Portable chipper shredder

[biketopia]

After reading and posting in the zero turn post I figured here is good as any place to ask. So I have 5 acres and it's mostly field, with some trees by the house, a row of cedars separating one field to another and row of pines in the way back. I was browsing Facebook market place a week or two ago and stumbled upon a 3 point hitch PTO driven chipper shredder. Seemed like a good price and wasn't far from me, I saved it and forgot about it until Sunday and thought it would be a nice addition to be able to chip up the brush and trimmings since I don't have great place to just let it lay or would need to burn constantly.

Anyways, that one sold and now when I search for them I can't find any for under $1000, t hey are close to 1300-2000. I see many of the gas engine powered units that will take 2-3" limbs, which should be about all I would need, 4" or bigger I'll limb, cut and stack for the fire pit or solo stove. Are these gas units worth a damn, I'm finding them new or used in the 1-600 dollar range. Should I just scoop up one of those and see if it's worth it or don't add another engine to take care of and spend the money on a PTO driven one. I have a Kubota B2650, 26hp tractor with a 19.5HP PTO, my gut says the diesel tractor would be great to power it with vs a 12-18hp gas engine but I figured I'd ask if anyone has any experience or guidance, thanks!

[kwmech]

Get the PTO driven one, it'll be 1 less engine to feed and maintain

[biketopia]

Originally Posted by kwmech

Get the PTO driven one, it'll be 1 less engine to feed and maintain

My thinking exactly, plus the torque a diesel produces I would think should have more usable power vs a similarly rated gas engine.

[mongocanfly]

I was gonna say the same thing....kw beat me to it..

[rgunlock]

If you get the size offered by the home stores, you'll spend enough time and effort cutting your brush small enough to feed it that you will rethink the whole idea of burning it.

[burnin oil]

You atleast want the one that will do larger stuff. It is a pain whittling it down to fit. Not to mention the bog the bigger stuff does. Look at the blade replacement. Alot of them can't really be sharpened since taking material off them opens up the gap and makes peels instead of chips. Having priced a kubota lately I vote for the small engine model. Save the wear and tear on the tractor. My old Troy built probably uses less than a gallon of fuel an hour and is wore out. Try and keep a spare set of blades and drive belt on hand. They always need replaced about 15 minutes into a job. Usually right after bucking several trees. If I could afford it I would have a commercial pull behind. No more making limbs small enough or dealing with wierd angle limb growth that wont go through the shoot.

[Grumpy old man]

Rent a commercial unit for a day or two . For as much as your going to use it, The cost beats buying / storing and maintaining a smaller one that may or may not do the job .

[Killer Bee]

yep, building burn piles is getting old.. endless miles of tree trimming would move a lot easier with a chipper.. been semi shopping but still not totally tilted on the pto even though we have a couple of 75+ pto hp tractors.. equivelent towables are much more expensive so that does make pto more attractive..

[biketopia]

I found a few other PTO units near me last night, one is practically new and it seems the company is actually still in business unlike a few others I've seen. The PTO units for the money seem like they'll do more than the gas job stand alone units until you get into the big tow behind units. Almost jumped on an older PTO one that was 500 bucks but a little google looking reveled you have to get blades made for it as they don't exist anywhere else anymore. Renting is an option, I have a sunbelt in town, but I also can be a little spiritic, so if I decide I'm going to do yard work and trimming I think I'd rather just be able to walk out and do it not go into town and hope they have a chipper.