Is it worth running a 12inch + chipper for large domestic / Commercial

[doobin]

11 hours ago, kram said:

I dont know a great amount about chippers and reading this had to check what we use... A Forst ST6P, 6" and 37HP.. Seems to manage everything that fits in the hole.

What stands out to me is we can easily fill a transit sized tipper multiple times a day on a big removal  if theres enough to chip. Obviously not chipping big logs in the ST6..

With bigger chippers are you using  bigger tippers, dumping more often? Or just quicker at chipping?
 

A big plus is the lack of time spent snedding. Just check the whole branch in and turn your back on it. 

[woody paul]

The big question is truck as large chipper needs big truck to make it work. I found out when I bought a 9 inch pto chipper and filled truck in 5 minutes. 

Now on large jobs just sub in large tractor and trailer. 

[manco]

worth it? probably not.

fun? yes.

easier? yes.

its like hitting every tree with a 881 on a 30inch bar. 

no job too small. no saw too big.

[Mick Dempsey]

3 hours ago, manco said:

worth it? probably not.

fun? yes.

easier? yes.

its like hitting every tree with a 881 on a 30inch bar. 

no job too small. no saw too big.

Well put.

[kram]

How do you feed a 12" chipper with long 10-12" logs? Much above 8" will become too heavy to carry or drag without two people unless cut into short lengths.

 

To be honest I like the ST6P as it is not deafeningly loud. When your dragging brash you dont want ear defenders until you get up close the the chipper and dont have hands free to pop them down.

 

I cant remember what other chippers I used, but they were far louder and even with ear defenders it was too much! (I do need to buy some better ones)

 

[Mark Bolam]

That’s what loaders are for.

 

Even hand fed, big chippers are ridiculously productive on the right job.

[Mark Bolam]

We did 19 connies like this one a few years ago.

4 of us with my mates 12” Bandit.

Before I had a loader, so all hand fed.

11 loads of chip tipped on site.

Pub for 4pm.

[Mike Hill]

1 hour ago, kram said:

How do you feed a 12" chipper with long 10-12" logs? Much above 8" will become too heavy to carry or drag without two people unless cut into short lengths.

 

To be honest I like the ST6P as it is not deafeningly loud. When your dragging brash you dont want ear defenders until you get up close the the chipper and dont have hands free to pop them down.

 

I cant remember what other chippers I used, but they were far louder and even with ear defenders it was too much! (I do need to buy some better ones)

 

No

 

The sheer volume of brush a 12" can process is the key to it's productivity.Not it's ability to consume 12" logs 

 

Less snedding

Less run time

Fewer breakdowns because it's not build to weight restrictions. 

[Mick Dempsey]

Unless you are regularly doing large, clearance style work a big chipper is not worth it.

The modern sub 750 chippers like the TW230 or the GM/Forst/Jensen equivalent are miracles of engineering.

Most domestic arb jobs involve a few hours of chipping a day at best. 

[John Shutler]

19 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Unless you are regularly doing large, clearance style work a big chipper is not worth it.

The modern sub 750 chippers like the TW230 or the GM/Forst/Jensen equivalent are miracles of engineering.

Most domestic arb jobs involve a few hours of chipping a day at best. 

 

i couldn’t go back to running smaller chippers, the ability to fell a 30cm roadside tree, winch it into the hopper and chip all of it is ideal for our estate and council works. Additionally we are in an area where there is a lot of monterey pine, trying to chip that sort of brush with a 6 inch chipper is a nightmare with the 4-6 cone bunches that are common of the species.

 

The other thing i like about larger machines (in particular Bandit) is that everything is more accessible so any maintenance or repairs are alot easier 

 

day to day we run 4x4 tippers ie hilux or isuzu which obviously don’t have great capacity so when required we take a 30sqm grain trailer to chip into