WTB Bandit 75XP or a 65XP

Merle Nelson said:
Not quite sure of your focus here. Sure you can get a base price 75XP but, I would advise to add on a bunch of time, labor, and frustration saving options. And those will cost money.

Any thoughts you want to talk through?
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Having never bought or worked around a chipper regularly, I don't know where to start asking questions, but the question is, what features do I need, what features do I want, and what features are easiest/hardest to install later?

The other element in this is that I'm not sure I want a small chipper for 30k. I just don't see that being better than shuffling brush. I'd have to pick up a chip box truck of some sort too, so it's too much just to optimize for the quarter or half of my workflow that deals with reduction pruning and "micro removals"...
 
In my opinion your last paragraph is key. In deciding which chipper I wanted to buy new I rented a new Bandit 65XP and a new 90XP. Both had new knife edges up for at least part of the chipping I did. The 90XP had rental dull edges up for part of the time also. Both were very near base models and they were incredible machines. I purposely ran long 7 to 9 inch dia. pine limbs through the 90XP.

I would say buy a base model unless there is a reason not to. (Some reasons to follow.)
 
Almost no features install well later in my opinion.

Features I wanted were things I thought would save time and frustration or make me money. And they were chosen because I use a chipper almost everyday I work, can frequently shoot chips out onto peoples properties, and when I shoot them into a truck want to shoot them in high.

I started to list out the options I had put on a chipper but that is too much info to type. Here is what I would say. Every chipper salesperson I talked to wanted me to buy a chipper that day. I took over a year to buy one because I wanted to think through and test what would work for me. Few chippers sit on lots with all the options you may want. And not all options are listed in one place, even on the Bandit website. If someone wanted a lot of options - or specific ones- and were willing to wait, they will build a chipper at Bandit just how you want it. When I ordered a couple of years ago it was a three month wait.

It sounds like you could be very happy with a chipper near base model Colb. Some options like the chute adjustment ring that gives you directional choice 360 degrees instead of about 40 percent less is $75 or so. Some things like a stronger diesel engine add thousands.

If you wanted to talk through possibilities PM with your phone number and I would be happy to talk it through.
 
Merle Nelson said:
Almost no features install well later in my opinion.

Features I wanted were things I thought would save time and frustration or make me money. And they were chosen because I use a chipper almost everyday I work, can frequently shoot chips out onto peoples properties, and when I shoot them into a truck want to shoot them in high.

I started to list out the options I had put on a chipper but that is too much info to type. Here is what I would say. Every chipper salesperson I talked to wanted me to buy a chipper that day. I took over a year to buy one because I wanted to think through and test what would work for me. Few chippers sit on lots with all the options you may want. And not all options are listed in one place, even on the Bandit website. If someone wanted a lot of options - or specific ones- and were willing to wait, they will build a chipper at Bandit just how you want it. When I ordered a couple of years ago it was a three month wait.

It sounds like you could be very happy with a chipper near base model Colb. Some options like the chute adjustment ring that gives you directional choice 360 degrees instead of about 40 percent less is $75 or so. Some things like a stronger diesel engine add thousands.

If you wanted to talk through possibilities PM with your phone number and I would be happy to talk it through.
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I appreciate that offer and will take you up on it if I pull the trigger on a new one. I guess it's just astonishing that the disparity between a new one and a well used one is 25k, or about 80%. But then it is very hard to find a 75xp or even a 65xp...
 
I want and feel I'm ready for smaller chipper just for the time saving and trips of the cleanup process.
Though I can't really afford one I don't want to go another season without one.
Spending around $7k for a chipper apposed to $30K leaves me $23K to spend on a better used truck or bucket truck with a chip box.
That in turn could make me enough money to buy a Bandit 200XP and I'll be able to pull it and hold what the chipper can put out.
Comparing Vemeer BC625, Mobark MR6, and Bandit 65XP chippers in that budget and size range (that is not a chuck and duck) the Bandit 65XP smokes it's competition.
I watched a bunch of Youtube vids to see that I would loose my shit waiting on the Vemeer and Mobark to pause and rev, pause and rev.
I could fill and make to trips to the dump by the time those two chippers chipped a single truck full.
 
dsptech said:
I want and feel I'm ready for smaller chipper just for the time saving and trips of the cleanup process.
Though I can't really afford one I don't want to go another season without one.
Spending around $7k for a chipper apposed to $30K leaves me $23K to spend on a better used truck or bucket truck with a chip box.
That in turn could make me enough money to buy a Bandit 200XP and I'll be able to pull it and hold what the chipper can put out.
Comparing Vemeer BC625, Mobark MR6, and Bandit 65XP chippers in that budget and size range (that is not a chuck and duck) the Bandit 65XP smokes it's competition.
I watched a bunch of Youtube vids to see that I would loose my shit waiting on the Vemeer and Mobark to pause and rev, pause and rev.
I could fill and make to trips to the dump by the time those two chippers chipped a single truck full.
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Hit me up anytime if you want to pick my brain. I’d rather load brush than use a low hp 6” machine. I bought a 7k low hp (44ph) 9”, and couldn’t be happier. This is coming from using machines between a 90xp with and a 1590xp all with bells and whistles. Not that there is anything wrong with the above machines other than the price tag.
My weak 9” is just a over kill 6” if you get my drift, and yes it does lack in some important areas, such as autofeed sucks, no winch, no hydraulic down, and single edge knives. But this is made up with for a super simple machine with minimal maintenance for the past 5-6 years, super light for its class (2700lbs), and easy to work on.
As I said I’d rather load brush with anything under a 30hp. As it’s easier and faster, however in my market you are less than a flyby night if you don’t have a chipper (even for jobs which would be crazy to bring one). In fact it for me I lost more jobs early on for not having a chipper #1, lack of certification #2, and business license and insurance #3. The chipper was the biggest leap in “professionalism”.
Some jobs I’d still rather load brush by hand than chip, but still chip. To be honest chipping isn’t always the faster option, per job. But I can fit a hell of a lot more chips in the truck than I can stacked and diced brush. This saves time in the long haul, dump trips and fees, and I sell chips. Rough numbers but I’m nearly twice as effective with a small chip truck, and chipper than PU and trailer. Even if it was as little as 25% more effective/efficient it’s money well spent (17k) easily increases gross by 20-40k paying for its self in a year (two) tops. For clarity 10k for the truck and 7k for the chipper.
I’d gladly pay double for a better chipper in retrospect. Not essentally bigger, as light weight is #1 for me. Maneuvering with a mini is super key for my market (off road, in the forest, across ditches, on and on). However a bigger machine that I can feed with the mini would also be nice!
Under normal circumstances I’d jump on any decent machine in my specs for 20k and under if I needed a chipper and had none.
 
Evo, out here in the NE I do allot of residential work and at my place in the city I don't have much space at all for equipment.
Just a small yard and already have a 12' dump trailer and my truck in the driveway.
With my truck only having a 6.5' bed I spend more time cutting up brush and stacking it in neat piles so I can then drag the piles over and stuff the crap out of the truck bed.
I use branches stuffed vertically on the sides to create a stake rack higher than the roof of my cab.
I waste so much time loading the truck and a mere 5 min to unload at the dump.
Should have mentioned that dump trailer is not road ready just yet (fixer upper).

I have a list of folks to come and take the log wood that I don't keep for myself so it's mainly the brush that I deal with.
The Bandit 65 or 75xp would fit me perfectly.
Small space needed to store it and light to tow.
Autofeed, hydraulic down pressure, wide feed opening to handle forked limbs.
Simple machine to work on and maintain.
I like that I can stuff it and grab some more while it self feeds.
I will hold out for one with a 35hp Vanguard or better yet the 37hp Kohler.

Long cleanups and making many trips keeps me on some jobs way longer than I care too.
The way I look at it, I could fit at least 25% more jobs into a season than I have been able to do.
This will help me grow and eventually afford a chip truck and a mini, and a bucket, etc, and become more efficient and less labor intensive.
Any yes, it would go a long way pulling up with a chipper in tow then just a guy in a truck with landing more work. :sisi:
 
I came across a 935 in CT. with a newly rebuilt engine (Wisconsin) for 10K. A little steep if you ask me, but it is the same machine I had when in business and it is an awesome machine. Oceans has one and loves it. I wish I hadn't passed on several that had almost no hours on for around 8K. Machine is like evo says, easy for maintenance and easy towing.
 
I'd rather clean a truck stop bathroom than have to use a bc625. I had one first starting out. It was a complete waste of time and money. Slashing and stacking brush is faster and easier than trying to get stuff to go through one of these.

Save your money for a 9" chipper. The bc935 is a good machine. We has one for years that served us well. We got more and more into crane work and it just wouldn't keep up. We now have a bandit 990xp. I would look for a 90xp or 95xp as well if looking for a 9" chipper. I really like our bandit and would buy another. I use a friends 15xp occasionally and its really nice as well. Its much larger and heavier than what I want to tow around daily.
 
Fivepoints said:
I'd rather clean a truck stop bathroom than have to use a bc625. I had one first starting out. It was a complete waste of time and money. Slashing and stacking brush is faster and easier than trying to get stuff to go through one of these.
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I had the same experience with a "Mighty Bandit". It was bandits 6" chipper prior to their 65 design. The Mighty was a complete piece of junk and a waste of steel.
 
Serf Life said:
Carlton and salsco have chippers that size. I used a gas carlton rental few yrs ago and it was surprisingly good. @Fivepoints pros and cons to 990xp? Have heard some mixed reviews.
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I really like our 990xp. Ours is about 6years old with 950 hours on it. A friend of mine bought it new. I used it a lot before I bought it from him. He upgraded to a 15xp. Ours has an 85 hp kubota in it. Since new it has had a thermostat go bad, lift pump, and the lower infeed roller hydraulic motor shaft broke. Those are the only things that it has needed. It works very well. The lift and crush are nice to use. Having a wider infeed than tall along with the lift and crags makes it be able to pull in limbs and crotches that wouldn't fit in other 12" chippers we have used. I also had a bc1220 before this chipper. No comparison.
 
colb said:
Having never bought or worked around a chipper regularly, I don't know where to start asking questions, but the question is, what features do I need, what features do I want, and what features are easiest/hardest to install later?

The other element in this is that I'm not sure I want a small chipper for 30k. I just don't see that being better than shuffling brush. I'd have to pick up a chip box truck of some sort too, so it's too much just to optimize for the quarter or half of my workflow that deals with reduction pruning and "micro removals"...
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One other thing I would say in the overall scheme of things. If you're going to buy a new chipper, even if you believe the base model will suit your needs, arrange to chip behind one just like it for a couple of hours or a day. Dealer has a list of people he's sold that unit to, rental, TreeBuzz contacts.

So worth it compared to getting a machine and wishing it had one more option. Or this just isn't the machine for me.
 
My opinion is for commercial use I wouldn’t bother with less than a 12” chipper. Sure a 6” CAN chip 6” material but not well. It is maxed out at 6”. A 12” chipper will eat that stuff all day and more importantly has the power to suck in and crush wider brush so you don’t have to skinny it up. Much less frustrating. 12” is also about the smallest chipper where it possible to feed effectively with a mini.
I don’t know what your actual budget is but it might pay for itself in efficiency if you look to a bigger chipper. Look for something clean that is older with a non emissions diesel.
 
Winches on chippers can come in handy once in a while but it is way faster and easier to feed with a mini. Plus all winches are not the same. Some are so painfully slow they will make you want to drag brush.
 
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