3pt Chipper

[KSinWI]

I've been looking for both a box blade and a 3pt chipper for quite some time on craigs list and last week a chipper finally popped up in my area. It's a DR which from my previous reading are supposed to be pretty good. My questions are then:

1) The guy is asking $1400. Fair price?
3 pt. PTO driven DR CHIPPER

2) When looking at it, what kind of things should I be looking at to be able to tell if the thing has been abused or that might signal a problem in the near future?

 

[beenthere]

I'd ask for a demonstration before I would buy it.
What size material do you plan to chip?

I've heard they are a good idea (as I would like at times to have one to deal with brush from tree tops) but not so practical. Have to break down the brush into 'bite' size pieces to feed it to the chipper. As time consuming as what I do with it now.
Just sayin. You don't want to have to be trying to sell it a year from now.

 

[Gittyup]

If he really has hardly used it, then that will be obvious when you go to look at it.

PTO chippers are pretty simple machines. I'd also get a demo, cutting big branches. Pay attention to how fast it cuts and look for the piece to chatter a lot. If it does chatter a lot and feeds slowly, it needs new blades or blade resharpening. Some have reverseable blades and that'll save you from an immediate resharpen. Other that that, I'd look at the bearings, flywheel and drive pulleys. Make sure they are greased and don't have much play.

New blades might set you back $150 a set or so. Resharpening is pretty cheap, about $20 a set.

As was pointed out, small branches can be a pain with a straight chipper. The chipper/shredders are a better choice if you have a lot of brush. That DR looks pretty nice. Price, I don't know about. But, without a chute, it seems kinda high. Saw a similar Peguea for sale around here. He was asking $1100, which is about all I'd pay for that DR without a shredder or chute.

Yeah, you don't see too many used ones for sale. I too looked long and hard until I found a used bush hog CP109 (I think), which is really a Goossen. It's a 5" chipper/ 1.25" shredder. I use the shredder more than the chipper. Got it for $600, and know I got a steal. Mine doesn't have a chute either. Prices definitely will go up when they do.

 

[Rustyiron]

Like the guy's said, try it out, with the type of stuff that you will be chipping. Once I bought a pretty big one that took all of a 60 hp JD to run and it did not work the way I wanted and ended up getting a regular tow behind Vermeer disc type with the feed rolls. My needs were more than just yard work. Ask for a demo.

 

[Sand_man]

I would like to get one one day. I like the ones wallenstien make. Not to cheap though.

 

[RoyJackson]

Looks like the chipper was sold (CL ad removed).

I bought a PTO driven chipper off a CL ad. In my case, it was a Woods 5000 Chipper/Shredder. I'm very happy with it!
However, my post is to stress moving fast on implements. They sell quickly (as this one probably did). Do your price checking first (you're not likely to see a decent American or Canadian made chipper for less then 40% of it's original price (when sold).
Then get there and see it...have money in your pocket!! You can always walk away if you don't think it's a good deal.

 

[Storm56]

I have a CX 550 Pequea, which is the same as Champion. It works pretty well. Does not like dried out stuff too much though. Keep the blades sharp and the gap between the blades and anvil adjusted and it does a pretty good job.

 

[tuoysRme]

I have a DR chipper, very pleased with it. $1400.00 is a fair price, new would be about $2300.00. check bearing fly wheel, drive shaft. new knive blade will set you back about $60.00. the feeding of material through it pretty good, except for branch with stiff Y's or branches at 90 degrees.
I say go for it, order a new knive and you should be in business . you can download a manual on line. at no cost

 

[jamesa]

I've been looking for both a box blade and a 3pt chipper for quite some time on craigs list and last week a chipper finally popped up in my area. It's a DR which from my previous reading are supposed to be pretty good. My questions are then:

1) The guy is asking $1400. Fair price?
3 pt. PTO driven DR CHIPPER

2) When looking at it, what kind of things should I be looking at to be able to tell if the thing has been abused or that might signal a problem in the near future?

sounds like a good price if its in good shape, my woods 5000 was 4950 retail im asking about 3k but its a much bigger unit.

did you get that one?

 

[deereman75]

I would say if it is still for sale buy it today, looks like a great deal.:2cents: