Chipper/shredder opinions

[Morning Wood]

I've got a simple maybe even stupid question. What is the difference between chippers and shredders and the size of material that can be run through them? I'm beginning to look for a chipper(maybe shredder combo) for my ford 1720 (28hp). Trying to decide if the shredder option is worth it or not and what I can actually put through it that a chipper wouldn't handle. Thanks, Nick.

 

[jinman]

Chippers work best with larger limbs. When you get down to the small stuff (twigs/branches/leaves/cedar-tops, etc) that you would not dare try to push into a chipper, you can just toss them into the shredder and they are instantly shredded. Shredding produces different size pieces whereas chipping gives you pretty uniform chip size. They really are different machines and you should not think of them like a belt and suspenders. They don't do the same thing.

 

[gwdixon]

I have a chipper/shredder - BearCat 5", 70554.

The shredder part is rarely used. It bypasses the blades and spews out longer twigs and leaves in larger pieces. Not uniform at all. Don't try corn stalks or tomato plants unless you want a tangled mess around the shaft with an output that looks like a frog was put through a blender.

I put everything through the chipper - even 1/4" twigs. The chips turn out much more uniformly. Oh, and green corn doesn't work through that either.

If you run across a chipper only don't hesitate to grab it at a good price. Nothing wrong with a chipper/shredder at all, just 99% of the job will likely be done with the chipper part.

 

[teg]

Basics, you can get a chipper or a chipper/shredder, I have not seen just a shredder. Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing.

My chipper / shredder (bush hog like the bear cat made by Goossen) says it can shred 1.25" branches and chip up to 4". I only shred twigs < 1/2" and only chip up 3" softwoods and 2" hardwoods (anything larger is firewood) 95% of the time I use the chipper part, shredder only 5%.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have the same chipper/shredder as gwdixon, except mine was sold by Woods (Bearcat manufactures, Woods sells as the model 5000).

If you have a good mix of larger (>1.5" diameter) branches and trunks as well as the smaller twigs (<1" diameter), a chipper/shredder is a good choice. The mix is what a typical home owner with a partially wooded lot finds laying about his property (downed by storms and wind, for example). Chipper/shredders are great for this kind of work.
If you're clearing a lot...mostly larger stuff, a chipper (no shredder) might be a better choice.

At my place, I fall under the first category (the mix of material), so my chipper/shredder is a good fit for my property and circumstances.
Unlike gwdixon, I use my shredder as much (or a bit more) then the chipper.

 

[Gittyup]

I have the bush hog version of the gooseneck chipper/shredder. I'm just the opposite. I shred most of the time. Primarily because I'm mostly working with woody cuttings from shrubs. The shredder is faster. In my experience, the chips are fine enough from the shredder. And I do put in 1.25" branches by the handful. Be ware of viney stuff that is still green.