Author Topic: Electric Chipper/shredder for single-family home  (Read 2289 times)

csprof

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Electric Chipper/shredder for single-family home
« on: January 24, 2017, 08:13:19 PM »
We accumulate a fairly typical amount of yard waste for a "suburban-ish" single family house (in the city, but decent-sized lot - 7500 ft^2).  Large oak tree in the front yard, large magnolia in the back, both of which seem to drop a 2-3" branch each season, in addition to a lot of leaves and smaller branches.  The leaves are exceeding my ability to compost them without shredding, and the small branches are annoying.

Anyone have suggestions for a reasonable electric chipper/shredder that can run on 110v?  I don't want a beast, but I also don't want something that's going to jam every 3 minutes on small sticks -- I borrowed a cheapie from a friend a few years ago, and it was horrid.  I don't care if it can handle that 2-3" branch as long as it can handle the more common, say, 1.5"ers, and doing well on vines would be a huge plus.  Double bonus for things that are likely to show up on craigslist. :)

Also accepting face-whacks about better ways to deal with the leaves.  We've been letting them compost solo in some large used cardboard boxes for a year before moving them into the real compost.

(edited to add:  My lawnmower is a push-mower, and I tried using it to shred the leaves once.  Not gonna happen.)

Thanks!

radram

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Re: Electric Chipper/shredder for single-family home
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2017, 08:20:46 PM »
We accumulate a fairly typical amount of yard waste for a "suburban-ish" single family house (in the city, but decent-sized lot - 7500 ft^2).  Large oak tree in the front yard, large magnolia in the back, both of which seem to drop a 2-3" branch each season, in addition to a lot of leaves and smaller branches.  The leaves are exceeding my ability to compost them without shredding, and the small branches are annoying.

Anyone have suggestions for a reasonable electric chipper/shredder that can run on 110v?  I don't want a beast, but I also don't want something that's going to jam every 3 minutes on small sticks -- I borrowed a cheapie from a friend a few years ago, and it was horrid.  I don't care if it can handle that 2-3" branch as long as it can handle the more common, say, 1.5"ers, and doing well on vines would be a huge plus.  Double bonus for things that are likely to show up on craigslist. :)

Also accepting face-whacks about better ways to deal with the leaves.  We've been letting them compost solo in some large used cardboard boxes for a year before moving them into the real compost.

(edited to add:  My lawnmower is a push-mower, and I tried using it to shred the leaves once.  Not gonna happen.)

Thanks!

Matches and hot dogs?

csprof

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Re: Electric Chipper/shredder for single-family home
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2017, 08:30:31 PM »
We accumulate a fairly typical amount of yard waste for a "suburban-ish" single family house (in the city, but decent-sized lot - 7500 ft^2).  Large oak tree in the front yard, large magnolia in the back, both of which seem to drop a 2-3" branch each season, in addition to a lot of leaves and smaller branches.  The leaves are exceeding my ability to compost them without shredding, and the small branches are annoying.

Anyone have suggestions for a reasonable electric chipper/shredder that can run on 110v?  I don't want a beast, but I also don't want something that's going to jam every 3 minutes on small sticks -- I borrowed a cheapie from a friend a few years ago, and it was horrid.  I don't care if it can handle that 2-3" branch as long as it can handle the more common, say, 1.5"ers, and doing well on vines would be a huge plus.  Double bonus for things that are likely to show up on craigslist. :)

Also accepting face-whacks about better ways to deal with the leaves.  We've been letting them compost solo in some large used cardboard boxes for a year before moving them into the real compost.

(edited to add:  My lawnmower is a push-mower, and I tried using it to shred the leaves once.  Not gonna happen.)

Thanks!

Matches and hot dogs?

I don't think those compost well.

(grin.  But seriously, Pittsburgh's air is gross enough as it is, I don't want to make it worse -- and we use the compost for our garden.)

radram

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Re: Electric Chipper/shredder for single-family home
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2017, 08:37:32 PM »
We accumulate a fairly typical amount of yard waste for a "suburban-ish" single family house (in the city, but decent-sized lot - 7500 ft^2).  Large oak tree in the front yard, large magnolia in the back, both of which seem to drop a 2-3" branch each season, in addition to a lot of leaves and smaller branches.  The leaves are exceeding my ability to compost them without shredding, and the small branches are annoying.

Anyone have suggestions for a reasonable electric chipper/shredder that can run on 110v?  I don't want a beast, but I also don't want something that's going to jam every 3 minutes on small sticks -- I borrowed a cheapie from a friend a few years ago, and it was horrid.  I don't care if it can handle that 2-3" branch as long as it can handle the more common, say, 1.5"ers, and doing well on vines would be a huge plus.  Double bonus for things that are likely to show up on craigslist. :)

Also accepting face-whacks about better ways to deal with the leaves.  We've been letting them compost solo in some large used cardboard boxes for a year before moving them into the real compost.

(edited to add:  My lawnmower is a push-mower, and I tried using it to shred the leaves once.  Not gonna happen.)

Thanks!

Matches and hot dogs?

I don't think those compost well.

(grin.  But seriously, Pittsburgh's air is gross enough as it is, I don't want to make it worse -- and we use the compost for our garden.)

But ash is also GREAT for a garden. And hot dogs. Yum :)

Never seen or used these. A little over $100. might be what you are looking for.
http://www.sears.com/lawnmaster-15-amp-electric-chipper-shredder/p-07172826000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1