Running Cost of Chipper Per Annum

[alex_m]

I'd have loved an old entec for 3k, but they are like rocking horse s***.

 

please buy/have our old entec! it's so **** lol!

keep saying to the boss to buy a new TW on finance - works out at just £25 a day for two years (with TW's 0% finance)! it would be rude not to!

[Albedo]

please buy/have our old entec! it's so **** lol!

keep saying to the boss to buy a new TW on finance - works out at just £25 a day for two years (with TW's 0% finance)! it would be rude not to!

 

I know what you mean mate, but try the mashing with chainsaw + jumping up and down on the truck 300 times a day method and you'll get to like it.

 

still working on some maths here on STS figures ... results comeing soon:confused1:

 

Edit PS: I'm interested!!! in the old entec

[Albedo]

Right some maths based on STS.

 

Fuel 150 days @ £5.00 = £750 (chose lower cost for reduction work)

Blades 25 x £5 = 125

Service 3 x £ 50 = 150

Grease = £10

One offs = 270

 

Total annual running cost = £1305 (subject to mistakes in my maths)

Edited May 3, 2010 by Albedo

[Highland Forestry]

I can't comment on STS's figures as everybody's business is different.

My business is almost exclusivley commercial and the costs we incur are alot highrer... some examples of chipper running costs for budgetting purposes would be:

 

Fuel to Tow Chipper (trailer for tracked) £10 per day extra

Fuel to power chipper £20 on red diesel

Grease £1.50 per day (half tube of grease per 8hrs use)

Servicing and consumable parts £300 every 200hrs (oil, filters, labour, inspection etc)

Spares, springs, bolts etc £150.00 per annum

Blades - two sets and or sharpening £100.00

 

Based on 180 days a year (15 days per month average) my running costs for our safetrack would work out around £6820 per annum.

 

There are other costs too which I havent factored in such as providing a spill kit, chipper training for operatives, 6 monthly thorough examinations, fuel filters if you're jerry cans are full of crap etc etc.

 

Even with the above costings - the chipper is still viable, returning a profit of over 10k a year after expenses and costs. Having a chipper makes you're business more viable and more profitable IMO.

 

Just my tuppence worth

[Mesterh]

Apart from the costs this is what will happen.

 

With the chipper you will become a lot more productive therefore knocking jobs out quicker , therefore probably lowering your rate for tree work, therefore you need more jobs to make the same amount of money, therefore running around like a blue arsed fly!

 

 

Saying that theres no way I would go back to mashing brash with a saw!

 

I'd be interested if there are fuel costs per hour for the small diesel engines we use in the chippers. I know there is somewhere but cant find where.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I did a thread on it I think quite a while ago;

 

You can only calculate chipper costs on an hourly running cost not per day.

 

My chipper sometimes only runs 10 minutes some days

 

I think my calculation went something like

 

Chipper cost £18,000

 

Epected hours before renewal 2000

 

18,000 divided by 2000 hrs = £9 per hour

 

service cost every 100 hours @ £120 = £2400 or £1.20 per hour

 

Fuel £10 per hour

 

Blades £4.50 per hour based on 30 hours use sharpened after 10 hours and costing £90 to buy

 

I worked out that if I charge £30 per hour or 50p per minute running and put that money aside. I would after 2000 hours have enough money to pay for a new chipper, it's fuel and service costs over its service life

 

And that is only covering cost, so realistically a chipper should be charged out at a minimum of £35 per hour running time

[Kev Stephenson]

I can't comment on STS's figures as everybody's business is different.

My business is almost exclusivley commercial and the costs we incur are alot highrer... some examples of chipper running costs for budgetting purposes would be:

 

Fuel to Tow Chipper (trailer for tracked) £10 per day extra

Fuel to power chipper £20 on red diesel

Grease £1.50 per day (half tube of grease per 8hrs use)

Servicing and consumable parts £300 every 200hrs (oil, filters, labour, inspection etc)

Spares, springs, bolts etc £150.00 per annum

Blades - two sets and or sharpening £100.00

 

Based on 180 days a year (15 days per month average) my running costs for our safetrack would work out around £6820 per annum.

 

There are other costs too which I havent factored in such as providing a spill kit, chipper training for operatives, 6 monthly thorough examinations, fuel filters if you're jerry cans are full of crap etc etc.

 

Even with the above costings - the chipper is still viable, returning a profit of over 10k a year after expenses and costs. Having a chipper makes you're business more viable and more profitable IMO.

 

Just my tuppence worth

 

An extra tenner a day to tow the chipper - I don't want your fuel bills!!

 

I only did about 7000 miles in the landy last year, and less than half of that would be towing the chipper. Also my chipper only weighs about 450kg and the difference it makes to the poor MPG of a landrover isn't even noticed.

 

I would say the extra cost in towing the chipper would be covered by the extra runs you have to do when carrying brash

[Kev Stephenson]

With the chipper you will become a lot more productive therefore knocking jobs out quicker , therefore probably lowering your rate for tree work,

 

No No No

 

You do not lower your rate you increase your (hourly) rate as you can achieve more in a hour.

 

That £300 tree is still a £300 tree only you do it in 4 hours not 5 so you can get a cheeky £100 conifer in on your way home therefore make more money in the day

[Albedo]

Apart from the costs this is what will happen.

 

With the chipper you will become a lot more productive therefore knocking jobs out quicker , therefore probably lowering your rate for tree work, therefore you need more jobs to make the same amount of money, therefore running around like a blue arsed fly!

 

 

Saying that theres no way I would go back to mashing brash with a saw!

 

I'd be interested if there are fuel costs per hour for the small diesel engines we use in the chippers. I know there is somewhere but cant find where.

 

This is a good point. I think I do get paid more as I'm there longer.

 

Tommorrow is a willow which is great as they whip onto the truck nice and easy, whip whip whippity whip, and lie nice and flat. Birch is great too, much less up and down and mash mash mashity mash:biggrin:

[tractorboy1]

What about a micro chipper and leave the stuff on site sure there is a threat on here about it somewhere.