New Gas Chippers how are they?

The torque of the diesels is gonna be hard to beat but the gassers have come a long way. Emissions regulations are gonna be the downfall of the diesel.
 
So I see a lot of discussion about Tier 4 engines in chippers, but what about trucks?

Are we all gonna be driving 8.0 liter gas engine trucks in ten years because of the EPA? Haven't heard of many (any?) manufacturers discussing a move back to gas in trucks. Probably not realistic.
 
So now we are in that conundrum of buying gas or diesel chipper. Looking at the 15xp in both. Found a diesel that is the same price as a gas one. Just hung up on all the issues I’ve been hearing from the new diesel motors.
 
Chad cashdollar said:
So now we are in that conundrum of buying gas or diesel chipper. Looking at the 15xp in both. Found a diesel that is the same price as a gas one. Just hung up on all the issues I’ve been hearing from the new diesel motors.
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Nearly 500 hrs on mine and only a few little hiccups that would have been very simple maintenance fixes if I had been told. I’ve also been told they increased the hp output on that particular engine so it’s pushing more power. Demo one and you could be very surprised.
 
It seems like a lot of people are running the 15xp. Does anyone run the 15” disc 255xp? I’ve always had disc chippers and not drum. What’s the attraction or advantage? I’m planning on buying a new 15” gas motor bandit shortly
 
chiselbit said:
It seems like a lot of people are running the 15xp. Does anyone run the 15” disc 255xp? I’ve always had disc chippers and not drum. What’s the attraction or advantage? I’m planning on buying a new 15” gas motor bandit shortly
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We’ve always had drum. Just a preference I guess. I think a properly adjusted drum creates a better chip quality but I’ve only been able compare it to a crappy Vermeer. Demo both and see which you like best!
 
My $.02...growing up with discs...the drums give you much better even knife wear...also don't kick stuff to one side while chipping ( with an angle disc set up), and hence, with a much straighter shot to the knives can be fed at a very crooked angle and keep it at that angle. Plus they chip better volumes of brush and are easier to do knife changes on.
 
I’m running a 255 and love it. My crew also understands it’s limitations and can make the appropriate cuts for the pieces to go through smoothly. Disc chippers need more knive maintainence is what I’ve found out. We average 100 hours before flipping or changing blades. I used to get 150-200 hours out of our 1800 or 2100 Vermeer drums. We have a crew that gets less than 40 hours on a set of blades so it’s all how they are treated.
 
treebilly said:
I’m running a 255 and love it. My crew also understands it’s limitations and can make the appropriate cuts for the pieces to go through smoothly. Disc chippers need more knive maintainence is what I’ve found out. We average 100 hours before flipping or changing blades. I used to get 150-200 hours out of our 1800 or 2100 Vermeer drums. We have a crew that gets less than 40 hours on a set of blades so it’s all how they are treated.
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Hey @treebilly, what are it’s limitations?
 
So it looks like I can demo a new 15xp but they don’t have a 255 xp to demo, only a 12” 250. There are only 3 bandit dealers in California, the 2 closest to me are actually the same company and the other one is more than 8 hrs away. So I’m kinda stuck with these guys. Can anyone else comment on the chip quality of the 15xp? Flying squirrel said the drum makes better chips but didn’t have a lot to compare it to. I see chips at a local dump site where several companies drop chips and some of them look like a big pile of stale, crumbly bread slices. Maybe not quite as big as a slice of bread but pretty chunky. My little 9” altec disc chipper makes much better looking chips and the 9” morbark I had before this one made even better chips. I was all set to buy the 255xp disc but now I’m having second thoughts, love to hear some more people chime in who have ran both the 15xp and the 255xp.
 
chiselbit said:
So it looks like I can demo a new 15xp but they don’t have a 255 xp to demo, only a 12” 250. There are only 3 bandit dealers in California, the 2 closest to me are actually the same company and the other one is more than 8 hrs away. So I’m kinda stuck with these guys. Can anyone else comment on the chip quality of the 15xp? Flying squirrel said the drum makes better chips but didn’t have a lot to compare it to. I see chips at a local dump site where several companies drop chips and some of them look like a big pile of stale, crumbly bread slices. Maybe not quite as big as a slice of bread but pretty chunky. My little 9” altec disc chipper makes much better looking chips and the 9” morbark I had before this one made even better chips. I was all set to buy the 255xp disc but now I’m having second thoughts, love to hear some more people chime in who have ran both the 15xp and the 255xp.
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The chip quality from a drum can be widely different depending on what you are chipping. Pine - a little larger chip but uniform. Red oak - very uniform slightly smaller. Birch - will get the twigs in the pile due to how fine they are. The drum tends not to make a pile of shreddings like I have seen the Vermeer make. Wood vs brush can effect as well depending on how the branch structure is (eg fine vs course). Even wood plain wood can be different depending on the aspect or angle it enters the chipper. End grain (traditionally) makes beautiful chips. If you get greedy like we do at times and block the wood up to send through (can get a bigger piece in) and it enters side grain you will get more kindling or bread slice pieces.
Now add wet spring leaves to a tree....
All that said does it really matter??? If you are dumping at the dump? We don’t sell chips (give a load or two away every now and again) but all our dump sites regrind anyhow.
 
Yeah and that is the problem. 99% of my chips go to homeowners and they only want the good stuff. We don’t have a dedicated greenwaste facility, there was a guy who was “ come one come all” and let everybody dump on his property but he’s overloaded now. The dump will take them but it’s almost never convenient. I’ve relied on good chips and being able to find places to dump close by because of their quality hence my interest in the quality of chips a15xp will produce. That and I’m about to spend 60 grand and I don’t want buyers regret. I appreciate your input, I’ve got a little time, I’ll keep talking to people and demo the drum. I’m sure any 15” machine is going to be a huge improvement over my 9”.
 
@chiselbit wondering what you decided on?
We had a piston blow out the side of the motor in our old 10” woodchuck last night that is forcing us to buy new faster than we had planned. Lots of good information here to take into our demos!

What’s everyone’s take on changing knives drum vs disk?
 
Daren Smith said:
@chiselbit wondering what you decided on?
We had a piston blow out the side of the motor in our old 10” woodchuck last night that is forcing us to buy new faster than we had planned. Lots of good information here to take into our demos! Hey Daren, I’m going with the drum. Xp15. I’ve had only disc chippers and I’m ready to try something different. Mostly decided that after reading everything I could find on here. They’re building it now, went with the bigger gas motor and the 40 gallon tank, winch, hydraulic jack, welded feed tray,

What’s everyone’s take on changing knives drum vs disk?
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