Thinking of getting a new 18" chipper, opinions wanted

Depends how big you want to go and how much cash you want to drop. Personally, if I was gonna get an 18" chipper, it'd be the big dual axle Morbark m18, the bandit 1890hd, or a big woodsman/terex 790? I think it is, or was. All three have similar design features, great power, dual feed wheels. I'd want at least a 200hp engine as well. Go John Deere if you can, best engine option available. CAT is good also, but Deere is better IMO. Our model 17 was a jd diesel and it's still going strong, no major hiccups. It's a '93 or '94.


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Depends how big you want to go and how much cash you want to drop. Personally, if I was gonna get an 18" chipper, it'd be the big dual axle Morbark m18, the bandit 1890hd, or a big woodsman/terex 790? I think it is, or was. All three have similar design features, great power, dual feed wheels. I'd want at least a 200hp engine as well. Go John Deere if you can, best engine option available. CAT is good also, but Deere is better IMO. Our model 17 was a jd diesel and it's still going strong, no major hiccups. It's a '93 or '94.


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Cory look long and hard at a Conehead 510. Ours is simply awesome. Id have to measure it but the drum is something like 30" wide so it just eats everything no questions asked. I went from a Morbark 17 to the Conehead and I would estimate we have halved our chipping time at least. I took down 5 oaks today with a crane and all the tops and I mean 40' bushy tops just go in and are gone lickety split. For me it means I can get away with only 1 ground man.

Cannt coment on the other big chippers. Also our Conehead weighs less than 10K
 
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  • #29
Good comments, thx.

Ranger, yes, JD has been good to me to, in my model 17

Paul, I googled conehead and can't find anyone that sells them new, just random used ones. Are they still manufactured??
 
rangerdanger said:
Depends how big you want to go and how much cash you want to drop. Personally, if I was gonna get an 18" chipper, it'd be the big dual axle Morbark m18, the bandit 1890hd, or a big woodsman/terex 790? I think it is, or was. All three have similar design features, great power, dual feed wheels. I'd want at least a 200hp engine as well. Go John Deere if you can, best engine option available. CAT is good also, but Deere is better IMO. Our model 17 was a jd diesel and it's still going strong, no major hiccups. It's a '93 or '94.


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Click to expand...

My company went with a morbark 18r with a 215 cummins, fills up the chip boxers pretty good. Has vent to control chip discharge, will fill a 24ft chip box no problem. Deere is a better engine but the cost is a lot more than the cummins. The other chippers that we looked at were vermeer 1800xl, bandit 1990, and 18r. the dual wheels make nice easy turns and the infeed table is durable enough when it get loaded by the grapples.
 
Husabud said:
Really. Granted he was clearing for a road that week. 350 yds in two days. It probably was screaming.
I've been looking for a nice 1290 since you got yours B.
Click to expand...

Guy near me was selling an 06 with 500 hours on it, garage kept, and run monthly to keep the gaskets sealed for 21k. Might still be for sale. IMMACULATE.


Cory, 1590. Awesome ratio of weight to production.
 
We run a bandit 1890hd with the 8.1l John Deere. I expected it to be worse on fuel than it is. I think it is very efficient in fuel consumption, considering it can eat whole trees, and doesn't need to be running all the time. I had to fix the auto feed and a few small things when I bought it. The guys at Brush Bandit were 100% helpful and knowledgable. Being able to open or crush with the feed wheel allows the operator to work it to capacity, and crush those stubborn crotches just by pulling a lever. The winch has some impressive pulling power as well.

Wouldn't trade it for anything, and I am sold on bandit chippers.
 
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  • #36
Bigtwig, how many horsepower is that JD?
 
cory said:
Paul, I googled conehead and can't find anyone that sells them new, just random used ones. Are they still manufactured??
Click to expand...

They sold out to Barko, and just manufacture the large forestry Biomass machines now.

Depends whether you want a new or used unit. In terms of chipper performance and infeed power, they are well nigh unbeatable. We trialled one alongside a Woodsman 18XX. I had heard rave reports about the woodsman, but next to the Conehead, it was a toy. The Conehead is a BEAST of a chipper.
 
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  • #39
Wow, good info, Thor. Prefer new but would consider an excellent used unit.

OK, thanks, Bigtwig.
 
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  • #46
Wow, good to know it is the same one you have. Yes, I saw this and have been emailing the owner over the past days.

Thanks.
 
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  • #47
Whats the big covering over the chipping drum all about?
 
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  • #48
It would be unusual to buy a machine that has zero dealer support.
 
the cover over the feed wheel is simply to stop anybody getting hurt by the upper feed wheel, pretty stout, you could jump on it.

I can see people worrying about dealer support . However the only part of that machine that cannot be sourced or fixed elsewhere easily is the drum which I believe is the strongest in the industry. Only Co. to give a 5 year drum warrantee .

Shit man its your $$ but for less than half the price I am thinking about buying that sucker for 10 years down the road when mine is tired.....

Edit.. That drum can be fixed too but you will have to find a good guy.FWIW my machinist could fix it.
 
I should also mention that the paint on these suckers SUCK. Never could figure out how they make such an awesome machine but cannot figure out how to get paint to stay on them.......
 
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