Chipper Salsco chipper shredder

[Anonymous Poster]

I've been looking for a brush chipper (the CFO wanted one for the tractor) but after posting about them I seem to find that most folks with chippers have a seperate machine.
Well I went to the dealer today and he has a used 20 HP Salsco trailer model he wants to unload. Kohler twin, disc type chipper, and shredder w/ 1' diameter pickup hose. The machine is in good shape, but is different than the units they have on their site. It looks to have a 6" throat on the chipper intake, and is gravity fed (no controlled infeed). It looks to be the type of machine used for rental, or for golf course maintenance. The price is not much more than a 3ph unit and it looks like it would take anything I could throw at it.
Anybody know about Salsco?? Looking for opinions as this this looks like a pretty good price but I have no experience with chippers.
Thanks,
DaveL
Note: I meant small 3ph units that would fit on a bx2200. Thanks

 

[Chipperman]

DaveL
What your saw is most likely a older 620 (if it is truly 20hp). It was replaced by the 625 (25hp) and than their were a number of up grades and changes to the machine. If you are looking mainly for a chipper you my not be happy. If you need to vacum and grind windrows of leaves, chip 2-3.5" material, an ocasional 4-4.5" and dispose of prunings it works quite well. blades need to be sharpened often (it has 1/4" blades). It will not feed when they get dull. Your BX2200 will run the 824 but it will have a hard time picking it up. You will need to have a loader to balance it but it (the tractor) will still be very light in the front end. Sorry I do not have more positive things to say. The 824 is an excellent unit but the BX2200 is a very small tractor. Hope that helps. You may be better off with a 4" Bearcat PTO gravity feed chipper. I think they cost around $3000 or so.
Chipperman

 

[Chipperman]

DaveL
Salsco also makes a #8416 chipper. It is a powered version of the 824. It comes on a trailer and has a 16hp Engine. With feed sensing (thats the way I would buy it) it sells for around $8000 plus shipping and tax. It works excellent. Looks just like a scaled down version of the big comercial chippers. You can check them out at Salsco web site
Chipperman
PS: the New version of the 625 should be their too.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Chipperman,
Thanks for your reply. This unit is not pto powered. It has a 20 hp Kohler twin mounted on a slide base towards the front left side of the trailer. To engage the chipper, you pull a handle , and the engine slides forward to engage the belt drive. The chipper infeed is on the right side, and the discharge is to the back. The shredder is on the left side, has the 1' dia. pickup hose, and a door on top of the chamber. Its on a trailer w/ 14" tires (looks original). Its ready to run down the road if the tail lights are replaced. Model # (I think) was 10027.
I'm looking at it after pricing a Woods pto unit ($2700) and the Northern Tool unit. For not too much more than the Northern it seems like a pretty heavily built chipper. I will use it here, and a couple of friends who do land clearing are interested in renting/ borrowing it when the need arises. If it will chip 3 to 4" limbs easily I will be happy.
Sorry I didn't give a better description in my first post. Does this description nail it down better? What do you think??
THANKS MUCH,
DaveL

 

[WCarlson]

DaveL,
I have been very pleased with my DR Chipper from Country Home Products. I have the 18 HP trailerable model and the biggest problem I have with 4.5 inch trees or branches is getting out of the way when it devours them. They no longer have the bottom discharge unit with the 18 hp electric start, however have a 16 hp unit that is identical, except for the engine. Here is a link: <font color="blue"> DR Chipper</font> I have had mine for over two years and have had only two minor engine problems, both of which were handled quickly by my local B&S dealer with CHP picking up the tab. They have a return policy that can't be beat. If you don't like it, return it within 30 days and they refund your money. They also provide a video demo. Further, I think the DR will handle anything you throw at it at a lot lower price than the Salsco.
Bill

 

[MarkV]

Several years ago someone said that the DR Chipper could be ordered as a PTO unit. I know they do not advertise that as an option so a call would be in order.

Edit: Well I was wrong sort of. The web site that Wcarlson linked now shows a 3pt model for just under $1800. Not bad.

MarkV

 

[bobnewjersey]

Dave....I have the Bearcat 8" pto hydro feed model 72854. I looked at a seperate chipper unit but decided to go with the pto. One of my reasons was that when attached to the 3 pt, I can go almost anywhere, versus trailering it. No issues with starting it either! But the bottom line was that it was a lot less money.

 

[Chipperman]

DaveL
I am very familar with the 620 and 625. If you would be happy with a DR/Troybilt type unit you will be quite happy with the Salsco 620. Your land clearing friends though will not. They need a hydraulic feed chipper with at least 6" capacity.
Good luck
Chipperman

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks everyone for your input. Chipperman, you are right on with the feed issue. My buddy is looking for a disk chipper with hydraulic feed and 8 to 12" capacity.
I started looking around for one because I have about 8 trees to take out and a pretty large pile of brush (10' high x 20-30' diameter) to burn or chip. My wife was interested in making mulch with all of it instead of buying mulch.
A price check locally for chipper rental surprised me: $62 a day for a 20 hp chipper. I also called a local outfit about cutting and chipping the tress, and their price was way lower than I expected, around $600-$700. I would have had someone in anyway, as 2 of the trees are over the house and have to be pieced out.

Under the circumstances, its hard to justify $1500-$2000 for a chipper. So I guess I'm going the rental route.
Thanks again for all of your input.
DaveL