Sue wrote:
"H Ryder" wrote

SNIP
I can pull my Alko model along with one hand; it's robust but not too
big or heavy. It'll crunch up woody branches up to about 45mm
diameter, plus all the smaller twigs and leafy material too, and has
done so with no problem for several years. The trick is to feed in
woody branches or twigs along with any greener stuff to give the
shredder something to bite on. Mine has never had to be taken apart -
there's an automatic reverse action that clears itself and it only
ever jams up if I get too enthusiastic feeding it excess soft sappy
stuff at once. Shoving in a woody branch will then pull the
obstruction through, and away we go again. Don't know what they
retail at now but iircc it cost me about £220 or so, and it was worth
every penny.

I can confirm all this.
I have six compost bins to fill so before I bought the ALKO I hired one of
the ones that have high speed rotating blades - can't remember the make -
this immediately convinced me to get one with slow speed crushing, cutting
action. - 'Silent power' type.

After a bout five years it wasn't cutting small twigs any more so I replaced
the nylon roller and it's back to 'as new'.
The only thing it realy doesn't like is Hawthorn - which keeps trying to
crawl back out!

http://www.gpdltdtest.co.uk/productD...p?productID=76

Slatts