Best Used Chipper Brand??

[rangerdanger]

We're in the research stage right now at looking at getting a new chipper, in the 12 inch to 15 inch range. Our Morbark Model 17 seems to be reaching the point of pour money into it to keep it running or buy a used one. We just seems to have one problem after another with it. Right now we like the looks of Woodsman. A good, rugged chipper for you $$$ it seems.

Looking at drum chippers only, 12 to 15 inch capacity.

 

[thattreeguy]

I disagree,
A disc doesn't wear the shaft the same way a drum does on large wood.
I had a bunch of 1800 vermeers and found we wore the shafts, my 250 xp eats big wood daily with so little maintainance.
I would find a Bandit 250xp
with the cummins motor, i bought one used for $6500.
i havent tried the woodsman yet but i see a lot of used ones with low hours, kinda wonder why?

 

[squisher]

I'm very happy with my 250xp, but my only other real experience was with a old CnD.

 

[stehansen]

I've only had a Vermeer 1250. IMO chippers are a pretty simple machine and I don't think there is anything that isn't repairable on them.

 

[Koa Man]

i havent tried the woodsman yet but i see a lot of used ones with low hours, kinda wonder why?

That's because the Woodsman is so fast and efficient that you don't have to spend as much time chipping like you do with a Bandit disc.

My Woodsman 18X was easily the best chipper I ever owned. I can honestly say that it would get rid of brush twice as fast as a Bandit 250, although that is not a fair comparision (18 inch machine vs 12 inch), but I went head to head with my friend's 250 and that was the result.

I would not hesitate to buy a used Woodsman in good condition, but try to get one 2002 or later. Earlier models were not as good.

 

[Bodean]

I really like the Bandit 250.

though the bigger morbarks are nice too,
it's about cost, and budget really.

 

[sotc]

I liked my 250 Bandit, my Morbark is a better machine, hands down.

 

[lumberjack]

I have a 200+ and access to a 250. Both are good machines, low maintenance. There's not a specific brand, IMO. Like Steve said, they aren't complicated machines. Woodsman 12X looks to be a solid drum chipper, so does the Mobark Twister.

Eventually, when I get a round tuit, I plan on getting an 18-20" chipper since I'm nearly all removals.

 

[thattreeguy]

arent the large morbarks louder than hell, ive run some good mornarks but they seemed loud as heck althought it was an 18" capacity machine

koa man has a point about the early woodsmen, being not as good as the newer ones

keep us posted as to what you buy

 

[brendonv]

My next chipper will be either another Woodsman, or a Brush Bandit.

 

[TheTreeWiseMen]

I'm selling a Woodsman 15x with only 300 hours on it. Great chippers, PM me if you want more details.

 

[sotc]

Eventually, when I get a round tuit, I plan on getting an 18-20" chipper since I'm nearly all removals.

No more excuses Carl.

 

[Bodean]

Bandit is good for pruning and medium removals.
If I buy a personal chipper, it'll be the Bandit 250. Best all around.
My F-350 could handle it pretty handily.

The morbark hurricane I think it's called, We have one at work and it pumps 20" wood pretty consistently. Large removals and chipping wood.
Class A license required here in kaliforna, 13K lbs, tandem axle.


Also on our morbark we can run the winch and feed wheels simultaneously,
as with the bandit a hydraulic valve keeps them isolated.
It's easier to feed wood with some of the weight of it on the winch.

Vermeer? forget about it. Though they make the best tow behind stump grinder.
I have no experience with this woodsman, or the conehead one.


In my opinion.

 

[squisher]

Bandit rules!

 

[lumberjack]

No more excuses Carl.

Now I just need the $$$$$

 

[thattreeguy]

Now I just need the $$$$$

no chit, me too...
god i could screw off a lot of money on equip if i had it

 

[lumberjack]

I'm thinking a knuckle boom or mini X is my next big purchase.

 

[thattreeguy]

ditto on the nuckle boom, i see a nice 4x4 one in oregon but its like 24 grand
my friend bought a 10k lbs capacity hitachi mini x,
i get him out so cheap i'd be dumb to buy one

 

[Dave Shepard]

I've run a bunch of Morbarks and Bandits, either would be fine by me, as long as it had a Cummins.

I've also run a lot of different mini-xs, my choice is Kubota, without question. Cat sucks big time, I wouldn't buy a Wal-Mart excavator, would you?

 

[sotc]

Deva, do you guys have problems with the the chute plugging or not blowing the chips far enough? My dealer said they were working on a blower because of those issues

 

[Thor's Hammer]

morbarks definately need a blower. Check out this euro morbark model 10 witha hydraulic blower. In my Experience, Woodsman are even worse for plugging up.

 

[rangerdanger]

Bandit rules!

Hey squish, two questions. I know the 250XP is a 12" chipper, but can it take anything bigger than that. I know some chippers can take another 2" or so, so I'm curious if the 250 is the same way.

Second, do you ever find yourself in need of a larger chipper, or is the 250XP just right for most everything.

 

[lumberjack]

I use a 200+ and a 250. Both are 12" chippers, but both are 14"x17" infeeds, and I use mine to the fullest. The newer 250's have an extra 2" in width over the 200XP's.

I want a 18" or larger.

 

[thattreeguy]

Hey squish, two questions. I know the 250XP is a 12" chipper, but can it take anything bigger than that. I know some chippers can take another 2" or so, so I'm curious if the 250 is the same way.

Second, do you ever find yourself in need of a larger chipper, or is the 250XP just right for most everything.

hey Ranger Danger,
maybe squish is sleeping
the 250 will take 12" logs, has a hydraulic raise/ smash lever for feed wheel control, and eats wood at 1.5 ft per sec
in my experience, anything over 12" is firewood, and goes onto a truck or stays on site,
i have ripped some polar logs into 4 then fed em thru, just to get rid of that wood,
i used my friends excavator to load tree length bays and tan oaks thru it for 6 days straight, with only knife changes. (seriously an acre of forrest a day, turned to firewood and chips
I think a 12 in chipper is about all a fella needs these days, there are always wood whores that will come and get anything a client doesnt want
and the cost of an 18" or 15" is greater and most likely if you keep chipping large wood maint costs will be greater as well
i know a guy who bought a new vermeer, $45G's (a few years ago)
sure he still has it and loves it, i have a smaller chipper i bought used for way less $ and we have the same production in a day, mines paid for his isnt
i feel a 250 is all i need and look where i am , some of the largest trees in the world, and they fit thru my chipper,

i read its intense some where to say , but ,time to go slaughter some trees
Dave

 

[lumberjack]

I don't see how a 12" and 18" would be described with a similar level of production unless the person with the 18" isn't equiped to feed it.

Your biggest trees are like our pines in the sense that they've got long straight limbs that are easy chippings.

I started small with a $7400 chipper that I paid with a large chipping job, much like yours (except pecker pole pines). Now I want an 18" chipper and a knuckle boom to feed it. 6.5 acres of pine thinnings. In the neighborhood of 1k man hours, only 200 were mine (I was a sub, about half the time I brought a helper).

The 3 people that were the contractor's peeps:

Before:

During:

After: