Tracked Chippers in the USA?

[treebogan]

Do you guys see many tracked chippers?Almost everyone here keeps the chip,so driving the chipper to the brush makes sence and saves time.

Here is a picture of my chipper and one of the trucks.

(it dosn't normally ride this truck)

The track frame extends width wise so you can fit the machine through many gateways.Here it has the tracks withdrawn to underneath the machine body.

 

[lumberjack]

I've pondered adding a powered undercarriage to mine so I can load it into the trailer and save a trip.

 

[treebogan]

I've pondered adding a powered undercarriage to mine so I can load it into the trailer and save a trip.

Sounds good!

Can you buy a track frame that you mount a tow behind chipper to?

 

[MasterBlaster]

So I checked your profile to see where "here" was, but no go.

 

[lumberjack]

You can buy the tracks with hydro motors, but they'd be like $6k and you still have to build the sub frame. I was thinking of building a skid (like a skid steer) undercarriage or using a pair of driven steer axles.

So far I'm not doing anything. I am wondering if a Boxer mini skid would have enough push to load the chipper. Another idea was to mount a winch in the front of the bed and hoist it in.

 

[lumberjack]

So I checked your profile to see where "here" was, but no go.

The UK, but I'm picking up what you're puttin down.

 

[MasterBlaster]

'zactly.

 

[treebogan]

Norway is where I am.

Up dating profile now.

 

[NeTree]

Or you could just stop trying to re-invent every thing you own, and buy a track chipper...

 

[MasterBlaster]

Up dating profile now.

Most excellent. I wish everyone would.

 

[Bodean]

Sometimes I can see a use for a tracked chipper, say a big removal down a trail.

 

[lumberjack]

Or you could just stop trying to re-invent every thing you own, and buy a track chipper...

Sure, send the bill to you?

 

[treebogan]

They are pretty good in the right places,easy to train a person to move around etc.

They also are handy for tensioning Zip lines.

 

[TREECYCLE]

Mobile Chippa

We love our Track chipper so much that currently I am building a 36 inch model to fit through gates, as our Bc1000 is like 5 ft wide. Check it out on our services page, www.treecycleseattle.com

 

[MasterBlaster]

Welcome to the TreeHouse, Treecycle! Your profile is blank, do you have a first name? My name's Butch.

 

[treebogan]

Didn't know that Vermeer made a tracked unit!

What machine are you using to base the smaller tracked machine on?

 

[lumberjack]

I believe all the large chipper mfgs will make them on tracks. The only problem is it adds $20-30k to the price.

My hopeful plan is to buy a 18-20" chipper next year, assuming the way I currently handle debris stays the same. It will most likely be too wide to haul it in the trailer, but we'll see.

 

[TREECYCLE]

Thanks Butch, the name is Cut, Money Cut that is.

Vermeer does make a tracked unit but it is huge and Mucho Deniro. Instead we took almost a brand new BC1ooo and scrapped the axle in favor of an undercarriage from a tracked excavator( 6,000 lb machine). The hydraulics run right off the Cummins and it has really been a time saver . For jobs down trails or along green belts it actually makes the job kind of fun.

For our small chipper I am basing it off a Morbark Eaver Beager Drum chipper. On top of a stump grinding drive system so it won't mess up the turf, Thanks Money Cut

 

[lumberjack]

Hey stop trying to reinvent everything you own!

 

[treebogan]

For our small chipper I am basing it off a Morbark Eaver Beager Drum chipper. On top of a stump grinding drive system so it won't mess up the turf, Thanks Money Cut

That sounds really good.What would be really nice is to have the extendable trackframe from a mini excavator complete with the slew ring.Then you could pull the width in to get it through gates and then extend the frame outwards for stability.

Being able to slew chipper to face the brush would mean less moving it around.

 

[brendonv]

A guy here had a Bandit 90 made onto tracks, it cost between 60-80k and it's still a 9" chipper. He got rid of it I guess after going through 3 remotes that Bandit could never fix.

I've thought about the idea, but I don't think I've ever said "I wish I had a tracked chipper". Except this winter on a clearing job I did. If I can't move it with the truck, it gets moved with the mini, and if I cant move it with the mini, it stays where it is. The location of the chipper from the work reflects in the job cost if it's that big of a deal.

 

[lumberjack]

How many hours are on your Thomas now, B? I'm approaching 500.

 

[brendonv]

277, chippers still under 200

 

[NeTree]

Carl- you can send me the time and money you save.

 

[lumberjack]

You can do alot for $30k. Brendon found a place that sells the whole track setup for $6k a pair. I'm pretty sure I can build a frame to hold them to the machine for less than $20k. Hopefully I could get the hoses and 2 spool valves for under $4k .