Chipper shredder importance of knives vs hammers


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Old 03-30-18, 06:03 AM
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Chipper shredder importance of knives vs hammers

I'm looking to buy a chipper shredder for home use, probably 75% chipping 25% shredding. One unit I'm considering has 8.1 Ft lbs. torque, 2 knives and 5 hammers. The other has 9.5 Ft lbs. torque, 1 knife, and 8 hammers. All else equal (cutting diameter, for example), which would be a better fit for me?

If there's any other consideration I should be focusing on, let me know.
 
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Old 03-30-18, 07:11 AM
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Those are probably the least important specs for choosing a chipper/shredder. I'd rather have a large heavy flywheel with one thick knife taking a big slice. That inertia will keep your feed rate up better than 2 or more knives on a light flywheel taking a nibble.
Also--a tall hopper with less angle down to the throat won't jam as often as a short hopper that's funnel-shaped.

In my opinion most of the home-use chippers I see for sale have the wrong decisions that favor compact, light, cheap.

What models are you considering?
 
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Old 03-30-18, 08:10 AM
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I'd say the leading contender is the DR 9.5. I assume from your flywheel comment that I should be able to see the flywheel but I don't know what I'm looking at.
 
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Old 03-30-18, 09:27 AM
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It's a big hunk of steel to add mass to the rotating chipper/shredder assembly. Smaller, lighter duty machines don't have one and just rely on the mass of the knives, hammers and their support cage.
 
 

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