Anyone have experience with DR Chippers

   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #1  

fordmantpw

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Central MO
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I'm looking for a good, used, low-cost 3pt chipper and came across one on craigslist. I don't envision a tremendous amount of use, just some cleanup here and there.

Does anyone have experience with DR chippers? Does this look like a good deal? I have asked about the chute as I don't see it in the pic, but haven't heard back yet. Here is the link: Linky

Thanks for the help!
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #2  
Can't speak for the chipper specifically but I can tell you that DR makes some good products. I bought a used walk behind brush mower a few years back. It's built to take abuse and really works well around our property for clearing brush. Parts are easy to get.....DR was very helpful and even re-registered the mower under my name. Good luck!
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #3  
My wood cutting partner has the large DR chipper. He likes it very much. However, it is a stand-alone model, not a 3PH model.

It does only have one knife but it is larger (longer) than many others. It is somewhat difficult to reach and change out the knife according to him - I have not seen it done so can't comment.

The machine chips and throws the debris very well. There is no chute for leaves and small stuff but putting the little things through the main chute works fine.

He has experienced excellent customer support from the company.
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #4  
I've used two different 3-point DR chippers. For a while we borrowed my in-laws' top discharge version; I think they only make that style now. It worked great as long as the blade was reasonably sharp and gapped correctly. On a couple occasions the discharge chute jammed, but we found that that did not happen much if the RPM was up at full PTO operating speed.
Two years ago I bought a bottom-discharge DR chipper via craigslist and it has worked very well. My wife uses it (a lot more than I do) for chipping branches. It is the default implement that we have on the tractor most often.
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #5  
I suspect the DR chippers must be designed for class 0 & 1 mounting. I always have to bring the lift arms in, and use thin bushings on all the mounting pins.

Attached is an image of the old-style top discharge DR chipper I used to borrow. It is pretty compact and easy to muscle around.
100_0832.jpg
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Thanks for the input everyone. LehighValleyPA, after reading your post and looking at the pic you posted, I bet the one I posted is a bottom-discharge. Maybe that's why I don't see a chute?
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #7  
I have never personally owned a dr product, but I know people who have and I have heard great things.
I would like to ask what is the advantage of a chipper? I usually just burn the branches for a weiner roast, or pile them against the back fence.

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   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I have never personally owned a dr product, but I know people who have and I have heard great things.
I would like to ask what is the advantage of a chipper? I usually just burn the branches for a weiner roast, or pile them against the back fence.

There are tons of uses for wood chips (mulch). Here are a few of uses that I have planned:

  • Mulch around new trees
  • Add to a compost pile to make compost for our garden
  • Cover hilly sections of ATV trails to prevent erosion
 
   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers #9  
There are tons of uses for wood chips (mulch). Here are a few of uses that I have planned:


[*]Mulch around new trees
[*]Add to a compost pile to make compost for our garden
[*]Cover hilly sections of ATV trails to prevent erosion

So is the purpose of having the chipper is more for getting chips than for getting rid of the tree debris? They look like a cool tool and I think it would be fun to own, but I am still just trying to figure out the reasons why so that I can put together a good excuse package for the lovely wife.

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   / Anyone have experience with DR Chippers
  • Thread Starter
#10  
So is the purpose of having the chipper is more for getting chips than for getting rid of the tree debris? They look like a cool tool and I think it would be fun to own, but I am still just trying to figure out the reasons why so that I can put together a good excuse package for the lovely wife.

Well, it's two-fold. You get rid of tree debris, and you don't have to buy the mulch. Tell her you can save money because you won't have to buy mulch, and surely she will see the logic in it! :)

We recently purchased some land that has about 30-35 acres of woods. There is quite a bit of brush on the ground due to the fact that the previous owners cut some trees down for logs or firewood, and just left the limbs lay. Not to mention, there is always cleanup work that it can be used for. Rather than just burning the brush, I would like to chip it up and make use of the chips. I'm sure I could buy plenty of mulch for the cost of a chipper, but what's the fun in that? :)

I'm hoping to find a good chipper for under $1k, because if I have to spend $2k+ for a chipper, I will not be able to afford it. Not to mention, the lovely wife won't go for that much for a "toy".
 
 
 
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