I try to burn everything. If it falls off it goes in the kindling pile. Any heat I get is a return on my investment (labor/time). I like to get as much return (heat) as possible. I don’t like to spend my energy and time away from my family driving out into the woods to collect pieces of scrap to bring home to throw in the trash can. Wood, even bark or punk in my trash can generates zero heat. Excess bark and really bad punk will still get used (return) by running through my mulcher and used around trees, garden, and compost pile. Nothing goes to waste.
If it's on it burns, if not I drag the processing area with a landscape rake to clean it up & dump it in a hole.
I have the Champion Model #10037. Supposedly handles up to 3". Works like a champ (no pun intended). I had the HarborFreight but it literally fell apart twice on me after I returned it the first time..........So I returned it again. Piece of junk! The Champion one's motor is way better and overall construction way sturdier. I did have a problem with a bent wheel brand new and it took them months to send me a new one but I dealt with it. Here's the link to the manufacturer site. I don't put 3" branches in there - those big ones are good for outdoor firepit use but anything say 2.5" and smaller it handles with no problem. 3-in. Chipper Shredder - Champion Power Equipment I've had to clear jams a few times. Here are a few pics of mine.
If it stays on it gets burnt with the wood, if it falls off it gets picked up and tossed in to burn, it's a OWB, so I'm not to worries about the extra ash, it just gets shoveled out and tossed into the pasture.
I don't make any effort to actually remove bark, but any that falls off gets tossed/left in the woods or used in the garden. The bark supposedly has the same BTU content of the wood but it is too often messy and I don't need any help making mess. If I was on a small suburban house lot with no place to put it I would burn it.
I have burned it and see no reason not to. Got some in the barn right now that came off the splits and I’ll burn it next fall
Bark that comes off while splitting falls into a half plastic barrel I keep under the splitter to catch most bark and shreds. That goes to the compost heap. Bark the comes off splits as I load them in a cart to fill the indoor wood bin also goes to the compost heap. Bark that gets knocked off while being tossed into my woodbin, once in my basement, gets tossed into a box, and then I will have a bark fire about once every 2 weeks when I get a full box. No matter what species, it always burns fine, and surprisingly puts off a decent amount of heat for an hour or 2. Waste not, want not. I don't see wasting good calories hauling a box of bark back outside.
Moved some red oak splits over the weekend. A few the bark came off. Left it in the PU and now firepit fodder.
