Chipper

[OldMcDonald]

I want to build a 3point hitched pto driven chipper. I have searched TBN to see if there was a thread about somebody else's build, but the result was a very long list of just about everything except chippers.

I only want to chip prunings below about 1" diameter. Anything bigger goes for firewood. The prunings are mainly from 500 olive trees so have a large quantity of leaves attached when pruned. There will be other prunings too, without leaves, and another 6-700 trees coming on within a couple of years. I have an electric Bosch garden chipper and that works well, but it obviously cannot cope with the quantity I have. I need a big feed in chute. I want pto so that I can dump the prunings where they will be chipped and take the chipper to the heaps. The chipped prunings will then be cultivated into the ground.

Anybody know of a self-build similar chipper? Even if not I would appreciate input from those who have experience of machines for bigger diameter chippers. Hammers, chains or knives to do the chipping?

 

[Stimw]

I had this one for a while. It had 8" capacity/chute with an 18 hp engine.
It had a 200 lb flywheel and used knives on it that went past an anvil with a .025 in. gap.
When running it would throw chips for over 25'.
It did a great job but loading anything but straight branches took some stuffing.

 

[OldMcDonald]

Thanks stimw. The Bosch uses knives and it does a great job on slightly bigger than the size of the prunings. Nice to know they work on big stuff too. As you say, the feed in of anything except straight branches seems to be a problem on all commercial machines. The sheer bulk of prunings from a few hundred olive trees means just about everybody in the world burns them. A great waste of organic matter and plant nutrients - most of which cost money in the form of fertiliser and irrigation.

 

[Mysfyt]

Were you considering to build it from scratch or adapting something to PTO driven. Reason I'm asking is if you are going to build it from scratch, you're going to need some fab equipment and access to a lathe. It would be a challenging project no doubt, probably why there is not much for info out there. Lots of pictures if you take it on!

 

[OldMcDonald]

Mysfyt, First an apology to TBN members. I have used the wrong terminology. Having done some more research, including finding an old TBN thread, I now realise that what I want is called a SHREDDER in USA, and not a chipper - possibly other places too.

I will be building from scratch. Although the Bosch I have makes a good enough job of the olive prunings (using knives) I am now inclined towards hammers.

 

[TractorGuy]

Not a home built but he goes into enough detail you can get some ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBieqy4SVmg

 

[CalG]

I want to build a 3point hitched pto driven chipper. I have searched TBN to see if there was a thread about somebody else's build, but the result was a very long list of just about everything except chippers.

I only want to chip prunings below about 1" diameter. Anything bigger goes for firewood. The prunings are mainly from 500 olive trees so have a large quantity of leaves attached when pruned. There will be other prunings too, without leaves, and another 6-700 trees coming on within a couple of years. I have an electric Bosch garden chipper and that works well, but it obviously cannot cope with the quantity I have. I need a big feed in chute. I want pto so that I can dump the prunings where they will be chipped and take the chipper to the heaps. The chipped prunings will then be cultivated into the ground.

Anybody know of a self-build similar chipper? Even if not I would appreciate input from those who have experience of machines for bigger diameter chippers. Hammers, chains or knives to do the chipping?

For 1 inch and less woody material you DO want a swinging hammer type SHREDDER, just as you have indicated in your follow up post.

For that MUCH material, I would build something with power feed rollers so you are not required to constantly urge the cross branches through the hopper.

Copy the MacKissick unit if you prefer light duty equipment. I run mine with 25kw pto drive which might be just OVER the design horsepower. The multi V drive belt failed recently.
Certainly any part can be strengthened. Dry material such as tree prunings exit the 25mm X 50 mm screen in useful format for bio amendments after a few months composting.

A blade type chipper might be useful, but I find I use the shredder 10:1 over the chipper fro "thumb sized" material.

MacKissic Inc.

 

[Mysfyt]

Mysfyt, First an apology to TBN members. I have used the wrong terminology. Having done some more research, including finding an old TBN thread, I now realise that what I want is called a SHREDDER in USA, and not a chipper - possibly other places too.

I will be building from scratch. Although the Bosch I have makes a good enough job of the olive prunings (using knives) I am now inclined towards hammers.

No problem! Still hope you post progress of your build with lots of pictures!

 

[chip_laugal]

Here is a site that shows how to build a gas powered chipper.

Steve Bedair's Wood Chipper

Hope that helps.

Chip

 

[City Farmer]

I just sold a chipper/shredder last Wednesday that would eat those branches without a problem. Anything under 1-1/4"dia. went in the shredder. 2 guys could feed that shredder as fast as they could move and it kept up with no problem. Toss 7' branch into the hopper from 2' away and it's gone instantly.

 

[OldMcDonald]

Shredder

Thanks for the further responses, and again I apologise for the thread title, it is confusing some posters. Elsewhere I have been the two descriptions appear to be interchangeable. Can it be changed to "Shredder"? I managed to change it on this post but cannot edit tthe earlier ones.

CalG, After reading a fair bit more on the net this evening, I am convinced that hammers are necessary. I do like the look of the MacKissic machines. Would you recommend a screen size of 25x50mm as you have? Power is not a problem using my tractor's pto and I do not need a fine chop. The idea is to cultivate the shredded material into the ground.

I began thinking about it earlier in the week when I realised that the depression I am filling with the current prunings will be easily filled long before I am finished. I would need to spend many days, probably several weeks, with the Bosch and that is a non-starter. The depression will eventually become reclaimed land. I did a similar job on 2000sq metres and a metre and a half deep (an old stone quarry I think) in 2003-05 and now have olives planted on that land. The present area is just a couple of hundred sq. m. This article began my thoughts Whole Orchard Soil Re-incorporation: an Alternative Orchard Removal Strategy - The Almond Doctor not that I need an Iron Wolf, the machine that incorporates whole trees into the soil.


Mysfyt, I do not own a camera, but might be able to get somebody else to take pics.

 

[CalG]

OldMcD

I was not accurate in my recollection of the screen size.

The screen on my machine is about 32X150mm oval openings. A read of the MacKissick web sight literature will confirm that sizing and optional screen panel offerings. Green fruit tree and hardwood trimmings come out cleanly as shredded material with an occasional "Missile", that must have aligned perfectly with hammer and opening to be ejected with such force ;-). (Not very many, but they hurt if you are on the receiving end of one)
I would not suggest smaller openings for woody material (or any material really.) A second pass through the hammer mill reduces nearly any vegetative material to a fine texture.

If I were "designing from scratch", I would angle the feed hopper to allow more comfortable introduction of the material to be shredded. I am fully 183cm tall, and still tire of reaching up to feed branches into the hopper.

A second design feature would be a Quick clearing" screen feature. Some sort of a screen mounting scheme that allowed the screen to pivot clear of the spinning hammers and allow dumping of any build-up or clog. The MacKissick unit has a screen retained by long pins through the drum body, and should be easily dumped, but the pins are obstructed, with tools required for removal.

A third aspect is with the discharge. Shredded material builds up rapidly. By far the best practice is to lift the unit with the tractor 3ph and drive forward, leaving the pile behind.
If you can position at the edge of a bank or depression, so much the better. Just be sure to leave ample room beneath the unit!

ETA Having now read the referenced article on reincorporation of organic materials. I commend you for your efforts!

I tired of burning. and now enjoy a continuous supply of composted organic material to add tilth and vitality to the soil. The future looks good!

 

[OldMcDonald]

CalG, Many thanks, just the sort of info I was looking for. With that screen size, output should be high. You confirm my thoughts on discharge and moving the tractor. After completing the fill of the current depression I am dumping prunings into (almost full after this morning's efforts) I will be on flat ground and intend to make long windrows, shredding and then moving along the row as necessary.

For this year, the leaves are likely to fall off before I begin shredding. No harm in that since they will be where I want them. The shreddings would then be directly cultivated into the soil the same as is done with the Iron Wolf, but on a somewhat smaller scale. It will obviously improve the soil immensely - given time and some TLC based on complete soil and leaf analyses, which I do on a regular basis.