What Wood Chipper is Best For Chipping Conifer Trees?
Wood chippers are excellent tools to use to turn branches, twigs, or entire trees into small chippings. Depending on the size of the wood chipper you use, will determine the size of chipping you will overall create. These machines are extremely popular with arboriculturists, tree surgeons and garden clearance companies throughout the UK. A wood chipper allows these specialists to reduce the overall size of the debris, so is easier to remove. In this article, we are going to help you decide which wood chipper is best for chipping conifer trees, how wood chippers work, and factors you will want to consider before arranging hire.
What kind of wood chippers there are?
Before hiring a wood chipper to remove conifers, you need to consider what type of equipment will suit you best. Wood chippers come in three main categories:
Electric wood chippers
Electric chippers are very easy to spot as they look very similar to a golf bag. Unlike larger models, these machines are small enough to fit into the back of a standard hatchback car. However, they often lack power and cannot handle branches over only a few inches in diameter. Which, if you only have tiny branches and trimmings, it is ideal. However, not suitable for larger debris. Electric-powered wood chippers are generally gravity fed, making them unsuitable for processing long, heavy tree limbs. These machines require a direct electrical power source which can make them problematic.
Fuel-powered wood chippers
The most common wood chippers are fuel-powered. These machines can handle branches sizing from 3 inches upwards. Unlike electric wood chippers, these contraptions are larger than electric designs and must be towed or transported on a trailer. Fuel-powered wood chippers come in 3 different designs, gravity-fed (similar to electric machines), self-fed and controlled self-fed, which is the more popular choice. Once the debris is processed, it is forced through a chute and out of the machine.
PTO woodchippers
Power taken off, or PTO, refers to the drive shaft on the wood chipper that can attach to an output on a tractor, mower, or truck. These machines are some of the largest of their kind, frequently used in the forestry and wood processing industry to handle all different sizes of debris. Large, specialised PTO wood chippers are able to process a whole or several trees at one time. These machines require additional vehicles to power and transport, making them potentially too large from just removing conifers.
How do wood chippers work?
Regardless of the size or type of machine that you choose, all wood chippers function in a simpler manner. They operate by:
An engine– Either electric, fuel-powered or PTO, depending on design and specification.
A gearbox– Using pulleys and v-belts to connect the engine to a set of blades. These enable the engine to control the speed at which these blades rotate, and the v-belt transmits the power from the engine. Internal gears within the gearbox to control speed and power.
Chutes– Wood chippers typically have two separate chutes for processing wood. The smaller of the two, distributes chippings. The other, larger chute features blades, rollers and additional elements to process the wood.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) recommended with a wood chipper
When it comes to operating a wood chipper, your safety is paramount. On average, over 200 people a year lose their lives from accidents involving one of these machines. Therefore, wearing sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) is very important. Always adhere to all the safety measures advised by your hire specialist and within in the machine’s operating manual. Common PPE to wear during operating the machine is:
- Helmet with adequate ear defenders
- Sturdy work gloves to protect your hands
- Long-sleeved coverage to protect your arms
- Chainsaw-proof trousers to protect your legs
- High visibility equipment
- A medical kit should always be present
What to consider before choosing the right wood chipper?
Before you select the right wood chipper for the job, you will need to be aware of the following factors to ensure you have the correct equipment.
What are you chipping?
What is the diameter of the branches or trees that you are looking to process into woodchip? Anything over the size of 2 inches will require a fuel-powered machine. Branches or twigs smaller than 2 inches will safely process through an electric wood chipper.
What power do you require?
Each type of wood has a different density. You may have heard the terms hardwood and softwood before. Hardwood trees such as oak, ash and beech require more torque for the machine’s blades to cut through the branches to process into woodchips. Softwood branches such as pine, conifer and spruce will require less torque, as they are less dense.
Where are you using the machine?
Accessibility to power is important if you wish to use an electric chipper. However, if you instead opt for a fuelled powered machine you can avoid having to rely on a power supply. Some designs can be manoeuvred by hand into a working position, others need the help of a vehicle to do so. If either of these options is not suitable, then a tracked wood chipper could be a preferable choice for you.
What volume are you chipping?
If you are working to a tight deadline, having adequate machinery is important to keep on track. It is best to always choose a larger chipper if you wish to speed up your processing time. Larger fuel-powered chippers are roller fed and have enough torque to break through all the tree species you may come across. This means that you can process several branches at one time, resulting in more better performance.
What to do with your conifer wood chippings
Wood chippings can be used in different ways such as for plant beds, adding to compost heaps, animal bedding, recycled into biomass, decorative landscaping… the list goes on and on. However, when you choose to produce woodchips from conifers or other evergreen trees, you need to be cautious.
Conifers wood chippings contain a large amount of phytotoxic compounds that change the PH balance within your soil. This can affect other plants that thrive in a more alkaline environment. Steer clear of adding conifer woodchip to a compost heap, as it will affect its decomposition rate. Alternatively use them along decorative paths and around the base of established trees or acid-loving plants.
What wood chipper is best for chipping conifer trees.
Processing conifers through a wood chipper is tiring work. However, if you make sure you have the right machine on your side, you can save yourself a lot of time, money and effort. Conifers or Pinophyta, are one of the UK’s favourite tree species. To assess the size of the wood chipper you require, it is always best to inspect the size of the diameter of the stem of the tree, along with its lower branches. This will give you a great indication of what the maximum potential diameter you will have to cater for will be. Be aware, you will need to make sure that you have a machine with enough power and force to discard the chippings and their leaves. Having a machine with insufficient power will slow your processing speed down and could lead to blockages within your chute.
Where to hire a wood chipper for conifer tree removal
If you require a wood chipper to remove conifer trees, it is best to use a fuel-powered wood chipper with a processing diameter of at least 6 inches. 6’ Fuel-powered wood chippers are designed with enough torque and output to process most conifer sizes. Since 1997, WHC Hire Services has been supplying the highest quality wood chippers to customers, contractors and businesses (no matter their size). With depots in Tewkesbury, Worcester and the Cotswolds, we are available and on hand when you need us. We assure that all our customer receive their required tools on time and in perfect working condition. Get the job done today by clicking here to see our latest wood chipper range or call 01684377977 for more information.