Chipper/shredder performance

18 years ago

I have a MTD Yard Machine 10HP chipper/shredder and while it turns leaves into dust, trying to get them through the chute is quite the chore. The opening is fairly large but there is practically no suction. Maybe a handful at a time but for the most part i'm constantly having to ram a stick to push the leaves intl the motor.

Any ideas on this, is this the norm? Seems like a powerful unit but not sure if it's going to be worth the time.

Also, the chipper for the branches doesn't draw them in..you need to push and I really don't like the idea of having my arm in there.

Running the engine WOT also.

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Comments (3)

jerry_nj
18 years ago
I have the Home Depot 10 HP chipper shredder and have had a similar experience. I have owned other units which were likely more dangerous, but easier to use. The chipper shoot is so long there is a lot of drag on the branches, especially if there are side branches and leaves on the branch. The leaf input has a strange (to my mind) pocket in front of the shredder, and that tends to collect, rather than feed, the shredder.

As for putting an arm in the chipper shoot, it is so long there is no way I can get my hand all the way down to the blades, so I'm protected when I push branches down the shoot, and I'm almost 6'6", so my arms are long.

Overall, I like the unit, it chips branches up into nice small pieces, but the feeders could be easier to use.
gmcman
Original Author
18 years ago
I believe I may have the same unit, I think i'm going to try to fabricate some type of plug for the chipper side. There appears to be some decent discharge force even with nothing coming out, so even though it's not of a straight impeller design....it's making reasonable airflow.

I believe that when the shredder hopper gets clogged, it pulls air from the chipper side since it's the easiest path therefore not pulling the leaves in.

Maybe with the chipper sealed off, it may have enough suction to clear the chute of the shredder....who knows, worth a shot I guess.
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jerry_nj
18 years ago
Good ideas, let us know how they work.

I think the main problem with the shredder is the "belly" below the shredder blades, but as you say it may (also) be lack of suction, and plugging the chipper shoot may help.

My chipper shoot, must be 40" long, has a flap that is designed to limit kick-back/up chips coming back up the feed, it also makes the path down more resistive. My past CS has a similar shoot to the chipper, but is must have been about 20" long (like the smaller unit Home Depot sells), and the shredder "slide" went directly into the shredder, no belly.

Again, I can live with my new shredder, but I may change my mind when doing leaves in the fall. I usually mulch most of the leaves, so that shredder will see only light duty anyway, it is the chipper that I use the most.