How To Use A Wood Chipper

How To Use A Wood Chipper

If you know how to use a wood chipper, sprucing up your yard in the spring and fall is an easy DIY project.  Removing dead tree branches and pruning shrubbery can create tons of debris.  Using a wood chipper will make yard debris a snap.

Types Of Wood Chippers To Use

A Chipper/Shredder machine can handle smaller size branches from shrubbery and leaves and will pulverize the wood into small shreds that can also be used as mulch.  Renting a chipper/shredder machine like the Elite Prof IV or Prof V that can handle debris up to 3 inches in diameter will cost you about $129 a day in rental fees.

Wood Chippers are made to chop or “chip” wood into small, nugget size pieces of wood.   Chippers can handle branches larger than 1 inch in diameter and cannot handle small shrubbery branches and leaves.  Wood chippers also cannot chip “green” wood.  The cost to rent a chipper that will handle 6 inch or 12 inch branches will cost around $210 to $350 a day.

The wood chips that you get from using a wood chipper can be used to mulch plant beds in your yard.  Untreated wood chips are not recommended to use next to a house if you live in an area that has termites.

Safe Wood Chipper Operation

Safety is very important when using a wood chipper.  Both Chippers and Chipper/Shredders are light duty equipment and need to be operated using caution.  Following are a few recommended  safety tips:

  • Before operating any rental equipment make sure to read and understand the operating instructions.
  • Use the parking brake.  This ensures that there cannot be any unforeseen situations where the machine starts to move unintentionally.
  • Wear eye protection to keep small pieces of debris from flying into your eyes.
  • Ear protection should be worn as the machines can be loud.
  • Wear clothing that fit close to your body to keep from getting clothing caught in the machine.
  • Wear gloves to protect your hands.
  • Children and animals must be kept well away from the machine.
  • Do not try to dislodge wood branches while the machine is running.
  • Do not feed foreign materials. (string, stones, metal, plastic, textile, etc.)
  • Do not use a fork or a shovel to or a fork to feed the machine with garden waste

Steps For Wood Chipper Operation

Preparing the area

  1. Clear the area first where the machine is to be used. In addition, the paths along which the plant trimmings are removed, must be kept clear, thus releasing the operator from the worries of tripping up over them. The operator must also ensure that his safety is not compromised.
  2. Make sure to locate the machine such that flying chippings expelled from the discharge output do not cause damage to persons or properties.
  3. On slopes, never operate the machine (no forward, backward or lateral slope).
  4. Make sure to sort the material beforehand. In this way, the operator is sure that no foreign objects will enter the machine with the material.
  5. Foreign objects are defined as: any non-organic object or branchy material in excess of the stated capacity (such as metal, stone, plastic, pvc, cords,…). Some of these can cause serious damage to your machine or can be ejected, virtually as projectiles towards the user.
  6. Always position the machine so that the wind will blow the dust produced away from the engine.

Turning and positioning the blowchute and deflector-flap

The blowchute can be turned into various positions. In order to do this follow these instructions:

  1. Loosen the handle.
  2. Place the blowchute in the chosen position.
  3. Fasten the handle.

The directional deflector flap can be turned up and down. In order to do this follow these instructions:

  1. Loosen the nut.
  2. Place the deflector flap in the wanted position.
  3. Fasten the nut.

Starting The Machine

Before starting the engine, check whether adequate oil and fuel is present in the engine.

  1. Ensure the shredding chamber and turbine are empty. This is to avoid starter mechanism overloading.
  2. Be sure the shredder hopper is empty (no tools…).
  3. Make sure the safety grid is closed and the safety switch is actuated. If not, the machine cannot be started. (STD version)
  4. Start the engine.

We are always available to answer any of your questions about how to use a wood chipper and we can help you rent one from Northside Tool Rental today!