I'm looking for an electric chipper. I've got a small yard (50 x 100
lot) and mostly need to turn trimmings from about 150 linear feet of
hedges into compostable material. Most of the woody stuff is under 1/2"
diameter, and I'm not too worried if I won't be able to handle anything
much bigger than that. The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html

Does anybody have one of these? Is it worth getting for my light-duty
needs? I figure the "chip limbs and branches up to 1.5" diameter" is
probably just some marketing guy's fantasy, but I'll be happy if it'll
handle half that without destroying itself.

I know most people say the gas powered ones are the way to go, but I'd
really rather have electric.

The other unit I see advertised a lot is

http://www.composters.com/docs/lawncare5.html

It's a lot more money, but the electric motor isn't any more powerful,
so I suspect it really doesn't do any better job.

All the motors on the electric ones I see seem to be designed to work on
a 20A 120V circuit, and that limits the power to about 1.5 HP. I've got
240V available outside, but nobody seems to make an electric unit that
takes advantage of that. It seems like if I want more power, I need to
get one of the gas powered ones.

Best advice on a chipper is get one that is more powerful than you'd ever
thought you'd need - the low power ones (and that includes ALL electric units)
are forever jamming and choking.

"Bill Spohn" wrote in message
...
Best advice on a chipper is get one that is more powerful than you'd ever
thought you'd need - the low power ones (and that includes ALL electric
units)
are forever jamming and choking.

I agree, says he with an electric sat in the garage because it's useless...

The Q

You won't get much service, nor power from an electric model. When
you finally get one anyway, you'll see for yourself how time-consuming
and frustrating an electric model can be. A small 4 HP gas-powered
chipper will be much better than the most powerful electric model you
can find. If you have a rather large pile, rent a chipper/shredder for
a day. Wear gloves, safety glasses, a tight-fitting dust mask and
hearing protection.

On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:02:21 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:

I'm looking for an electric chipper. I've got a small yard (50 x 100
lot) and mostly need to turn trimmings from about 150 linear feet of
hedges into compostable material. Most of the woody stuff is under 1/2"
diameter, and I'm not too worried if I won't be able to handle anything
much bigger than that. The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html

Does anybody have one of these? Is it worth getting for my light-duty
needs? I figure the "chip limbs and branches up to 1.5" diameter" is
probably just some marketing guy's fantasy, but I'll be happy if it'll
handle half that without destroying itself.

I know most people say the gas powered ones are the way to go, but I'd
really rather have electric.

The other unit I see advertised a lot is

http://www.composters.com/docs/lawncare5.html

It's a lot more money, but the electric motor isn't any more powerful,
so I suspect it really doesn't do any better job.

All the motors on the electric ones I see seem to be designed to work on
a 20A 120V circuit, and that limits the power to about 1.5 HP. I've got
240V available outside, but nobody seems to make an electric unit that
takes advantage of that. It seems like if I want more power, I need to
get one of the gas powered ones.

Roy Smith wrote in message ...
I'm looking for an electric chipper. I've got a small yard (50 x 100
lot) and mostly need to turn trimmings from about 150 linear feet of
hedges into compostable material. Most of the woody stuff is under 1/2"
diameter, and I'm not too worried if I won't be able to handle anything
much bigger than that. The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html


Run the stuff over with a lawn mower.
You might need a piece of fence or plywood to keep the woody bits from
going into low earth orbit but any gas powered mower will handle stuff
like that.

In article ,
(Beecrofter) wrote:

Roy Smith wrote in message
...
I'm looking for an electric chipper. I've got a small yard (50 x 100
lot) and mostly need to turn trimmings from about 150 linear feet of
hedges into compostable material. Most of the woody stuff is under 1/2"
diameter, and I'm not too worried if I won't be able to handle anything
much bigger than that. The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html


Run the stuff over with a lawn mower.
You might need a piece of fence or plywood to keep the woody bits from
going into low earth orbit but any gas powered mower will handle stuff
like that.

I don't own a gas powered mower. I use a push mower.

You're correct, that model is a wimp, as is my 5hp gas troy built.

BUT.....

I've got a Troy Built converted to a 220V 5hp that will eat most
anything that will fit. ( a little more than $250 USD. Anyone near Las
Vegas can haul it away for $250, the gas for $200....

Phish is right by implying they are more trouble than they are
worth...


On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 18:53:27 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

You won't get much service, nor power from an electric model. When
you finally get one anyway, you'll see for yourself how time-consuming
and frustrating an electric model can be. A small 4 HP gas-powered
chipper will be much better than the most powerful electric model you
can find. If you have a rather large pile, rent a chipper/shredder for
a day. Wear gloves, safety glasses, a tight-fitting dust mask and
hearing protection.

On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:02:21 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:

I'm looking for an electric chipper. I've got a small yard (50 x 100
lot) and mostly need to turn trimmings from about 150 linear feet of
hedges into compostable material. Most of the woody stuff is under 1/2"
diameter, and I'm not too worried if I won't be able to handle anything
much bigger than that. The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html

Does anybody have one of these? Is it worth getting for my light-duty
needs? I figure the "chip limbs and branches up to 1.5" diameter" is
probably just some marketing guy's fantasy, but I'll be happy if it'll
handle half that without destroying itself.

I know most people say the gas powered ones are the way to go, but I'd
really rather have electric.

The other unit I see advertised a lot is

http://www.composters.com/docs/lawncare5.html

It's a lot more money, but the electric motor isn't any more powerful,
so I suspect it really doesn't do any better job.

All the motors on the electric ones I see seem to be designed to work on
a 20A 120V circuit, and that limits the power to about 1.5 HP. I've got
240V available outside, but nobody seems to make an electric unit that
takes advantage of that. It seems like if I want more power, I need to
get one of the gas powered ones.

Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets. To plant a pine, one need only own a shovel.
-- Aldo Leopold

One of the problems with chippers / shredders is the difficuly in
getting folage in the machine. If you have a bunch of leaves they will
easily go into the machine. But they would also go directly into
compost. If you have long slender branches they are OK as you feed them
into the machine. But if you have brush with lots of small branches it
is more work to get into the machine than it is worth. You need to cut
it into little branches so that they will fit into the opening.

Dick

Roy Smith in
:

In article ,
(Beecrofter) wrote:


Run the stuff over with a lawn mower.
You might need a piece of fence or plywood to keep the woody bits
from going into low earth orbit but any gas powered mower will handle
stuff like that.

I don't own a gas powered mower. I use a push mower.

you could use hedge shears to cut smaller pieces off as you prune the
hedge. or continue cuting 'full size' pieces as now, but you could lay
the 1/2" diam. pieces parallel in the pile. so, no need to shred.

On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:02:21 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:

The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html

I have one and like it.It is well made, it does 1'' branches as fast
as I can feed them in the side chute. It does have more problems with
high volume soft stuff, I managed to clog it with a bunch of fern
fronds but it comes apart fairly easily for cleaning. It is a small,
lightweight chipper so if you have lot of stuff it is slow.

The one at your link is pretty expensive, I got it locally at Orchard
Supply for $170 & no shipping.

Get it assembled if you can - it is a PITA to put together the bolts
are hard to line up with the holes.
--
09 = ix

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 09:30:07 GMT, Garrapata
wrote:

On Tue, 01 Jun 2004 11:02:21 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:

The model I'm looking at is...

http://www.thecomposter.com/products...ies/index.html

I have one and like it.It is well made, it does 1'' branches as fast
as I can feed them in the side chute. It does have more problems with
high volume soft stuff, I managed to clog it with a bunch of fern
fronds but it comes apart fairly easily for cleaning. It is a small,
lightweight chipper so if you have lot of stuff it is slow.

I have that one also and it's just right for my needs. Initially, it
was stalling quite often when I started it up again after pausing it,
until I realized that hard wood chips were getting wedged in the
chipper. So now I tilt it forward after I turn it off, until the
blade stops turning and all of the remaining chips and debris have
fallen out of the front.

Also, the first extension cord I used (my usual outdoors one for the
lawnmower) didn't let enough juice through to run it; it would hum and
the overload button would pop. It took a few phone calls to figure
out the problem. I had to get a short, seriously heavy-duty cord and
it works fine.

The one at your link is pretty expensive, I got it locally at Orchard
Supply for $170 & no shipping.

Get it assembled if you can - it is a PITA to put together the bolts
are hard to line up with the holes.
--

Definitely need two people to assemble, it's heavy and top-heavy. Be
careful to put it together with the bottom and top facing the right
way so you don't have to take it apart and deal with lining the bolts
up a second time. Don't ask me how I know that :

In theory you're supposed to be able to attach a bag to the out chute
to catch the chips, however, I found that it just blew the bag off.
So I found a cardboard box with the perfect size to fit under the
chute.


Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 02:34:27 GMT, (Curly
Sue) wrote:

In theory you're supposed to be able to attach a bag to the out chute
to catch the chips, however, I found that it just blew the bag off.
So I found a cardboard box with the perfect size to fit under the
chute.


I use a collapsible can like the "Kangaroo" it tucks nicely around the
spout.....
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/ourStore/...0004SD7D.shtml

--
09 = ix

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 22:47:35 GMT, Garrapata
wrote:

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 02:34:27 GMT, (Curly
Sue) wrote:

In theory you're supposed to be able to attach a bag to the out chute
to catch the chips, however, I found that it just blew the bag off.
So I found a cardboard box with the perfect size to fit under the
chute.


I use a collapsible can like the "Kangaroo" it tucks nicely around the
spout.....
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/ourStore/...0004SD7D.shtml

Thanks for the idea. (I have one of those and it's a struggle trying
to collapse it LOL! )

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!