Is chipping supposed to be this hard??

[jgrreed]

I spent yesterday chipping up all the tree branches I had pruned the day before. I'd never used a chipper before. I rented a gas powered chipper from Home Depot - a surge master 424 I believe. Not self feeding. Rated up to 4" wood. It sucked.

I had visions of this thing sucking in almost anything I put in its mouth and sending nice chunky mulch out the chute. I had nothing even close to 4", and I struggled all bloody day to get this thing to feed. I had to push, and readjust, and push some more, and sometimes use a 5" fencepost to use as a plunger.

My question is: Are all non-self-feeders this miserable to work with, or is thing just not maintained well (ie - a sharp blade)?? Do the self feeders make that much of a difference??

If not, I'd say all chippers without self feed should be outlawed!!! I'm really sore!! That was a workout. Joking aside, It's kinda dangerous with all the pushing and "hands in chute" work I had to do.

-Jer.

 

[clemsonfor]

since it was a rental, id say the knives were dull, that will make a difference

 

[jpm]

i've used a small chipper -2 in cap- and it worked your hands from vibration but it would self feed a little at the end of the piece.the blades were problaly dull. my tractor chipper is a differant story

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Those self feed units are a pain in the tookis. They work and chip stuff up but they aren't going to gobble up everything you put into them. I bought one with about an 8hp motor. It would chip up long straight cottonwoods and fir branches. Stuff with knots and bends you would have to cut down smaller. Green fluffy stuff clogged up the feed chute.. I sold that unit and bought a nice Towable 6" Vermeer.

 

[inveresk]

I believe Clemsenfor identified the problem. With my own chipper, dull knives causes issues with feeding. if the knives are sharp, the machine pulls the largest stuff through without a problem. Other clues to dull knives are the size of the chips - much smaller if the knives are dull (same as a chainsaw) - along with occasional longer, stringy pieces.

The knives are usually reversible. If you've still a lot of stuff to push through, might be worth whipping one out and turning it around to see if the reverse edge is keen.

 

[beppington]

Yep, prob dull knives. On my dad's Troy Bilt chipper, the knives are reversible. Maybe you could've looked to see if yours were, & done that. A complaint to HD might get you another free day? With sharp knives. Can't hurt to ask.

 

[gwdixon]

The others have identified the problem quite well - dull blades.

Usually you can see the blade through the feed chute with the machine OFF! Run you finger along the blade (with the machine OFF!) and you will likely feel how dull it is along with many chips and rolled parts of the blade. Some machines have several blades.

Sharp blades will act almost like a self-feeding machine.

In any event, chipping is "labor intensive" at its best.

 

[fish6942]

While I've never used a chipper, I can't imagine it's faster than my method of throwing them in my 10' fire pit.

 

[Porkie]

Limbs and braches also should be dry! Just cut stuff tends to mess up the works!

Sure looks quick and easy when ol' Billy Bob does it on TV, to sell his super chipper work of art!

Sam

 

[jgrreed]

While I've never used a chipper, I can't imagine it's faster than my method of throwing them in my 10' fire pit.

I thought that many times yesterday....

-Jer.

 

[grnspot110]

I started with a small Merry Mac chipper shredder I bought off ebay for $67. Everything had to be "stuffed" into it, now I have the screen out & only use it for garden waste. Found a "slightly used", 10 HP Troybilt on CL for about 1/2 of new price, 3" capacity (I think), works very well! It's not going to do what a HD tractor model will do, but fits my needs fine! ~~ grnspot110

 

[CHDinCT]

I'd say reality for self feed, or manual feed, chippers is somewhere in between what you experienced and a easy day's work. You had a rental machine that was likely not well maintained as to sharp blades and tolerances. With a properly set up unit, you will still get somewhat of a workout, but I don't find a few hours to a full day of chipping to be exhaustive. Bigger stuff feeds better than smaller, lighter stuff, but tends to get bounced around while feeding down the chute. Holding it keeps it from bouncing as much and therefore it gets worked through faster. Lighter, smaller stuff gets hung up on the slightest crotch, etc. and usually takes more force to push through. I find my hands get the brunt of the workout and can be a bit numb after a few hours of chipping, even with heavy gloves.

 

[gwdixon]

Now here is a day's work chipping.

 

[RoyJackson]

If you need to chip, and it's more then twigs, you need a big enough chipper to do the job. If your chipping is a one time thing, rent a big enough machine (15-25 HP).
The chipper I use is capable of handling up to 5" branches and small trees. You don't need to "feed" it, just put the branch or limb in the chute. The shredder...well, you've got to watch that. The shredder pulls it in so fast, brush gets ripped out of your hands.
I've ran this chipper with 24 PTO HP and it did great. Now I've got 30 PTO HP...doesn't even slow the tractor down.
As you can see (in the picture), I've got a lot of trees around. This attachment gets a good workout 3-4 times a year.
BTW, the Woods 5000 is the same chipper shredder gwdixon has...Bearcat builds it, Woods rebadges and sells 'em too. Great chippers, but they do drop the chips under the machine.

 

[cycle_gator]

Just to add, self feed chippers need to be sharp (also make a big differnce with power feed) and the baldes and anvil set with the proper clearances. Otherwise, it is a little like using a pair of kitchen shears that are dull and have a loose pivot point.

 

[Botabill]

While I've never used a chipper, I can't imagine it's faster than my method of throwing them in my 10' fire pit.

Yep.. if you want to get rid of the stuff a fire pit is the way to go. If you want mulch then chip with a sharp bladed big (not one of those 8 HP Home Depot units) machines. I have a Big Mac with an 18 HP engine and it is barely big enough.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I've worn out two chippers in the last ten years and am now using an eight horse power MTD from Home Depot. Chipping is not easy work. It is dirty, dusty, irritates your eyes, and dangerous. I love it - beats going to the gym by a long shot.
Mf

 

[KnuckleDragger]

I spent yesterday chipping up all the tree branches I had pruned the day before. I'd never used a chipper before. I rented a gas powered chipper from Home Depot - a surge master 424 I believe. Not self feeding. Rated up to 4" wood. It sucked.

Thats funny. I rented a surge master 424 from Home Depot last weekend and found that it didn't chip up any of the steel fence posts I tried to process. I complained and got my money back.

 

[crazyal]

Thats funny. I rented a surge master 424 from Home Depot last weekend and found that it didn't chip up any of the steel fence posts I tried to process. I complained and got my money back.

Did they clean up the stone dust off of it before they rented it to you? A month ago I had a great idea about how to make home made crushed gravel for a driveway. I was going to post it in the project section. It didn't work so I returned the chipper. Do you think I should have complained and got my money back too?

 

[RalphVa]

My MacKissic will pull stuff in a little bit if the chipper blade is very sharp. In the shredder chute, it pulls stuff in if the lead hammer corners are sharp.

I find it very rewarding to poke things in there, working as nature intended us (protected by ear muffs, face shield and gloves, of course). Something primevial about it. I enjoy it, but not if the thing isn't feeding right.

Ralph