I use my Bandit 65 with 40 hp gas engine as my workhorse chipper. I have a Bandit 250 very well maintained. however, I rarely use it because it's almost useless when I do a dead tree removal or deawooding. it's awesome chipping live trees. I heard people talking about 250 with quad roller. Is it something you can retrofit on an older machine? just try to make it more useful. Thx
how to improve Bandit 250 chipping deadwood
- Thread starter erwin
- Start date
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
What doesn't the 250 do?
Is the down pressure right?
Are the gripping knives sharp? Mine wore down so I bought new knives and welded them in. Not a complicated fabrication.
Is the down pressure right?
Are the gripping knives sharp? Mine wore down so I bought new knives and welded them in. Not a complicated fabrication.
haven't checked or changed knives for a while since not used much. I'll replace them soon. also will check the bed knife. How about down pressure? why does it matter? how do I check it?
When I 'm chipping deadwood, like dead ash, it jams feed wheels constantly, by wood pieces broken. Short broken pieces bounces around in that big void and come back toward the feed rollers and jam them. have to constantly reset the hand bar.
When I 'm chipping deadwood, like dead ash, it jams feed wheels constantly, by wood pieces broken. Short broken pieces bounces around in that big void and come back toward the feed rollers and jam them. have to constantly reset the hand bar.
Last edited:
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Biggest correction I have seen for shattering wood is a doubling of "knives" in the lower feed roller. I had that done as an option on 90XP built for me.
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Time for clarification.
Knife is being used for three different things.
Chipping knife...the ones that do the actual cutting/chipping.Bolted to the drum or disc
Infeed knife...welded in as part of the infeed system. They grab brush and logs. They can be 'sharpened' with various angle grinders.
Bed knife...opposite the chipping knife. Usually height adjustable and rotatable. Keep a square edge partnered with a sharp chipping knife.
Any chipper I worked with had a 'dead zone' between infeed and chipper knives. If a chunk wasn't swept into the chipper knives it would jump around and likely jam. If an operator pays attention and can act quick, send a brushy piece through to 'sweep' up the chunk.
Chipping isn't just a mindless operation of stuff stuff in the chute. There are strategies and procedures that vary with what is being chipped.
Jamming a fully leafed branch that is dripping from rain would be very likely to plug the elbow of the discharge chute from my chippers. take it a little slower.Keep lots of air to accompany the heavy, wet chips or it will plug.
Knife is being used for three different things.
Chipping knife...the ones that do the actual cutting/chipping.Bolted to the drum or disc
Infeed knife...welded in as part of the infeed system. They grab brush and logs. They can be 'sharpened' with various angle grinders.
Bed knife...opposite the chipping knife. Usually height adjustable and rotatable. Keep a square edge partnered with a sharp chipping knife.
Any chipper I worked with had a 'dead zone' between infeed and chipper knives. If a chunk wasn't swept into the chipper knives it would jump around and likely jam. If an operator pays attention and can act quick, send a brushy piece through to 'sweep' up the chunk.
Chipping isn't just a mindless operation of stuff stuff in the chute. There are strategies and procedures that vary with what is being chipped.
Jamming a fully leafed branch that is dripping from rain would be very likely to plug the elbow of the discharge chute from my chippers. take it a little slower.Keep lots of air to accompany the heavy, wet chips or it will plug.
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Yes, in addition to bringing some strategy to ones chipping, the strategies are different for different chippers as well as for different brush types and conditions.
Sorry if I tripped up the conversation some by using knives on the feed wheel weld in inserts.
Having a little more time now that I'm not in-between classes at the amazing TreeTopia program I do have a bit more to say about Bandit infeed wheels. When I was getting tired of used chippers and ready to buy a new one I rented many different chippers as a part of research. I used 65XP Bandits that chipped exceptionally well in every other way but would quickly start jamming on dead wood that broke into chunks not much bigger than chips and would jam in the feed wheels. I read a lot here on TreeBuzz and googled elsewhere and people were having trouble with this even on brand new chippers. So it seemed having double the inserts welded in was an advantage...and it has turned out to be the case with my 90XP.
I know it seems like hydraulic force should be able to push right on through but a certain amount of shattered pieces would jam up some of those machines I tried.
It seems that we're not hearing of this being a big problem with new Bandits. Have they figured out some other thing that makes it a non issue? Bandit Corp. itself is very responsive to working with end users and wanting to see us satisfied. Maybe calling them with serial number in hand they could tell you what that machine was built with or without and what could make THE difference if you talk with a technician.
Sorry if I tripped up the conversation some by using knives on the feed wheel weld in inserts.
Having a little more time now that I'm not in-between classes at the amazing TreeTopia program I do have a bit more to say about Bandit infeed wheels. When I was getting tired of used chippers and ready to buy a new one I rented many different chippers as a part of research. I used 65XP Bandits that chipped exceptionally well in every other way but would quickly start jamming on dead wood that broke into chunks not much bigger than chips and would jam in the feed wheels. I read a lot here on TreeBuzz and googled elsewhere and people were having trouble with this even on brand new chippers. So it seemed having double the inserts welded in was an advantage...and it has turned out to be the case with my 90XP.
I know it seems like hydraulic force should be able to push right on through but a certain amount of shattered pieces would jam up some of those machines I tried.
It seems that we're not hearing of this being a big problem with new Bandits. Have they figured out some other thing that makes it a non issue? Bandit Corp. itself is very responsive to working with end users and wanting to see us satisfied. Maybe calling them with serial number in hand they could tell you what that machine was built with or without and what could make THE difference if you talk with a technician.
To clarify on any possible, additional, confusion.
This is also called an anvil. I believe this is the term used by manufacturers and refurbish companies.
Back when I first really got into tree work, we used a Bandit 254. Great powerful chipper. Our standard operation was to save a bushy limb to the side. This was fed through to clear the dead space. I still practice this, to this day, with all chippers.
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Same. We called them 'sweepers' Newbies would loose points if they got over-ambitious and chipped them.
Barc Buster
Branched out member
- Location
- The land shaped like a hand
In general I’ve found that any chipper I’ve ever used has had trouble with dead wood vs green. It’s definitely not a mindless shove whatever fits task.
I’ve gone as far as bringing sweepers from a previous job to a deadwood removal. As long as there was room and it wasn’t too much of a hassle. When I was doing lots of dead ash removal these sweepers were extremely helpful.
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Very good!
Less organized people think that you and I are over-organized or OCD Hahaha
Barc Buster
Branched out member
- Location
- The land shaped like a hand
Why you… I resemble that remark!
New threads New posts
-
test
-
-
-
-
Free CEUs: February 05 & March 05 - 'Urban Forestry Today' Webcasts @ Noon (Eastern)- Started by UFT
- Replies: 0
-
-
