Chipper Bearcat 73554 chipper shredder???

[hazmat]

I'm looking for a new chipper shredder. Anybody have any experience with this one? Bearcat 73554 Chips up to 5" adjustable size for chips/shreds. Integrated blower.

A search here turned up that Doug_Norman has one bearcat review So Doug - how's it holding up? Anybody else got one?

I'm waiting for the local dealer (MB tractor) to get his order in. They stock this model which counts for something...

 

[hazmat]

Well I've got one on order. This is your last chance to talk me out of it It came down to this bearcat unit or a Wallenstien BX42 ($2,500 manual feed, $4,500 hydraulic). Decided I wanted the shredder capabilities. I'll post pix & a review when I get the unit.

 

[rickmacheske]

I bought this one:
Welcome to Emerybuilt.com!
Works great! I put an old 6x6 through it without a problem. I've also created huge piles of wood chips that I use around my fruit trees.
Price was right and it is solid.

 

[crd]

I've got one year on my Bearcat 70554, and if mine's any guide you're going to be very happy with the 73554. No problems or issues, and seems very well made. Nice orange paint to match Kubota, too.

Powered by my BX2350, I've put the chipper to the 5" chipper test and it handle it fine but will bog the tractor down after about 5 feet. Pretty much feeds itself as long as you keep the blades sharp. And there are times when the blower (which mine doesn't have) would have been nice.

The shredder is very handy, although it's a bit more exciting to operate as it pulls the small stuff out of your hands when you're feeding it. After you clean up the big stuff you may find that getting rid of the neverending piles of little stuff is what you'll do most. I was surprised today walking around to see how much of a mess this past week's storms left -- and all stuff I'd use the shredder for.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I have a Bush Hog labeled Goossen, which is for the most part a similar machine. Here are my observations after almost 2 years with it.

As previously stated, if the blades are sharp, it will feed the stock in itself, for the most part. However, the blades don't stay sharp very long. The Goossen manuals says to sharpen them every 8 hours. That's pretty frequently when you're dealing with storm damage or land clearing. I can confirm that if you push that to 12 or so hours, you'll start having to shove the stock into the chipper, and that, my friend, is a real chore.

Look closely at the Bearcat machine for access to the blades for changing. One gripe I have with the Goossen is that if you don't have the blower, blade access is very easy, but if you do have the blower, it is much, much more complicated. And, in my opinion a chipper of this size without a blower is creating more work than you want.

There are always trade-offs. Other than frequent blade changes, my machine has been bulletproof. I didn't want the chipper "kit" that you seem to get with the Chinese chippers -- I just didn't want to have to rebuild the machine every time I turned around. I didn't want to spend the money to get a hydraulic feed machine, given the limited use mine will get. I would be a very happy camper if the blades lasted a little longer and/or access to the blades was a little easier. As it is, there's nothing on the market that I would be willing to trade mine for, unless a rich uncle I don't know about happens to leave me a bundle.

 

[hazmat]

Thanks guys - I picked up my new chipper Thursday - I'm very happy with it - see my review of chipzilla .