shredder won't be able to accept branches that an equivalent 4" chipper will accept (well, except for a minor loss in effective HP but I haven't noticed on my little 2520). Nor will it feed any worse than the same design on a chipper. However, for the same money you can get a much better chipper as the shredder portion adds a lot of expense. I've recently discovered that the shredder seems to handle heavily rotted willow chunks very well, I've also put on a leather jacket and feed some brambles into it (trust me, leather sleeves are a must for shredding thorny growth!). If it's just fresh wood you'll be chipping you may be better off with a 6" chipper for the same price as a 4" chipper/shredder - but it's not the shredder that's the problem, it's the cost of the chipper with the shredder compared to the cost without.

 

[crd]

At least on my chipper-shredder (Bearcat 70554) the chipper feed is separate from the shredder bin, and the chipperself-feeds anything up to 5" just fine. I will say that the shredder is a lot more "exciting" to feed, as you have to push stuff in and once the shredder grabs it hanks it from your hand. Long sleeves and gloves are mandatory

The PTO HP limitation is something to consider -- with my BX2350 the engine will start to bog down chipping larger pieces over about 6' long. Never seen it even blink using the shredder.

 

[acohen100]

So if I understand correctly, a chipper/shredder is more expensive and gives you a finer mulch with the ability to feed in smaller stuff such as weeds and leaves into the hopper. Whereas a chipper is less expensive and gives you a more coarse mulch. Otherwise they can both handle identical debris. Is that about right? Also is there anything you can do with a shredder that you can't do with a chipper?

My current debate is between the Bearcat 70554 (chipper/shredder) and the Wallenstien BX42 (chipper). About a $500 difference between them.

 

[BRUSHTAMERS]

My Bearcat has a chipping chute that leads to a flywheel with four chipping knives, and a hopper on top that dumps directly into the shredding knives. Dealer suggested nothing much larger than 3/4" into the shredder. Most of what I deal with is Shore Pine, which doesn't go at all well, as it jams easily unless the limbs are cut very small.If I replace this unit, it will be with a hydraulic feed roller type. Kinda spendy, about $6500. SIDEY

 

[jdbower]

A shredder is essentially a series of hammers and is better suited for non-woody plants like vines and leaves. Chippers are spinning blades for branches and, while they can take vines, they don't processes them well at all. If you're mostly out cleaning up branches a chipper will do, but if you want to dispose of things like tomato plants, piles of leaves, brambles, etc, you'll probably want a shredder as well.

High-volume soft stuff = shredder
Dense woody plants and branches = chipper

 

[IslandTractor]

My current debate is between the Bearcat 70554 (chipper/shredder) and the Wallenstien BX42 (chipper). About a $500 difference between them.

I have the 70554 and like it a lot but the BX42 is also a very fine machine. I like having the chipper so you don't need to figure out what to do with small stuff. Just toss it in the shredder. However, if I did not have the shredder I'd just toss that stuff aside and come back later with the Bush Hog so I don't think it is a critical point.

 

[FRAN3]

I have the Bearcat 70554 (chipper/shredder) and run anything under 1" through the shredder, which I find handy when dropping smaller trees. This machine takes saplings and long branches, under 1", instantly through the shredder, even while a larger material is running through the chipper. It does take 110% concentration to feed as you need to keep your hands and arms out of the brush that is beyond where you are holding it as it is pulled in so fast. The dealer told me to never allow your hands/arms over the hopper, but to feed it from the side.

I find, for PTO HP on my BX 23, that 4" is about max for the chipper

FRAN3

 

[BobQ]

I have a Jinma 6"chipper, I have only used it for about 20 hours. I have put all of my tree tops and brances through it with out any trouble. Most of the trees were green and had leaves. I have never had a shredder so I can't compare, but for me, the chipper has worked well!

Bob