Small chipper advice please

[doobin]

4 hours ago, GA Groundcare said:

Those B&S 18hp V twin electric start engines cost more alone than some of the cheaper chippers! 

 

And it's still not as good as a Loncin engine!

[Jamesthompson]

I've got a Sinolink tracked chipper with barrow attachment (model GST-120). Ordered it from sinolink through Ali Baba.

It's an alright machine for the money. The quality is sub par to anything western but for the price I payed, I'm happy with it.  Cost me £2100 all in (CFR). Wish I had sorted my own shipping exworks as dealing with Chinese shipping agent was a stress and I could of saved atleast £300 organising it myself. 

 

Quick review of it 

 

Initial assembly took way longer than it should thanks to lots of slight misalignment in bolt holes and fabricated parts. Some of these parts required redrilling, tapping and bending to fit together. 

Some lifting gear is required for assembly and changing from chipper to barrow

Also watch out for very sharp edges

And check the blades as one blade arrived damaged.

I knew exactly what I was buying so didn't mind these issues. But if I'd paid full price for a rebranded version I'd be alittle annoyed. 

 

 

I contacted sinolink about those problems and they explained how to fix and sent a fresh blade out to me within a week of asking. 

 

The machine uses two loncin honda clone engines. A 420cc to power the chipper and a 190cc to power the tracks. Both have ample power for their given task and worked as they should for the year or so I've had them. 

 

The chipper works well on any wood upto 8cm but can be a pain to use when chipping brash and clippings due to the narrow infeed but thanks to its very small dimensions and tracked capabilitys you can often get the chipper to where you need it. Sometimes saving hours with you not having to drag stuff away from the work site. So I feel I'll always has a place for it. 

 

As mentioned by another member previous. Throw out the rubber gaskets on infeed. They are very grabby.

 

Using the machine as a tracked barrow is extremely useful aswell. In this configuration it'll carry 300kg with ease and can also be used to skid logs and crap about. The tracks seem robust, the tread still looks new and I've never thrown one. 

The gear box is strong but cheap and sometimes needs spinning in neutral to find gears.

 

After year of ownership I have become pretty fond of this chipper and can recommend Sinolink. Just be aware that their stuff isn't perfect. 

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by Jamesthompson

[WiltshireMike]

I'm pleased to report that after much searching and chin-scratching - and copious advice from you kind folk -  I'm now the proud owner of a 2011 14HP pull start CS100 in pretty much unused condition.  No paint chips, perfect blades, regularly serviced, spare belts and original documentation.  Now I just need to find a trailer in the Marlborough area to hire / borrow so I can  collect it from Yeovil!    A quarter of the price of a new one, so fingers crossed it'll do everything I need and lose no money at the end.  Certainly looks a quality piece of kit 😊, and 1 less Chinese import to boot ...

Thanks everyone!

[Dan Maynard]

Good job, sounds like a bit of a find!