monkeybusiness

MS261 has some serious design flaws with the clutch/crank/bearings, that may not come to light within warranty period if you are an infrequent user but will effectively write-off the saw if they occur out of warranty (potentially uneconomic repair). Stay well away - I was told recently that Stihl are discontinuing this saw due to the poor reputation it has earned itself. The ms362 is a good reliable saw, but IMO not as exciting as a husky 560xp. I would always pick up the 560 before the 362 unless wanting to pull a 20" bar. The 550xp is the closest equivalent to the ms261 and would be a good saw for your requirements I would imagine, and is cheaper than a 362 or a 560.

Can it hold what it cuts (ie if you sever a tree do you have any control over where it goes?). Not all the pics have downloaded on this computer so apologies if the answer is in the photos!

After the greenmech you will probably be disappointed with anything else that you buy, as nothing else on the market is as good at accessing difficult sites. There isn't much point in a tracked chipper if you still have to drag stuff to it IMO!

What engine has it got? It looks to be under 750kg (no brakes) which makes it more valuable to a lot of people without the correct driving licence for towing. Is there VAT on top? I'd say it has to be around 5k personally.

I'll get some up once the insurance is sorted.

Yeah - it turns out a 1928 is a lot tougher than a Peugeot and a Toyota Dyna though!

Pete, can you tell me the RAL code for GM green please?

I'm going for Komatsu...

That is very worrying! Is there any possibility that the flywheel mounting is damaged/out of line and the blades have been stressed when fixed to the machine? I am unfamiliar with TP machines so don't know if this could play a part or not.

Not that obvious - they are a bitch to check (and even harder to swap!).

The Greenmech has a 6"x9" infeed throat, compared to 6"x6" for the TW. This makes a massive difference to what it will pull in (in terms of brash/thorn) and equates to a lot less snedding. It is more on a par with a TW190 for chipping ability in reality. There are many other reasons that I would personally chose the GM but I would suggest that from a day to day operating point of view that is the big difference.

Blunt blades will create more blockages. Check your anvil/bedknife (the non-moving edge that the blades cut against). This needs to be sharp too!

Get the most torque you can! If you only ever use your trailer on very flat ground it makes no difference, however if you pick timber up on the downhill side of a leaning trailer (and it doesn't need to be leaning a lot) it requires a lot of torque to twist all that mass back 'uphill' to load.

There isn't one machine that will do every job. If you are looking to buy something specific and can build a business plan around it (ie buy it to hire out, including back to yourself for treework at a cost effectively passed on to the client) then it may be worth looking into. How many times do you need a MEWP on a job personally? If a lot, then buying a machine similar to what you regularly hire could make sense. If infrequently, I would be inclined to just hire a task specific machine each time you need one.

Sorry - that wasn't very clear. I was comparing the discs to square edge blades in general as used on most makes of chipper, of which I have used plenty! I wouldn't recommend re-bar, or micro pulleys either for that matter...

Sounds like the future's bright at Greenmech Pete!

They are over 30k new though - that needs to be considered I suppose. Essentially everything can be replaced/renewed, so even very second hand machines at the right money are worth a punt. The parts that don't bolt off are built extremely strong and should last forever in theory.

Sorry - I missed your post - that is strong money!

Worth a punt at the right money though - I've got one that I bought VERY second hand (unknown hours as it had a new clock). It had been well looked after in all fairness, but had done 5 years with a big railway contractor so must have done 1500 - 2000hrs plus I would guess. We've put another 1200hrs on it in 3 years and I am just pulling it apart for a big service at present. I have pulled the flywheel out today (for the first time in my ownership) and it all looks good inside the housing, which I am amazed by! How much do Balmers want for theirs (pm me if you prefer)?

Balmers have got one - I don't know how much they want for it though.

LAND ROVER 110 TIPPER | eBay Have a look at the pics (he is listing the chipper as part of his land rover ad). It is a road tow, not a safetrak (or I would have bought it myself!)

Great machines! Check it hasn't got water in the hydraulic oil - there was an issue with the oil tank's breather location where water could drip through the breather into the tank. This can eventually ruin the hydraulic pump and/or motors. It shows up as milky hydraulic oil, but can settle out and not appear milky in the tank sight glass if the machine hasn't been used for a while. Run the machine at full revs with the rollers turning for 5 mins or so and then turn it off and have a look at the oil inside the tank (take the top off the return fuel filter, pull the filter out and shine a torch into the tank). If the oil is milky then be nervous. There is a fella in Warrington selling what appears to be a very tidy 2009 machine for £10k on eBay - LAND ROVER 110 TIPPER | eBay Check the details with PeteB regarding serial numbers etc on anything second hand. I had one of these stolen a couple of years ago which hasn't turned up, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! They are a great machine for their size - very brash hungry! If you buy it and end up having any issues Greenmech techncal support are extremely helpful.

Once you have used the discs you won't go back. They are better than square blades in every way IMO. They last much longer between sharpens, can be rotated, and seem to keep working after being abused (not advised but sometimes necessary). We have chipped re-bar (accidentally) before now and completed they day's chipping before changing/turning the blades. I buy them in bulk from Saturn Machine Knives when they are on offer and they are very good value - they also offer an excellent sharpening service. I don't have any personal experience of the square GM blades but the feedback seems to be good - they look pretty pricey though.

See if anybody can spot the hazards... Video contains swearing, do not watch with young kids.

Something like this? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56XL0TysIn0]1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test - YouTube[/ame]