I've come to the conclusion I need a wood chipper for up at the cabin. Something with capacity around 1-1/2" but would gladly have bigger.

I'd prefer electric for convenience, but if they are just not up to it I'll consider gas powered.

The main use will be mulching branches (mostly juniper & shrubs) that are too small or not suitable for the wood stove.

Budget this side of a thousand dollars, preferably under seven-ish if practical.

What have you all used, abused, liked, disliked, and/or destroyed?

Like the one featured in Fargo???

I have the DR 300. It's a few years old. I bet it has at least 200 hours
on it. If it throws a rod tomorrow I got my $ worth out of it.
It starts better cold than it does hot.
The shredder is useless. It will bog the motor out in a heartbeat.
The chipper will eat 1 - 1.5 inch branches 3 at a time. Feed rate is
about 1 ft per second. The chips are small.


https://www.drpower.com/Power-...redder/p/CS23030BMN0

The small ones are more trouble than they are worth. Be advised to wear hearing protection and not to pull anything out of the chipper without turning it off.

LINK:https://www.vermeer.com/la/brush-chippers

@ RVF400 - That DR looks promising. Do you have the manual or electric start?

@ ZSMICHAEL - That's what I suspected & a lot of the reviews bear out what you say.

Thanks guys.

Pull start. Cold or sitting for 3 months, it usually starts on 1st pull.
It's really good on gas.
Check out some of the videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1l1eB4atZw

Vinny, I have a Bearcat. Good unit, gas powered. I bought it new for a job, but turned out I did not use it. Just sits in shop. Does not have five hours on it. Am willing to sell or trade it. A trip to Spokane maybe

whats the largest dimension of the body you want to get rid of? Usually the shoulders are the toughest to wrestle around so 3' might not be quite wide enough

I'd go with 4'

Vermeer is the Waste Kang of the chipper world. Their baby brush chipper is 25 hp and has a 6" x 8" infeed throat, but you can step all the way up to a whole tree chipper with 600 hp that'll handle 25" diameter trees.

Vermeer's are great BUT - Budget this side of a thousand dollars, preferably under seven-ish if practical.

"Small wood chipper" as in small body parts??

Why, are you writing a movie script?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Small wood chippers are mostly very light duty machines and you need to buy one that is rated for larger than you think you need.
MacKissic is one I owned that seemed to be pretty good and DR are the two I'd look for. Probably need to find a used one to be in your price range.

I realize there are limitations, like everything, but not able to burn?

I’ll be burning more tomorrow, rather large piles on the neighbors property. To me a chipper takes to much prep, then you have size limitations.

There’s connection with fire, embrace it.

I pile, wait 8-12 weeks. If moisture level is high and no risk for spread, it burns.

A clean hot burn is better way to manage brush, limbs and logs.

Chippers are great, expensive but not very efficient. The mass to ash efficiency of fire is superior.

I had a small chipper. It took forever.

I also recommend a burn barrel. You can get a nice metal barrel at Tractor Supply and use it for a target, add limbs and presto, organic potash fertilizer.

If you have to much material, you ‘meter the burn’. Just add what your conditions can handle, only burn when conditions are favorable.

Yes, there can be local restrictions one has to wade through, part of the process.

Burning is out of the question. This area in the Spring Mountains are under severe fire restrictions for very good reason.

The DR mentioned above seems to suit my needs. Any others in that price range?

Home Depot in our area rents a medium size one.

Something to consider.

I understand the fire HAZARD.

did you look at the Bearcat. Will beat the DR hands down.

https://www.arlingtonpower.com...qJooVUBoCs9wQAvD_BwE