# Dealing with brush:  Homeowner Chipper?



## btuser (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm working on 2014-2015 wood supply (if it stays mild like this!) and have a lot of brush from branches 2" and below for which I just don't see a future.  I've been dragging them into the woods and piling them up but I think this is contributing to the chipmunk/mouse problem, which brings in the coyotes and fisher cats.  The little cat-dogs wouldn't know what hit them.   I'm also weary of large piles of combustible material within sparking distance.  

I'm trying to limit any action that doesn't contribute to the total btus in the wood pile and would be content to let the material decompose on its own but the piles are starting to build up.   

Is a 10hp chipper like Troy Built that's rated for 3" worth the trouble for brush under 2"?  Next size up?  
I go through a pair of loppers yearly.  Is there anything out there that can hold up to 2" oak branches?


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## LLigetfa (Dec 18, 2011)

I would love to have a chipper but would have high expectations and so would be dissapointed with a small one.  The size I want is just too expensive to justify so I just toss it all on my burn pile.

I have some pretty big compost piles for other stuff and I can tell you the mice love it.  My dog loves it when I turn the compost to reveal some tasty treats.  The foxes like it too and they also help keep the stray cat population in control.  City folk are kind enough to bring the foxes a steady supply of food.

The Fiskars lopper looks well made and I'm pretty sure it carries a lifetime warranty but I don't own one.  Aside from a pole pruner, I use a Swede saw to cut up small stuff when I don't want to use my chainsaw.


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## Needshave (Dec 18, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> Is there anything out there that can hold up to 2" oak branches?



A small chainsaw may be what you need. How about burning the brush? In my area we have a three month window to get outdoor burn permits. I call a number before the fire and get the o.k.
A large brush fire can consume a huge pile of brush in a short timeframe. I also find it fun.


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## Dune (Dec 18, 2011)

Two things
1. My chain saw readily cuts oak at 1" diameter. I then pick it up and stack it with the rest of my firewood. Being so small the cut is quick and effortless.
2. The remaining brush is piled and come January I burn it. I am careful to extinguish the flames with a garden hose before it all turns to ash.
I gather the charcoal left behind. Whatever I don't use in the forge is used as fertilizer in the veggie garden (bio-char). 

Last brush pile I burned yeilded six bushel of charcoal.


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## btuser (Dec 18, 2011)

I'd love to burn it but I'm nervous about starting a fire in the woods.  I don't have a suitable clearing.  I'm going to be meeting with the FD chief in a couple days so I'll ask him what's the protocol.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 18, 2011)

The chipmunks and such will be happy to make their homes under some wood chips as will numerous mice.


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## LLigetfa (Dec 18, 2011)

I burn down my brush piles when the woods are soaked from rain or snow covered.

Critters are just as happy to nest in my firewood stacks.


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## SolarAndWood (Dec 18, 2011)

Seems simpler and cheaper to either not bring it home if you are scrounging or leave it where the tree falls if working your own land.


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## trailmaker (Dec 18, 2011)

I see this question pop up from time to time about small homeowner chippers.  Unfortunately the general consensus seems to be that small chippers won't hold up and only the large expensive chippers are worth the money.  I don't have any experience with chippers but I wonder if the small ones don't hold up because sooner or later people start putting oversized branches in.  Maybe some small chipper owners could chime in about durability?


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## Kenster (Dec 18, 2011)

If you really want to chip it, what are you going to do with the resulting mulch?   Mulch piles will attract mice just as readily.  Perhaps, you can use the mulch in flower beds and pathways.

Consider renting a heavy duty chipper once a year to clear out your brush piles.


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## richg (Dec 18, 2011)

I have owned two chippers rated for 3-inch brush, and they were a total waste of money. Loud, slow, you name it, they were absolute "Why the flip did I buy this thing?" purchases.


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## Thistle (Dec 18, 2011)

I bought a 4HP chipper in summer '92 when taking down a big Mulberry in backyard.At the time it would've cost me $20 per full sized p/u load to take the brush to main big landfill 15 miles northeast of me.This would've been around $200 plus gas & all that time.Bought the chipper to get rid of the smaller stuff.That's also how I disposed of 10+ loads of brush after removing 3 large Ailanthus eyesores from yard in Mar 2000 also.

Only gets used 2-3 times a year at most now,it paid for itself years ago already.Also used it to grind up leaves when mower dont get them all.Chips are used for mulch & to cover a few low spots where my splitting/milling area is in back.Anything over 1" diameter is saved for fuel,whether its cut here or when cleaning up dead oak/hickory at parents acreage. Smaller stuff out there is piled in the woods for wildlife cover.


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## btuser (Dec 18, 2011)

I cut from my own land.  The woods are already choked full of under-brush, and its a chore to haul it to a location that's not an eyesore from the house.   I keep anything above 2" but I'm YEARS ahead on kindling so at this point I have a hard time justify picking up 4" pine let alone 1" maple or smaller.   The wood stove project was always more about burning the trees that needed to be cut regardless.   I've got 24" trunks waiting to be dragged out and bucked.  

To rent a chipper would be an option, but I'd have to bring the brush to the chipper.  I'm trying to avoid any extra handling of the wood, whether it be burnables or waste product.  Hopefully I can get to the point where I can drop the trees into the woods but right now everything I have is leaning into the clearing and whenever I try to either winch/shim it backwards I get hung up.


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## JP11 (Dec 18, 2011)

I've got a big chipper (6 x 12 inch infeed chute) with hydraulic feed.  

Feeding a chipper is A LOT of work.  I think I'll stick with the plan of only chipping branches and tops that are within easy sight of the driveway.  The rest can rot in the woods.

JP


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## velvetfoot (Dec 19, 2011)

richg said:
			
		

> I have owned two chippers rated for 3-inch brush, and they were a total waste of money. Loud, slow, you name it, they were absolute "Why the flip did I buy this thing?" purchases.



ditto.
I've never had a small engine that requires ether for every start-so hard to pull it over-the mechanism turns over hard I guess.
Every short while something jams and things have to be taken apart.


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 19, 2011)

Burn it if you can, even if you just have a fire pit you can burn alot.  I cleared off an area and burned alot this year, but I do not think I will ever get it all burned.  The rest get piled in an area out of sight and I like the fact that rabbits and dear like to hang out there.


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## Frozen Canuck (Dec 19, 2011)

Vermeer makes a 6"Â chipper with a 25 ish hp motor, hydraulic reversing infeed rolls, trailer mounted,  highway legal. I wouldn't consider anything that was built to a lesser standard than a vermeer, AFA puchasing, things seem to least forever here with the line clearing outfits. 

I see them used in good shape with low hours for about 5K. If that doesn't work most rental outfits should be able to source one to rent. You will be amazed at how much brush you can get through one of these in a day. 

Having said that a rental may make more sense. You will literally work yourself into a lather trying to keep up with even a 6". FWIW I was thinking the same thing, just got back from working in my brush today, plenty of underbrush also & thought to myself if a fire ever gets going in here all these branches are going to be like gasoline.


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## LLigetfa (Dec 19, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> I cut from my own land.  The woods are already choked full of under-brush, and its a chore to haul it to a location that's not an eyesore from the house.


When I am culling trees on my land, I just chop up the braches so they will lay flat and rot.  It's giving something back to the land.  Once the undergrowth greens up you can't even see it.

My bush is too thick to get a chipper back there and I certainly wouldn't drag the stuff out.  The stuff that does end up on my burn pile is from the trees in the yard or right on the edge of it where I may drop the tree into the yard rather than back in the bush.


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## mtcates (Dec 19, 2011)

I bought two old brush chippers for my tree business.  They are both very reliable even though 20 or more years old.  They will chip 12 inch diameter wood.  One has 65 horsepower and the other 120 HP.  I paid $3000 each for them.   If you really want a chipper you can, given enough time find a good large machine for a reasonable price. And if you are willing you can make a lot of side money with a machine like that.


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## MasterMech (Dec 19, 2011)

If you're looking to own a homeowner sized chipper: look at BearCat.  They are built far better than anything else on the market.  Dual double-sided chipper blades, replaceable hammers on the shredder unit, Honda engine options, etc.  I've not found anything better in the 3"-5" category.  One word of caution, renting a homeowner sized unit is often a joke, they rental shop usually neglects to sharpen the chipper knives and who knows what the last customer fed down the chute.  95% of having a workable chipper is keeping those knives S-H-A-R-P! Once the unit stops self-feeding and you have to push the branch in (we're not talking about a hydraulic feed unit here) it's time to sharpen/flip the knives.  That happens every 10-20 hours of use with a self-feeder (hyd. feed units can go longer.) You need tools to sharpen those knives yourself too.  Something that can grind 'em perfectly flat and not overheat the knife edge.  I use a surface grinder and liquid cooling but not everybody has access to that kind of equipment.  There are some DIY solutions to do it right but they cost well over $100 in most cases.

http://www.bearcatproducts.com


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## btuser (Dec 19, 2011)

Looks like its business as usual then.  I'm looking for a $300 solution to a live-n-let-live problem.  I think I'll just get a pair of new loppers and have at the larger branches/piles, try to get them to lay flat as others suggested.  I don't have room for a big chipper (yet).


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## StuckInTheMuck (Dec 19, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> Looks like its business as usual then.  I'm looking for a $300 solution to a live-n-let-live problem.  I think I'll just get a pair of new loppers and have at the larger branches/piles, try to get them to lay flat as others suggested.  I don't have room for a big chipper (yet).



I've got one of these..  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0xO7P6sZ1A  As you can see, this guy got his for free.  I got mine in 1989 when I was doing a landscaping job.  It has paid for itself several times over and it still runs like a champ.  It took a lot of abuse after Irene.  The downfall for these small chippers is that it's impossible to feed crooked branches or stuff with a fork in it.   It also can beat the hell out of your hands as you're feeding it, so you want to wear gloves.  I use the chainsaw to cut brush to a manageable size and am able to put 95% of the brush through it.  The other 5% gets burned.


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## pyper (Dec 19, 2011)

I have one similar to what I see for $700 or so at Lowes. Maybe 5 HP.

It works. It's not real fast, but it turns branches into chips. Grinds up fall leaves too.

I use the chips for mulching trees and shrubs in the yard.

I don't chip anything smaller than about an inch though. Last time I cut down a tree I tool all the small branches and stacked them together, and then used the chain saw to cut the stacks into 16" lengths. I burn everything down to about an inch. But most of our heating season is like most people's shoulder season, so we start a lot of quick fires. (i.e., heat up the stove quickly and let it burn out).


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## oldspark (Dec 19, 2011)

2 inch oak goes in the wood burner, there are people who would kill for 2 inch oak. My hottest fires ever in the summit was 2 and 3 inch stuff. Got that out of the way, I rented a troy built  once and I was very disappointed, it liked green wood and did not work very well on dead branches.


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## Got Wood (Dec 19, 2011)

I would rent a chipper if the need arose.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 19, 2011)

I just pile up the brush . . . figure it will make a good home for the rabbits . . . and will eventually break down and help fertilize the trees I've left behind.


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## peakbagger (Dec 19, 2011)

Most municipalities in NH allow unlimited burning once there is snow on the ground. The trade off is that unless you can keep the brush dry, it inevitably fills up with snow and ice and is almost impossible to burn. If you can cover it over, it burns quick once lit.

I have a bunch of softwoods that I am getting rid of and find that is easier to start a fire with some dry wood when there is snow on the ground and then cut the green trees and burn them green. As long as you keep the wood piled on, they will burn but I expect that its about the nastiest way to burn wood possible. 

I have used small chippers in the past and they take a lot of time to process much brush.


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## CaddyUser (Dec 19, 2011)

I picked up a used MTD homeowner unit late last fall.  It might have had a couple dozen branches put through it.  Paid $175 for it (they go for about $800) new.  I took down one of the 50' maples in our front yard, a 40' blue spruce for my sister, and various branches and stuff from our small backyard.

It's slow, but it gets the job done.  I think max size from this one is 2", and it's hooked to a 5.5HP engine.

I picked up a set of replacement knives for it the other day, and they cost me about $50.  

Would I buy another one?  Probably not, but it does what I need it to do, and the price was right.  I looked long and hard at one of the BearCats, and will probably go with that or one of the smaller Wallensteins at some point.....


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## PA Fire Bug (Dec 19, 2011)

I have a chipper shredder like the one in the photo below and agree with those who said that a small machine will not handle your brush.  The manual says not to load anything larger than 3 inches in the small chipper shoot and nothing larger than 1/2 inch diameter in the hopper shoot.  I got it from my dad when he retired and use it to make mulch for our flower beds.  It works best with green wood but it takes a long time to feed it into the shredder.  It does not work with dead wood larger than twigs.  Spruce and pine are easy to shred and make great smelling mulch.  I don't own any wooded land and only use it a few times a year to clean up dead branches and tree trimmings.


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## stejus (Dec 20, 2011)

I pile mine where ever I drop the tree.  The next spring or fall I drag them to the garden and burn them down to ash.


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## btuser (Dec 20, 2011)

stejus said:
			
		

> I pile mine where ever I drop the tree.  The next spring or fall I drag them to the garden and burn them down to ash.



That's not a bad idea.   I'm not opposed to dragging it out to the center of the lawn come Winter but I don't want to have to deal with the crop circle come Spring.  I get so little sun it takes years for grass to grow back healthy (weeds are another matter).   I've got a 10x50 strip of bare earth that would hold a lot of brush past the first freeze but its boarderd by a vinyl coated chain link fence.  I'm afaid I'd end up melting the coating and it would just look bad.  

I'm starting to like the look of brush piles in the woods.  I'll deal with the inevitable rodent explosion and the cycle of predators it brings with it.   Thanks everybody for setting me straight.  I've got my mind right again.


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## Mick-Fish (Dec 20, 2011)

I have a DR chipper 18 HP..IT about 4 years old now and love it .I had a troy built and kept breaking the belts...I would buy another DR...P.S. look on E bay thats ware I got mine


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## Den69RS96 (Dec 20, 2011)

i have a mackissic 12PT-10.  the shredder takes up to 1 inch branches.  the 24 hammers are reversable so you get 4 times the life out of them.  The chipper takes up to 3.5 inch branches.  yes you have to manually feed them in, but it pretty much goes through the stuff pretty easy.  It takes longer to gather up all the brush and branches and cut them down to size to fit in the chipper vs chipping them up.  Yeah its not anything like what the pro's use, but its awesome for a homeowner.  I'd use it more if I had more time to clean up my yard.


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## Bigg_Redd (Dec 20, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> I'm working on 2014-2015 wood supply (if it stays mild like this!) and have a lot of brush from branches 2" and below for which I just don't see a future.  I've been dragging them into the woods and piling them up but I think this is contributing to the chipmunk/mouse problem, which brings in the coyotes and fisher cats.  The little cat-dogs wouldn't know what hit them.   I'm also weary of large piles of combustible material within sparking distance.
> 
> I'm trying to limit any action that doesn't contribute to the total btus in the wood pile and would be content to let the material decompose on its own but the piles are starting to build up.
> 
> ...



Why not just burn as you go?


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## jrcurto (Dec 21, 2011)

I have a two-year old 13 HP DR Chipper that I will be putting up for sale this spring.  It handles 3" limbs and plows through everything else.  I used it for making high quality chips in my beds and paths but now have unlimited access to free chips via several landscaper friends I barter with (barter deer meat and fish  Electric start, 13 HP Briggs & Stratton Vanguard. I bought the machine new for $1800 and if anyone is located in Southwest CT or drives by one day, I can demo.  Make a deal or trade for a splitter.

Jim


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