3PH "Cradle" for Chipper/Shredder

trlong · Jan 31, 2005

3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

I'm not sure if there may already be a thread on something related to this.

Has any one made a cradle, carrier, or some form of attachment to carry a stand-alone (Gas powered) chipper/shredder with their 3PH? If so, I'm trying to think of pro's and con's of just carrying a 10 HP Bolens to where I need it via my 3PH vs. strapping it to my FEL or, as I did "pre-CUT" hand dragging it up and down this side-hill property.

My wife bought a Bolens (Gardenway) 47323 before we married (loves compost...may explain her attaction to me /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif ). She got a great deal on it but, it is brutal dragging it all over the property. I would prefer a PTO driven unit but, I can't see spending the money when we already have one bought and paid for.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. As I am not a welder, machinist, or mechanical engineer, I would be having a local shop do the fabrication and trying to get it right to pick it up with the I-Match. I'm not sure if it would be better to just pick it up, take it where I want, and drop it off with a kind of cradle (maybe wife will do the work while I get more seat time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ), or to have it welded to a frame I would keep mounted until I (I mean she) was done for the day. Ofcourse, I guess, if balanced properly I could still just set it down where needed, even if welded to a frame I could pick up and drop off with the I-Match. With the vibration it creates when running (especially chipping), I'm a bit concerned about keeping it attched to the 3PH...stresses and wear on the I-Match, lift arms,...let alone the forces it could apply to welds and fabricated parts.

Tom

RoyJackson · Jan 31, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Does it have wheels? Can't you just rig it to the draw bar and tow it?

trlong · Jan 31, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Roy,

Yes, it has wheels but pretty small (maybe 6" diam.), pretty low ground clearance, and a front leg/foot that could easily drag unless the unit were severely tilted. As my "trails" through the woods (almost all woods) are under construction, they are very rough and some places will have fairly tight turns. The 1st step is to clear the trees. Some places I will have to back to with the tractor (if I have the chipper/shredder mounted), clear, and then come back with the FEL and Rear Blade or backhoe to clear rocks, stumps, and/or grade, etc...

I thought of just modifying a small trailer but, I like the idea of having the unit close to the tractor for the tighter turning areas. Also, that leaves one less piece of equipment to find a place for.

I'll probably chew on what to do for a few months. With no significant snow to clear /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'm thinking ahead to spring. If I can borrow my daughter's digital cam, I'll try to post a picture of the unit with the J.D. backed up near it so folks can see what I'm dealing with. Thanks for the response.

Cliff_Johns · Jan 31, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Seems like you could get a bale mover or a regular carry-all, install plywood base across it (bolt it on) then strap or bolt the chipper to it. I would use some sort of vibration diffuser (rubber mounts). This would not be especially pretty, but it would work fine.

You can have legs welded on to it if you want to be able to set it down while you work.

Cliff

Mith · Jan 31, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

do you have pallet forks
you could bolt/strap it to a pallet to which it is permanently fixed than move it around with either loader of 3pt forks
just a thought

RalphVa · Jan 31, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

I've an 8 hp Troy Bilt that I bought from the owner of the house we bought in Baton Rouge. Have it here in Va now. It has little, bearing-less, wheels. The guy made a hitch for it. One wheel came off while I lived in BR, I just drilled the axle and put a cotter pin in it. The wheel was just held on by a push-on cap. That's the way the other one still is.

I pull it around the back yard to my mulching area with my Gravely or JD. If I wanted to use it further away, I'd go to TSC and see about getting some wheels that will go over the axles that are bigger and have bearings on them. You'd have to be VERY CAREFUL. The beast is heavy and very top heavy. You'd want a weak hitch assembly that would bend before it would take the tractor over with it. This one is.

It tilts the machine over at about a 30 to 45 degree angle towards the tractor. On the JD, I can lift the drawbar on the 3 pt some to reduce the tilt.

Ralph

trlong · Feb 1, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Cliff,

I'm not sure about a bale mover (might have no other use) but, some form of carry-all might make sense. However, (should have mentioned this) the unit is bottom discharge. If mounted on any carrier, it will have to be a basic frame without a solid base. That is a lot of the reason I've thought of using it attached...make a pile then lift and move easily. If I keep it attached to the I-Match while running, I will definitely have to incorporate some vibration diffusion/absorption.

Thanks, each thought gets me thinking of various configurations and pro's/con's.

Tom

trlong · Feb 1, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Mith,

No, no pallet forks but that got me thinking of having an I-Match compatible fork setup, and then having fork "channels" welded to the chipper/shredder...hmmm. I'd still need some vibration dappening if kept on the forks when running the unit, and perhaps some retaining pins rigged to keep it from sliding off the forks. I might even get some use out of the forks for other attachments, or just moving pallet loads.

Thanks, definitely got me thinking,

Tom

Mith · Feb 1, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

if you have i-match then why not have a loop on the shredder that you can pick up with the top hook. if the loop was attached with rubber things that would dampen the vibes

trlong · Feb 1, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Ralph,

I'm not sure any dragging/wheeling would work on my land. Until I get the trails built, there are some pretty nasty bumps, drops, and rocks to negotiate. Unless I rigged to a trailer axle with the clearance of the 4115, and somewhere near the tire clearance. Also, as you say, very top heavy. So, I'm really leaning toward something that really has it latched in pretty tight. Still ciphering on this though. Thanks.

trlong · Feb 1, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Mith,

Good thought. I'd have to do some measuring but, I really think I need it attached, at least, via 3 points or it would be doing an awful lot of swinging while moving it. My 1st thought was two lower, and one top lift pin as normal. The dampening would, again, be an issue unless I could figure that out. I think it would have to be incorporated in the attachment of the 3P lift bracket, to the chipper/shredder. I don't know of any pins that would take a thick enough rubber and still fit the I-Match. Hmm

Cliff_Johns · Feb 1, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Perhaps some engine mounts from a car? I think the engines tend to sit on heavy rubber mounts which are bolted through. You would not need to tighten it down as much as they would on a car, so the dampening would be better. If you bolted the chipper through to a base (with a hole where the discharge is) then bolted the base to a carryall, I think you might have what you want. Just a thought.

Cliff

Mith · Feb 2, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

another thought, im on a roll here, maybe have it on a 2" reciever hitch so itll slot into something like pats eZmover hitch
again it may swing around a bit
possibly make a hitch with 2 of the reciever bits one above the other, have two poles out of the shredder that slide into the recievers, pin them in and your off
as for dampening, maybe if you built a small frame around the shredder with as was suggested car dampeners inbetween it and the main shredder then you can do what you like on the outside of that outside frame

RalphVa · Feb 2, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Here's the drawbar a friend made for me after I bought the drawbar and bars to to the upper link.

I'll get to how to connect it to your shredder in the next picture.

The drawbar for now. Notice the top set of holes. The top link is connected 15" up from the drawbar, which is iMatch spec (where it would hook: e.g. if you wanted iMatch, you'd attach the top link to the top hole).

Ralph

RalphVa · Feb 2, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Here's a picture of my soil ripper attached to the drawbar.

Another top link goes back to a bar attached to the soil ripper. The main part of the soil ripper attaches to the drawbar with a couple "U" hitches.

What you could do on your chipper is weld on a couple "U" brackets down low on the shredder that'll straddle the drawbar. Then weld an attachment (or just bolt a U bracket of some sort to it) a little higher to attach another top link. You might want to explore the 2 shorter Cat 0 links if the standard 19-29" Cat 1 link is too long.

This drawbar and double top link setup allows a lot of leeway when it comes to transport. You can tighten both of them and get the tool up high enough to clear places where the rear wheels dip.
Ralph

trlong · Feb 3, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Cliff - "Motor Mounts"...geez, I am getting oldtimer's. I kept seeing heavy rubber mounts in my head but, I couldn't place them. Too long since I've torn apart a '57 Chevy, or '66 Plymouth! Not sure of the rig yet but the motor mounts are what I was trying to think of.

Mith - Not sure of the frame to use yet but, after looking at the I-Match today, the "arm" to pick up whatever I weld or bolt to the Bolens (probably a rectangular receiver with motor mounts lining it???) was staring me in the face (I think). I have a 60" RB sitting on the I-Match now. I haven't tried unbolting the RB from the arm (I'm sure there's a name for it) that carries it but if it can drag that blade, it's got to pick up the Bolens without blinking. I'd have to mount the receiver along the front of the "C/H" (chipper/shredder) and carry it sideways, or weld the receiver straight out from the front so not to interfere with the motor and controls on the back, the chipper chute and access to the "knife" on the right side and, drive and belts on the left side. I definitely need to borrow my daughter's digital cam..

Ralph - Great pic's, good looking rig, and I like the color /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
If the wild hair I got today doesn't pan out, a rig like yours might be the best way to go...no dropping my RB off it's mount and the rig is obviously versitile for carrying more than just one implement. Hadn't had the wildest thought of a second toplink. Great idea!

Sorry I haven't had time to take pic's or think on this more...long day and my LAN is giving me fits...on top of which my daughter's connection had severe network hiccups and we had to get that up so she could chat with her heart-throb who should be on his way back in a few more days (Thank God)...he's been driving Hummers and Tanks and they just had some elections over there.... It will probably be this weekend before I can get any pic's on. Thanks all... Tom

Mith · Feb 3, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

this is what i was trying to explian. the two bars from the pallet forks in this case will be on the chipper and they will fit into the reciever

trlong · Feb 3, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

Mith,

"Light (now) dawns on marblehead".... your picture is worth 1K words, or in my case 2^10 or more. Ralph's rig looks really great but your picture shows something a bit more toward what I have been leaning toward. Forks may still be able to stay on the lift, rather than the "C/S"...not sure. I will do my best to get the C/S and tractor out in the sun for some pic.'s this weekend. After looking at yours and Ralph's pic's, I'm leaning more toward an I-Match compatible lift/hitch that I could use for more than this one application.

I'm beginning to think I should have spent my time in Shop, and Mech. Eng.'ing, instead of Elect. Eng.'ing playing with bits and bytes. Tractors and implements are much more fun (I mean useful /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif ) and much less victims of intermittents and software issues.

Tom

JWE · Feb 5, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

I transport my 10 HP chipper/shredder on my carryall (picture attached). When I get to the worksite I just leave it on the carryall while I use it. The carryall serves as a good work platform.

John

RalphVa · Feb 6, 2005

Re: 3PH \"Cradle\" for Chipper/Shredder

My drawbar design was done to be able to work on a iMatch. All you'd do is put the iMatch on the 3 pt and then use it to lift the drawbar. The ASAE specs are 26" apart at the bottom and 15" C-C up to the top link. That's the way mine is built. The additional top link that goes back to the tool is 3 or 4 inches higher.

Ralph