Choose The Right Wood Chipper

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Morbark’s M20R is a drum wood chipper designed to handle whole trees that’s available in both pull-behind and self-propelled models. (Photo courtesy of Morbark.)

From landscapers looking to quickly dispose of large branches and limbs to forestry professionals producing wood chips for resale from whole trees, a wood chipper is an essential tool around the worksite. Commercial wood chippers—the type you’ll often find for sale on ForestryTrader.com—typically fall under two categories: pull-behind and self-propelled. And although most all of these machines are generally big enough to handle all kinds of timber, selecting the right one for your jobsite involves more than just deciding how you will transport and power the equipment.

What Are You Chipping?

The size and volume of the biomass you regularly work with is the most important consideration when purchasing or renting a wood chipper. Jobsites with whole, mature trees like land-clearing and tree-removal operations are obviously going to require a machine capable of processing cut logs and trees. As such, it’s a good idea to start by looking at the unit’s chipping capacity (sometimes called the throat opening) to determine if it’s the best fit for your operation. Opting for a larger machine may also come with addition hauling complications, like a truck, trailer, or tractor powerful enough to transport it.

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Bandit’s Intimidator 15XP, previously known as the 1390XP, is a hand-fed wood chipper with a 15-inch chipping capacity. (Photo courtesy of Bandit.)

Match The Work Environment

Urban and residential areas aren’t always the best choice for large, towable wood chippers. Self-propelled wood chippers, by comparison, are available in a wide variety of sizes and offer better mobility and all-terrain capabilities for hard-to-reach areas. Lightweight pull-behind wood chippers are also available, including models that can be transported by an ATV or lawn tractor with a tow bar or trailer hitch. Selecting the right size can help to maximize convenience and productivity by avoiding costly labor to saw the trees into logs as well as moving timber to the chipper.

Power

The wood chipper you select, of course, should have enough power for the job—whether it comes from PTO or a diesel or gas engine. Of course, getting a unit with more power than you will need can create inefficiencies; operations looking to optimize profit margins must consider if a lower-power model that might use less fuel would be more cost-effective when the machine is running five days a week, all year round.

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New models of Vermeer’s BC1500 are powered by a Tier 4 Cummins diesel engine or a PSI 5.7-liter gas engine. (Photo courtesy of Vermeer.)

Features

Many of the models available for sale on ForestryTrader.com feature a self-feeding system with a hydraulic hopper to pull the timber into the chipper at a controlled speed. For ease of loading, many large wood chippers feature a winch or lift arm to load heavy timber. The actual chipping is done by either a disc or a drum, and there’s a bit of debate as to which style is best. Disc chipper proponents claim they are often more efficient, while those in favor of drum-style chippers say they are better with large materials. Most wood chipper manufacturers offer both styles. In addition, it’s a good idea to consider a unit’s safety features; does it have emergency stop and shut-off controls, as well as lengthy feed tables that put significant distance between workers and the feed opening? These and other features can help provide a safer work environment and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Find Your Next Chipper

ForestryTrader.com is your go-to source for Caterpillar forestry equipment, including new and used wood chippers for sale. New and used wood chippers from popular manufacturers like Bandit, Vermeer, and Morbark are also regularly available for sale and rental.