Predator Chipper/Shredder: Blade Access & Sharpening
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- Опубліковано 3 лип 2021
- Predator 212cc, 6.5HP. How to access all six blades to sharpen them, or replace them. Disassembly and reassembly. Tools used.
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Need new blades?
(Harbor Freight) Chipper Blade Part #: 15770, L-Hammer Blade: 15768, Rectangular Hammer Blade: 15769. Not kept in stock. Call 1-800-444-3353 to order.
Thank you for this video. You probably saved me an hour or more and taking things apart that shouldn't be taken apart.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Glad to hear that it helped you out.
Nice disassembly, video.That thing looks like it's been put through some use.It's reliable I take it
If there is anything I have bought from Harbor Freight that is worth every penny, it is this. Starts every time and gets quite a bit of use on a tank of gas. I was in the middle of using it when I realized the blades needed to be sharpened and I was going right back to work, so I didn't clean it. I do always clean it when I know I will not be using it any time soon. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks for this video! It was of great help to be able to see how this process was done.
No problem. Glad to help out. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thank You for the great video, you've helped me make up my mind. Again thank you.
No problem! Glad it helped you out. Thanks for commenting.
What a great teaching video! Camera angles and action were top notch. Smart tips to save busted knuckles!
Thank you. I appreciate the kind words.
Fantastic video! Thank you for taking the time to make it and help everyone out! Thumbs up!
Thank you. Glad you like it.
I'm just now taking mine apart due to excessive vibration, and it looks like my gut feeling was correct. One of the L shaped cutters was broken in half, have ordered 2 L shaped cutters while already having 2 new chipper blades.
Thank goodness for your video, it helped tremendously !!!!!!
As soon as my L shaped blades get here I will start the reassembly..
Again, thanks for the very good video.
Glad to help out and good luck getting it all back together and operational. Really surprised to hear that an L shaped cutter broke in half. Takes a lot of talent to do that. 👍
@@RoCDIY
I think I know how it happened, I asked the wife where were my hand clippers at, she said she thinks they fell in the hopper, and there went my L cutter, but I gained a terrible vibration, I knew something had to be wrong. So tore it apart ( easy after watching your video ) and yep, broken blade, told the wife it was like a very bad balanced tire, she said she wouldn't set the clippers on the hopper again ,!!!
@@RoCDIY
Back together, and no more vibration... again, thanks....Bob....
@@bobl185 Glad to hear that. Stay safe!
Thanks for taking the time to make this video man, I really appreciate it. I just bought one of these units and am a stickler for sharp blades. Wanted to be able to know how to get at them when it comes time to square the blades and sharpen them on my stones. Your video was perfect for that and great tip on supporting the engine and cradle with blocks prior to disassembly. That part would have likely snuck up on me until I found myself holding both halves and looking around my garage for some creative way to keep them from both falling over, haha. Have a wonderful 4th of July!
Thanks for watching and commenting. You'll love the machine and you will notice a huge difference when you put newly sharpened blades on it.
Good video. I used this to determine my purchase of this HF shredder. Thanks.
Glad I could help. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Good video. I'm getting ready to sharpen my blades this helps a bunch. Thanks
Thanks for commenting. Glad to help out where I can. Good luck!
Great job at showing the DIY and doing once, and what tools to have on hand,
Very good video and advice.
I to notice someone suggested sharping and I agree with sharpen and keep the angle ,I sujust check and record the angle of blade before grinding beginning.
Thank you for the teaching Sir
Thanks again for your kind words. Yes, it is good to know the angle before sharpening and checking it as you sharpen. It is easy to get off angle while sharpening, unless you have a lock-in precision sharpening tool.
Sir I really want to take the time to say thank you for making this video…. In the times that we currently live in, we will all have to learn new things so that we can do for ourselves….. Blessings bro.
Thank you. Really appreciate the comment. I always try to do what I can for myself and know my limits. It can be about saving money, but most importantly, doing things for myself and always learning along the way. Please Subscribe.
Thanks for the video.. I had a jam that required complete disassembly...
No problem Glad to help out.
What were you running that jammed it? Bamboo
@@newton296 I was chipping a slightly bent 2 inch branch.
Loved it! Very nicely explained, totally make sense.
Glad you think so!
I think the angle of the chipper blade probably determines the degree of aggressiveness.As far as sharper angle would probably be the last time.I'm with you as far as keeping the same angle
After seeing this thing in action and using it quite often you get a good feel for the machine itself and the blades. I do believe that a short depth blade with chunkiness is going to be way better (aggressive) and less frequently require sharpening. A long depth blade being thin is just going to get beat up and dull and/or damage very quickly.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Great video.
Thank you and thanks for commenting. I appreciate it.
I just bought one of these new (with coupon). I wanted to get an idea of how it worked without taking it apart. Thanks to this video, I now have a better idea of how this works, and I'll bookmark it for when the time comes to access the blades! Great vid.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I hope the video comes in handy when you need it.
Someone made a comment about maintenance, then deleted it. Not sure if they were saying my maintenance was horrible, or if maintenance looked horrible in general. 1st- just because a machine is dirty, it doesn't mean maintenance isn't being done. In fact, I had just finished using it for six hours before making the video. If you've used this machine, then you know it doesn't take long for it to get dirty. 2nd- maintenance can be horrible, if you rarely do it. Simple maintenance will keep it running- check fuel and oil level (will not run, if low), check/clean air filter, look for loose/missing nuts and bolts (machine does vibrate quite a bit), check hopper and chipper chute flaps, check/remove debris on engine, and check/clean brake pads on wheels (unless you want it to drive itself around the yard). Once you get to know the machine, you will know when the blades need to be sharpened or replaced. Wash and wax, as needed.
It's a damn good video. Thanks
@@jerrylloyd9378 Thank you. Thanks for watching and commenting too.
Thank you sir for the helpful upload!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video-- thank you! Very helpful
Glad it was helpful!
I really appreciated this video. I am looking to buy this chipper. However there are no small engine mechanics in my town who will work on this chipper. Problem solved. Thanks for posting
Thanks. Glad the video helped out.
Thanks just what I needed
Good to hear that and good luck.
Nice video, I'm thinking about getting one of these and planning on maintenance
It's probably one of the best tools I've ever bought from Harbor Freight. I got my money's worth out of it and more. It's a great machine. Never have a problem starting it. There are two other videos on it, if you haven't already seen them- ua-cam.com/video/gkpqM8P8hjM/v-deo.html, ua-cam.com/video/iUnWfQnu2ns/v-deo.html
Great info. Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting.
Great video, thank you
Thanks! I appreciate it.
Appreciate you taking the time to post the video. A couple of questions for all 1) do you store your unit inside, or just put a cover on it and leave it out (I'm 70, so pulling that thing up and down the hill is brutal) 2) how do you keep that *(^% mulching bag on? I haven't found a way to make it stay on.
I did store mine outside, but it was under cover. I originally covered it with a piece of plywood. I eventually made a cover for the hopper and for the branch chute because I had issues with animals and birds getting inside it.
Keeping the bag on... I leave the cinch cord loose and wrap the cord around both ends of the bolt that holds the metal flap on, then cinch the cord down. You can also use one of those small., skinny bungee cords they sell at Harbor Freight.
Very informative
Thank you.
Thank you
You're welcome.
This finned star thing on a post with pivoting cutters is a 40s food disposal design generic hammermill
Apparently it works so others have decided to use it.
I just picked that same chipper shredder up and I opened up the inspection door in the back and the hammer blades seem pretty dull right from the factory you think I should sharpen them up I'm not sure how sharp they should be for what they do the straight blade on the front chipper side seems sharp enough
Leave it be, unless it looks absolutely rounded over. These blades don't need to be sharp like a knife. The more it is like a knife the quicker it is to dull and possibly break/chip. The short blade depth and angle of the blade allows it to be very aggressive.
Great video-- how did you break the nuts and bolts loose? Mine are on so tight that I cant loosen any of them- despite penetrating oil and heating with a torch--- you made it look easy-- but in my case its definitely not . Tried an impact wrench after-- just stripped the nuts.. Those babys were put on tight and I'm betting they used something like locktite when they put it together/
Thank you and thanks for watching and commenting. Your situation seems to be pretty extreme. Your best bet is to get as much leverage as possible on a wrench or ratchet. I had a similar situation with a bolt on a car. I tried everything. I put a four foot pole on the end of my ratchet and it came right off,
Anybody try putting bamboo about 1 in thick through the predator and if yes, did it chip it up into small pieces or did you have any issues with clogging?
You can if you have really sharp blades, but it isn't going to last long. It will get to a point where it doesn't do clean cuts and you end up with long straps wrapped around the rotor assembly. Really dry bamboo does much better than fresh cut.
I was using the same type chipper when in sounded like a rock had gotten in it. I stopped it and took the clean out panel off to find out that the shaft holding and spinning the blades had come detached from the motor. It wobbled freely. Have you ever encountered this problem and have any advice on repairs? It is well past the 90 days since I bought it so the warranty is out. Rod.
I definitely have not heard of this happening and it is unfortunate that it happened to you. It would be a complete guess on my part without knowing all of the facts but it sounds like the rock that may have gotten in caused the blades to seize and sheer the hex bolt off (causing the wobble and detachment of the blades). You would have to tap the broken bolt out and replace the center hex bolt. Buy a bolt/screw extraction tool and follow the instructions to a "T" to remove it. It sounds complicated, but it is an easy fix. Part needed would be # 24 on parts list, Socket Head Cap Screw M8 x 130. Verify the rotor assembly is detached to know you need to order the aforementioned part. 1-888-866-5797.
Thank you and on the 4th of July too! I had taken mine apart before use to make sure everything was tight and I had one hammer blade not sitting flush and the locknut wasnt even smashed down from tightening. I went to tighten it and sheared it off in there, like the bolt was to long or hole wasnt deep enough....it would have been off balance on first use :\ Annoyed , im at 60 days since purchased and now I have to do a 20% restocking (110 bucks).
Thanks for this video, shows EVERYTHING.
I read someone saying to sharpen them in pairs so not off balance, how is yours holding up and how long have you had/used it for?
Thanks for commenting. Sorry to hear that you had an issue right off the bat. I still have mine and it runs like a champ. I believe I am at 2 1/2 or 3 years of ownership. When I need to use it, it starts right up with no issues. I use a fuel stabilizer all of the time. I always sharpen the blades in pairs and can't think of a reason I would only sharpen one. In your case, whoever assembled your machine may have used a longer Socket Head Cap Screw M8 x ?? when it should have been an M8 x 25. Unfortunately, it caused you to believe it was just loose and over-torqued it. Have you considered ordering the Socket Head Cap Screw M8 and Nylon Lock Nut? The parts and #'s are listed in the back of the user manual. Make sure you order the correct ones since there is a Chipper Blade, L-Hammer Blade (M8x20) and Rectangular Hammer Blade (M8x25).
@@RoCDIY I would but store said they would take it back if exchange and I said yeah, I want a chipper :) next time outta warranty then I'll hassle with the extractors and new bolts, thanks for info. Years is def worth it
Strange that you wouldn't need torque specs on something like that. Some people have complained that the manufacture used too much lock-tight and the bolts twisted off. I'm thinking the weaker or middle strength lock-tight wood be a good idea. You can always remove bolts without heat with the lower strength lock-tight.
Thanks for commenting. My own opinion- I don't think the manufacturer used too much loc-tite. I think it is a combination of some type of thread-lock and corrosion. I do agree that a penetrating oil like PB Blast should be used prior to attempting to remove the bolts. Applying heat also helps in removal. I used brake cleaner to clean the bolts/parts, then applied the medium strength loc-tite.
@@RoCDIY thanks
I wonder could you sharpen the blades by removing the feeder, and just sharpen them with a file? Actually... thinking about this you could remove the shute, and use the output for the woodchipper to hook onto the bolts and remove the blades. That will greatly simplify the process if you're just getting the wood chipper blades.
Maybe. Never tried, but I don't think you can get the right angle and the nuts on the back side would prevent you from sharpening the entire blade properly.
Informative video. Thanks. How many hours do you think you had on the chipper before you sharpened the blades?
Thanks for watching and commenting. I had about 20-30 hours on it before I sharpened the blades. It may or may not seem like a lot of hours, but those were some pretty hard hours. I pushed a lot through it over four days straight. I was pushing mainly black walnut and a little bit of pine through it. How fast I was able to push it through got significantly slow, so I knew it was time to sharpen the blades.
So I should notice a fairly significant delay before worrying about sharpening? I just bought mine and put 3 days of decent use on it, though I was doing mostly pine. Will it just not suck the limbs through like it does now?
@@jakec2472 When the blades are sharp you will feel the branches being pulled in. As the blades get duller you will notice less pull and may have to do a little pushing to get the branches through. It gets a little louder too when the blades are dull. If the engine bogs down or dies quite a bit while putting branches through, it's time to sharpen. You could also do a visual on your blades by removing the branch feed chute and look for dings, chips, curling and/or rounding of the blades. Or, you can remove the main housing to inspect all of the blades.
Have you ever taken the flywheel/impeller off? Ive been having a heck of a time getting mine to budge.
That is one thing I have not done on it yet, but there are many YT videos on it.
@@RoCDIY Really appreciate the response. I've watched a ton of videos on the subject but most point towards using an impeller removal tool which is not valid for this style machine (I have a Powermate PM3000CS which is essentially the same machine). The way this impeller is connected is different than a lot of other machines out there that are demonstrated and has just been a nuisance/conundrum for me.
@@emtandmarine1 I wish I had a video to help you, but that would also mean I have or had the same issue as you. Most of my videos are all based off my personal experience in diagnosing and repairing pretty much everything and anything. Check out page 25 in the User Manual. It has an assembly diagram that may help you out a little.
Link to video where guy doesn't use removal tool. Do so at your own risk. ua-cam.com/video/cc52RJ46di4/v-deo.htmlsi=auE2_newxhAwimic
Did you notice if there was any thread lock from the factory on the chipper blades?
Yes there was. I initially forgot, but went back and put it on. I had too many clips and forgot to put it in the video. Glad you asked about it. Thanks.
I broke one of the screws that holds one of the hammer blades. Now I'm wondering, should've i sprayed something on it before trying to unscrew ?
@@mahmoudsaber5250 yes some type of penetrating oil. Do not just use plain WD-40. Use something that specifically is used for penetration then let it sit for a little while before you try to break it loose hammering it will help the fluid get down into the threads. The threads have lock tight on them. Replace the lock tight when you do them back on. Good luck.
how often should you sharpen these blades?
It's all about usage and getting a feel for the machine. You get a good feel for how it works at first, then when it starts to bog down you know you will need to sharpen them soon.
does it have a anvle blade? and a chopper blade in front?
If you are asking the type of blade(s), I believe they are all generic blades (Hammer, Rectangular, and Chipper). There is no brand name printed on them. There is no chopper blade to the front, unless you consider the pass through of the rotor assembly a "chopper blade." There are no blades to the front of the rotor assembly. They are all on the backside of the rotor.
@@RoCDIY Thankyou !
@@curtischamblee7542 My apologies. I misunderstood your question when I initially read it and incorrectly answered your question. I was half asleep. I read it as if you were asking if it had a separate "chopper blade." The two "Chipper" blades are to the front of the rotor assembly. The Rectangular and Hammer blades are to the backside of the rotor assembly.
The video sound is so low cannot hear what you are saying.
Not to sound rude, but I don't know what to tell you. It has over 10K views and only one other person has ever said anything about the volume on it. I had the same issue on another video and found out it is a UA-cam issue. Channel creators used to be able to edit/adjust the volume, but YT removed that ability. I would have to delete it, lose all of my views, adjust the volume, and then repost it. If you scroll down to the very last comment you will see where I addressed this before. Some people have the issue, but the majority don't.