Micro chippers

[rgeparker]

Hey guys. I know this subject has been flogged to death, and believe me, I have trawled through the relevant threads ('wee chipper club', 'self propelled chipper' etc), but I was wondering, how many of you out there rely on these little machines as your sole means of chipping, and how do they fair? I'm guessing most of you that use machines such as a jo beau, or cs100, have larger chippers aswell? I only ask, as I'm looking to invest in my first chipper later in the year, and up till now, I'd had my heart set on a cs100 (budget is tight, and I can see the many, many advantages of using a wee chipper). However, my only real experience of using such machines, was a 4 day chipping marathon on a Timberwolf 13/75g, which is a good machine for narrow access, but not one I'd want to have as a primary chipper (infeed capacity, chute height etc). Other than that, I've been used to 6'' plus, hydraulic feed machines.

 

I know this is a long winded message, but what I'd really like feedback on is- will a cs100 (or similar) cope as an 'all round' chipper? Perhaps with the bespoke trailer option to use it as a tow-behind, when necessary? Obviously I don't expect it process material as quickly as a 6'' plus diesel, but this isn't a high priority for me at the moment anyway.

 

Cheers. Rob

[Stephen Blair]

I used it solely for about 2-3 years and on bigger jobs would hire my mate and van .

[Andy Collins]

I've used my JoBeau a fair bit, it's done a lot of jobs that I would have been surprised at before I owned one. I think you could solely rely on one, in the same way you could cut everything by hand, but why would you? I'd do all the jobs the little chipper can handle with the little one, and hire in a bigger machine when you need to. Or have one of each. I certainly don't think I'd be without one these days, given how much easier it has made my life.

[Daniel Jiggins]

Until recently my cs100 was my only chipper it did the job but there is far more cutting to get branches to go through, I now have a 6" feed diesel greenmech and couldn't go back to the little one on a full time basis.

Ideally if funds allow have both, but I sold my cs100 to part fund my new one.

[Marc Lewis]

If a lot of your work is on price, I would get a decent 6" twin roller fed like the new Forst machines. You will save so much time/money.

[GTS]

I have just bought a cs100 just late last year after a lot of help from the guys writing those threads you've read. They wernt wrong. Its won me work, enabled work to take place and is my first chipper too. If you have a mate with a 6"+ chipper and tipper then you will be doing bigger jobs where presumably you will need help anyway so why buy something big expensive and a liability? As you get busier then invest in faster equipment but for now, yes add on 30/40 mins to your day to what your used to. They don't cost a lot to run either. Ive put Lombardi Pops, Ash, Willow,Chestnut, Oak Laurels, all through. It doesn't like gnarly stuff, Ivy apple twigs etc or thick wet cypress but taking time with this machine is a prerequisite. Hope this helps, good luck

[rgeparker]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Like I said previously, this will be my first chipper, and I will have very limited funds for it... Infact, it will most probably be a finance job whichever machine I opt for. I certainly won't be able to afford both!! Buying a cs100, and hiring in a larger one as needed sounds like the way to go. If it will process most material ok (4inch plus will be kept for logs anyway), then I reckon it would be a sound investment?

Does anyone have any videos they can put up of the cs100 chipping please? YouTube doesn't really have that many, at least not that show off the machines full potential. On paper, it looks pretty useful.

Cheers. Rob.

[Breezeblock]

the flip side of a smaller chipper is you get more firewood to sell

[kentjames]

I have an Arborist 130, but if and when a CS100 comes up for sale at a sensible price I will buy one too. There are some jobs where the chip can be left on site, or its just a pollard, shrub pruning or annual dogwood coppicing where a little Gloria would be perfick!

[White Noise]

Rob Rob Rob the 13/75 is not even in the same league as a Jo beau or a cs 100 . Try one of the above machines on demo and you will be smiling