Short Game
Veteran Member
If I had it to do over, I'd never buy this chipper, but now I've got too much time and work invested and must go with it. Too late, I discovered that it was not only not what I would have wanted, but it wasn't well made either. It was the most I had ever spent on any implement ($2,300 back then), and was poorly constructed. The first set of belts failed very soon, as the double pulleys were misaligned by over an eighth of an inch. The reliefs on the flywheel for the double edged chipper blades were not true and the second edge of the four chipper blades were all damaged when tightened in at the factory. In other words, new blades do not fit properly. Maybe I just got a lemon, but it's clear to me that they make lemons. 
Crary wanted another $800 at the time (8 years ago) for the blower. I had seen one that was in use and its case was covered with stress cracks, so I decided to build my own and make it stronger. I had initially intended to even build my own impeller, but I don't have a machine shop, so I decided to just buy Crary's as a replacement part. That was the first awakening to their poor standards. The impeller's center bore was several thousands over the one inch it was supposed to be. Worse than that, the bore was 3/32" off center, creating a 3/16 eccentricity and an intolerable imbalance. I mounted the impeller on the shaft and turned it against a grinder for a long time to get rid of the eccentricity. The balance improved, but due to the over-bore, it will never fit my one inch shaft correctly. My workmanship was far superior to theirs.
It's easy to see now why the one I had seen in operation was full of stress cracks. I went back to the dealer to inform him of the problems with the part. His store was busy and full of customers and he went off on me in a rage, deriding me for not buying the Crary blower in the first place. I hate having to go in there for anything now but he is also my local Stihl dealer. I know that my blower is way better than the one they sell. Over the years I've met a lot of people who would not do business there. Now I know some of why.
With pretty crude tools, this is what I was able to come up with:
The end plates are 3/16" and the frame that joins the chipper is 2X6X1/4" angle iron. The bearing blocks are several grades better than the stockers. I added an inspection/clean-out plate. Forming the curved part of the case from 1/8" plate (twice the strength of the factory made one) was my biggest challenge. I formed the funnel (also a challenge, forging and welding) to connect to that 4 inch conduit sweep. I braced it from the top of the shredder hopper. I made the blower belt guard the idler arm behind it.
I strengthened the 3PH framework and added the mount for the long trailer hitch assembly. The hitch design allows me room to work and feed the chipper hopper.
The extended hitch can lift the trailer wheels well off the ground and lets me empty it easily.
Crary wanted another $800 at the time (8 years ago) for the blower. I had seen one that was in use and its case was covered with stress cracks, so I decided to build my own and make it stronger. I had initially intended to even build my own impeller, but I don't have a machine shop, so I decided to just buy Crary's as a replacement part. That was the first awakening to their poor standards. The impeller's center bore was several thousands over the one inch it was supposed to be. Worse than that, the bore was 3/32" off center, creating a 3/16 eccentricity and an intolerable imbalance. I mounted the impeller on the shaft and turned it against a grinder for a long time to get rid of the eccentricity. The balance improved, but due to the over-bore, it will never fit my one inch shaft correctly. My workmanship was far superior to theirs.
It's easy to see now why the one I had seen in operation was full of stress cracks. I went back to the dealer to inform him of the problems with the part. His store was busy and full of customers and he went off on me in a rage, deriding me for not buying the Crary blower in the first place. I hate having to go in there for anything now but he is also my local Stihl dealer. I know that my blower is way better than the one they sell. Over the years I've met a lot of people who would not do business there. Now I know some of why.
With pretty crude tools, this is what I was able to come up with:
The end plates are 3/16" and the frame that joins the chipper is 2X6X1/4" angle iron. The bearing blocks are several grades better than the stockers. I added an inspection/clean-out plate. Forming the curved part of the case from 1/8" plate (twice the strength of the factory made one) was my biggest challenge. I formed the funnel (also a challenge, forging and welding) to connect to that 4 inch conduit sweep. I braced it from the top of the shredder hopper. I made the blower belt guard the idler arm behind it.
I strengthened the 3PH framework and added the mount for the long trailer hitch assembly. The hitch design allows me room to work and feed the chipper hopper.
The extended hitch can lift the trailer wheels well off the ground and lets me empty it easily.
