First used chipper. What make and model would you try for?

[treeracket]

I am getting a used chipper, my first. So far I have paid many dollars renting. I am most interested in 12 inch feed models as a balance between cost and capacity. I have no brand preference, but it seems that around here people buy Morbark, Vermeer, Bandits, and Altec the most. Parts for those machines are readily available. My thoughts- avoid machines older than 20 years because they are hard to find parts for, avoid machines with non-working hour meters because who knows what they really have, and I wish to avoid high time machines in general. I am mechanically inclined. For $8k I know I better favor condition rather than features. I am fine with a chuck 'n duck. I am fine with a slower machine and I know that turbochargers are often troublesome. I wonder whether drums or discs are more reliable and what brands are the easiest to afford parts for.

 

[Serf Life]

Curious what folks with more chippers under their belt will say. Whichever you go with, searchtempest is a great way to see what's out there and what going prices are outaside of your craigslist area. Hours on a machine can be super misleading too as you prob know. 8k towards a loan may be less of a headache depending on your scale unless you like tinkering and downtime?

 

[treeracket]

I'm all over searchtempest. Great research tool. I know from owning other heavy equipment that downtime is why larger firms dump stuff on the used market, but you gotta start somewhere and renting chippers at $300-$500 a day is killing me. I will insist on a compression check on any machine I buy and a full checkup by a tree service repair shop. 8 or 10k is big money to me.

 

[hseII]

I'm all over searchtempest. Great research tool. I know from owning other heavy equipment that downtime is why larger firms dump stuff on the used market, but you gotta start somewhere and renting chippers at $300-$500 a day is killing me. I will insist on a compression check on any machine I buy and a full checkup by a tree service repair shop. 8 or 10k is big money to me.

$10k is asking for some else’s trouble.

I too am growing tired of chipper rent, $$$, but I’m not ready to dive off into what’s needed so I’ll keep doing what I can till I can afford a low hour, 12 minimum, (15” preferably), late mode chipper with Auto Feed, a welded infeed table, & a winch.


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[treeracket]

"$10k is asking for some else’s trouble. "

Very true. That's why I am studying it meticulously to give myself better odds. With vehicles it's much the same, you have to study it crazy style to get an idea what's a good bet. However, there are good used vehicles and I believe there are good chippers out there for under 10k.

 

[hseII]

"$10k is asking for some else’s trouble. "

Very true. That's why I am studying it meticulously to give myself better odds. With vehicles it's much the same, you have to study it crazy style to get an idea what's a good bet. However, there are good used vehicles and I believe there are good chippers out there for under 10k.

I haven’t found such situations & I’ve been looking hard.

My local Bandit dealer has a 1390 with the 4.3- less than 100hrs on it.

$36k.


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[treeracket]

I was hoping more owners would chime in about how reliable their older chippers are. That's really what you are paying for with a newer machine, since you can keep any worn out pile of bolts running if you accept the down time. At some point it gets prohibitive even then. I used to run over the road trucks, trucks with over 750,000 miles were cheap as dirt but would not reliably serve ongoing contracts. It boils down to your customers- if they are time critical like in trucking you better spend big up front and then run the truck hard. No contract/not time critical, older machines are fine and can save you money.

 

[Reach]

We run an 07 Bandit 1590 with 5200 hours on it, and it rarely has any problems. It’s been well maintained though, and properly run, to the point where it still has the original clutch and it’s still in good shape.

My opinion on a good chipper to start with, if you are looking to pay cash and not spend a ton, is a Bandit 200. Solid 12” machine, simple, generally reliable, and pretty well bombproof in my experience. It shouldn’t chip at capacity all day, but then again neither should any other chipper. It won’t be the fastest thing in town either, but it will work steadily and the older ones seem to be fairly simple to work on when necessary. There are many out there too, so finding one should not be too difficult.

 

[treeracket]

That's a lot of hours! I am getting to the point where I think maintenance is the whole story. Fleets often supply that info, but private parties hardly ever do. Here's some fleet units units near me.

https://www.rbauction.com/?keywords=chipper&region=111768638167

 

[Reach]

@treeracket maintenance really is what matters, much more so than hours. A low hour machine that has been poorly maintained will have far more problems than a high hour machine that has been maintained well. My personal pickup has 220,000 miles and no notable problems, but I drive it with some cents, and maintain it the way it should be.

 

[jed1124]

Bandit 200 or 250 if you can find one in your price range.