allmark
Participating member
Who has experience with these chippers are there any problems to know about with them
Vermeer 1500
- Thread starter allmark
- Start date
Mark, what year are you considering. I ran a 1500 for a year with a large crane removal company in Mass. The machine we ran was very solid. I can't remember what engine it had, but it had a turbo and it screamed when we ran logs through it. Not an 18" machine, but could handle a good size pine top.
I believe the 1500 replaced the poorly designed a built 1400. I ran both and the 1500 was a huge step up. In my expertise with the machine I ran...but it was fleet maintained.
I believe the 1500 replaced the poorly designed a built 1400. I ran both and the 1500 was a huge step up. In my expertise with the machine I ran...but it was fleet maintained.
DTS
Participating member
- Location
- Orange County,NY
They took all the bad negative things about the bc1400 which was a lot and fixed them and renamed it the bc1500 big improvement haven't heard and major complaints or issues on them.
allmark
Participating member
Thanks for the feedback
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
Mark I have a few friends that run them, the vertical feed wheels do clog up from time to time, which sometimes depending on how much craps packed up behind them in there takes a bit of time to un jam. The newer tier 4's Jesse's aka oak savanna 's buddy had a brand new one, and blew black smoke non stop, sold it for a bandit. Those are the issues I'm aware of.
My opinion is biased .... sort of. My partner's chipper is a 09 BC1500. Has a Perkins of which I'm unaware of the HP rating. Guessing Hp to be in the 140-150 range. Chips efficiently, when the feed wheels turn. I HATE vertical feeders! Jams are a semi regular occurrence and a bitch to clear. PITA!
Horizontal wheels don't jam .... ever. And this particular chipper has another issue. We'll be chipping away, (brush, and limb wood especially), and the right feed wheel will loose power. It just sits there watching the other struggle to do all the work. It'll will be spinning no problem then just stops like it's taking a break. Problems in the hydro system. It's been in the dealers once and two other times they've sent out their mechanic. He runs pressure tests changes a valve or sensor or both. It's then okay for a week or so and back to the same shit. Luckily all it takes is to cycle the feed bar a couple times and production continues. It's an okay machine that handles 17'' wood.
Now back to my biased remarks ... I HATE VERMEER .... in general.
Steer towards a 15'' Morbark or Bandit and don't look back. Rayco seems like another good option.
Horizontal wheels don't jam .... ever. And this particular chipper has another issue. We'll be chipping away, (brush, and limb wood especially), and the right feed wheel will loose power. It just sits there watching the other struggle to do all the work. It'll will be spinning no problem then just stops like it's taking a break. Problems in the hydro system. It's been in the dealers once and two other times they've sent out their mechanic. He runs pressure tests changes a valve or sensor or both. It's then okay for a week or so and back to the same shit. Luckily all it takes is to cycle the feed bar a couple times and production continues. It's an okay machine that handles 17'' wood.
Now back to my biased remarks ... I HATE VERMEER .... in general.
Steer towards a 15'' Morbark or Bandit and don't look back. Rayco seems like another good option.
climbhightree
Branched out member
- Location
- Lebanon, Pa USA
I like my bc1500 that I bought used, about a year ago. It was a upgrade for me from my 12" vermeer disk chipper. Personally I prefer the vertical feed wheels. As to jams, I've never had a jam yet that I had to manually fix, beyond reversing the feed bar. Nine times out of ten the, auto feed fixes any jams itself. Blade sharpness also seems to play into this...is the wood (especially dead) being cut, or is it being shattered?
It has the power, chipper overall size, capacity that I was looking for to work in my area, and feed it with a mini skid. Crane wise I'd go bigger if I could fit it into a area I do a lot of work at.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
It has the power, chipper overall size, capacity that I was looking for to work in my area, and feed it with a mini skid. Crane wise I'd go bigger if I could fit it into a area I do a lot of work at.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
When they jam and both wheels stop it's because we're chipping large limb wood or bigger. Doesn't happen all the time. But enough to make me hate it. Especially on crane day.
It's a good sized machine and Vermeer seems to have great customer service around these parts.
I have to add my opinion is not based solely on this one machine.
It's a good sized machine and Vermeer seems to have great customer service around these parts.
I have to add my opinion is not based solely on this one machine.
TimberJack
Participating member
- Location
- Westchester County, NY
If you keep the top rail that the feed rollers ride on lubed with white lithium it makes a huge differenece in performance. Also with the machine "locked and tagged" clean out behind the feed rollers at days end is a good way to keep the jams to a minium.
We do clean out the dead space behind the wheels. Just not daily. It does depend on what we use it for the day. If it's a light day with just pruning brush, we don't bother. When it gets worked hard it gets cleared. Your right about the rails and grease. He won't use it because of course grease and dirt mix together and build up. He sprays everything with silicone based sprays. I personally like the bandits and morbarks for ease of maintenece.
