Thoughts on Vermeer 1250A??

We had a Vermeer 1200 @ PTS and it ate some logs... Not near as powerful though, as the 18" bandits we are using now @ Big Green..

Likely the vertical roller wheels are tensioned with a spring which will not give you the pressure to break crotches as they feed in, also on large bundles of small brush they can slip. Also those vertical feed rolls cause branches to 'swing' left to right, which is a bit more difficult to predict/avoid than the horizontal wheels which cause the branches to 'swing' up.

Overall the vermeer we had was a good machine. As far as the engine or the mechanicals, I would have someone qualified check it out before dropping any serious coin.
 
I like the higher feed table on the 1250. Good machine, never really had any problems with mine. Best thing about the vertical rollers is no mess to pick up under the chipper afterwards.
 
From what I was told, the 1250 has the curb feed option and the 1230 doesn't. I thought we would use the curb feed more but we only use it a couple of times a year.
I like our machine but it is way too heavy for us. I am planning on selling ours in about a year to get something lighter.
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that. Mine seems to tow like a bear considering its chipping capacity. It just seems way to heavy for what it is. I want to get rid of mine sometimes for that reason.
 
A friend of mine had a 1250 for many years. He traded it in on a BC1000 about 4 years ago. The BC1000 is over 1500 lbs lighter and will chip virtually anything the older machine would. I ran a 1250 for years so I'm used to the way it will kick limbs sideways and smack the shit out of you. It will also bust your knuckles when it slams those limbs into your fingers on the side of the feed table. The vertical feed rollers can jam easily on the older machines, trash gets caught in the tracks and it won't open like it's supposed to.

If I were going to buy a chipper I wouldn't be afraid of buying a BC1250 but it wouldn't be my first choice. I think the BC1000 is a more desirable machine.

The two differences between a 1250 and 1230 are the curb feed option mentioned above plus the 1250 has a hinged engine cover for easy access. If you need to lift the hood on a 1230 then you have to unbolt it and lift it off.
 
Interesting you say that about the smacks it delivers, because on my new to me 1000 I've found it to be much less violent for handfeeding my 250xp. I'm quite enjoying the 1000 myself, easy to use machine.
 
Yah I was. It's a fine machine though, even feeds quite well with the mini. Not quite as much of a beast as the 250xp but it's alot lighter and easier on fuel too.
 
Yup, the 1000 is much friendlier than the 1250.

And yes, the curb feed lets the entire machine pivot on the frame. Not only can you angle the feed table off to the side (over the curb so it isn't so damn high off the ground) but it also moves the discharge chute so you can fine tune exactly how you fill the chip box.
 
Damnit! Mine has curb feed and I never thought to use it for that! I just move the chute, which leaves voided in my chip box.
 
I have a 1250 it works great. I had to replace the bearings in the feed rollers but thats it. Mine has the perkins and it has plenty of power and always starts evan in the dead of winter. Sometimes in the winter if it has sat for a while it might need a little squirt of starting fluid. tree pictures 073.jpg tree pictures 062.jpg tree pictures 068.jpg tree pictures 065.jpg
 
I wanted to paint mine since I bought it and finely got around to it last winter. I put the vermeer stickers back on it and put my logo on the back and my website on the shoot. It seems like a new one to me. I feel better pulling up to jobs also. Sorry for the derail.
 
Mine is identical. Careful with that ether in the perkins. Perkins are sensitive to that stuff.
 
I was told the way to do that was to pour some gas on a rag and hold the rag over the air intake. Don't pour gas in the intake, you just want the fumes. I had to do it a couple times and it worked great. I always have mix gas on the truck so it's readily available.
 
I wanted to paint mine since I bought it and finely got around to it last winter. I put the vermeer stickers back on it and put my logo on the back and my website on the shoot. It seems like a new one to me. I feel better pulling up to jobs also. Sorry for the derail.

Let's see a pic!
 
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