1998 bandit 1890xp drum clogging up

[Sfoppema]

I've got a 125hp 1890xp that I bought last year and dumped a bunch of money into. It's an old girl, probably 6000+ hours, but chips like a rockstar.

Except when I chip spruce. Dead pine has jammed me up before as well. If I put a spruce log in that chipper it's like a 30% chance that at least one (Sometimes more) of the knife pockets will get completely jammed up with chips. Easy to tell, because the chipper will start shaking like crazy as the drum gets off balance. Takes like 25 minutes to free up the pockets, as the chips really get jammed in there. Obviously, this is annoying and stupid because we can't chip anything during that time and one person is chiseling chips out of the pockets.....

According to my mechanic who has worked on bandits for 30 years, he's never heard of that happening. Even with machines with way more hours with drums that are much more worn.

My theory is that the drum needs to be sent out and the worn areas refilled/machined. Naturally, that's wicked expensive/would take forever and according to my mechanic shouldn't be necessary.



Anyone had this happen and figure out why? It hasn't happened in a few weeks, but when it does it's a real buzz kill. Also, we luckily don't deal with loads of spruce where I am.

Cheers

 

[Serf Life]

Greetings from spruce-ville. That was happening a bunch with spruce limbs. A new anvil, knives, and tighter gap helped. Spring and early summer they are soo pitchy it may just happen anyways. When possible alternate a different wood like oak etc and it will help clear out the pockets. Spruce can be a chore.

 

[MA Arborist]

Possibly it is the belly band on your machine that is worn.

 

[Sfoppema]

We shortened up the gap a bit a few weeks ago and it seemed to help. Anvil is new/newly adjusted and blades are generally kept sharp. I agree that it's a tough wood, but I never once had that issue with my 200xp disc chipper even with a 12" diameter log stuffed in it with dull blades.....

Hadn't considered the belly band, though that would make good sense. Hasn't been happening much recently, but I had meant to post about it and just remembered.

Belly band is just a sheet of metal underneath the drum, correct? I hadn't thought of that. Seems like that would be easy to replace....

 

[MA Arborist]

We shortened up the gap a bit a few weeks ago and it seemed to help. Anvil is new/newly adjusted and blades are generally kept sharp. I agree that it's a tough wood, but I never once had that issue with my 200xp disc chipper even with a 12" diameter log stuffed in it with dull blades.....

Hadn't considered the belly band, though that would make good sense. Hasn't been happening much recently, but I had meant to post about it and just remembered.

Belly band is just a sheet of metal underneath the drum, correct? I hadn't thought of that. Seems like that would be easy to replace....

yes the belly band is under the drum.Over time it can get worn. I’m not sure what is involved to replace it. The guys at landmark machinery may be able to help though..

 

[JaredDTS]

Have you tried more rpms if you aren't running it full speed? My drum chipper will clog up in dead cedar or spruce if the knive/anvil clearance is not good as mentioned above.

 

[Sfoppema]

It's always run at 2500.... My mechanic suggested maybe the drum isn't spinning fast enough. Idk I need to check my anvil again. This mechanic seems like he knows what he is doing, but since he came on the scene things just seem to keep going wrong.....

 

[Luzl78]

How’s the chute?

 

[Sfoppema]

No problems with chute. Just the knife pockets