Drum help ...again

[Greenhorn]

I thought I had my old drum chipper figured out and then its starts acting up going into the spring!

I recently replaced cutter bar and knives and got factory spec. clearances set upon re-installation.

Smooth for awhile and then outta the blue the thing wont eat material over 2" anymore. It chews out a little arc and then spits the piece back. Tolerances have not changed upon visual inspection.

Can thousands of an inch change the feeding of these old dinosaurs? I cant figure out it out - surely the line clearance chippers arent looked after any closer than I maintain mine.

Thanks for any help, sources for help on these things arent as plentiful as they once were. Getting a nice shiny Morbark one day....

[No_Bivy]

sounds like an anvil setting, probably too close

[brendonv]

Could the anvil possibly loosened up at all? I had that happen on my old Bandit 65, wouldn't feed well, then ate a knife. :O

[No_Bivy]

:O:O

[Greenhorn]

hmmm... too close, possible I guess, not leaving enough material to drag the rest through.

Trial and error sucks - so many big bolts to loosen and re-torque! Fun weekend ahead.

[sotc]

check the drum bearings for slop to. pry up with a bar to see if theres movement

[Frans]

I got nothing to add, its all been said already.

Base plate/knive loose or worked its way out, loose bearings, knives worked out a bit.

Say, did you check the torque after chipping a few branches?

[gf beranek]

Greenhorn, I've changed blades in drum chippers so many times I could do it in the dark. Anvils? Nothing to it, all the way through complete rebuilds of bearings and drive-train components and alignments.

Never before have I heard of, or seen of such a thing as you describe.

Something is so incredibly out of wack it should be obvious.

[Jonseredbred]

Blades upside down?? the angle of the sharpening wrong??

[Greenhorn]

Believe it or not it may be too sharp with the tolerances real tight. I just chipped maple and sweetgum today but it is gradually eating the big stuff better again.

My groundy thought it was just winter chipping of dead and dry(er) material that wasnt feeding too good.

I'm really strict about maintenance am pretty good with a wrench thats why it threw me. I think the chipper is just too dialed in for some material.

[Greenhorn]

perhaps angle I left after touching them up effected things.....

[Frans]

Greenhorn, are you being a total Greenhorn? Run some real stuff through that machine, work it like a poor pimp works his few whores and then get back to us

[Greenhorn]

OK, this thing is driving me nuts. On the verge of financing a new chipper.
It wont " pull in " much of anything anymore. When it does the chips arent that bad though.

Its making these alot if the pics help - And I promise it nots an obvious fix - I replaced knives and cutter bar upon buying this chipper and set them to spec. The only thing I can think to change is the distance the knives stick out from the drum???????????????????????

[No_Bivy]

is the bed knife dull as shat?

[lumberjack]

That and/or the bearings have alot of play in them making the clearances seem right, but when it hits wood the drum gets to climbing.

[MasterBlaster]

Adjust your cutter bar perhaps?

[squisher]

I'll vote for the new chipper. Jk'ing man hope you get it sorted out, sucks forking around with stuff when it doesn't work out.

[Skwerl]

My guess would be drum bearings as well. :(

[Greenhorn]

yah, thats the only thing that makes sense

[Jonseredbred]

NO, not drum bearings it would shake at the least and self destruct.

The cutter bar is too high. Lower the cutter bar and put the blades out.

[MasterBlaster]

Told him so!

[Canuck]

Do you have the proper angle on your knives? With my old chuck and duck if the angle was off even a little bit it chipped like shat.

[NeTree]

Check your bearings, and make sure they're in spec. The easiest way is to remove the knives, and use a sharp pry bar between the bed and the drum to lift up, first on one side, then the other.

Set the knives so they're 1/4" above the drum.

Set the bed knife to .010" to .015" clearance from the knives.

Enjoy.

[Greenhorn]

I have touched up the knives with a little kitchen sharpener thingie but never re-sharpened, doubt I have changed the angle enough to effect much.

Manual says to put knives 4 serrations out from drum - which they are - 1/4" would be way less. I was thinking of moving them out even more - thus "pulling" material more aggresively one would think.

The problem seems progressive with no change in knife / anvil position so bearings then me thinks.

I want a morbark so bad though - talking to finance guy tomorrow.

[MasterBlaster]

I have touched up the knives with a little kitchen sharpener thingie


Remember, those were meant to be used on sharp blades. Using them on dull blades will wear out the tool.

[Mr. Sir]

NO, not drum bearings it would shake at the least and self destruct.

The cutter bar is too high. Lower the cutter bar and put the blades out.

:thumbup:

[Jonseredbred]

Trust me, the tolerances are so close inside that drum that if the bearing was bad the knives would drop and hit the cutter bar or housing. they would not "grow" away from the cutter bar.

Bad bearing in a chuck and duck equals destruction, not much warning at all.

[stehansen]

I have touched up the knives with a little kitchen sharpener thingie but never re-sharpened, doubt I have changed the angle enough to effect much.

Manual says to put knives 4 serrations out from drum - which they are - 1/4" would be way less. I was thinking of moving them out even more - thus "pulling" material more aggresively one would think.

The problem seems progressive with no change in knife / anvil position so bearings then me thinks.

I want a morbark so bad though - talking to finance guy tomorrow.

I would get the blades sharpened before you try anything else.

[Greenhorn]

the saga continues..

Brought the knives out one more serration and lowered the anvil / cutter bar. Seemed to do the trick. Nastier chip and sucks stuff though alot faster.

I think the machine is too old to make nice chip and pull all sizes of material. One or the other.

Atleast it will get me by for awhile till I can afford more technology.

And a huge thanks to everyboby I hope I can help you guys out sometime with something!

[No_Bivy]

you make sushi outta that fish?

[TC3]

I've stopped to help people on the freeway.
"Did you check the GAS guage ?" >>> is usually met with disgust, and has happened that a quick glance brought the, "Oh!" response. Just start super-basic & work your way up.
Have you checked the hydraulic fluid levels for the infeed ? A sluggish infeed roller could cause long cuts.
A slow leak in the line (pressurized, so it usually wouldn't go un-noticed, BUT...) or a really low level of hydraulic fluid / & / or a clog in the hydraulic line(s) could cause the infeed roller to slack off.
Just a stab in the dark, but we're dancin' in the dark here anyways, ey ?!? LOL
Good luck. I don't think it warrants buying a new chipper, big guy. Investigate !!!

[No_Bivy]

I say new chipper....no mo' chuck an duck

[Frans]

Sometimes with an older chuck and duck the 'floor' of the infeed is worn into a dish. This makes the material feed funky.

But unless you are getting real stringy chips, just remind yourself that chipping is alot better than cross cutting the stuff down in the back of the truck


Ya know, I just had a thought (yes I have them sometimes). If the knives were sharpened at the wrong angle, that would explain your troubles. If some low rent outfit did the sharpening and their cutter wheel was worn this could happen

[TC3]

...no mo' chuck an duck
Funny you should mention that >>> Greenhorn never gave any specs on his chipper ???
Am I missing something ?
My bad for not asking for make, model & photos !!!

[No_Bivy]

Sometimes with an older chuck and duck the 'floor' of the infeed is worn into a dish. This makes the material feed funky.

But unless you are getting real stringy chips, just remind yourself that chipping is alot better than cross cutting the stuff down in the back of the truck


Ya know, I just had a thought (yes I have them sometimes). If the knives were sharpened at the wrong angle, that would explain your troubles. If some low rent outfit did the sharpening and their cutter wheel was worn this could happen

i agree...new set of knives might be worth a try....

[TC3]

Nonsense. If your sharpener guy messed it up THAT bad, he'd be missing 6 digits instead of 3.

[Greenhorn]

knives are still very new - bought from Baileys as well as the cutter bar.

I think the drum itself or infeed part are a little warped/worn and she just aint gonna make pretty chip and eat it all like she once did - even with new teeth.

It does have a nice coat of white paint and tight little straight 6 that gets mobile one and runs great.

Got two live oak removals soon, I will either love the machine again after that job - or be in the financing mood again.

[Greenhorn]

fish went back in the water NoBiv -

[DTW902]

There are 3 adjustments, at least on my old chuck and duck. 1 is the knives 2 is the bed knife, and 3 is the bed adjustment, which raises and lowers the bed just ahead of the bed knife. If the bed is 2 high it will not let it feed very well. I agree with Andrew if the bearings were bad it would have destroyed itself by now.