rgeparker

Hi Jon. Do you reckon that's about the maximum tonnage I should aim for then? Quite keen on the Uniforest brand tho, as they seem about the best value for money..

Hi guys. After recently purchasing a 1963 Fordson Super Major tractor, I am now looking to equip it with a PTO winch. I have had a quote for a Uniforest 3.5 tonne model, which seems quite reasonable, and within my necessarily low budget, but I am now wondering whether I should be looking at something a bit bigger? What size winch would you suggest be optimal for this tractor (I believe around 50hp when new)?. It'll be used predominantly for assisted directional felling, but most likely for some skidding also. I've seen some of the older Majors fitted with large Cooks/Boughton winches, that have really large spades, and must have a pulling capacity pushing double figures? Obviously, I don't want something too big and heavy duty for what is essentially a small tractor by todays standards, but I'd like to have a machine that is equally matched to it. Thanks. Rob.

Slash, cash & dash!

Had my cs100 since February this year, and it's been a great machine so far. However, the last few days, it's been making an odd sound whilst on tickover. It sounds like a knocking/slopping, and it seems to be coming from the cassette area. I've heard this sound before, but to a lesser extent, which I put down to the belts needing to be tightened. I've inspected the belts and they do seem like they could do with a tighten, but the tightening mechanism is on its maximum setting, thus there is no more play. Is it time to replace the belts perhaps ? When the machine is on full revs, the sound disappears, and it's still chipping fine. Please help! Rob.

Hi Bert. Thanks for the informative reply. The pros sound very good, although there are quite a few cons that would potentially put me off. One point (which you made) are the controls, which look poorly designed. As you say, you have to pull then both simultaneously to operate the machine. When the chap demonstrates this on the YouTube video (in the vertical position), it looks like he's about to topple it over, as you have to pull towards you?! I'd be a bit concerned that repeatedly doing this would loosen fixings, and weaken the structure? So, based on your experiences with the machine, would you recommend it? They're up for sale on eBay for a tad under 2 grand (with the VAT), which like I said, seems like very good value for money. The distributer appears to be located in Devon (not too far from me), which would potentially make getting parts etc relatively straightforward? The other machine I was looking at, was an oxdale se400.. Similar sort of price (bit cheaper), but less bang for your buck. Is this a case of quality over quantity do you think? If you were to replace your current machine with another in the same price range, would you have the same again? Thanks. Rob.

Hey guys and gals. Anyone have any experience of said machine? They look very good value for money. 26 tonne, diesel, towable, horizontal/ vertical working positions. Seem to tick all the right boxes. Can't really find any information about them online, other than their website. I think they're built by a relatively small company, and they sell on eBay. Cheers. Rob.

Lewis?! Brilliant! I've yet to name mine yet. But I'll second the wearing gloves tip. Holding on to anything that is just plain wood can be... An experience! Much better when there are small branch tips to hold on to, as they absorb the vibrations.

They certainly have a big appetite! As long as the blades are sharp, and the material is properly sned out, it rips through a pile of brash. I've done a wide variety of jobs with it now, both in narrow access situations (which is obviously their main asset) and left on the trailer, chipping into the back of the truck, and there is rarely an occasion where I feel I 'need' a bigger chipper. Superb value for money, very versatile, and it certainly earns it's keep!

Superb little machines. I've owned one since earlier this year, and I'm chuffed to bits with it! I spent a long time weighing up the pros and cons of various machines, including larger tow behinds, but this came up trumps for my requirements. Reading through the various 'wee chipper' threads on here, swung it for me in the end. They're definitely worth a read if you are thinking about buying one.

Hi guys. Hope I'm not just repeating what's already been said, but I've just bought a 540 after my last saw died, and really like it overall (weight, balance, power etc), but I'm really not liking the bar/chain combo. I'm running a 14" techlite, with the standard low kickback chain, and I'm finding it chatters badly. It's oiling fine, and the tension is correct, but finding it difficult to execute accurate pruning cuts with it. I previously had an ms200t with a 12" bar, and full chisel chain, which always cut lovely. Do I need to just change the chain?

That's an even better idea! Maybe I could have a third tied around my waist.. Very efficient! Luckily, my body is built like a tractor. My legs have the ability to pull loads in excess of 3 tonnes, and my arms are like a tele handler- should make lifting/dumping those tonne bags onto the top of the chip pile a doddle! Haha.

Thanks broonie. That link to the one on Amazon looks really good. Reasonably priced too. Alternating between two bins/barrows sounds like a good option. Might give that a go before splashing out on a large barrow! Cheers. Rob

I can't see myself being able to drag a builders bag of woodchips very far to be honest.. It'd be like watching one of those tractor pulls where the tractor comes to an abrupt halt, then starts smoking! Haha. High sided twin wheeled Barrow sounds like a sensible option, although I'd have no idea where to look for one of these, or how much they would cost etc.

Yeah, that is one issue that crossed my mind.. guess i'd be making quite a few trips to the woodchip pile using a standard sized wheely bin.. hmm...

Hi guys. I've recently purchased a greenmech cs100, and am chuffed to bits with it.. great machine! I just wanted to ask, what is the best (and most inexpensive) way of moving the woodchip around/off site on those 'chip on the spot/removal' jobs? I've got a job coming up on a largish site, working on several trees which are spread out over the site. I can get the chipper right next to each tree, but the customer insists that all of the woodchip is piled in one central location, as apposed to separate piles under each tree (bit inconvenient, but nevermind). I'm sure I read a post on here a while back that some people chip directly into wheely bins or wheelbarrows? This makes alot of sense, as it would save dragging lots of material to the chipper. Is this the best method? Unfortunately, I dont have the luxury of using a small garden tractor & trailer, or a powerbarrow etc, so it'll need to be something cheap and cheerful! Cheers. Rob.

Arbtech, I really like the sound of the perspex rear window with hinged cover! I was thinking of a perspex rear window for when I make my chipbox, but the hinged cover sounds ideal, as it'll obviously stop the perspex getting damaged/dirtied up. Do you have any pics of it at all? Cheers. Rob

Nice one! Let us know how you get on with your new cs100!

Ok, thanks for that. So, like you said before, as long as I don't fully load my trailer (less approx 75kgs), I should be ok legally? Cheers. Rob

Daniel, how long did you have/use your cs100 for before upgrading to a bigger chipper? Did you find you were often able to leave the chip with clients, due to having one? Or were you still using it like a tow behind regularly? Cheers. Rob.

So, to play it safe, would I be better off getting a 500kg trailer, rather than a 750kg? This way, my GTW will be sub 3.5 tonne, meaning that none of the aforementioned complications would be an issue.. (Tacho, CPC etc). I always understood it as being I can legally drive a 3.5 tonne truck, towing a 750kg trailer/chipper, but to do so in the course of this industry, I'd either need to adhere to the additional laws (Tacho etc), or fall under one of the exemptions? It really is confusing :-(

I think what I was trying to say here is that it's what the combination COULD weigh, as opposed to what it actually weighs in at.. Which In my case would be just over the 3.5 tonne threshold.. Sorry, I'm a bit tired.. I Should probably just go to bed! Haha.

I understood it as being the GTW possible, rather than the actual load being carried at that time.. If that makes sense. I.e my truck and trailer loaded to their maximum permissible weight would exceed 3.5 tonne. Even if the trailer was empty , and I got pulled over, would I not be in the wrong, because if the trailer WAS loaded, I'd be overweight? It's what the trailer can potentially carry, is it not? Like, I'm not able to tow an empty trailer with a GVW of 800kgs, because If it was loaded, my driving Licence wouldn't allow it.. Or is that a different matter again?

Hey guys. This topic has got me very confused! I've got a 4x4 ford ranger tipper, with a GVW of 2825kgs. My licence (being post 97') only allows me to tow up to a 750kg trailer. Now, this small set up would take me to a GTW of 3575kgs, correct?.. Approx 75kgs over the 3.5 tonne limit. So, is this a legal combo? Do I need CPC? Operators licence? Tacho? The truck and trailer will of course be carrying arisings and tools/machinery. Apologies if I'm asking a stupid question, or if it's already been covered in this thread, and I've missed it. Cheers. Rob.

Thanks Colin. I'll look into that.

Yeah, I'm sure I could arrange that with a dealer Daniel, and that would probably be the best thing to do.. Test it with a range of material, and see how I get on with it. Like you say, a larger machine on finance possibly wouldn't cost much more a month in relative terms, but I do still like the idea of using micro chippers.. Especially not having to remove chip from site where possible..