Wood or brush chippers are an asset for tree crews, landscapers and arborists. These machines can save valuable time by turning tree limbs, branches and wood debris into chips that can be easily managed and hauled away. In addition to making wood material easier to move and dispose of, the chips can be repurposed to use in landscape applications such as retaining soil moisture, reducing weeds and used in making in compost.
Deciding on what chipper to purchase, capacity should be a major factor in the decision. You don’t want to buy too small or too large for the majority of your workload. If your machine can’t keep up, you’ll spend too much time hauling away the pieces that can’t be chipped. On the other hand, overkill can result in wasted fuel – bigger machines need bigger trucks and the fuel cost is associated with both pieces of equipment.
When looking for a new or used brush chipper, you want to also consider whether to go with a drum style or a disc style chipper. Chippers were originally designed with the blades mounted on a steel disc for the chipping mechanism, also known as a disc chipper. One benefit of the disc design is a more uniform chip production. These chippers also have a faster feed rate and can throw the chips at a higher velocity. This design requires less horsepower and less fuel used. Sometimes preferred by tree care professionals because they are smaller than the drum style chippers.
Drum chippers use a steel drum that spins towards the chute output with the drum also functioning as the feed mechanism. Drum chippers offer larger throat openings which gives the advantage of chipping larger trees and limbs.
There are other features to consider in a new or used brush chipper purchase as well. A winch can be a helpful addition in moving material closer. Track mounted models make the chipper moveable which can provide a big advantage in large projects. Some companies may also consider a grapple loader addition.