chipper for home use?

[Use Less]

We generate a lot of wood waste- fallen trees & branches, tree trimming, keeping shrubs from taking over the world, etc. If I buy or rent a chipper, can I use the chips as mulch in pathways? perennials? vegetable garden? I know to leave the black walnut out We also have willow, poplar, sumac, forsythia, bits of spruce, pine & maple, apple from the orchard. Anything else I would NOT chip & use? Or is this a bad idea altogether? Thanks. Sue

[ldc]

Black walnut might be fine in walkways! The only home chippers I ever used were too lightweight, and jammed a lot. ldc

[whistler]

Don't buy a chipper -- unless you have megabucks. Anything that is affordable/ecomical for a homeowner is a waste of time as they are undersized, underpowered and generally a pain to work with. The smallest I would consider buying is something along the lines of a Vermeer BC625 which run $4K - $6K used.

My vote would be to rent.




Whistler

[NoClue]

I have a small, home chipper that I bought used off of Craigslist.

I use it a lot, nearly every weekend.

True, it jams a lot, but less so as you get used to using it and learn the mimitations of your machine. I also get a lot of wood debris, and most of it can be handled by the chipper. We use the mulch everywhere. I also feed my fall leaves through it and use it as the 'brown' base for compost.

[ronbre]

i love my home chipper..it keeps up with the big boys and doesn't jam..if i wasn't so busy i'd be out there chipping up the pile i have waiting..but alas..too much other stuff to do
see link http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sho...=1#post4412474

[Michael W. Smith]

Have to agree with Whistler, the little chippers are labor intensive and can jam alot. Unless you have lots of free time to slowly feed your limbs through, get a supersize one - or just rent one when you need it.

(Besides, the small ones just don't chip up the bodies and jamb up. Bodies glide right through the big ones!)

[Harry Chickpea]

My brother bought a Chinese one that is powered by the PTO of a tractor. After he did some serious welding on it to beef it up, he is happy with it. I had a Sears chipper a few years back in a much less demanding situation than we have now. It tore up within a few months. I have a hammermill type chipper attachment for my Roto-hoe, which I'll be trying out soon to whack up used straw bales and some limbs. Since it uses a belt drive from the motor, I'm less concerned about trashing the crankshaft on the motor.

If you get and use a chipper WEAR A REAL RESPIRATOR. Dust masks don't cut it. I know they can be hot and inconvenient, but the molds, fungus, and toxic plant parts that chippers turn into an aerosol can make you sick for months. That happened to me with that Sears chipper when I used it to chop up the "free" trimmings from Florida Power & Light.

[kreig]

We have a BCS two wheeled tractor. It was not cheap but is a wonderful tool. One of our attachments is a chipper. It works great. It only takes a couple of minutes to hook up, seems to be pretty fast and has never jammed. I agree with others that if you will only use it once or twice a year that renting is the way to go. But if you need a versitale tool anyway the BCS might be a way to go.

[Joshie]

We have a chipper that cost between $700 and $800 close to ten years ago. It costs more to use the chipper than it'd cost to purchase mulch. You'd be better off, in my opinion, using the stuff you cut down for weenie roasts than to use a chipper. I use grass around my flowers.

You should not use dead or diseased wood for mulch. You should only use living stuff. The risk of taking the disease from one tree to other plants is too high.

[7thswan]

I saw a brand new chipper at a grage sale for 100 bucks,real nice one. I regret not buying it all the time. Our whole driveway is done in wood chips. Dh brings truck loads home from the road comish.