Wanted! 6" chipper...

Ken

Ken

Prospect
Joined
Jul 18, 2013
Messages
29
Location
Ontario
Hi there,

I'm in the market for a GOOD 6" chipper (possibly Morbark, Bandit etc). I could purchase a 2007 6" Vermeer with 300 hours for $5000.00 right now, but I've heard that they aren't the greatest particularly with the 6"X6" opening...however, I'm not ruling them out completely. But, i thought i would give the forum a try first before i seriously consider this machine...So if anyone has a used chipper out there for sale or wishes to "up grade" then please send me an e-mail. And anything up to 9" might be okay too, it just can't be too heavy because I need to be able to move it around with a half ton truck regularly.

Thanks,
Ken

P.S. I live in Owen Sound, Ontario and am willing to travel for pickup within a reasonable distance...say about 500kms and I'd like to find something around the $5000.00 price range (less or more) and for the right machine I would go a few thousand more...
 
a 6x9" throat will do a lot more than a 6x6". I think these are found on 6" bandits. a 9" bandit would be way better. Being that it would be your own machine, sharp knives and proper anvil setting are a must on a 6" vermeer to get the most out of it. It will depend on what you chip, too.
 
Overlook the vermeer. You will have to trim everything. Go bandit or comparable morbark. Ive used the vermeer and owned a bandit 65.
 
Remove any thought of buying a Vermeer 6" chipper from your brain, not worth it unless your are just chipping shrub clippings and twigs.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8
Hey, thanks for your input guys I'm very glad to have it! Ya, I've hear not such great things about Vermeer 6" chipper (like almost useless...I'm just starting out trying to grow the business (just a little fishy in the pond). So 6" to 9" is plenty big. Used a new salsco 6" wood chipper once and it worked really great, just inhaled the >5inch pieces. No need for anything more...
 
Buy bigger than you can afford right now and hustle that is how you can grow your business efficiently. You want equipment to make jobs be more productive, not limit your operation. I wouldn't even consider smaller than 15" and I am now looking for chippers in the 18" range. I started with a 6" inch morbark chipper btw. We do a lot of fine pruning, low impact work but we also take on large removals, I want to be competitive in all areas of tree work so finding the right equipment is crucial.

jp:D
 
I couldnt imagine billing a respectable man hour rate with a 6" chipper. A chipper is the most important piece of equipment you own. If a truck breaks down you can rent one much cheaper than a good chipper. Less than a 12" chipper seems crazy.

Do you do removals? Or mostly just pruning? Our 18" chipper turns trailers full of logs into nothing but chips.
 
As far as chipper size goes it also depends on where you live. I chip up to eight inches as thats what mine will handle comfortably. The rest of the wood gets sold un cut, un split for 185 bucks a trailer. There are times where a biggun would be nice, and i consider it often, but with these comes big bills. My little guy sips fuel, tows easy, and can be moved into a backyard with a mini loader. I see these 10,000 lb chippers and cant imagine being stuck road side or in the driveway.

Biggest advice i can give newbs is dont buy junk. Buy something nice, and dont put money into something cheap and shitty.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14
Ya, good points in my opinion brendonv (i couldn't say it better) and yes anything over 6" is fire wood to me. And I do like quality as much as possible, but I won't be spending $15,000 or more on a brand new 6 inch...

Ken
 
Using a 6 inch chipper is just like using a chuck and duck. It works, but has its limitations. A sharp, reliable unit is what makes money, regardless of the size. Go with what you can afford on your worst month, and what can handle the bulk of the jobs you do. If 6" is the magic number, that's the one for you. Keep it in top order, and if you find you need to step up, do so. Rome wasn't built in a day.

A bigger chipper will clean up your jobs faster. There's no question about that. Keep that in mind.
 
We recently demoed several chippers of various sizes... All Vermeer. We found that the 900 chipped just as fast as the 1000. Both sucked compared to the 1500. Our 1250 chipped way faster than the 1000 does. We ended up getting the 900 and have been pleased so far. It has a 9 x 13 opening which pretty much eliminates any bucking of brush. I have spent too many hours behind a 625 and can assure you that the rectangular opening is much better than a square opening.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 
I would only consider Brush Bandit, Morbark or Woodsman if I were looking at chippers. I've used all three quite a bit and I'm partial to Brush Bandit of the three. The BB drum chippers are just amazing machines. I want an 1890XP when I can justify the purchase down the road, preferably on tracks!

I don't live in an area where firewood is marketable. Still, it seems hard to imagine the labor involved would justify that approach? Maybe for bigger rounds that can't go through a chipper anyway but to cut up wood that is 6" and greater just seems like a nightmare to me. A bigger chipper + a mini will open doors for you that you never saw were there, that was my experience anyhow to each their own. But hey if this is a hobby and not a primary source of income then who cares right?

jp:D
 
You can do lots of work with a small chipper....but you can do it faster and easier with a bigger one. Even though almost everything over 4" is firewood here, bigger capacity normally equals less trimming of branches.
 
You're correct, I think... they don't dump - you have to unload them manually. I shouldn't have said 'dump bed.' I'd still prefer a rear mounted model just for the increased reach. That trumps the ability to dump, IMO.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #25
hey guys,

I see many of your points they make sense to me, and after reflecting on my present situation and my goals for the business...I thought I should give you all some context regarding my situation. Presently I work for a city assisting the Arborist (doing lots of tree work...bucket truck work, climbing, removal, pruning...etc). Then on the side I run my business...the city job may end this fall, but I'm planning on going back to school to complete a Masters in Urban Forestry to hopefully find a management position within the arboriculture industry...eventually :)...So back to a starving student for a while :(...but, hopefully some tree work on the side will help me with tuition. All that to say, I'm not planning to purchasing any large bucket trucks, dump trucks, skid-steers or >15inch $30,000 dollar chippers. I'm just a little fish in the pond, and likely won't be getting much bigger... I don't believe that's setting my sights too low...just my plans, and what I think may be best for me.

So for now, just looking for a chipper to do some side jobs...6-9inches
thanks again for all the input. I rave about forums to people and so far this one is looking good...thank you
Ken
 
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