Wich garden shredder its better?

[SeaWalnut]

Ive decided to buy one of these because its cheap and i can make woodchips to use them as a mulch( i got tired of using mulch made from straws because it decays too fast).
These machines are small power but thats exactly what i want .I dont want big power chippers altough i do have 380 volts instalation ( and the regular 220v) and i have somme heavy duty 5-11 kw triphasic motors at home.
I could use those with a DIY machine but that seems quite dangerous and a lot more work and monney to build the machine than to buy one of these small wood chippers.

Im thonking to make like 4-5 cubic meters of wood chips per year wich could be crazy for such a small chipper but il sharpen the blades and hopefully il dont have too manny problems.
In case the branches are too thick il split them first.
https://youtu.be/XmHXr7vAz8U

[shot]

You can  get tractor pto chippers even for walking tractors. Maybe get a used one.

https://www.google.com/search?q=walking+tractor+attachment+chippers&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-3pzY4rXoAhWQTd8KHdBcA6AQsAR6BAgHEAE&biw=1296&bih=665#imgrc=9vff5WvFgszBGM

[Cookie Monster]

I'm pretty fond of mackissic, but prolly not easy to find one in Romania.

[SeaWalnut]

I cant get a tractor shredder or a bigger shredder where i deposit the branches.
I can find all types of wood chippers here to buy or i can build one really powerfull ,electric, with triphase motor 5-15 kw but that would cost more than the cost of one of these small chippers ,wich is 100-150 dollars.
And i dont want a powerfull wood chipper because there will be kids using it and the safer the better.
It will still be dangerous but not as dangerous as the big wood chippers.

One of the 2 small electric chippers has a disk with 2 blades that spins fast .Makes smaller sized wood chips.


The otther small electric wood chipper has this gear like  cutter wich spins slow but has a lot of torque due to the fact it runs through a gear reductor.
The wood chips are bigger than the wood shawings of the first wood chipper.


Il be using the wood chips as mulch to keep the moisture in the soil and also i want to heat my greenhouse on wood chips from a reservoir with a feeding auger/ screw ( automatic fire feeding).

[pineislander]

I've been using my tractor PTO chipper a few years and am happy. The ones with a heavy flywheel have enough inertial mass to work, and as shot explained to me keeping the blades sharp makes a big difference (and the belt sander sharpens them well!). i chip directly into my pickup truck and fork out of that. Usually I only chip up to 2 inch branches.
Requires 25 hp~20kw tractor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-hWIle0Xa0

[shot]

Nightmare machine ,but works well on wood to, and all electric!




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwFwEV3foQg

[SeaWalnut]

Does wood chip size matter ?
The first machine makes the chips verry small saw dust and the second machine makes the chips @ 2-3 cm thick(1-1,5 inch).

I also want to use the wood chips for heating and bigger pieces might stay dryer than smaller ones and burn better.
But the smaller chips would pass better through the auger feeder ( hopper) of the stove il build.

[SeaWalnut]

Ive found another wood chipper from Bosch that uses a different type of blade wich users say it jams less offten.
The wood chips are falling from the middle of the cutter wich its different from the more common ,gear like type of blades.
The Bosch its really expensive at 500 dollars but i found one like new second hand for half the price thogh still more expensive than a brand new supermarket type of brand( found one at just 150 dollars )


The 150 dolalrs new,from.supermarket,wood chipper has this type of cutting like in this picture also from a Bosch and the brand its called MacAlister.
I have no idea wich one to choose.The expensive bosch seems it could chip better but also the blades look weak and hard to fix in case it breaks.

[SeaWalnut]

I bought this silent wood chipper ,Mac Allister brand and its a beast.
Its just a supermarket brand but i cant believe i paid just 150 dollars on it.Verry cheap for what it does,has too manny safety features like it doesnt work without the box so that you dont put your hands too close to the blades.
Forward and reverse ( the reverse turns much slower), overload protection.
The favorable reviews ive read about it made me buy it and i think it paid for itself in just a day of chopping branches.
It draws the branches by itself,no need to push them and it chops any hard wood ,even black locust ,up to the size of the hole wich is 5 cm(2 in) .
I couldnt make it stop and get into the overload protection .






I made mulch like this for more than 200 trees until i was left without branches.
Now im in discussions with neighbours to take ttheir branches for free and use the mulch on my land ( they burn them or throw them to garbage anyway).

[shiro]

For using both machines

The first machine is interesting for shredding rubus fructicosus and other similar plants, which are then very finely reduced so that they can be used for compost.

The second machine is interesting especially for large and thick branches. This makes it possible to crush crataegus monogyna and other plants into small chips without using any force and without pricking the fingers in the case of thorny shrubs.

In my opinion you did well to choose this one.
Even if I cannot deny the fact that the first one is useful but especially to make quick compost or animal bedding.

[SeaWalnut]

For using both machines

The first machine is interesting for shredding rubus fructicosus and other similar plants, which are then very finely reduced so that they can be used for compost.

The second machine is interesting especially for large and thick branches. This makes it possible to crush crataegus monogyna and other plants into small chips without using any force and without pricking the fingers in the case of thorny shrubs.

In my opinion you did well to choose this one.
Even if I cannot deny the fact that the first one is useful but especially to make quick compost or animal bedding.

The first one makes fine wood chips but the one i bought can chop the fine branches well too.The fine branches have to be dry to be cut because if they are wet,it squeezes them and they stay conected by the bark.
I chopped dry grape vine twigs with my wood chipper reasonably well.

[Kevin Jones]

Please shoot some video of it in action. I would love to see how well it works.
While you're at it... give us a tour of your dome greenhouse. I've been following your progress with much interest.

Thanks.

Kevin Jones

[SeaWalnut]

Please shoot some video of it in action. I would love to see how well it works.
While you're at it... give us a tour of your dome greenhouse. I've been following your progress with much interest.

Thanks.

Kevin Jones

I couldnt film it in action because it was Easter here and couldnt make noize to annoy people and neighbours.
But next time i go back to country home il film it and also the dome.

[Ulfr]

Keen to see it too. I’m would love to make one similar to this with an old motor I have here.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FAHsxNwDLek

[SeaWalnut]

Keen to see it too. I’m would love to make one similar to this with an old motor I have here.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FAHsxNwDLek

You can do that but i advise you not to build it because it will be more expensive if you buy this one i bought.
I also considered to do what you think and i have big electric motors at home and i also have 3 phase current at home ,380V not just 220 v .
The motor on Mac Allister has 2800 watts( 3 hp) and its really good with branches quite thick.
It pulls the branches by itself,you dont have to push them and you make economy of electric power because while it draws the branches by himself ,you can select otther branches to feed to the machine.
It has over current protection so it will stop after 10 seconds its been jammed but i couldnt jam it with any branches of hard wood,dry or wet dhat enters that hole.
150 dollars well worth and verry cheap for what it can do.
Pays for itself in just a day.

If you buy bearings,the electric power used to weld it and the electrodes,the time,the belts ,they payment for the lathe work ( in case you dont have a lathe at home) => you will make a machine that will cost more than the Mac Allister.

In Australia you have Ozito brand wich was bought by Einhell  and they make these wood shredders too but slightly more expensive than Mac Allister thogh less than half the price of Bosch.I would buy Einhell/ Ozito in case i wouldnt find Mac Allister.

[Ulfr]

Keen to see it too. I’m would love to make one similar to this with an old motor I have here.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FAHsxNwDLek

You can do that but i advise you not to build it because it will be more expensive if you buy this one i bought.
I also considered to do what you think and i have big electric motors at home and i also have 3 phase current at home ,380V not just 220 v .
The motor on Mac Allister has 2800 watts( 3 hp) and its really good with branches quite thick.
It pulls the branches by itself,you dont have to push them and you make economy of electric power because while it draws the branches by himself ,you can select otther branches to feed to the machine.
It has over current protection so it will stop after 10 seconds its been jammed but i couldnt jam it with any branches of hard wood,dry or wet dhat enters that hole.
150 dollars well worth and verry cheap for what it can do.
Pays for itself in just a day.

If you buy bearings,the electric power used to weld it and the electrodes,the time,the belts ,they payment for the lathe work ( in case you dont have a lathe at home) => you will make a machine that will cost more than the Mac Allister.

In Australia you have Ozito brand wich was bought by Einhell  and they make these wood shredders too but slightly more expensive than Mac Allister thogh less than half the price of Bosch.I would buy Einhell/ Ozito in case i wouldnt find Mac Allister.

What size branches does a 3hp electric machine handle? Would certainly be simpler!

I do have a lathe and most materials so cost isn't really an issue but time certainly is.

I will have to look at what electric stuff is available now days, it has been a while and I am sure/hope things have improved. Definitely keen to see yours in action

[SeaWalnut]

It handles 5 cm thick hardwood branches like the one in the video( its a Rioby,another cheaper brand) but feels like it could handle even bigger branches.
Has just 3 hp but its geared with reductor so the power its increased a lot.It has torque.
https://youtu.be/GG0PK-M3JPo