Looking at a used chipper...

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Bermy

Bermy

Acolyte of the short bar
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...and could use some advice.

$15,000AUD only about 2hrs away

Chipstar 150mm (6" for the 'mericans)
1170 hrs
29hp Deutz diesel
New brakes
New anvil
New tyres
Spare blades
Autofeed

Is that a fair price?
any comment on the hrs?
If I was to go look at it, what would you tell me to check ?
 
What is 15K AUD in US $ ? At 69 cents per AUD I get about $10,350.

If it were a Bandit 65 in good shape here I would expect to pay about $8,000. But then haven't I heard that getting anything over there is expensive, let alone big objects.

29 diesel HP makes 6 inch chippers move brush pretty well. If I would have seen one available at the time I bought my 6 inch chipper with a 37 horse Wisconsin gas engine I would have preferred the diesel. I would and have taken a truck load of brush to a chipper to run it and test it for how you anticipate using the machine. 1170 is not too many hours for a solidly built machine. But, I am not familiar with a Chipstar.

Look at it about like you would look at buying a used car or truck. Accept how the owner viewed it and treated it is magnified many times in importance. Was it his garaged baby that was taken care of in every way possible at each juncture or was it just a second hand heap of metal that he bought from someone and threw brush through?

Look beyond the obvious things like checking the oil and air filter for how it might have been treated yesterday to how it has been treated over the years. What is the condition and cleanliness/upkeep of more inconsequential out of the way things like wires out of place or loose or excessively rusty bolts etc. And listen for inconsistencies in the owners story about how great a machine it is and how perfectly if functions. It would be a red flag for me that there are so many new parts on a machine being sold under many conditions. Again is there a reason for that that adds up and makes sense?
 
Grease. I like to see not only fresh grease from it's last greasing. I want to see indications of grease from the day before that and the days before that. Grease is cheep to a fanatical maintainer. Bearings, replacement labor, down time are expensive. If he didn't use plenty of grease in its life repairs will be more possible for yours.

Paint. Freshly painted, red flag. Wear patterns of paint tell a lot about how something has been used and cared for.

Dents and abuse. One or two, ok, any of us can have a mishap. A lot, goes to how machine is viewed and treated.
 
Wow, nice looking chipper with good features listed on the new ones. 39 HP diesel where I looked. Definitely run a load of brush similar to what you want to use it for.

What year machine are you looking at?
 
I was encouraged to take my chipper home for a test run of a few days before I bought it...the seller encouraged that. Surprised me but I took him up on it.

Worked out to my advantage. First day all was OK..second day it jammed up on a piece of biggish dogwood (old, hard dry block). The belt smoked about 5 seconds before I could shut it down. When I got the chunk of wood out I found that part of the feed plate was missing. Then it got squirrelly engaging the drive belt (it is a Vermeer BC935...you move the engine to engage the belt). The belt squealed, smoked some more...I finally got it going but when I shut it down the belt started shredding.

And I had to take it back to these people like that...was not looking forward to that. So....when I tried out the chipper for a few days I discovered that broken part and the belt shredded, too. That made it kind of a pickly situation to me...what with me borrowing the chipper and returning it with a shredded belt.I stopped at Vermeer on the way back to see what a belt costs...only about $62 but installation was quoted at $350. And I asked Vermeer what it would cost to repair that broken plate and replace the drive belt. Plate repair would be $760 to $1000...they would have Vermeer in Iowa pull blue prints, cut out the part, ship to GA and then install it. The belt cost would be $62 and about $350 to replace it...and there is a big bearing that 90% of the time won't come off...has to be cut off...it cost $189 if it won't come off.

But the seller said the chipper had been sitting a long time and the belt was probably dry rotted...he didn't get excited about it at all. I told the seller what Vermeer said about the repairs, said I liked the chipper but with all those repairs I'd need a substantial price reduction from him. Instead he offered to correct the problems in their shop...sounded good to me.

Long story short....they cut a new plate and welded it in. They took the engine off and replaced the belt ...They said it's one of the few chippers that you have to do that way. They didn't realize that when they said they would make all the repairs and sell for the agreed upon original price.

Anyway...definitely run it some and look it over very well. I would not have looked at the feed tray deep in the chipper unless that chunk had gotten stuck...would not have discovered the piece missing. You can see picts in this thread: https://www.masterblasterhome.com/s...-BC935-bedknife-ramp-question&highlight=bc935

I have the 3 cylinder Deutz diesel which the mechanic at the seller really liked...I think it is 42 HP. I paid $6000 USD for mine. It only showed about 935 hours when I bought it...was owned by a landscape company that did mostly small stuff supposedly (except whatever busted out the metal feed tray??? :/:)

The chipper is pretty ugly, old paint, rust but it does run well. And I recently did work for a good body man and he is going to paint it for me in trade...just have to decide upon a color....green, gray, fire engine red....purple?...decisions, decisions....:D
 
Worth looking at I reckon. They're not cheap so you don't see many but I've said before if I was going to buy another chipper it would be a Chipstar.

Price is around what I've seen before for a 6", hours aren't that much but depends how it was treated like Merle said. You can get a pretty good idea if you see it, pictures can be a bit deceiving.
 
You can't accurately appraise that mule based on how old (1170 hours) he reportedly is. Did he stand around a lot of the time staring vacantly into space, or was he worked to the bone and flogged?
Hour meters can get disconnected, sometimes inadvertently. Or get broken and replaced hundreds or thousands of hours ago.
As stated in previous posts, the overall condition of that machine will tell you a lot about the kind of life it has had.
 
I purchased a used Bandit 200+ 12" disc chipper last summer. I got the thing for 5300 bucks and it came with 60 new knives. It's powered by the old and trusty Ford 300 cu. in. straight-6 industrial engine. It had a small leak in the radiator and the engine cowling was dented up pretty bad. It has hydraulic infeed, but no auto-feed. It will need new tires this coming year. The new radiator cost me 300 bucks. The sheet metal work on the engine cowling took me two days to iron out. Runs great and chips like crazy.

Joel
 
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  • #13
Well if we can get a break from the fire danger days, I can go south and see it.
Three new fires just started up this afternoon west of us...smoke everywhere. We are downwind, ember spotting could drive some fire into our response area...it's 4:30 so hopefully the wind will ease soon!
 
Bermy said:
Well if we can get a break from the fire danger days, I can go south and see it.
Three new fires just started up this afternoon west of us...smoke everywhere. We are downwind, ember spotting could drive some fire into our response area...it's 4:30 so hopefully the wind will ease soon!
Click to expand...
Hey Fi, I'll trade you my -30C with a -40 below windchill weather for your "nice warm smokey weather" any day......... Are you willing?:D
 
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  • #16
NOPE!!!

Really smokey today, got the house all closed up...wind is supposed to pick up later, could be interesting.
Both our fire trucks are ready to roll...
 
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  • #18
There are about 60 fires burning in Tasmania right now...check it out!

http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colGMapBushfires

We are just about in the middle of the spot with no fires, but smoke is all over, our 'buddy' brigade 10kms north were called out yesterday afternoon at 3pm, didn't get back till midnight...that fire is contained but still going.
 
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  • #22
Hey, fire season is just about overnow, everything is out!

Typing this on my tablet, we are on the way to go see the chipper...thanks for all the suggestions of what to look for, we have a list...
 
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  • #25
Went to see it, price was down to 12,500AUD, he came down to $12,000

Nice unit, new anvil, two sets of new blades direct from manufacturer, new battery, new tyres, plenty greasy 1108 on the clock. Oil was clean, hoses secure and no leaks. Previous owner was an arborist who left the state. 2006 model. So has had two owners.
Engine is in good shape, minor issues with the trailer brake, couldn't see the belts, would anticipate getting a spare set would be a good idea. Some surface rust round the rear lights, exhaust pipe a bit crusty but minor.
Started and ran fine, fired through some chunks we brought.
All parts available from the manufacturer in Melbourne, so getting them is not a problem.

So, going to have a think, don't have the full 12k...could put 50% down and pay off 2k per month...
He's had plenty of calls but no takers...he's firm on 12k.

Ohhh decisions!!!
 
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