Home chipper/shredder for tree pruning

[Burnerman]

I find my slab cutter machine pretty quiet, but you have to watch out for long branches flailing about as it drags them in.
Some clot head dropped a screwdriver into my machine, and a replacement cutter and aluminium anvil was over the ton
John

 

[JohnD]

As above.....my 2kw Atco slab cutter type chipper deals beautifully with branches up to 40mm and rejects anything bigger.
John

What is a "slab" cutter?

 

[Burnerman]

It's actually a term for a milling machine cutter - horizontal type, maybe 3" diameter
http://gmdengineering.com.au/milling-cutters-bore-type/slabmill.html
The cutting flutes are either spiralled or straight and they run in close proximity to an aluminium anvil or shoe. Pity help anything that gets trapped between the two!
The garden machinery people may well call it something different.
John

 

[StephenOak]

The (sort of) cog wheel I referred to looks like

That is the same principle a John described. It may be what he mentions as one with straight cutting flutes.

 

[MisterBoy]

That looks more the principle of the industrial machines, it grinds rather than cuts.

 

[Burnerman]

The (sort of) cog wheel I referred to looks like
View attachment 258330

That is the same principle a John described. It may be what he mentions as one with straight cutting flutes.

That’s the very thing, Stephen - thanks!
John

 

[Burnerman]

That looks more the principle of the industrial machines, it grinds rather than cuts.

As the branches pass between the cutter and shoe, they get chopped into chunks around 20mm in length.
The shoe is adjustable to accommodate wear - a knob is turned one click at a time until tiny alloy shavings appear.
I have to say, my original cutter was still sharp until disaster struck so the principle is sound enough.
John

 

[Deleted member 294929]

I've been directed from another thread to here. All interesting stuff.

Question: is is best to let the branches dry out a bit before you start shredding?

 

[Notch7]

I've been directed from another thread to here. All interesting stuff.

Question: is is best to let the branches dry out a bit before you start shredding?

Green is best, they are softer.

I have shredder set up and cut some branches then shred, then cut some more.

 

[Deleted member 294929]

Green is best, they are softer.

I have shredder set up and cut some branches then shred, then cut some more.

I like the idea of it. I'm going to nick a bit of the councils land on the side of my house. They never look after it. So I'll landscape it while sneaking a parking spot made of wood chippings.

 

[StephenOak]

IMO it depends. @Notch7 is right that they will shred easier when green. However when I have shredded brash for wood chipping (for friends, to go around plants) I have let the sticks dry first.

The thinking there is that anything in contact with the ground will rot, so if they start off wet they will rot faster than if they start off dry.

And having done both (with cog type quiet shredders), I would say that green is easier but not that much.