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Chipper Vs Mulcher: What Are the Key Differences between Them?
Do you have a lot of wood that needs to be disposed of? The large pieces of wood can often be too heavy and bulky to throw into the trailer. However, cutting them up to make smaller pieces is a laborious task. You'll need either a wood chipper or mulcher to get the job finished. These two pieces of agricultural equipment are designed specifically to help reduce large wood waste into a manageable size. What's the main difference?
Take a closer look and see which one is right for you.
Wood Chipper
For years, this simple portable tool has been used to remove trees and large branches from bush blocks or for garden cleaning. These are used to chip branches, pruning offcuts, or palms that measure up to 95mm. The wood chips are the best tool to use for large quantities of wood or garden waste.
What is a wood chipper?
The wood is placed into a hopper, which then sends the material to a chamber with a flywheel and chipper blades. The flywheel, which is powered by an engine, spins at high speeds to shred the organic materials such as small branches, trunks, and tree limbs. The wood is then shaved and the finely ground chips are expelled through a chute into a bin.
Wood chippers are a great way to turn thick branches and dead trees into garden toppers, paths, or even play areas for children.
Garden Mulcher
A mulcher commonly referred to as a shredder chipper or chipper-shredder is basically a chipper that has been designed for home use. These machines are excellent for chipping plants, although not for chipping trees’ large branches and other substantially denser materials.
These machines are a great addition to any tool shed at home, as they can handle twigs and smaller branches, along with kitchen waste, newspaper, and even small tree limbs. They do, however, have limitations. For example, they will not be able to handle larger-scale chipping.
What is the function of a mulcher?
A mulcher looks like a small version of a chipper. A mulcher, like a wood chipper, has an entrance where wood is fed, and a discharge opening. The inside of the mulcher has a set of slightly blunted blades called flails that break up or reduce organic materials. Mulchers have two instead of just one hopper, and they do not come with the long chute you get from a chipper.
What are the things you should not put in your chipper?
Some chippers and shredders come with limitations on what they are able to chip and shred such as palm branches and fronds, bamboo and dry dead branches. At the same time, many people prefer using a mulcher or chipper in order to dispose with waste fast; however, it will break if you attempt to put something that is not organic into it.
Some woods may be covered in metal, such as spikes, barbed wire, or nails. To avoid damaging the machine, any such materials will need to be removed before they are fed in.
Sometimes manure or other animal waste is added to the waste, but this can also cause it to smear in the crevices and make the equipment difficult to maintain and clean.
Keep vines away from wood chippers, as they may become tangled in the blades.
Chipper or Mulcher? Which should you choose?
The decision between mulchers and chippers will come down to factors such as price and storage. In a direct shootout, it's the chipper that always wins, especially if the equipment is being used in a commercial or agricultural setting.
The mulcher is limited to what it can do. It will damage itself if used for something other than what the machine was designed for.
On the other hand, chippers are specially designed for large wood pieces. A chipper can perform all the functions of a mulcher, and more. We always choose a chipper instead of a mulcher.
FAQs
- What Is a PTO-Driven Wood Chipper?
A PTO Driven Wood Chipper works with the Power Take Off or PTO shaft of the tractor, which makes the machine excellent for large scale chipping work at farms or big estates.
- Are there wood chippers designed specifically for home use available for purchase?
There are several models of wood chippers specifically geared toward residential use that feature easy storage and handling features suited for the garden environment. Look for compact models that match up well with your garden needs.
- Can a 4-inch wood chipper handle branches larger than 4 inches in diameter?
A 4-inch wood chipper typically fits medium garden clean up jobs and processes materials up to 4 inches thick.
- What items should not go into my wood chipper?
Avoid feeding metal objects, plastic waste, and non-organic material as this could damage both the blades and the internal mechanisms of your wood chipper.
- How can I properly maintain my wood chipper for long-term use?
To keep your wood chipper operating efficiently and prolong its lifespan, regularly clean its blades, inspect for debris in its chute, and lubricate its engine regularly to keep its performance at peak levels.
Conclusions
MechMaxx stocks a variety of models including the MechMaxx Gas Engine Powered Wood Chipper. Contact us for the best advice on the range of wood chippers or visit our showroom to see the range. You'll get all the power and chipping you need from us!