small chipper

[slaveToHorses]

HUGE difference in that 682 vs a commercially produced, designed as a throw away, rider mower that most companiesz have been building for hte last 20 years.
soundguy

My JD LX280 is built like a tank. I have been using it to mow a couple of small pastures, my house lawns and all the paths through the woods. The paths are full of ivy and maple shoots.
I have had it for at least 5 years and am still using the same mulching blades. I only had to sharpen them once and they still do a nice job on the lawn.
The turning radius is good enough that I can snake it around the fence posts. The deck fits under the lower rails. A pass on the inside and one on the outside and I hardly have any weed wacking to do.

Maybe instead of a shredder, you should apply the money to an upgrade on the mower?

 

[frogfish]

I inherited a Troy from my father. He bought it in the '90s. This past year I took down 6 trees and used the Troy for all the small stuff, I don't think I tried anything over 2 inches and it handled it with out a problem. Well except for one problem, engine just quit on me and well ... turns out you have to put gas in these things

 

[TWD]

How are those for 3" or less branches with lots of leaves?

I use the larger wood for kindling, and burn the scrap wood w/out leaves during winter. I try to avoid burning leaves since they FLY all over... I'd love to get a chipper that size that was reliable for chipping/shredding leaves and 3" or smaller branches/twigs.

Let me know what you do!

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

I just bought an electric 2.5 HP chipper/shredder from Harbor Freight. I'm in the same boat as Soundguy. I didn't want to maintain another gasoline engine, and it was on sale for $120, so I figured what the heck.
Thing 1: It's slow, as has been mentioned.
Thing 2: It's a chipper, not a shredder. It says it handles 'branches up to 1 1/4".' It should say, 'handles branches from 3/8" to 1 1/4".' Anything a quarter-inch or less gets turned sideways and gums up the works, until you get the hang of the best order to run things through it. I found myself promising it, "if you're good and you eat all your forsythia, you can have a cherry branch for dessert".
Thing 3: It almost exactly complements my lawnmower. Anything the lawnmower can vacuum up, this thing won't chop. By the end of the exercise, I was splitting my brush piles between the two machines. A lot of work, though.

Conclusion: I'm getting use out of it, but I don't recommend it.

 

[chopped]

is this the unit?
2-1/2 HP Chipper Shredder

 

[MiserableOldFart]

I have a 20 year or so old Troy Bilt 8 hp chipper shredder. It is built like a tank and a lot heavier (and MUCH more expensive) than the ones by that brand today. It might sound a little strange at first, but shredding piles of leaves or small branches with a lot of leaves is a much heavier use of the machine than old dry twigs and such. Old dry branches virtually explode when they hit the machine. Green branches are much more fibrous (hawthorn is about the worst here in the Catskills, and the nemesis of my machine.) For chipping, it is adequate for 3 inch straight pieces, but I certainly wouldnl't consider anything less powerful for that kind of duty. Processing leaves is a difficult task and although the small machines you mention will probably do the job if you have the patience, I would think that the 5.5 hp gas would be a minimal size for that kind of job. Of course, if you have a couple trees on a quarter acre, it would probably be overkill. Leaf shredding dulls the flail hammers faster than just about anything else, though it's not that big a deal, as they have four edges and I got my first new set last year after two decades of use. But then, I don't do leaves any more, either, as I found it just too timie consuming. When you think about it, about how many pounds of stuff you are actually feeding through the shredder, leaves are much more dense than brush, so two equal sized piles would mean the leaves probably have three or four times the material.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

is this the unit?

Yep, that's it. Looks like an extra from "Star Wars". By the way, I also had to lengthen the axle with some extra-long 8mm bolts and a handful of washers, or the wheels wouldn't turn.

 

[scottduck]

I have a 1975 MacKissic 12p. It's real $$$ new but I purchased and re-habed it for under $450.
That may be close to same $ as a new smaller unit

 

[BethesdaEC]

I have one and have used it very little, just too small and too slow. I kind of inherited it but would recomend you by a better self feed unit such as a Wallensteen.

I originally purchased a DR 16.50 Pro and after a year and less than 10 hours I ebayed it and lost 50 cents on the dollar and got myself a Wallenstein BX42r with the hydro autofeed. What a difference, the DR would take a 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 branch but it was underpowered and if the branch splayed too much it would be very difficult to get in. The wallenstein has a 4 x 10 opening and with the hydro autofeed the branches are compressed and fed with no intervention. I have a quick hitch and I can pick it up, connect the PTO and hydro in one or two minutes and can haul it anywhere on the property. Don't make the mistake that I made, get something that will do the job.

 

[RanchHand2520]

BethesdaEC -

I know this post is a bit old (and has been completely hijacked from the OP), but I also have a JD 2520 and have been looking at a Wallenstein BX-42. I was wondering if you ever experienced your BX-42 taking a bigger stick than your 2520 could power through?

Thanks