Deal of the day at Lowe’s!

Lowe’s has a killer sale on the DR 3 inch chipper/shredder. List price was $799.00, and it is on the website for $359; But in-store it is only $180.00!
Item # is 788400

 

So how many you buy?

 

Hopefully several, cause if they’re like mine you’re going to need a few if you want to get thru a tree in one day!

I bought a small chipper with an 8hp engine a few years ago thinking I would use it on a couple of my brush piles. Gave up on that idea after the first day. I never use the thing anymore cause it’s just so slow. Fire is so much faster.

Thought about using it to shred some leaf mulch for the garden though.

 

They are out at my store, they’re checking to see if there’s one at another local store. I think it would be good for shredding leaf mulch-

 

I was going to post what Shawn did but I did not want to rain on your parade. so being he brought it up first I had the same results, great idea but way to slow, vibrates your hand numb, hopefully you have better results. Used mine few times and it sat in the shed for the next 8 years or so. I could not even give it away.

 

Thanks for the feedback on it- guess I’ll pass. Dang it, thought I found a smokin’ deal!

 

It's worth it for the motor alone.

 

I knew the little 5 HP ones were a waste of time and money...but the 8 HP too, huh?

 

I’ve got an older (late 90s) 5 HP chipper that was given to me. It works, but that damm thing is one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment I’ve ever used. I took a birch tree down back in 2013 and I spent more time unclogging the machine than I spent chipping.

That said, it does a good job of shredding leaves.

 

My neighbor has a 5hp simplicity brands chipper. He said I can use it whenever. I should take him up on it so it gets run more. I'll have to see for myself how badly it works.

 

Noooooooo "good deals" are relative. Painful to use these things.

 

Yep, I bought what I thought was a decent one at TSC years ago, clogged with almost every branch. They took it back the next day, which impressed me.

 

Unless it's 40+ hp & tows behind a truck it ain't a chipper. Those little ones are good for mulching leaves & that's about it. Burn the brush!

 

problem is the engine probably has a tapered crank, not much you can use it with.

 

mine NEVER clogged it could not chip fast enough to clog.....11hp

 

Having spent more years than I care to say stuffing wood into a chipper, I'd like to think I can add a bit here. The issue with these little machines isn't necessarily the engine size. It's the restrictions at the chipping disk. In this case probably a flail style hammer mill set up. Decent for leaves and twigs and not much else. Probably worth the 180 if you have a lot of fall clean up.

For hoarding purposes there are a few good options in the semi pro chipper segment. Most of those (wallenstein, dr, etc) 6" chippers will perform well in a non commercial setting.

Dosko actually makes a 4" chipper that is surprisingly capable:
Brush Chipper at Dosko


Expect to pay a few grand though and still be slow. For most it's best to pile the brush up and torch it. If that's not an option pile it up and rent a 6" chipper for a day.

Edit: to add video