evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
I'd love to know too
Chipper drum failure
- Thread starter Bigdog12
- Start date
Daniel
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- Suburban Philadelphia (Wayne)
The machine is back in use, probably 100 or so hours on it since the rebuild. It's an incredible machine and I believe it will last me along time. Probably won't buy vermeer again though do to laundry list of bullshit through this process from dealer service. After 50k+ repair this is how I received my machine- broken antenna for remote control, globs of grease on top of machine, I found 3 cotter pins looking the machine over. Chipper drum access panel on the underside of the machine had the wrong sized bolt in one of 5 holes. This is after they tested and gave green light. Nit picky or bullshit? 
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
What the fuck? Did you pay for the repairs or did they? The bolt just proves negligence, where is the other 4?
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
I’d be pissed.
Vermeer paid for a new drum,22k. I paid 56k, half up front, half when I picked it up from their shop. Looked it over when I got it home and found the missing bolts etc. they mailed me 5 correct bolts... they also were 5 weeks late completing the repairs and tried to charge me 7k in additional labor. All without a phone call or any communication. Also said I wanted to keep all the old parts, it's was 40k in parts. Was told I never said that and they were already thrown away/ scrapped. I refused to pay the 7k and they backed down, but it felt scummy to me for them to even try that.
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Thank you for the involved update. That had to be a very frustrating business interaction. Especially since most of us will stand behind our work to our own short term detriment and will routinely do extra work on a job here and there just because it's the right thing to do.
Gorman
Branched out member
- Location
- Rhode Island
I totally get the feeling... Being in soooo far with throwing money into a burn pit you just say efff it and go ahead and fix the piece of crap and hope for the best.
MA Arborist
Branched out member
- Location
- Cape Cod
No, not picky at all Bigdog
I’d be blowing my top !
I’d be blowing my top !
Last edited:
Willber
New member
- Location
- Milford, NH
Unacceptable!
Why did you have to pay 56k? Wasn't the machine in good working condition before this failure?
The main radius shell of this drum, on this machine, almost looks like cast metal.
After getting the BC1000XL, I was nervous about Vermeer. I read that some said, these drums can rupture.
I will flat file any protruding metal "burs" flush to the knife profile, during an inspection of the knives, after a bit of chipping. As to make them "sharper", to reduce drum stress.
The drum on the BC1000XL seems to have a "light duty" look to it.
Why did you have to pay 56k? Wasn't the machine in good working condition before this failure?
The main radius shell of this drum, on this machine, almost looks like cast metal.
After getting the BC1000XL, I was nervous about Vermeer. I read that some said, these drums can rupture.
I will flat file any protruding metal "burs" flush to the knife profile, during an inspection of the knives, after a bit of chipping. As to make them "sharper", to reduce drum stress.
The drum on the BC1000XL seems to have a "light duty" look to it.
F'g BS!
2001 bc1800a, original owner, 5900 hours.. this drum/ drum pocket had cracked and been welded twice over the years. Cracked opened up again and machine has been sitting inside my shop for 2+ years.. I was told the metal is too thin/ fatigued to try and weld it again. New drum is 12k-ish last I looked from Vermeer. @Reach was wondering if you had any ideas/ solutions? We’re not terrible far away from each other if you knew a local shop who’d be able to repair this drum. Just sell it as is? Drop new drum in and sell it? Put new drum and keep it? Something has to happen, taking up a lot of space 
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
I have a couple thoughts, there are two shops local I would recommend contacting. Both are Amish, the first is White Horse Machine. They’re the “fancier” shop, and tend to be a little more expensive, but they’re also more capable and more likely to have the ability to balance the drum after repair or possibly even out on a whole new skin.
The other option, less expensive and more willing to take on unusual projects, is Gap Repair and Steel. They do a lot for us, anything that we can’t handle, which isn’t usually a whole lot, but I’m sure they’d be willing to tackle it. You might have to find your own balancing shop afterwards though.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
After looking at the cracks in the new pictures, were it mine I would grind vees into the cracks to get clean steel and a weld channel, then fill the vees with weld to make a flush, strong repair. Much better technique than just welding over top like it appears was done before. Seems repairable to me, but I can’t tell how thick the steel is, nor do I know how thick it started.
So it sounds like I should ask around and find a more capable local welder to potentially repair it the way you described. That’d be ideal if we didn’t have to pull the drum too. Thanks. I’ll ask around and if no luck I’ll reach out to one of the shops you recommended.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
It may be worth pulling the drum for better access, but may not be necessary, I don’t know what kind of access you have there.
Definitely find a more capable repair shop, a shop that repairs heavy equipment or large electric motors might be a good option. I’m sure there’s something out your way, but for the the difference in labor cost it might be worth a drive out here. If you do come this way, let me know, maybe we can meet for a cup of coffee or something.
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
Don’t take this as solid advice.
If you do re weld, two things that help with cracks in the heat affected zone and welding a crack are:
Drill through the steel at the end of the crack as sometimes the crack will continue to propagate.
As Reach said grind all the old weld out in a v groove basically all the way through or daum close to all the way though.
Preheat with a torch in a BIG area around the crack, make a few passes and add more heat. Keep doing that until finished, and slowly keep the steel warm with the torch to get it to cool slowly, finally wrap with a welding blanket or ceramic insulation.
Peening the weld can help sometimes too, I’ve seen scaling guns used for that. Or a ball peen hammer, best done as the welds are cooling to get the metal to stretch fighting contraction as it cools.
If you do re weld, two things that help with cracks in the heat affected zone and welding a crack are:
Drill through the steel at the end of the crack as sometimes the crack will continue to propagate.
As Reach said grind all the old weld out in a v groove basically all the way through or daum close to all the way though.
Preheat with a torch in a BIG area around the crack, make a few passes and add more heat. Keep doing that until finished, and slowly keep the steel warm with the torch to get it to cool slowly, finally wrap with a welding blanket or ceramic insulation.
Peening the weld can help sometimes too, I’ve seen scaling guns used for that. Or a ball peen hammer, best done as the welds are cooling to get the metal to stretch fighting contraction as it cools.
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