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Questions regarding shredder/mulcher???
Hi there,
I am thinking about buying an shredder mulcher (possibly AL-KO silent shredder SP-4000 or SP-5000). If anyone has an AL-KO silent shredder, I would be glad to hear some comments on how it works. I basically need a shredder to help with making compost and mulch. I have many branches which I have stockpiled which I would like to shred and add to my compost pile. Is the shredder able to handle branches of European Ash tree? Most of my branches are from this tree and are pretty hard. If the shredder handles branches up to 4 cm thick does that mean that it can handle ANY type of branch regardless of the type of wood? What else can go into the shredder? Can leaves also be shredded? I have access to large pieces of fir tree bark from a local sawmill, which I collect, chop up and add to a pile (to create bark chips for mulch). Will the shredder accept pieces of bark? The pieces I end up with are about 10 cm in diameter, but I would like to shred them to create a finer mulch. Does the 4 cm (for example) limit for branches mean that anything going into the shredder cannot be wider than that? Thanks Joe |
#2
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Questions regarding shredder/mulcher???
"Joe Jamies" wrote I am thinking about buying an shredder mulcher (possibly AL-KO silent shredder SP-4000 or SP-5000). If anyone has an AL-KO silent shredder, I would be glad to hear some comments on how it works. snip Works brilliantly, afaic. I have a 4000 model bought last year and I'm very pleased with it. I've now got a couple of large wooden bins full of lovely dark stuff that looks about ready for mulching this spring. When I think of all that useful material that used to be hauled off to the dump...! I haven't had to deal with any ash branches, but I don't see why they couldn't go through as long as you don't go overboard with anything too thick. We've put two year seasoned sycamore branches through, probably a bit more than 4cm if I'd measured them, and it didn't miss a beat. The machine seems very robust. Leaves and twiggy pieces are no problem. I find if you feed stuff like that in along with longer woodier branches to give the machine something to bite on, they will pull the leafy stuff through just fine. We've put conifer hedge clippings, sappy euonymus prunings and all that sort of thing in alongside bigger branches without a hitch. It's very satisfying to start with a huge pile of pruning taking up so much space and quickly reducing it all to a shredded up mulch. The resulting mix of crushed woody chunks and chopped greenery seems to heat up really quickly. The first lot we tried, which was left in a heap in the open temporarily, had got really hot and had signs of ash forming in the centre when we moved it after only a few days! Will the shredder accept pieces of bark? The pieces I end up with are about 10 cm in diameter, but I would like to shred them to create a finer mulch. Does the 4 cm (for example) limit for branches mean that anything going into the shredder cannot be wider than that? The Al-ko shredders work with a rotating roller and cog-wheel type mechanism which crunches and chops the material, so whatever you feed in does need to physically fit through that. Without checking, the width is actually a few cm more but not an awful lot. Pieces of bark wouldn't be a problem if you could split them down to fit. Sue |
#3
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Questions regarding shredder/mulcher???
I have an Al Ko SP 5000 and I am very pleased with it. It accepts all branches up to 4.5 cm. The hopper would prevent anything much bigger than that getting through. The cog grips the wood and pulls it through, so it is less successful with small twigs and leaves than with longer thicker branches, although adding the two together can work. It is quiet and appears not to need sharpening unlike cheaper makes. In message , Joe Jamies writes Hi there, I am thinking about buying an shredder mulcher (possibly AL-KO silent shredder SP-4000 or SP-5000). If anyone has an AL-KO silent shredder, I would be glad to hear some comments on how it works. I basically need a shredder to help with making compost and mulch. I have many branches which I have stockpiled which I would like to shred and add to my compost pile. Is the shredder able to handle branches of European Ash tree? Most of my branches are from this tree and are pretty hard. If the shredder handles branches up to 4 cm thick does that mean that it can handle ANY type of branch regardless of the type of wood? What else can go into the shredder? Can leaves also be shredded? I have access to large pieces of fir tree bark from a local sawmill, which I collect, chop up and add to a pile (to create bark chips for mulch). Will the shredder accept pieces of bark? The pieces I end up with are about 10 cm in diameter, but I would like to shred them to create a finer mulch. Does the 4 cm (for example) limit for branches mean that anything going into the shredder cannot be wider than that? Thanks Joe -- FEARNLEY |
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