Best wood chippers, shredders & mulchers according to redditors

If you are looking for a more permanent solution I would suggest this!

The Bin

• I like the design: simple, low-cost, effective.
  
• Add a bar of some kind on the top; maybe rip a length of scrap board and place one in each cut notch. This will add stability to the top panels.
  
• Don't let this bin get to high. You have no way to remove side panels and turning the pile in the bin will be difficult if it gets too high.
  
  Leaves
  
  
• If you read a recent post in the past few days, I mentioned the leaf mulcher. I use this one. Breaking them in small bits increases surface area and allows bacteria easier access to the inside of the leaf (some leaves have a waxy outer coating that slows the composting process.)
  
  Manure
  
  
• Manure is pretty close to perfect in terms of composting. With a C:N ratio of about 27 it will do pretty well on it's own. the problem with Manure is that it tends to stink because no air can get to the center of a manure pile. Without air, anaerobes take over and make bad smells.
  
  Composting it All
  
  
• Here's where we get a little nasty: All the manure you have needs to be broken up into smaller pieces; whether you want to do it by hand or with a tool is up to you.
  
  
• It's best to wait until you can make a pile that is close to a cubic yard (3x3x3 ft)
  
  
• use a ratio of 1:1 (by volume) of manure to dry leaves (unshredded.) this tends to be about a ratio of 15:1 (by weight) Most people don't weigh their compost, so backyard DIYers use a volume estimation. If you have 1 cuft of manure, then use 1 cu ft of dry leaves (unshredded.) This will give you a ratio of pretty damn close to 30:1.
  
  
• Layer the manure and leaves, spraying the layers as you go with the hose (not to wet, though!)
  
  
• when your pile is done, the process begins! Your pile temp will spike within 24 hours. Then it will maintain for a few days and steadily decrease. There are a few methods to be employed:
  
  

1. The lazy method: Simply do nothing. It will do everything on it's own but the process will take a long time and the end product will be sloppy and coarse.
   
   
2. The "typical" method: When the temperature drops to 120F, turn the pile -inside out, outside in. Continue this until the temperature no longer gets above 120. Then turn and mix the pile into a final bin to "cure" for about 2 months. For best results, sift the final product through 1/4" screen. Add this material to your soil.
   
   
3. Hot method: Most people don't have enough starting material to make this really feasible. If you have a good strong source for horse manure and a lot of straw, you could do this easily. It takes about 3 weeks to make goo compost with this method. I provided a link below, but the process it layer into pile, let sit for 4 days, then turn every second day for 2 weeks.
   
   Most people use the typical method in a 3-bin system: bin 1 = active pile, bin 2 = turned pile, bin 3 = curing pile. I employ this method. Once I get my new 3-bin setup completed, I will be posting pictures of compost at different stages. IN the meantime, here is a picture of potting soil components I use: Left to right: dolomitic lime, perlite, compost (the stuff I make), peat moss.
   
   For added fun, use the compost going into the curing pile as bedding for worm bins. It is rich with food for them (you can add more, of course) and they will pass all of it through them. The end result is a nice, black, humus. I hope to employ a worm bin soon; it's on my list.
   
   This calculator can help with ratios
   
   Get a compost thermometer to help monitor the temperature
   
   This site has a good description for hot composting and a list of ratios

Worth it. Have had 2 for a few years.

https://www.amazon.ca/MELONFARM-16-Inch-Automatic-Hydroponic-Upgraded/dp/B074L1S7BP/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=bud+trimmer&qid=1558015147&s=gateway&sr=8-5

I too read the advice to rent a chipper, but like you I have a frequent need to do relatively small scale jobs. I live on seven wooded acres, and even in that small space branches and sticks pile up, and the occasional tree falls over and needs limbing.

I don't own the Nortrac, but I have a Patriot. I've been pretty happy with it so far. The reviews are decent, though one person complained it is underpowered, that hasn't been my experience. It can chew up fairly decent sized branches. It sounds like the Nortrac can do even bigger ones.

We use the chips for paths between the garden beds. I also do Back to Eden style mulch gardening, but I don't use the chips for that. I pile on stuff to compost over winter (last year's tomato plants, straw from the chicken run, etc.), and in the spring and summer I mainly mulch with straw. I could be wrong, but I think the back to Eden guy uses chips that include a lot of green leafy matter, and are not primarily from fir or pine. Pure fir/pine chips might be tough on veggies, but that's a controversial subject. Here's one source of info: chips. We've deviated from the chipper subject now. =D

Sorry I don't own a Nortrac so I can't comment on it. I can say that having a small chipper (like the Nortrac or Patriot) is a good solution for frequent chipping.

I would try something like this.

No need to PM, I'll just tell you the specifics - I want this knowledge shared.

I didn't drop ship the wood chipper - I bought it on Amazon, and had it delivered to my sister's house in Key Biscayne, FL (suburb next to downtown Miami). There's always someone at her house, so I knew someone would sign for it.

The wood chipper was shipped from Indiana to Miami by air, and then trucked to my sister's house several days later. The logistics company they used was Pilot.

In the meantime, I reached out to several air freight companies and Freight Forwarders. My dad is leery of freight forwarders - even though they're usually cheaper, he doesn't view them as reliable as going direct. So after several airlines turned me away, Amerijet said they would ship it. Be careful though, whatever they quote you - double it. My initial quote was $877 based on dimensions provided by the manufacturer - actual amount was $1709.58, because those dimensions don't take the crate and box it comes in into consideration, and I didn't want to ship it unprotected

Anyway, yesterday was that several days later. It arrived at 11am - earlier than expected. I borrowed my sister's minivan, and drove it to the Amerijet offices at the Miami International Airport Cargo area. I had to fill out a ton of paperwork, and load the wood chipper onto a pallet. I covered it in black plastic, and put labels on the box stating who the recipient in PR is, and that it was humanitarian relief (they said it helps with Hacienda and Customs).

After all was said and done, I paid the money, and was on my way home.

This is supposed to fly out tomorrow morning at 3am, arrives in SJU at 6am, and will be ready for pickup Monday at 8am. It gets picked up at the cargo area of SJU, and you give Amerijet the details of who is receiving it as part of the paperwork.


Here are all the relevant links

Wood Chipper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C39TQB0
Logistics Company that Amazon used: http://www.pilotdelivers.com
Amerijet: https://www.amerijet.com/


Now, regarding deliveries to PSE. Unfortunately, I don't think any cargo airlines go there - only to SJU

Ordered one of these and then found it on this site. :(

> Do you have any pictures, really interested in this idea.

Photos.
We just rake/blow up a pile and run them through a shredder. Just a simple string trimmer line model like this.

Sometimes we set the shredder on a tarp and drag the mulch over to its intended area, sometimes we set the shredder on top of a huge Brute garbage can for collection, and other times we set the shredder directly in the ornamental bed.
I have to rake the shredded bits around so there is quite a bit of raking in my procedure. On the bright side it counts for that day's workout.

The mulch it makes is wonderful. If I blow the leaves out of my beds and mulch with commercial bagged mulch my order is upwards of 450 bags or several large truckloads- I have a lot of ornamental beds. But this leaf mulch works really well, is nice and soft to kneel in for weeding, and walks the fine line of lasting a full season and decomposing and aiding my soil.
It is by far my preferred mulch.

Maybe a cheap, brand new, well-cleaned leaf shredder/wood chipper? They have a pretty cheap one at the hardware store that’s electric, and used for light duty stuff for about $100. Seriously.

https://www.amazon.com/Worx-Amp-Electric-Leaf-Mulcher/dp/B002MAPZYC/ref=asc_df_B002MAPZYC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167133658256&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17962565454632033136&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015669&hvtargid=pla-316285015395&psc=1

I can recommend buying something like this to routinely get rid of all paper with personal information (name, address, etc.)

https://www.amazon.com/Worx-Amp-Electric-Leaf-Mulcher/dp/B002MAPZYC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_86_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V0TQRVJNZM38MPE74J8R

You either use the grass catcher on the lawnmower, or sweep/blow that back onto the lawn.

The benefit of the grass catcher is that it makes for neat mowing, but downside is that it can get heavy to empty, and your grass will need less fertilizer if you leave the clippings on the grass.

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Sweeping or blowing will keep the sidewalk nice, but it is another task you have to do after your mow. Electric ones are nice, but you'll always be running low on battery or the cord is always too short.

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I have owned the combo blower/mulcher, and it was kind of hard to use. Any tiny twig will gum up the works, and doing the change over from blower to mulcher was a giant pain in the ass. I wouldn't buy one again. I prefer to just blow things into the path of the lawnmower, hit that pile of stuff with the lawnmower, and then dump the bag on the compost pile. If you wanted a dedicated chipper/shredder (and who doesn't want one??) go with the real deal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SG6372/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B075SG6372&pd_rd_w=fNhpn&pf_rd_p=45a72588-80f7-4414-9851-786f6c16d42b&pd_rd_wg=SMurS&pf_rd_r=NKNY13KEGKFPD10ZWXNS&pd_rd_r=796226a4-e1a0-4bdb-a89b-990aff998c3a&smid=A1ALQ84YRGVZML&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWEJZUUZTUDBZUEM1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTc2NDY1MlM1NkpMRUNVU1A3QyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDA2NDk4MjlCWEhPUUlSR0VDWCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=