Bandit Chipper Chute Removal, Pocket Welding, and Bearing Replacement

[Reach]

All is back together, and I test ran it yesterday, then chipped a 10” log. It threw chips 25’ with the chute flat, not bad for dryish Silver Maple, so I would say there’s a great improvement in chip throw now that the pockets have been welded.

Also, after running the drum at all three engine speeds, and both watching and feeling in between, I can detect no vibration at all. If it was out of balance, at one or more speeds it should vibrate, and it did not, so I’m dubbing it fixed.

Then I took the torch to the hooks on the infeed tray that haven’t actually been pin-able in years, and bent them back to where they belong.

 

[evo]

How many hours you got on the machine?

 

[Reach]

How many hours you got on the machine?

That old chipper has 8526 hours as of this morning, and it is still going strong, though the engine is starting to act old and cantankerous, especially on chilly mornings.

 

[evo]

That old chipper has 8526 hours as of this morning, and it is still going strong, though the engine is starting to act old and cantankerous, especially on chilly mornings.

I can identify with that! Just trying to get a feel of the life cycle of wear

 

[Reach]

I can identify with that! Just trying to get a feel of the life cycle of wear

Fair enough. We are not in a sandy area or terribly dusty area, which would definitely make an impact. If you work along the shore, I’d expect much more wear.

And I also get a bit cantankerous on chilly mornings, and downright balky when the temperature drops into single digits.