Chipper - pig in a poke?

[pantheraba]

I bought this chipper at a local pawn shop. Engine runs fine, starts easily...lots of other stuff is rough as you can see. At first we thought the crunched engine cover was from a tree strike but I think someone hammered it down to get the discharge chute to fit.

There are no discernible VIN numbers...I think it might be a Vermeer 1600...not sure about the chipper..whether it is original or an add on.

We need knives and one anvil. Any idea where to look for that since I am not sure what chipper unit I really have?

We have gotten tires and 4 belts for it...since it is missing one knife it runs pretty bouncy...will need full set to have it run smoothly I reckon.

My son has been heating, welding and working on repairing some of the obvious problems.

I'd be glad to hear any ideas you have about it (run it in the lake?), what you think it is, where to best track down parts, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Old Monkey]

Don't run it out of balance with a knife missing. Bad things will happen. Pull the existing knife, measure it and note the number of bolt holes and the distances from center. Try to flip the anvil as you can use multiple sides.

 

[PCTREE]

Ive always wondered if you could put a hydraulic feed wheel on one of those and end up with a much more useful unit......

 

[pantheraba]

10-4 on not running it off balance. Good tip on flipping the anvil..thanks.

Is this a "chuck and duck"? I assume that means it sometimes throws stuff back at you?

I need some type of cover strips that cover the feed entrance...what's recommended?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Means you throw it in and GTF out the way

 

[cory]

Or else its chuck and get whipped in the face

 

[sotc]

Page 99 in the wesspur catalog could possibly help you match up your existing knife to the model number. I would probably start with all new knives rather than trying to salvage the one you have, save you some headaches i'd bet

 

[SkwerI]

Means you throw it in and GTF out the way

This.

Ditto on what Darin said. Running it with a knife missing is like running a truck with a wheel missing. Not even in the realm of feasibility.

 

[Dh1984]

would you like to sell it? if so i'll give you your money back for it. and come and pick it up when i get paid.

 

[sotc]

Mud flap would work

 

[PCTREE]

Its not called a chuck an duck because it throws stuff back at you but because as soon as a piece of brush hits the drum spinning at 10,000 rpm it accelerates from 0 - warp speed instantly. If you are in its path you will be whipped. Your first tree should be a hickory on a cold day , make a video so we can all hoot when you cuss about your bleeding ear....

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Or Lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng vines......

 

[NeTree]

I can answer some questions when I get home. But... there's some serious mixing of parts on that machine

 

[rskybiz]

Your first tree should be a hickory on a cold day , make a video so we can all hoot when you cuss about your bleeding ear....

LOL but cruel

 

[Ax-Man]

I agree with Eric. That 1600 number is familiar but that doesn't look like a true Vermeer 1600. They were an all around bigger chipper with 8cyl engines I think, and different style chute. They would take in bigger material than the one you have. I don't think Vermeer ever made more than one model other than the 1600 back then. The few I have seen or pictures of them they weren't that small.

That looks like an old Asphlund(?) chipper to me. I hope you didn't pay much for it. Lots of work to be done . Something like that would be right up my alley if it was cheap enough to fix it up, repaint it and sell it.

Hint----- If you keep it long enough and need to replace the belts ,get a power band if you can for it instead of four seperate belts. It will give you more pulling power and it will wear more even.

Good luck and be careful

 

[Al Smith]

You got to watch them because they'll suck a piece of brush in about a hundred miles an hour .If you're standing in the way it'll beat on you like a cat-o- nine tails .

 

[pantheraba]

Page 99 in the wesspur catalog could possibly help you match up your existing knife to the model number. I would probably start with all new knives rather than trying to salvage the one you have, save you some headaches i'd bet

Thx on Wesspur...plan is to get 4 new knives, to start with known good stuff. I hope I can find an anvil. Good tip on a mud flap.

I think it is a mix and match setup, too. The way the chipper is mounted to the frame doesn't look factory.

Hahaha, Paul...cold day/hickory/video...now I understand. "0 - warp drive"...excellent description, good visual.

We didn't realized a knife was missing at first but when we put one belt on and engaged the drive the whole unit got a case of the bouncing Watusi...a missing knife, full power, four belts, engage chipper drive and video...THAT would be something Paul would really like.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Wait for it.... Wait for it......<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/364dzVsBs2o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Ax-Man]

Gary, It looks like I may be wrong ,I found these on the net after doing some searching. One of those chippers is a 1985. I didn't think Vermeer made them for that long. I swear those Vermeer drum chippers looked bigger than what you have unless they made a another bigger model.

 

[pantheraba]

Larry...good find...sure looks a lot like it. I just did a google image search and am finding some good leads...thanks.

 

[treesandsurf]

Gary I went through this same thing with my Morbark chipper. Called Morbark directly and they told me to send them some photos of the chipper. Based on the photos they were able to identify the chipper and I was able to get some parts for it. You might contact vermeer directly....

jp

 

[pantheraba]

Jon, I did that right after I bought it, tried to get some info on-line...they want a VIN to register it and to know which manuals to track down (hopefully) for me. The VIN is non-existent..not where they told us to look. I may end up driving it to the Vermeer store and let their mechanics study it.

BUT...I have not sent them pictures yet. I will try that first tomorrow..may save me a trip (about 30 miles).

Thanks.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I've run a chuck and duck for 4 years. Its good. As said, chuck and GTF outta the way. In other words, feed it from the side like every chipper. A long piece can be put .up on the tray, and then grab the tip at the back and push it in. Throwing chunks of wood in from the front is a good way to get one thrown out at you (a new guy got hit in the jewels on day 1 doing this-shoulda stayed on the side.) I don't really see what's so dangerous when fed properly and you're not standing on the tray pushing in (no emergency reverse). Simple. Easy. Dependable. Hungry. When I got mine it had 3500 hours on the meter, that's the stuck meter. Who knows how many hours on it. 1975.
What's the throat dimensions. Mine's maybe bigger than others, 9" x 16". Good luck with your project. Hope you make out well.

 

[Greenhorn]

should be a 1600, so what did you steal that beauty for?

 

[NeTree]

That's not the original chute; the chute came from an older one.

If you set the knife gap and height properly, a cnd won't be very grabby at all. I used to get complements on how easy mine fed, but the whole idea of ANY chipper is to feed it and be on your way for the next piece anyways.

And I still contend they're safer than any machine with feed wheels, especially in the fatality department.