New chipper -cant decide

Crazy_Jimmy

Crazy_Jimmy

Participating member
Location
Texas
I wanna get a new chipper, like a 15" machine , Ive got a Morbark, Vermeer and Bandit dealers within an hour . I got quotes for all three and they all are over 50k , with the vermeer being the most expensive. WE have a place to dump chips for free and I have no cdl drivers , so I don't need the get a grapple truck comments just yet lol.
I am just looking for opinions from people who have used more then one brand and what are the pros and cons ?
 
Crazy_Jimmy said:
I wanna get a new chipper, like a 15" machine , Ive got a Morbark, Vermeer and Bandit dealers within an hour . I got quotes for all three and they all are over 50k , with the vermeer being the most expensive. WE have a place to dump chips for free and I have no cdl drivers , so I don't need the get a grapple truck comments just yet lol.
I am just looking for opinions from people who have used more then one brand and what are the pros and cons ?
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Stick with Morbark or bandit for 15" chippers the bc1500 with tier 4 will be puking out black smoke before you know it, bad engines in them!
 
I have to agree on the stay away from Vermeer. I have used a few of there chippers and they were all junk. The vibrate ALOT and things start to come loose.
I have used a Morbark for some time as well. They were real good, if you got the 15" model and above. I felt the 12 and the 14" Morbark had a hard time throwing chips.
I'll be buying a new chipper next year to replace my Bandit 200xp. I will be looking into the 1390 with a winch. I like the bandit best because of a few things. One, it's a 15" chipper with a drum that weighs about 6800 pounds. The M15R from Morbark which is about the same type of machine weighs around 8900 pounds. They are built rugged but that is a lot more weight to be pulling around. Also, I like the hand crank on the chipper shoot on the bandit. You can very easily fill two different size trucks with very little effort. With the Morbark you have to get out tools to do this. Kinda a pain if your chipping into two trucks on the same job.
Also, bandit has the feed tray that folds up. This allows you to store your leaf blower in that feed wheel space. Also, gives you a place to have your name lettered on that everyone that follows you can see.
The feed wheel can be lowered or raised from both sides of the bandit chippers with a pull on the handle that is nicely placed for easy reach. I believe the Morbark is just one lever on one side. Kinda a pain if your working form the other side to have to go over to that side to raise the feed wheels. We feed our 200 with a mini and it;s nice for the chipper guy to be able to operate it from either side of the chipper.
I have had great luck with my little bandit 200xp. Strong little chipper that just runs all day. Just my thoughts on the subject. Demo them all and see for yourself.
 
ROYCE said:
I have to agree on the stay away from Vermeer
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deevo said:
Stick with Morbark or bandit
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X3! I have yet to come across a Vermeer that can hang with a Bandit or a Morbark. Vermeer has lots of really good ideas on their machines, and I want to like them, but at the end of the day it's all about how quickly you can shove how many tons of wood thru the machine, and a Bandit or Morbark will chip circles around a Vermeer. Personally, I love the Morbarks.

TimberJack said:
love those vertical feed wheels.
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HATE those vertical feed wheels! Nothing quite like big logs swinging side to side as they go in, cracking everyone in their thighs. Plus, I've had several Y-shaped crotches walk around behind one of those feed rollers, then you're screwed!

ROYCE said:
I like the hand crank on the chipper shoot on the bandit
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If you're comparing apples to apples, Royce, the hand crank height adjustment option on the Morbark is much simpler, much easier to fix and MUCH cheaper to replace than the one on the Bandit. We've worn out several of the Bandit cranks, and the part is $280! We've yet to wear out one on a Morbark, and even if you did, they're just a load binder handle ($40 at any truck/trailer place?) Also, the Bandit has very limited options on what direction you can point the discharge chute. They've changed their design several times over the years, but they still only offer several holes/locking spots for the discharge chute pointing forwards, plus 1 each to the right and left, and 1 to the rear, whereas the Morbarks have locking holes all the way around. I don't know about you, but there are many times either we've got the truck/chipper jackknifed to get a better feeding angle, or we're trying to blow chips into the woods in a specific area, and the Bandit doesn't offer any options to lock the chute in place at that angle. Get out the rope and tie the chute in place!

ROYCE said:
bandit has the feed tray that folds up
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One more thing to break, one more thing to rust. Bend it a little feeding it with a machine or backing into something, and now it won't close or latch. I've almost lost a finger twice, and been EXTREMELY lucky both times, getting it caught on the lip where the tray folds. Not an issue with the Morbark.

ROYCE said:
Demo them all and see for yourself.
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Best advice yet! :tanguero: Read everyone's posts here, run them all and see what you like. Also, see if you can find out any info on the dealers themselves. If one dealer is good, one lousy, that could easily sway the decision.
 
I've used all 3 I like Bandit, morbark, then vermeer last. I currently have the bc 1800 with the vertical feed heels and winch. I hate the ways the wheels are set up but the chipper has more than paid for itself and is still a good machine despite some of the reviews. I'd get a bandit personally tho next time, and make sure it has a winch! Such a time and backsaver.
 
Buy a nearly new BC 2000. If you do any crane work those small chippers are just game stoppers. Buying new is not all that is cracked to be.

If not Vermeer, I'd START with 200 hp.
 
I cant speak for the larger Morbarks - but I wouldn't touch an M12R again.
1. Twister 12 (M12R equiv.)
1. M12R
1. Bandit 150XP
1. Bandit 200XP

All 80-90hp machines, 12" cap.

The frames on the Morbarks are WAY lighter. Smaller dimensions and thinner wall tube. Bandit frames are easily 1-1.5" taller and thicker wall channel.

Both Marbarks have had boatloads of extra steel added (welding cracks and adding gussets & flanges). Where;
- all frame rails in front of the axles (both machines)
- casing area near feed roller bearings
- boatloads of gusseting req'd on outfeed chute just above cutter drum
- drum shaft on the Twister went 0.002-0.004 out and cost $4k to repair
- lower flange on the feed roller lift punctured the tubing on both machines

Drums are better if you're all about eating wood >10" dia frequently and for long periods. Wood is easy for us to be rid of, so getting greedy with chipping isn't required. Jamming wood does put the drum shaft at risk, and I think one would have to blunder severely to damage a disc shaft.

Vermeer? Poo-meer. (opinion garnered from direct experience and ownership)
 
all im saying about my experience between morbark and bandit : if it fits in past the rollers of an M15R, its going out the other size. can you say that about your Bandit?
The machines ive used made by both companies were great in their own ways. like you said Jimmy, pro and cons.

just a suggestion if its ever an option on a chipper your considering, stay away from hydraulic trailer jacks. all the times its convenient and fast hooking and unhooking the trailer are not at all worth it after the times it burns you (chipper is dead/someone breaks the jack lever while backing up/some weird hyrdaulic issue)
 
CutHighnLetFly said:
just a suggestion if its ever an option on a chipper your considering, stay away from hydraulic trailer jacks. all the times its convenient and fast hooking and unhooking the trailer are not at all worth it after the times it burns you (chipper is dead/someone breaks the jack lever while backing up/some weird hyrdaulic issue)
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ain't that the truth
 
I had an older model 250 xp , it ran good but I hated how it chipped , it would cause branches to flip and smack the crud out of you . It also had several issues that I had to fix and was just an old beat up machine so its not a good comparison . I've had a Morbark 2100d since 06 and it sit for a few years before I bought it , so it came with a few issues due to that . Its been a pretty good machine and most of the other issues we had with it where from employee neglect. The one issue that wasn't, is its so heavy and welds break and parts of the frame crack . matter of fact if we hadn't caught the cracks and repaired them the machine literally would of split in half . WE also have a vermeer BC1000 since 2010 and it literally has been problem free and works great . Its not as strong as the morbark but would out chip the Bandit we had. My guys like it because of all the safety features , its newer and easy to use .
 
Been using bandits for 3 years. Moved to canada and this company i work for now just got a 2015 vermeer bc1800xl. The bandit never argued what you put in it even with the bobcat. Ive overwhelmed the vermeer a few times buy hand.
 
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