Buying a used chipper...

chep

chep

New member
Location
Bradford, Vermont
So, I am coming back to Vermont after about 7 months of travel. I am going to be purchasing a chipper. I have a budget and a few desires. This is a new game for me so bear with.
I am looking for a chipper with over 8 inch capacity, diesel preferred not required, my budget is going to be under 10 grand... I want something with a future, it needs to last. Am I being silly hoping to find this dream used machine. I have been on treetrader quite a bit, and am very apprehensive about finding a machine out of new england...
can anyone give me some advice. What are the right questions to be asking? What should i be looking for? And last, anyone got a sweet used chipper for sale?
much obliged
 
I too am looking but not to fast on the buying part. So far in alot of my call, talk,and walk deals I ask about hours,maintance,look for drips ,ask to see the knives and flywheel,engine,and if it is possible have it started and running. I have been keeping my eyes on Brush Bandit, Vermeer,and Mobark for the 9-14 capacity.
 
Thanks for the reply toparboring!
I have been keeping my eyes on those chippers as well, Morbark especially seem to hold their value, there are models from the 80s that are still holding over 5 grand... are they that good?
What are you looking at when you examine the flywheel? Have you tried bringing some branches along? Is that legit?
There are a lot of chippers on the market right now, but I guess its just patience to sort through the junk...
 
Chep, it's too bad... A fellow named Sul sold a Morbark 290 right here on TreeBuzz a couple months ago. He was in VT, too. I can vouch for that model, they are a very nice small-medium chipper.

-Tom
 
You are looking for wear and tear on the flywheel. Mostly if something has jambed inbetween the wall and flywheel, the screws holding on the knives. Groves in the flywheel too, have seen this and when asked the hear it and see it run the flywheel was a little outta balance. Mobark, Brush Bandit, and Vemeer hold onto their value. Hey how is the ADK area has place up in Tupper Lake?
 
Get your name and number out to your local equipment dealers they want to be your friend when you are ready for a new one. They gave me the lead that hooked me up with a sweet used one.
 
.... before I purchased , I rented and rented ... which is sort of like running a used machine.... ran the Bandit ... ( 9inch) disc with Perkins Diesel alot ... some smaller ones as well ... I loved the Morberk rental so much that no other brand would do ... went for a smaller (7 inch) NEW ... over the used larger machines I had shopped ...most of them had the crap kicked out of them to pay them off so I wasn't into some other companies cast off problems ... It seems Vermeer and Morbark hold excellent resale value .... GOOD LUCK shopping ... down economy has put lots of good used machines out there.....
 
Why not buy new? Banks are willing to lend and cheap monthly payments can be had. When you buy used you are buying someone else's old problems (in most cases). If you do buy used I would buy from a private party only, and ask for a demo when you look at it.
I sold my chipper a few years back to a member here at TB. I told him to bring along a pick up truck full of brush and logs to see for himself.
 
Be very careful with the small (6&8 inch) machines. These in particular take a beating. They have small engines, and moderate capacity. Many companies will push it to its limit for a few years and trade it in. One big indicator about how these small chippers have been taken care of is the welds. Look at the welds on everything. If the co didnt change knives when they got dull this is where you will tell. It will vibrate itself apart. Another thing I would be a little picky about is the power plant. Look around and find what the power options were on that machine, the lower end will get the job done but not great, the upper end will to the job well. Good luck in your search
 
[ QUOTE ]
Be very careful with the small (6&8 inch) machines. These in particular take a beating. They have small engines, and moderate capacity. Many companies will push it to its limit for a few years and trade it in. One big indicator about how these small chippers have been taken care of is the welds. Look at the welds on everything. If the co didnt change knives when they got dull this is where you will tell. It will vibrate itself apart. Another thing I would be a little picky about is the power plant. Look around and find what the power options were on that machine, the lower end will get the job done but not great, the upper end will to the job well. Good luck in your search

[/ QUOTE ] TRUE ! details that makes my 7 work for me is an oversize power plant ... the Deutz Diesel (stock is a Honda gas) , the next size yup axle (for the 9) , as well as the infeed chute for the 9 ... it was a special order that was fab'd and the client cancelled losing a deposit ... I had been shopping for over a year and got lucky ....
 
Wow, thanks for the great feedback. This is very helpful stuff. I am staring to focus more on the 60-80 HP range, out of the realm of the 6 inchers... I have run and rented those and been pretty frustrated.
I am hesitant to get into new equipment and loans before I have a really solid client base. I am climbing as frquently as possible, but it is not full time. The rest of my time is in the woods logging. I actually really enjoy the mixture of the two. Good balance.
New equipment and big loans is what has gotten our nation and many other nations into a big stinky mess. I think I will hold back on adding to the problems right now and use the resources that I have and the steel has been tried and tested that is floating around waiting for a new home. REUSE, RECYLCE, REDUCE right? I'm just a little sapling trying to find my way to the sunlight. I am in no hurry.
Toparboring- I didnt understand the question about the adk? could you rephrase that?
thanks everyone
 
I ran a BB 95 today good handling and was impressed, just down the road there was a tree grew running a mobark 9" and it to was running well. For me it would be a toss up between the two. Was wondering how the north country is haven't been up there in a year I have a place in Tupper Lake area. More towards the Wabeek area, near Saranac.
 
.... another afterthought ! ... Infeed chute height is a critical factor between the 6 to 8 inch and the 9's .... some of the smalls expect you you to bend over all day long ... whereas the next step up in size up allows you to go home without back spasms ...
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why not buy new? Banks are willing to lend and cheap monthly payments can be had. When you buy used you are buying someone else's old problems (in most cases). If you do buy used I would buy from a private party only, and ask for a demo when you look at it.
I sold my chipper a few years back to a member here at TB. I told him to bring along a pick up truck full of brush and logs to see for himself.

[/ QUOTE ]

please give me a list of said banks!

I've been loading brush for a few years now, finally bought a dump trailer and now I'm looking for a small chipper but damn are they expensive!

Keep the info coming guys. This is good stuff!

Ps. I've never been a fan of Vermeer. My bosses old Vermeer left a bitter taste and I just can't stand the sight of them now. Am I wrong in assuming a brush bandit is hands down better?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ps. I've never been a fan of Vermeer. My bosses old Vermeer left a bitter taste and I just can't stand the sight of them now. Am I wrong in assuming a brush bandit is hands down better?

[/ QUOTE ]

All equipment breaks sooner or later.

Ft, you would really hate working here then with having a sc252, Sc352, SC752, Sc60tx, Bc1230, Bc1800xl, Bc2000, and 600tx at your conveince to work with.
wink.gif
 
I havnt been up in the Daks since november. I am headed there this weekend though. Pretty excited. the economy left the adk shaken, but not batttered. As you know, big money is what runs the economy there, the trickle down effect if you will, and lots of that wealth was well insulated and is still being spent. It slowed down, but didnt die by any means...
FT what problems did you specifically have with Vermeer?

Now, what do you guys haul smaller chippers with. What can you get away with. I am running a 2.7 liter Tacoma (4x4), what I buy is important to being haulable...
cheers
 
F 350 heavy duty Basically haul whatever I want. Your truck could haul smaller chippers, I just had one almost baddddd deal hauling a chipper that was to big for the truck. In short it pushed the truck past the driveway. Almost hit the clients neighbor going to work( I am talking inches ) that was the first and last time for that. just make sure your truck can haul what you need.
 
Take the test drive when looking at the chipper. Load up your truck as it would be loaded for/ from work. Imagine your worst road conditions in which you'd figure you'd be driving. Get an open parking lot, some speed, and see how it stops.

Too much trailer weight and the tail can wag the dog.

Too much trailer weight and the money that you could have put into a large truck will go into a replacement drivetrain. My transmission was $2800.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom