New guy here. Advice would be greatly appreciated

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Erik909

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I’m in the process of getting my business started and just looking for a little advice. I should add that I have a full time job and that this is going to be a side company until I’m capable of taking it full time. I’m going to be operating as a 1-3 man crew with my girlfriend being my primary helper and jobs that are bigger I have a buddy or two with some experience.

Anyhow, I’m tossing around a few ideas for equipment I feel would be benifitial to begin with.

Option 1: Is to install a dump insert from dumperdogg and turn it into a chipper box onto my GMC 2500HD and purchase a vermeer BC900XL. I see the benefits of this set up being the ability to chip brush and minimalizing trips to dump but I’m also seeing negatives of gear storage and feel as most clients will be looking to have the stumps dealt with.

Option 2: Is to purchase a Vermeer SC40TX stump grinder and a Vermeer S925TX mini skid along with a 14’ dump trailer so I could be taking both units to a site together in the trailer. Positives I’m seeing with this is easier on the body having the equipment to manage the heavy stuff as well as grinder on the truck to complete a job. Also the fact that the bed of the truck would be empty for gear.

Option 3: is of course taking the rental route. Although I went to all our rental stores today and just don’t see how you’d be achieving a lot having to pay the rates that they have set as well as 6” chipper is the max they carry and mini skids only have forks available.

Anyways, hopefully you folks are able to give a bit of advise or any other recomendations if possible. Thanks you all for your time, Erik.
 

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Great! Glad to hear you have a plan to join the tree community! Let me tell you how we, my wife and I started ours.
We had already been cutting lawns as a source of income, strangely good money for a very small investment. ROI. I already had a LOT of alpine experience and many years working in the Bush with power saws. The transition was a natural. We started doing everything the hard way, 14’ aluminum trailer stuffed like a haystack with branches- couldn’t afford a chipper. We made pretty good money but the labour was intense. Hand bombing branches at both ends. My wife had been saving child tax benefit moneys and had squirrelled away a surprisingly large amount of cash in 5 years! We bought a new Bandit 16” chipper and an old GMC 1 ton with a dump box. We built the sides up with plywood. She’s ugly but over the years that truck has made us proud! We later bought a used electrical utility truck - no dump box! Rear mounted boom gives better access with more truck out of the way. Some disadvantages but on the other hand, when the dump truck is full, I can keep the bucket truck cutting while they go dump! All in all, the chipper was what increased productivity the most, but it was sizeable investment at 40 grand! But you can do this work with very little. We still don’t own a stump grinder because another guy does that, I’m sure there are countless guys in your area that do grinding. Get your resources ( mechanic, stump guy, excavator dump truck contractors, crane companies on your good side and speed dial! Always and I can’t stress this enough always pay your bills first! Get insurance! Make sure you know exactly what you are doing BEFORE you make a cut. Hope this helps and good luck to you, enjoy the process. Stephen out.
 
Welcome!

You e thought out some great paths

I agree...sub out the stump grinding. I did that for 25 years and made a few bucks on every stump. Inthink you'd get a better return by eventually having a chip truck with tool boxes
 
Thank you fellas, What I’m taking from your comments is that the chipper route is probably the best to get started with? Do you see any draw backs to the dump insert being too small? A designated chip truck isn’t really in the picture right now.
 
Erik909 said:
Thank you fellas, What I’m taking from your comments is that the chipper route is probably the best to get started with? Do you see any draw backs to the dump insert being too small? A designated chip truck isn’t really in the picture right now.
Click to expand...
What you need to realize is that stepping up in chipper size from a 6” to a 16” is a huge weight difference! I think my chipper weighs in at 7000 lbs? If you intend to add a chipper of size you will need to be able to either haul it with another truck ie 5 ton bucket truck and have a separate chip truck or ... get a 5 ton chip truck. Because you will need to be able to haul the loaded chips plus the chipper. Give that some thought. Also a dedicated chip truck will give you more flexibility on larger jobs.
 
Stephen Moore said:
What you need to realize is that stepping up in chipper size from a 6” to a 16” is a huge weight difference! I think my chipper weighs in at 7000 lbs? If you intend to add a chipper of size you will need to be able to either haul it with another truck ie 5 ton bucket truck and have a separate chip truck or ... get a 5 ton chip truck. Because you will need to be able to haul the loaded chips plus the chipper. Give that some thought. Also a dedicated chip truck will give you more flexibility on larger jobs.
Click to expand...
Thanks Stephen. At this time I’m more looking at a 9” in the BC900XL and that’s spec’d at 3100lbs. Definitely understand what you mean with adding the weight in chips to the truck
 
How much capacity do you need/ can your truck carry?

Some people build a box in their bed that is the width of the LoadHandler.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...BYPXdCha3vPTDXtc3Un2frd9cmugz62hoCO00QAvD_BwE
and store tools along the sides of the box, with the bed.

Looks like a $2800 difference, and weight savings. 4x8x6 tall is 7 yards, around 3500 pounds in chips. Minimal weight. $2800 almost buys a Branch Manager Grapple.
 
southsoundtree said:
How much capacity do you need/ can your truck carry?

Some people build a box in their bed that is the width of the LoadHandler.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200336228_200336228?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive > Lift Gates + Dump Kits&utm_campaign=Load Handler&utm_content=352&gclid=CjwKCAjw0ujYBRBDEiwAn7BKt4nnNo06aCNbpIg05hppY9BYPXdCha3vPTDXtc3Un2frd9cmugz62hoCO00QAvD_BwE
and store tools along the sides of the box, with the bed.

Looks like a $2800 difference, and weight savings. 4x8x6 tall is 7 yards, around 3500 pounds in chips. Minimal weight. $2800 almost buys a Branch Manager Grapple.
Click to expand...
When I landscaped in high school we had one of those units for grass clippings. I never thought about that option. Thank you.
 
Again, I need to say that if you look at the truck in that load handler picture do you think hes gonna be driving away with a chipper too? Also a chipper pukes chips all over the road and peoples cars etc. if not shot into a proper bin. Seriously, I looked not too far and found a 1985 GMC 1 ton in working condition, ugly as shit, needed a new rad and water pump. Only 2 wheel drive but duelys! with a decent dump hydraulic dump on it. 2500 bucks! Plus the parts so say 3 grand? dude you would be way better served with that, save the new truck for taking your woman to town! This work is brutal on new vehicles, they are made of thin metal and cant be fixed on the job site. Let me see if I can find a photo of the old girl. 7 years and she still drives and dumps like a champ! Blows some blue but whatever...
 
My wife and kids used it for the School bottle drive I’ll get a pic of the front tomorrow? Actually it may be a 1978 GMC? Can’t recall too many trucks in the yard now lol. We stuff this box right to the top with chips! Front to back! 762AAED2-45CF-4D09-9F07-3D82EBFA65F0.webp
 
I rolled with a 3/4 ton, aluminum dump insert, and a 2,700lbs 9”. I out grew it pretty quick! I looked pretty hard at dumper dawgs. There is a sub frame with a scissor hoist so you loose a bunch of room. Also the steel units are pretty heavy empty! I found one custom fabbed by some farmer in Canada. Dual rams on the side, very smartly built and only sits 4” off the bed. It’s bolt pattern is the same as the bed of the truck, so pull 4 bolts and replace with slightly longer. I’m not sure if the weight, but I can manage to take it in and out of the truck solo. Guessing the dump bed - rams and pump is about 400-500 lbs?
I can rent a mini here, and while I’m not supposed to run my own attachments I fabbed a boom with a rope bollard for it. Not a grapple but it works. It was constantly overloaded, and I practically begged clients to let my fly chip. It sucked when the truck was full with only a hour of cleanup left. Tools were not a issue as the truck was a crew cab.
I don’t regret starting with this setup, as I now have a second backup rig. It comes in handy for dumping gravel in potholes, extra wood, soil amendments, trailering equipment, no hauls, etc
 
Has anyone ever used a “B-train” set up? We’re legally aloud to pull two trailers here as long as the first trailer is a fifth wheel. Would anyone see an issue with pulling a fifth wheel dump trailer with a chipper behind? I know it would suck for tighter job sites but you could drop one trailer and then come back and grab it for just the tighter access? More cargo capacity on the trailer too?
 
Check you GVWR.



Agreed that a old dump truck can work, so long as it works. Being able to turn wrenches, possibly on the jobsite is a needed skill.

My starter just started going out on my 1990 ex-asplundh rig. I can change it in 30 minutes, give or take. Some people can't.

In my market, and with educating about mulch, and the ability to often take my chipper where I want with my mini or chip where I can get the chipper to, I hardly ever haul chips any more. The mini has made my chip truck sit a lot.


A LOT has to do with your market. How much chip volume do you produce? If you are doing a lot of removals, more chip capacity is needed. If you're doing more pruning, less. When you prune, you produce a much more manageable amount of mulch for most people.

My mini will happily take a 5 yard capacity trailer around the yard, so I can chip into the trailer, and make one or several piles on the property, where its needed. The mini tips the trailer up pretty high (axle closer to rear of home-built trailer), where it doesn't dump it, but unloading it is quick and easy.

You can sell the mulching service, as well. I prefer that they do it themselves or use a landscaper/ yard guy, with clear advice on how to mulch effectively.
 
P. S.

Have you looked into commercial auto insurance?

You will need additional insurance on a dump truck that you use occasionally. When you are full time, you will want a dump truck. I pay $400 a month for commercial liability on an F600, F450, f350, and a small SUV.
 
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