Wood chipper/shredder experience?

[pld5000]

I am doing some Internet searches on the best wood chipper for homeowners. So far I have looked at DR, Mackissic and Patriot Pro. I am specifically buying it to shred bamboo culms, B. malingensis. Has anyone ever used a shredder on bamboo and if so what were the problems if any? What is the best type? And does any body need B. malingensis?

[David]

pld5K,

I've got an old (cheap) MTD chipper shredder, and it does a great job on bamboo. Makes super bamboo mulch! From what I can tell bamboo is pretty easy on the shredder, and sort of self cleans itself as it goes unlike when chipping other vegtable matter. I have to trim the branches off the larger culms to get it to feed smoothly, but on a whole bamboo is one of the easier substances I have shredded.. I certainly would not buy top of the line just to shred bamboo. Look for one with a large feed hopper. It makes life easier.

Hope this helps.

Regards, David

[svendrix]

Hi pld5000,

I would also highly recommend checking your local craigslist if you are near a big city for "chipper" or "shredder" if you can. The other day I was browsing and saw some local steals on Troy-Bilt models with 3" hoppers for $250 where new an equivalent model would be $850 or so. Usually it is a case where someone thought they'd use it much more often, or just had one project, then they are done with it and will never use it again.

---Sven

Damn, wish I could tolerate the more warm blooded boo here, otherwise I'd try taking some of that Bambusa malingensis off your hands! =D

[pld5000]

That is the experience I was hoping to get. Thanks. I would have thought that it would be tougher to shred, but glad to hear it is not.

David, do you know what HP your shredder has?

Surprisingly, I have checked Craigslist in four nearby counties no one is selling used shredders. There was one Vermeer that I could have shredded my house with. First I would have had to take a second mortgage to buy it.

Thank you for your help.

Patrick

[southlatropical]

Sorry I can't help with the chipper questions. I'm debating on weather or not to buy one also. I could use the B. malingensis you are offering though.
Thanks
Isaac

[David]

pld5K,
It's a 5HP Briggs and Stratton. The flails are reversable, but I've not reversed them. I've had it about 15 years and it still runs well and all I've done to it is change the oil. I don't remember exactly how much I paid for it, seems like 200-250.

Don't forget your safety goggles!

David

[rbkelso]

I am glad to hear bamboo is easy to shred.I thought it would be near impossible. I am going to have much to shred up.

[David]

Hello All,
I may have given the wrong impression concerning the ease of bamboo shredding. Bamboo is easier to shred than hardwood branches of the same diameter. It's about the same as say pine branches, but does not clog up the machine like softwoods tend to do. The shedder sounds like it's working hard when shredding bamboo, but the ease of shreding is more in that it shreds fast, and does not clog. I think that any machine that is rated to shred say 1.75" branches would shred the same diameter bamboo culm without much trouble.

Another thing about shredding bamboo is how good it smells, and how long it lasts as mulch.

Anyway that's my disclaimer.

David