What’s Your SMALLER Equipment Setup?

[Helmstein]

This truck I have been working on is under CDL and my crew is just my wife and I, so I think this still counts as a smaller set-up. I'm still working on toolboxes on the sides and a couple other bits that will probably have to wait until winter. I bought the Isuzu as a box truck in January and converted it into a chip truck with a platform for my Giant loader, so I'm really happy to finally have it functional. I've got a bandit 150XP I pull behind it. I am thinking about building a skid-mounted spray rig that can sit on the platform where the loader goes for spray jobs. That pressure washer idea is brilliant, @KevinS !

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That's awsome. How long are you're ramps? I have 12' ramps that I can drive into the chip box with my giant.

 

[lumberjackson]

My ramps are only 8'. I angled the platform down on one side so the edge is less than 36" high which makes for a pretty reasonable ramp angle. I bet being able to load the machine into the chip box is pretty nice sometimes. My box is just a few inches too short (in height) for the machine to fit back there.

 

[southsoundtree]

I can only, barely nose into my box, barely. No chance to back in. 1.5 inch clearance.

Started with a small log chunk in the grapple... don't need it, not use it, now.



You can also raise the toe of the ramp on blocks, if you can stably climb onto/ off of them.
4-6 inches can make a difference in angle.

 

[southsoundtree]

Cue, @JeffGu

 

[Jehinten]

My ramps are only 8'. I angled the platform down on one side so the edge is less than 36" high which makes for a pretty reasonable ramp angle. I bet being able to load the machine into the chip box is pretty nice sometimes. My box is just a few inches too short (in height) for the machine to fit back there.

I used to load my mini in the chipbox of my bucket truck, it's nice for getting the mini there to the job. As soon as you start putting debris in there, unless you have a larger chip box, it will no longer fit and you have to make a second trip to bring the mini home.

 

[VenasNursery]

working a hour away today
leave all
So lift and ditch witch
Passenger car and 3 Team members

 

[VenasNursery]

Saturday
Lake Life

 

[Serf Life]

What’s killing the oaks?

 

[VenasNursery]

What’s killing the oaks?

Not sure
We are removing a cherry and some elms
Looks like it’s trying to hand on but not looking so good

 

[Jonny]

Worked my Toro SG-13 today. New teeth and keeping the work small makes it profitable. But still… ugh. I want a Vermeer SC-252 or Rayco 1625.
Stock photo. Hard to see what the heck I’m grinding.

 

[Scrubbyj]

Just posted this on another thread but it also belongs here. I’ve got a gmc 1500 with a tailgate unloader tarp system for $50 from harbor freight. And an enclosed trailer that houses my 5” power king chipper and yard max mini track skidder. Also all of my 7 saws, ropes, poles saws, hedge trimmers, blowers, rigging and climbing gear. The 16’ orchard ladder is locked to the racks on top. The brush mower usually isn’t in there I borrowed it for a job this weekend. Whole set up is awesome for pruning and removals I push for chipping into the woods as well as the customer keeping firewood when I can.

Ive been running a PowerKing chipper the last three years. Works great. I did just put a Vanguard 23 HP engine on it though and it makes a big difference. It just swaps out with the Kohler too-no modifications needed.

 

[Tree-Taylor]

Is there any noticeable difference in weight? I'm wondering how portable it is after and engine swap.

 

[Scrubbyj]

Is there any noticeable difference in weight? I'm wondering how portable it is after and engine swapped

Is there any noticeable difference in weight? I'm wondering how portable it is after and engine swap.

isn’t much if a difference, I had to add a battery I guess, but engine was maybe 10-15 lbs heavier. We still wheel ours around with one person quite easy. Most of the time we have it mounted on the back of our dump trailer though.

 

[Tree-Taylor]

Wow that's an interesting set-up. So that chipper swings out of the way to dump? I've been looking at doing something very similar by welding a hitch receiver to the back of the trailer and using a ramp and hitch mounted platform to transport the chipper.

 

[Scrubbyj]

Wow that's an interesting set-up. So that chipper swings out of the way to dump? I've been looking at doing something very similar by welding a hitch receiver to the back of the trailer and using a ramp and hitch mounted platform to transport the chipper.

Haha, yeah I get a lot of looks. But it works well for us. So to attach it you tip it back and I have a self made bracket that sits on a steel bar on the dump trailer that the ramps are meant to be on. Then have a hand winch with a pulley on it, clip it to the chipper infeed chute, crank it into place and put a 1” steel pin in that front arm welded on the chipper mount….kind of hard to explain. I did originally do a similar trailer hitch set up but didn’t have confidence it wasn’t going to break off. Probably wouldn’t have, but it really bounced around. This bounces some, but it’s not going to come off.

 

[southsoundtree]

Blocking up the rear end of my truck lowers my feed tray.




Looks like a lift to that feed height.

 

[Scrubbyj]

Blocking up the rear end of my truck lowers my feed tray.




Looks like a lift to that feed height.

Its about similar to what the feed height is stock, if it’s setting on the ground. I raised the wheels to give it more clearance when it’s on the trailer.

 

[evo]

This is so tempting! Not exactly small, but it kinda is.. I can see my mini in the bed and this pulling a chipper in the woods

 

[wisconsintreeguy]

Ive been running a PowerKing chipper the last three years. Works great. I did just put a Vanguard 23 HP engine on it though and it makes a big difference. It just swaps out with the Kohler too-no modifications needed.

What size material can you chip with that thing? Ive seen a few unimpressive videos but really want to try that set up.

 

[Scrubbyj]

What size material can you chip with that thing? Ive seen a few unimpressive videos but really want to try that set up.

With the 23hp engine we run 3-4” diameter through and it rips through it quickly. Stock probably closer to 2-3”. It sucks chipping dead stuff, but live runs through great. It makes a big difference keeping the knives sharp, more so than chippers with hydraulic feed. Once you get used to processing debris in a way that runs though the chipper well, I think we can be quite efficient. It’s no 12” Vermeer, but I think they both have positives and negatives.