Merry Mac PTO Chipper/shredder from Northern

markie61 · Dec 2, 2004

A feed drive disengage lever is on top of the hopper. It requires a purposeful push and re-engages the feed drive once it is released. It is definitely not as automatic as the bars you refer to.
Mark

Ledgemere Farm · Dec 2, 2004

I agree with you Cliff. I don't want some big hulking machine either. My shed is 16' x 16'. I figure the DR was about as big and heavy as I 'd like (<200#). I WANT a shredder though. If you opt for the Merry Mac, let me know how it works out. I figure the DR is small and simple. All there is to it is a PTO, a pully, a belt and a knife. I am going to burn anything over 3" for firewood too.

Ledgemere Farm · Dec 2, 2004

Plus, the DR is made in the USA. That means allot to me. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

kayssupply · Dec 2, 2004

There is a lever on the top of the chute that will shut the feed roller off if you get in a bind. The thing is, it has a pretty good feed system but not as good as a $7500 machine. The good in that is that if you hang a limb on your shirt it will just slip under the roller until you break loose. I have had a 1/4" twig hang on the feed chute and stop the flow. You just have to keep rolling the limb around and it will go right in. I really would rather it slip a little as to have a 100% feed system that could tear your arm off if it got snagged. For the money I couldn't be happier with my purchase.

mark1 · Dec 2, 2004

I know you don't want to hear this but...I have a Roto Hoe chipper shreader that I added a 8 HP Kohler motor..I used to think it was the greatest..Then I bought a 6" capacity Chinese wood chipper. That thing chips and shreads circles around the Roto-hoe. then I made a cart to lower it on.2X4's and 4 casters.when not needed I put it on that, then take the 4 bolts out of the infeed chute and push it in the corner by hand..it takes up about 40X40 inches of floor space.
Oh,,if your interested my Roto-hoe unit is for sale! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

lmiller · Dec 3, 2004

Thanks for the firsthand info. I definately don't have $7500 worth of chipping to do, but I want to do it safely.
I just heard that my dealer, Marshall Machinery, has rental chippers, so I may get to try out a better model on my 1/2 days worth of brush /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Lou

Ledgemere Farm · Dec 3, 2004

I was thinking that for the money, I could rent a REALLY NICE hydraulic feed model for the weekend for <$200.

kayssupply · Dec 3, 2004

Good luck with the rental. I tried it twice. I kept the first one about an hour. It would turn a 1 inch oak limb into a broom. It would just chew and chew and just fuzz up the end. It was so dull I couldn't push a limb through it. I ordered the next one a week in advance and asked them to sharpen the blades before I got it. THE SAME STORY AS THE FIRST. I WENT THE NEXT WEEKEND AND GOT MINE.

Cliff_Johns · Dec 4, 2004

OK, Thanks for the efforts folks.
I accept from the responses that no one owns, or has ever used, this chipper.

Cliff

billcleveland · Dec 4, 2004

Cliff:

I have used this model for a weekend of chipping and shredding both oak and pine. Attached to a 45 PTO HP tractor it never slowed the tractor engine and no maintenance was required.

In two days, I chipped all the branches from 6 oaks which were approximately 16" diameter and all branches from a 36" diameter white pine and several smaller pines broken by the large pine.

The shredder opening works extremely quickly with pine branches and small oak branches (release the branch quickly or your arm goes in).

The chipper will easily handle 3" pine branches, but you have to push the branch in until it is fully chipped. I found the chipper to be very slow on the oak branches. The chipper transfer an extreme amount of vibration to your hand when chipping oak branches. Because of slow chipping, any oak branch over 2.5" was placed on the firewood pile.

Overall the unit seemed well made and usefull if you have moderate amounts of brush to handle at any one time. If you have a large amount of brush, rent a commercial chipper with power feed rather than using a unit of this type.

Bill