wood chipper/shredder

[emordnilap]

A friend of a friend is on the lookout for a non-electric shredder for a growing tree-related business. Lopping, topping, pruning and chopping, it was a one-man band but there's two of them in it now as wood fuel is increasing in popularity and they're wanting to bag up, sell or use all the scrappy bits as well as the burnable bits.

The question is to youse out there, do any of you have experience of petrol- or diesel- (or wvo-) powered wood shredders, meaning brands to look out for - with a optimum combination of sturdy, easy maintenance, relatively efficient, can put a wheelbarrow or similar catcher underneath?

[Tarrel]

I'm also in the market for one of these, so will be interested in the feedback.

I was very impressed with one I saw at the hampton Court flower show last year, made by Henchman. It looked like excellent build quality for the price, though I didn't see it in operation.

It's worth saying I have also considered an electric one in combination with a generator. Combined cost could be lower than a petrol shredder, with the added benefit of the generator having other uses. I bough to others with more experience though (geddit? )

[emordnilap]

Henchman, I'll look out for it, though I doubt they'll have a branch in Ireland.

[woodburner]

None of the small petrol/diesel machines are worth bothering with for a business. They make a lot of noise for a long time, and they probably don't meet safety requirements for trade use. The Timberwolf is probably the smallest useful one but they are heavy, expensive and nickable.

Chipping is wasting a fuel supply, but it's economic. Cutting the bits directly into burnable bits means the bits will need storing, and it takes time to process.

No free lunches.

[Little John]

A friend of a friend is on the lookout for a non-electric shredder for a growing tree-related business. Lopping, topping, pruning and chopping, it was a one-man band but there's two of them in it now as wood fuel is increasing in popularity and they're wanting to bag up, sell or use all the scrappy bits as well as the burnable bits.

The question is to youse out there, do any of you have experience of petrol- or diesel- (or wvo-) powered wood shredders, meaning brands to look out for - with a optimum combination of sturdy, easy maintenance, relatively efficient, can put a wheelbarrow or similar catcher underneath?

i own and use a McCulloch Pro-Mac 5000 petrol chipper as part of my business. I am a gardener. Basically, when I am lopping or felling trees for people, I process the branches, main limbs and trunks for firewood and bag them up to be sold in the winter (unless it's a nice fruit-wood like apple or pear. I keep any good bits back for wood turning). The rest of the tree (the brash), I run through the chipper and bag up for mulch to be sold onto customers next season. I can't speak for any other makes of chipper because I have not got any experience. But I can vouch that this one works well given that I work the hell out of it and it hasn't let me down this season (I got it at the start of of last summer). The only real repairs I have had to do is open it up and take out the flywheel occasionally to bash the flails back into shape when I have worked it too hard. It runs on a Briggs and Stratton 5hp engine. They are good, solid engines and will run for years.

I paid £160 second hand for mine.

I should say, it doubles up as an apple masher at the end of the summer to make cider.

One of my better buys.

[emordnilap]

None of the small petrol/diesel machines are worth bothering with for a business. They make a lot of noise for a long time, and they probably don't meet safety requirements for trade use. The Timberwolf is probably the smallest useful one but they are heavy, expensive and nickable.

Chipping is wasting a fuel supply, but it's economic. Cutting the bits directly into burnable bits means the bits will need storing, and it takes time to process.

No free lunches.

Thanks for the info.

I agree, there are better ways to use wood but when running a business under the current paradigm, different priorities prevail.

Fossil fuels for personal or entertainment use should end now and the remainder meted out over the coming centuries for precisely these types of industries.

I'm thinking of chipping in (ha!) with the lads in return for a twice-yearly use on my patch. I already have two piles of branches (brashings?) which need clearing. We can use the shreds as weed suppressant on paths.

And Steve, many thanks for that useful info. Can you get a wheelbarrow under the output?

[Tarrel]

@Steve;

Thanks for the info on the McCulloch.

[Little John]

None of the small petrol/diesel machines are worth bothering with for a business. They make a lot of noise for a long time, and they probably don't meet safety requirements for trade use. The Timberwolf is probably the smallest useful one but they are heavy, expensive and nickable.

Chipping is wasting a fuel supply, but it's economic. Cutting the bits directly into burnable bits means the bits will need storing, and it takes time to process.

No free lunches.

Thanks for the info.

I agree, there are better ways to use wood but when running a business under the current paradigm, different priorities prevail.

Fossil fuels for personal or entertainment use should end now and the remainder meted out over the coming centuries for precisely these types of industries.

I'm thinking of chipping in (ha!) with the lads in return for a twice-yearly use on my patch. I already have two piles of branches (brashings?) which need clearing. We can use the shreds as weed suppressant on paths.

And Steve, many thanks for that useful info. Can you get a wheelbarrow under the output?

You can't quite get a barrow under the output chute. However, it has a special tough woven sack that attaches to the chute. It comes straight off when it's full and can be emptied into a barrow in a second. Alternatively, you can put a builder's trug directly under the chute and empty that into a barrow when full. The only real problem there is that the force of the chips coming out of the chipper means that they may well be blasted straight out of the trug as quickly as they are going in. I've used the sack and then emptied into a barrow before when I have had to lead the chippings from the back of someones house round to the front and into my builder's trailer. So, it's easily and conveniently doable.

An alternative would be to mount the chipper on a platform with a small ramp to walk up to it. That way, you could walk a barrow directly under the chute on the other side. This would only work if you don't need to move the chipper about. Mine has wheels and so is usefully portable. Another problem you may have is that the chips are as likely to be blasted out of a barrow as easily as they would be blasted out of a builder's trug. You'd need something with higher sides.

[emordnilap]

Another problem you may have is that the chips are as likely to be blasted out of a barrow as easily as they would be blasted out of a builder's trug. You'd need something with higher sides.

The things you learn on PS.

There are some 'garden' barrows around - sometimes two-wheeled and with quite high, straight sides. Usually mainly plastic, unfortunately, but if it works for the above (ie, the chips end up contained within it and not blasting out) and is not blaggarded by other jobs like shifting stones, it could last for years. One full of wood chips might not be too heavy, either.

[kenneal - lagger]

I've just put "McCulloch Pro-Mac 5000 petrol chipper" into Google and the first reference that came up is Steve's post above here on PS.

We have influence.

[JohnB]

I've just put "McCulloch Pro-Mac 5000 petrol chipper" into Google and the first reference that came up is Steve's post above here on PS.

We have influence.

I tried that, but couldn't find anything on the actual chipper!

[emordnilap]

I've just put "McCulloch Pro-Mac 5000 petrol chipper" into Google and the first reference that came up is Steve's post above here on PS.

We have influence.

I tried that, but couldn't find anything on the actual chipper!

I found a pdf of the instruction manual. McCulloch crop up on Australian and South African pages.

There's always pages such as the following:
http://www.mowdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Mow ... S_282.html
http://www.mowerwarehouse.co.uk/acatalo ... above.html
http://www.worldofpower.co.uk/garden-ma ... ppers.html
http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/subpr ... 00510.aspx
http://www.click4mowers.co.uk/petrol-garden-shredders/
http://www.titan-pro.co.uk/garden-petro ... egory.aspx
http://www.thelawnmowercompanydirect.co ... -418-c.asp
http://www.thegreenreaper.co.uk/Shredde ... perpage=-1

[JohnB]

There's always pages such as the following:
http://www.mowdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Mow ... S_282.html.....

But new ones are silly money. I wanted a page where I could get what Steve has for the price he paid!

[emordnilap]

FIO.

[Little John]

There's always pages such as the following:
http://www.mowdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Mow ... S_282.html.....

But new ones are silly money. I wanted a page where I could get what Steve has for the price he paid!

Mine was second hand off Ebay

Here's some currently advertised. Though, I am bound to say, you are picking the worst time of the year to buy as we are at peak of season and they are in most demand. Best time to buy would be January the 1st.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?LH_Ite ... ol+chipper

Even so, I am guessing £400 (second hand) should get you what you need. You might have to travel a bit, though. I had a 200 mile round trip to get mine.