Hi Rob great video and honest review, I have used alot of hired chippers and had the same problem with clogging and the best way i found was put green through it and then some wood and repeat this process and it helped stopped the clogging, Give the chipper a try and work out the best way for that chipper
Would highly recommend this machine, for anyone looking for a small, compact, light weight chipper. Bought mine for £407 about 2 years ago and it’s been brilliant. Large amounts of conifer do seem to clog it up though. I didn’t go for the electric start. Only comes out in the winter for hedge reduction and tree work. Richard Lawns and Hedges
Hi Rob,I've had mine around 8 months and found it brilliant, I just feed a bit of green stuff and a bit of woody stuff and it hasn't blocked once . I know it's a faff fitting it together but think it's great. I cut back the apple tree and it soon cleared that.
I've had a forest master for about a year. I'm a gardener by trade. What I've found is this little chipper does great with conifer hedge clippings and long straight hard woods ie coppicing branches like hazel, willow etc. Its not great with cuttings from smaller leafy ornamental shrubs. As others have said, you can avoid blocking by feeding straighter wood in with your leafy cuttings. Another thing to consider is that this being a very small chipper with a small blade, it will wear out quite quickly so be prepared to buy new blades (£30 approx).
I’ve had the same as yours for about 6 years. What I have found out through trial and error is, if you put a lot of green through, add a dead stick or just a branch to the mix and it makes it much easier to come out and not block up. It’s a fantastic machine once you know what it can or can’t do, let’s face it, it’s a machine that costs less than £500!
Surprised you didn’t get on with it. I’ve had mine for 2 years and it’s been brilliant. Agreed it doesn’t like too much green material but as a whole it’s been great. Only difference is mine is just the pull start version. Hope you get on with it going forward. 👍
I like the little thing, its so handy to have once you know its limitations. The straighter the branches you put in the better it works, so get your loppers out 😅. I tweaked my engine rpms down on mine to give it more torque and haven't had a single blockage. The engine screams from factory which i didn't like. Will do a vid on it when i get the chance. Stick with it mate, and check your blade gap is set correctly, you cant trust companies and there tolerances 🤣.
Thanks Mate. I would like to know how you slow down the revs. Check the oil level . Check the blade gap. Looking forward to seeing your video. All the best.
End of the day it's a £600 machine, everyone seems to have one tho 🤔 gravity fed machines like the straight stuff the drum can grab and draw in, don't think they mulch trimmings well. Gotta try these things tho👍
They all have their limitations, forest master do a mulching model I believe. Shrubby bushy stuff needs a bigger machine that auto feeds. Frustrating mate !😐
I’ve got one and love it like you say when it’s a bit wet and the leaf stuff doesn’t go through as fast as you would. But if you feed it though slowly it will go. I done a job last week cutting back lots of ivy had 15 full dumpy bags to take away used the chipper and got it down to 4.
I be honest. I love mine. Ill admit it takes a bit of getting used to. But once you work out how to process the material as you cut it you will fly through it. It does block up if you have the shoot firing down to low if it's leafy. When it's like that fire it out more. Oil has 2 gauges at the front and back of it. But Id go with it like they say if you see oil it's full. On the in hopper there's a kill switch on a bolt I've noticed come undone a few times. Keep an eye on that. I'm hoping to get the next size up next time. But with the weight of it I've managed to get it into places where it would of been a horrible long drag otherwise
Good morning have a look at Upgrading your Shredder to a Elite Measto Shredder you won't be disappointed I got mine 16 years ago an absolute bargain of eBay and it's never missed a beat German Engineering at the best. It does not like Conifers the greenage on them is a little harsh but apart from that perfect. Cuts up to 40 mm and has a collection bag underneath the machine which is so easy to empty. Forget the rest this is the best.😁👍
I bet you would swap last years weather for this year. Thanks for the review. Looking to replace and upgrade my busted little Bosch . I find my old shredder worked better when shrubs and conifers were fed in bushy end first. I have a garden maintenance business in Shropshire. Wet wet wet. 😳
I got one as well not assembled yet. Couldn’t see the point of electric start extra weight and a battery to worry about and wires etc seems to pull start easy . Not bothered about oil I can put it in and the gauge doesn’t bother me as long as it overflows the fill hole per the instruction. I originally did get this to break down waste from hedge trimming but now I think it’s primary purpose for me is to produce mulch and secondary to break down waste . I hope I dont find it lacking too much as you have though. I’ll find out soon enough. Wonder if you could sharpen it ? Although I don’t know 👍
Great Video Rob. I got the electric one and also thought it was a bugger to put together. Inparticular the wheels were a pain in the backside. Considering simply fitting it to a fixed location in the garden and getting rid of the bloody wheels.
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices like you we watched a lot of videos and were disappointed with the results. I can get about 14 bulk bags in my van so it had to compete with that and came no where near. Assume you didn't bother with the inner guide. Impossible with that in place.
You need a shredder for green stuff and a chipper for wood branches. I have cobra chipper (£700) for wood and eliet major (has a wide shoot all the way down) for wide green stuff. Been Perfect combination for me. You can pick up a 2nd Eliet major for around 800 quid. They are 2 different machines really Its all trial and error at the end of the day. All the best Rob
I bought an earthquake chipper and shredder 20yrs ago. Still got it and it works a treat. There are limitations though. The straighter the branch the easier it goes in. Anything that is twisted or has a lump on it, cut it out and then feed it through. The shredder side takes stuff from about 1 1/2 inches and turns it to dust. Some mods have been made like all the safety but I know what I'm doing and I realise I cant/won't sell it on. Apart from one set of blades, and some welding by myself, it's great. I think you needed a shredder rather than a chipper! Or a duel chipper / shredder like mine. I paid about £500 about 20yrs ago so who knows what they are now. Great unbiased vid though. Roll on spring and summer, we've had drizzle for two days in Merseyside.
I’ve got the same machine, it’s a great bit of kit for the price. Little tip if you get blockages try blowing your leaf blower down the feed it seemed to work for me 😊
Hi Rob honest video as always,I've had one now for about 18months and I think it's a great value for money little chipper, if you want one that mulches green waste forestmaster do one for that.Sometimes I think we expect to much.But I love mine for fruit tree pruning ,conifers and various woody shrubs.keep the video's coming love the channel
Just bought one, used it for 30 minutes and found, just like you did, it was hard work with irregular and green cuttings, just useless, secateurs would have been quicker, very disappointed, it's going back. Thanks for your review, I wish I'd seen it before I bought one 🤔🤔
Hi Rob. I have been looking at buying something like that machine. I do some maintenance on a voluntary basis at a local school, and thought one of those would help. I wouldn't like that wiring system, as it can easily snag, so something would have to be done about that. After reading the comments, and your review, I'm a bit in the dark still, so will do more research. Thanks for your honesty in this video. All the best Kev
I did a big job last season and hired a Cammon machine with a Honda engine from a well-known hire shop. It was much larger/more powerful than yours, but had similar problems. Dry branches chip and spray out no problem, however green foliage sits in the cutting chamber until the blade becomes completely clogged and stalls engine. Had to stop the machine every 20 mins, open chute to clean out mechanism.
Hi Rob I bought one a couple of years ago, and paid extra to have it assembled! Well worth it too i might add. Only had one problem with mine and that was the bolt holding the blade came loose and when I stopped the machine the blade had some serious chunks missing! May be worth checking that occasionally. On the whole its been great, but its not too good on anything really leafy, I tend to try and alternate green and woody, that seems to help. Stick with it, hope the season goes well too. Cheers
It's not a mulcher and only 6HP for mostly domestic use, so the results are to be expected. The larger 9 HP models upwards have more grunt and a larger feed chute with optional output chutes for chipping or mulching. Dirty and/or wet green material won't help. The bugbear seems to be the blades which degrade quickly due to being made from sub standard metal.
Hi Rob hope all good, honestly before I seen it I thought it looked a bit Micky mouse, for heavy graft I don't think it cuts it, OK for light stuff anyone looking a decent chipper for decent money and perfect for our work the Greenmech c100 18hp petrol that's the chipper I'm gonna buy this season, great video as always Rob glad your busy 👍
I have the non electric start mulching version for 2 years that can be used as a chipper or a mulcher. You only bought the chipper so you can't expect it to mulch. That said I use mine mainly now in chipping mode (which is essentially the same machine as yours) and it chips up all my hedges with green leaves on no problems at all. Check your blades are sharp as I rotated mine (2 sided) last week and its now feeding so much better and pulls the branches in faster and clearing itself and not getting blocked at all this year since I did that. When they were blunt it wasn't throwing the stuff out as much but I didn't realise as I has the mulching shoot on and that points down so it just sort of falls out the bottom.
Good to see your oppo there at the back end of the vid 👍 pity about the machine. They all have their limitations but it really pees you off when something doesn't live up to expectations. Look on the bright side, you can put it in your garage to keep the scarifier company 😂 All the best for the new season 👍
I have the same one (none e-start) it’s done me well for winter apple and pear tree pruning and similar. It’s a chipper not a shredder is the way i look at it. Also, take the shield off if you haven’t already, makes it much more usable. 👍
Some people take that discharge chute off altogether and replace it with a home brewed short downward facing thing . That means you can't fill your wheelbarrow or bag with it but at least material doesn't have to travel up that spout and get bunged up ( Which it does with leafy stuff!)
ive got the 15hp one and you can adjust the blade to make your chipping biggers or smaller. i was having a nightmare until i found this out now it rips the branches out of my hand . if you can adjust blade closer to barrel make sure they dont touch each other .you can use pull start to check the gaps just pull slower and watch down the chute
Great video. I think this chipper would be great for someone who has a large garden or does a small amount of chipping. But not for a professional,I would get a bigger machine personally. But it looks like a nice compact machine.
I was caught between the 6hp for practicability (weight /size)or 14hp for power, went with the 14hp and it's great but just fits on the van ( Nissan NV 200) and a bit of a ball ache to get on and off on your own , think l made the right decision,you can't win them all rob 👍
Not too sure size wise but l go down loads of narrow entries and it's brill cus it's flatsided ,short front ,good mirrors ,great turning circle and reverse camera ,one downside is people luv drilling above the side door handles to rob you ,it's happened to me and plenty of people l know with them 👍
Oh dear Rob.........I fear like your scarifier it may sit redundant in your garage don't worry I've made the same the mistakes in the past , my best winter work investment was a karcher pressure washer commercial one a few years back
Hi Rob, I've got the same chipper, although I went for the electric version rather than petrol. Mine gets used numerous times through the year but mainly during the winter. They do get bunged up if there is too much green leafy stuff so I try alternating between leaf and branch. I've also found it's bloody difficult to undo the bolts to adjust the blades. As yours is new I would loosen and spray with wd40 then re tighten them on a regular basis, I wish I had done it when mine was new. Hope it works out good for you.
Hi Rob had no probs with mine ,I do lots of dog wood, buddleia and other stuff, brilliant on anything up to 1 1/4 even green. As for oil where you fill it it should be to the top just before it starts to drip out , if you know what I mean.
That looks good doesnt it! Def will pay you back on the jobs especially if your quoting for the whole job. Great way to warn money over winter with tidy up, brambles etc.
I think with something like that you get the biggest/best one you can afford and fit in gardens as you really don't want to spend £500 on a machine only for the branches to be 2mm too big to fit or be bottlenecked by a slow mulching machine.
Looks like a lot of people have this chipper but I've seen quite a few mixed reviews. My old earthquake chipper/shredder has a hopper that you put the leafy wet material in, and a shoot that you feed the woody branches through. When I'm ready to upgrade I'm leaning towards the eliet shredders as they handle both leafy and woody material quite well
The Eliat is a good make for green leafy wet mulching - Hyundai today said their chipper/shredder range would handle the green stuff but I am not so sure - my local garden people said most machines are pretty useless for this - seems £2k + is the only option.
Hi Rob, I’m new to your channel and loving you work. Thank you!! I’m newly back to the game after a 10+ yr break and making lots of mistakes, especially around pricing. I’ve got one of these little fellas but without the battery start. I really get where you’re coming from. My additional top tips are a blower to clear blockages and a sturdy piece of 4x2 ( pre checked to make sure it doesn’t touch the blades). These have reduced my need for the socket set. I hate having to take the thing apart on site. Looks so Mickey Mouse when you have to.
You guys across the pond must be limited where you can dispose of clippings. I have been in lawn care for 35 years and have never needed a chipper. I have a little trailer, load it up and haul it off to my acer of land. That thing would be $690.00 in Alabama. Thanks for your videos. I would like to see more of your customers properties.
Thanks for watching and your comment Mike. Some customers don’t like you filming their garden. Otherwise I would put a different scene up every week. Sorry.
Hi Rob, I’ve had one of these for 2 seasons now and I love it, nice and compact, fits the van well, can lift it without using ramps and like the fact it fits through very narrow gates, I paid the extra £15 or £20 I think it was for it to come assembled on a pallet, I took out the restrictor plate at the top of the chute before first using it, it does clog occasionally if I don’t watch how I load it, like others say, sometimes best to alternate the leafy stuff with the more woody stuff to drag it through, also sometimes if it’s lightly clogged a little gust from the leaf blower will push it through, if I remember correctly there are 2 oil caps, either can be used, I didn’t think there was a dipstick tho, just thought it was if it comes to the lip, that is the full mark, my Honda rotavator has the same fill/level system, no dipstick, unlike the mowers.
Hi Rob, Great Video. I have mixed feelings about chippers / shredders. They are great if you have got big jobs and you want to keep the waste down but found alot of these chippers / shredders hate anything with leaf's on so have been pointless putting them through the chipper. But I would recommend them as it does keep costs down and away from the tip with waste! All the best :)
Hi Rob. No magic wand for waste.You're totally right. They are rubbish, in my opinion. In reality, you will still be leaving with bags of rubbish and a trip to the tip because it's not all suitable for the chipper. Apart from that, they are very noisy, and energy/time/fuel consuming. If you're quoting jobs, you want to get to the next job rather than stood by the chipper. I've been there, done it.
Rob, I ran a Garden Machinery Dealership in Kent for over 20 years, so have plenty of experience! Small chippers and shredders almost always disappoint. The most common complaints are about struggling with green material, clean dry timber works fine but that isn't typical of UK gardens. Your comments about the wiring and the oil level are also valid: these are typical of a small scale manufacturer who are buying a standard engine and making a machine to suit. Decent commercial equivalents would probably be outside the price bracket you would accept. Sorry!! No easy solution.
If it quickens up you're work as in the length of time you are at the job Rob then it will be worth every penny spent Rob but only time will tell buddy
Don't give up on it. The green stuff might be OK if you keep your eye on what's coming out the other side. Feed the green stuff slower or reduce it to narrower branches. This can help I find, with most shredd. Best of luck. I'm sure you'll find a sweet spot for it.
It looks a bit lightweight that shredder Rob. I never used one in all my time, but I did sometimes consider buying one especially when I was doing big pruning jobs in winter. I once checked out a 2nd hand Eliet Minor, but they wanted a grand for it and it looked well used.
The major is much better then the minor…wider shute, so easier to feed. Get a 2nd hand on mate for around 800 quid. Probs be 20 years old! But there built to last. Just make sure to get your dealer to give it the once over before using it out on the field
Hi Rob i used the bigger version of this chipper on a big estate a few years ago, It chipped ok but build quality is poor. It was a new machine and after a few days of on and off work the engine vibration sheared the exhust off due to lack of welds supports etc. I would rather hire a big beast in as and when needed. I subscribe to a tree guy on you tube called August Hunicke he has this beast of a chipper called a vermeer AX19 this thing eats trees worth a watch.
hi mate i have hyundai hych6560 chipper which i thought it would be good for getting into small gardens but i wish now that i didnt buy it. it just cause me lots of stress and the custmers service for genpower hyundai products is terrble. i find the best chippers are to hire a timberwolf for the day if its a big job. all the best mate from phillip spratling in Lancaster
This Machine is a wood chipper and is designed for fresh cut wood branches with some green leaves with wood branches together, Forest Master manufacture a chipper / mulcher called FM6DD-MUL that processes both greens and chips wood, his exits out of the bottom, the dipstick has been replaced with a bung when you open the bung oil should be up to the top of the threads this is the way to check the oil level, reason for this is oil alert switch if you are working on the side of a hill it does not cut the engine out like many other machines do. the big bung on the side this can be unscrewed so you can rotate the inner drum when inspecting or for changing the cutting blades. this is a domestic machine, FM9DD is the professional machine used to process all and fast can also fit in a small van or estate car.
I bought something similar a couple of years back. But, I stopped using it. By the time you’ve fed everything through - it’s just as easy to fill the dumpy bags and take it away 🤷♂️
Made the mistake of buying a hyundai. Don't do it. Ended up getting 15 minutes out of it. And blades shot out. Nearly gave me a haircut. Always use lock tight when replacing blades. Best shredder/chipper money can buy for gardening is Briggs and Stratton
I bought one last year Rob, used it once - kept blocking and in my mind used way to much fuel. Got so fed up with it i took it home and its been in the shed ever since. My opinion- an absolute piece of crap! I watched all the reviews and was taken in like you it seems mate! Going to give it one more go and of i still don’t like it its going on facebook marketplace. 👍
i use the eliet maestro probley double the price and abit more very sturdy and good quality will chip up to 11/2 in but still have some issues works best on straight branches like buddllia with more bulky waste i have to push it down chute with a wooden post or old thicker branch where chippers are advertised as chipping up to a certain thickness i’d probably always go half of it you’ll get used to the chipper as i didn’t like mine when i 1st got it but where they say for professional use they are mostly domestic unless your paying a lot more
Might of been better to rent one first 🤷♂️ .. carnt beat an old mower with a mulching blade on it .. Will chop it up ... 🍻.. kicking off next week on the green stuff 😊😊👌
Hi Rob, i have used a number of chippers for other people and myself and i find some the small one i do have a big chipper now but it can be to big for some work. but i think with most the chippers on market and i think (maybe wrong) but the blade on that will block up with leaf also were as the bigger chipper have the blade put on in different direction hard to explain without the chippers in front of us haha but also the bigger chippers have a feeder to blades were i guess your is gravity feed? so the speed you put it in can be to fast or slow so i think it ma just need some getting use to hopefully i make some sense not sure mind all the best
Great video as always rob. Now I'm not a gardener can you tell me why you bought this? It seems faster to just bag it up and take it to the tip than mess about with that machine ? Unless do some customers require this service? Just curious
My van takes 15 half full dumpy bags before its full. I thought this would reduce twenty bags of waste to 15, reducing the amount of tip runs which are priced per visit. I hope that answers your question.
Just received my forest master. All assembled then read that the dip stick isn't accurate and shouldn't be used to gauge the correct oil level 😂 I mean what's that all about?
That black cap at the end is nowt to do with oil level! You remove that and there is a nut behind it. The idea is to put a spanner on it and rock it back and forth if it blocks up. Think about it, if oil DID come out of there it would mean that the crankshaft end oil seal had gone!
It's a Forest Master not a Hedge Master! I have my criticism of the machine in terms of build quality, like awful plastic wheels with no traction, and how intuitively one uses the intake as handles to move and lift the machine because there's no handles. There's a single bolt which acts as a safety cutoff so you can't operate with exposed blades. After a few months using the electric version the single bolt stripped from lifting the machine. I custom added two bolts to the petrol version and that problem then wasn't an issue. Next problem was the throttle not staying in position so that's now tied with a shoelace! Glad I didn't want the electric start because the pull start has worked every single time. The 6HP types has problems with anything that chokes the blades. Air needs to be sucked through as material is spat out so you have to feed leafy material in with care otherwise you will create a vacuum effect. The ultimate rule though to stop clogging is: do not feed the next piece in before the first one is gone, use the butt end of the second to gentle work the tips of the last in. Great for fresh branches if you take time to prepare them correctly but I'd say there is a learning curve to get the most out of the machine and it makes chipping no longer unskilled labour!
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices FM sell a mulcher now which I think is the same machine but with a spout that shoots down that can do kitchen waste, branches, and be cleaned by running a hose into it if you watch their video. I'm thinking about another chipper: the handy petrol drum chipper, The Cobra CHIP650L (which is one of the rebrands of some generic chipper, aka Lumag, Crytec), or hyundai hych6560. Possibly even another petrol FM 6hp. It's so light and cheap... almost disposable. Really annoying none of these small chipper companies produce something with sharpenable blades. Try to sharpen these and you mess with the 2mm tolerances, then you are slowly biting off more than the machines are designed to chew.
Has anyone experienced with the FM4DDE, the electric version? They say you can only use a maximum of 10m extension cord. I would need my 50m extension cord would it still work? Also, it's a 4HP electric motor against a 6HP petrol engine but the same 50mm diam max size. Does it make sense?
Rob, I love this machine BUT you got it wrong. Its a chipper NOT a shredder/mulcher. You're expecting too much from it. I've got the same machine and it's on UA-cam if you type in vip gardens exeter. It doesn't mulch green stuff. I've just taken delivery of the big brother last week at £1400 which IS a mulcher/shredder. To check the oil, there is a dipstick. Thanks for the video
I bought a chipper last year a bit bigger than yours, kept blocking up had to strip it lots of times. Then the guard welds broke off shooting the guard onto my wifes leg. Took it back and got a refund. Never again.
Great honest clip Rob. Agree with your perception of a small chipper. I had a Mculloch 6hp which could chip up to 2” and did that pretty well along with large conifer lopping but I always found that it was useless for anything else. I sold it over the winter and have gone back to just loading into bulk bags. My thoughts were that you probably need to spend around £1000 to get an all round capable quality chipper and I struggle to justify that sort of spend given how often it came out to play with me.
I've had mine about six weeks and I'm pretty impressed, I must admit though it's a bit of trial and error getting used to what you can put through, especially the green stuff. The thing I don't like about it is it's quite hard to manoeuvre as it's low to the ground and doesn't have handles.
@@jackw9920 yeah that's what I do, I think it's probably more the fact I'm quite tall and it's an awkward to bend. I'm actually using the machine right now for Laural and Bay and it's doing a good job.
Hi Rob. You old skinflint! For another £40 I bought the Hyundai last year. OK its a pull start, but no problem. That forest master looks a lot smaller, but maybe you were thinking about van size. I use a SWB transit, and mine fits in nicely. Wood wise, the instructions say its for fresh cuttings, and may struggle with hard dead wood. I have put the full 2 inches in (ooer missus) 🤣and if you don't let go in time you'll be going in too! I too looked at the piece of sh..e you ended up with, But now glad I didn't after seeing your review! Hey Ho, we all make mistakes along the way. The positive side is your vid may stop another poor sod from making the same mistake! Onwards and upwards mate, good luck for the coming season.
@Maxwells Grass Cutting Services Yep, that's another lesson learned for me, don't take what you see on UA-cam as gospel. It's all just someone's opinions. But hey, that's how we never stop learning! All the best mate.
I have the cobra chipper that will take 80mm branches but not to good on leafy stuff but just putting branches through it , it goes through them like a hot knife through butter yet for leafy stuff I have a shredder that uses hammers and that does great
I hope I say this correctly, but it does not make any sense, that you would make a woodchipper that only works on dry wood. All yard cleanup is going to be green and leafy. Based on what you say that machine is not just a disappointment it is worthless. I use my neighbor's, and while it is larger, it does everything. I use the wood chips for mulch. Word of caution, a full bag of wood chips could be very heavy. Good luck.
I'm the same as you Rob, a machine with a pointless dipstick would raise red flags & the battery situation would annoy me as well, just says to me that its not quality sort of build. I bought a Crytec Power Washer before £200 was great when it worked for about 5 uses then it literally fell to bits and stopped working. Live & learn I guess. Also have a Hyundai back pack blower, 14 months old barely used & had to send it back for a new engine already as it seized 🤦♂️ very irritating but all a learning experience 🤷♂️😀
Rob that Chipper is deffo on my wish list. Thank you for sharing. Damien from Ireland✌️
Thanks Damien. I am not impressed thus far. All the best.
Ive had a few different chippers over the years and i now have one of these and its a fantastic bit of kit.i would definately buy another.
I am hoping that I come to like it.
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices HIya,i put a load of ivy through it today,no problem whatsoever.
Hi Rob great video and honest review, I have used alot of hired chippers and had the same problem with clogging and the best way i found was put green through it and then some wood and repeat this process and it helped stopped the clogging, Give the chipper a try and work out the best way for that chipper
Thanks Chris appreciate your advice. All the best.
Would highly recommend this machine, for anyone looking for a small, compact, light weight chipper. Bought mine for £407 about 2 years ago and it’s been brilliant. Large amounts of conifer do seem to clog it up though. I didn’t go for the electric start. Only comes out in the winter for hedge reduction and tree work.
Richard
Lawns and Hedges
Thanks Richard. Pleased your happy with your machine. 👍🏻
Hi Rob,I've had mine around 8 months and found it brilliant, I just feed a bit of green stuff and a bit of woody stuff and it hasn't blocked once . I know it's a faff fitting it together but think it's great. I cut back the apple tree and it soon cleared that.
I will give it time. All the best.
I've had a forest master for about a year. I'm a gardener by trade. What I've found is this little chipper does great with conifer hedge clippings and long straight hard woods ie coppicing branches like hazel, willow etc. Its not great with cuttings from smaller leafy ornamental shrubs. As others have said, you can avoid blocking by feeding straighter wood in with your leafy cuttings. Another thing to consider is that this being a very small chipper with a small blade, it will wear out quite quickly so be prepared to buy new blades (£30 approx).
Thank you for your advice. All the best.
I’ve had the same as yours for about 6 years. What I have found out through trial and error is, if you put a lot of green through, add a dead stick or just a branch to the mix and it makes it much easier to come out and not block up. It’s a fantastic machine once you know what it can or can’t do, let’s face it, it’s a machine that costs less than £500!
Surprised you didn’t get on with it. I’ve had mine for 2 years and it’s been brilliant. Agreed it doesn’t like too much green material but as a whole it’s been great. Only difference is mine is just the pull start version. Hope you get on with it going forward. 👍
I will give it time. Fingers crossed I can get to grips with it.
I like the little thing, its so handy to have once you know its limitations. The straighter the branches you put in the better it works, so get your loppers out 😅. I tweaked my engine rpms down on mine to give it more torque and haven't had a single blockage. The engine screams from factory which i didn't like. Will do a vid on it when i get the chance. Stick with it mate, and check your blade gap is set correctly, you cant trust companies and there tolerances 🤣.
Thanks Mate.
I would like to know how you slow down the revs.
Check the oil level .
Check the blade gap.
Looking forward to seeing your video.
All the best.
End of the day it's a £600 machine, everyone seems to have one tho 🤔 gravity fed machines like the straight stuff the drum can grab and draw in, don't think they mulch trimmings well. Gotta try these things tho👍
Cheers Nathan. I will give it time. 👍🏻
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices you'll soon get the feel of what it can and can't do like any other machine👍
Thanks.
They all have their limitations, forest master do a mulching model I believe. Shrubby bushy stuff needs a bigger machine that auto feeds. Frustrating mate !😐
I’ve got one and love it like you say when it’s a bit wet and the leaf stuff doesn’t go through as fast as you would. But if you feed it though slowly it will go. I done a job last week cutting back lots of ivy had 15 full dumpy bags to take away used the chipper and got it down to 4.
Thanks Conor. Great advice.
I be honest. I love mine. Ill admit it takes a bit of getting used to. But once you work out how to process the material as you cut it you will fly through it. It does block up if you have the shoot firing down to low if it's leafy. When it's like that fire it out more. Oil has 2 gauges at the front and back of it. But Id go with it like they say if you see oil it's full. On the in hopper there's a kill switch on a bolt I've noticed come undone a few times. Keep an eye on that. I'm hoping to get the next size up next time. But with the weight of it I've managed to get it into places where it would of been a horrible long drag otherwise
Thanks Dean. I appreciate your advice. 👍🏻
Good morning have a look at Upgrading your Shredder to a Elite Measto Shredder you won't be disappointed I got mine 16 years ago an absolute bargain of eBay and it's never missed a beat German Engineering at the best. It does not like Conifers the greenage on them is a little harsh but apart from that perfect. Cuts up to 40 mm and has a collection bag underneath the machine which is so easy to empty. Forget the rest this is the best.😁👍
Thanks for the advice John, appreciated. 👍🏻
I bet you would swap last years weather for this year. Thanks for the review. Looking to replace and upgrade my busted little Bosch . I find my old shredder worked better when shrubs and conifers were fed in bushy end first. I have a garden maintenance business in Shropshire. Wet wet wet. 😳
I got one as well not assembled yet. Couldn’t see the point of electric start extra weight and a battery to worry about and wires etc seems to pull start easy . Not bothered about oil I can put it in and the gauge doesn’t bother me as long as it overflows the fill hole per the instruction. I originally did get this to break down waste from hedge trimming but now I think it’s primary purpose for me is to produce mulch and secondary to break down waste . I hope I dont find it lacking too much as you have though. I’ll find out soon enough. Wonder if you could sharpen it ? Although I don’t know 👍
Cheers Pablo. Good luck with it. All the best.
Great Video Rob. I got the electric one and also thought it was a bugger to put together. Inparticular the wheels were a pain in the backside. Considering simply fitting it to a fixed location in the garden and getting rid of the bloody wheels.
I am starting to get a feel for it . It certainly does a job.
Great review Rob. Thanks
Thank you Adam. Have a great weekend.👍🏻
We had one but found it so slow. Reverted to bulk bags and a trip to the tip. Sold it on marketplace and it sold quickly and we didn't lose that much.
I think I might follow your lead.
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices like you we watched a lot of videos and were disappointed with the results. I can get about 14 bulk bags in my van so it had to compete with that and came no where near. Assume you didn't bother with the inner guide. Impossible with that in place.
You need a shredder for green stuff and a chipper for wood branches. I have cobra chipper (£700) for wood and eliet major (has a wide shoot all the way down) for wide green stuff. Been Perfect combination for me. You can pick up a 2nd Eliet major for around 800 quid. They are 2 different machines really
Its all trial and error at the end of the day. All the best Rob
Thanks Carl. Appreciate your comment.
I bought an earthquake chipper and shredder 20yrs ago. Still got it and it works a treat. There are limitations though. The straighter the branch the easier it goes in. Anything that is twisted or has a lump on it, cut it out and then feed it through. The shredder side takes stuff from about 1 1/2 inches and turns it to dust. Some mods have been made like all the safety but I know what I'm doing and I realise I cant/won't sell it on. Apart from one set of blades, and some welding by myself, it's great. I think you needed a shredder rather than a chipper! Or a duel chipper / shredder like mine. I paid about £500 about 20yrs ago so who knows what they are now. Great unbiased vid though. Roll on spring and summer, we've had drizzle for two days in Merseyside.
Great comment. Thank you . 👍🏻
I’ve got the same machine, it’s a great bit of kit for the price. Little tip if you get blockages try blowing your leaf blower down the feed it seemed to work for me 😊
Thanks Joseph. I will try that. All the best.
Hi Rob honest video as always,I've had one now for about 18months and I think it's a great value for money little chipper, if you want one that mulches green waste forestmaster do one for that.Sometimes I think we expect to much.But I love mine for fruit tree pruning ,conifers and various woody shrubs.keep the video's coming love the channel
Thanks Paul. I am sure I will get to grips with it . All the best.
Just bought one, used it for 30 minutes and found, just like you did, it was hard work with irregular and green cuttings, just useless, secateurs would have been quicker, very disappointed, it's going back. Thanks for your review, I wish I'd seen it before I bought one 🤔🤔
Thank you
Hi Rob.
I have been looking at buying something like that machine. I do some maintenance on a voluntary basis at a local school, and thought one of those would help. I wouldn't like that wiring system, as it can easily snag, so something would have to be done about that.
After reading the comments, and your review, I'm a bit in the dark still, so will do more research. Thanks for your honesty in this video.
All the best
Kev
Thanks Kev. I am hoping my view will change over time. Thus far not impressed. All the best to you.
I have 1 of these and it's been great for me and I've put more than 2 inch thru it I'm thinking of getting the 18hp 5 inch chipper they do
That would be good with a little trailer. Chipper and waste in the trailer. Nice
Pleased your happy with it Christopher. 👍🏻
Got the GreenMech with the 18hp Vanguard B&S.... Works a treat.
I did a big job last season and hired a Cammon machine with a Honda engine from a well-known hire shop. It was much larger/more powerful than yours, but had similar problems. Dry branches chip and spray out no problem, however green foliage sits in the cutting chamber until the blade becomes completely clogged and stalls engine. Had to stop the machine every 20 mins, open chute to clean out mechanism.
I wonder if it’s easier to fill dumpy bags and just take it to the tip.
All the best.
Hi Rob
I bought one a couple of years ago, and paid extra to have it assembled! Well worth it too i might add. Only had one problem with mine and that was the bolt holding the blade came loose and when I stopped the machine the blade had some serious chunks missing! May be worth checking that occasionally. On the whole its been great, but its not too good on anything really leafy, I tend to try and alternate green and woody, that seems to help. Stick with it, hope the season goes well too.
Cheers
Thank you for that. I will keep an eye on things. All the best .👍🏻
It's not a mulcher and only 6HP for mostly domestic use, so the results are to be expected. The larger 9 HP models upwards have more grunt and a larger feed chute with optional output chutes for chipping or mulching. Dirty and/or wet green material won't help. The bugbear seems to be the blades which degrade quickly due to being made from sub standard metal.
Thank you Adam. 👍🏻
Hi Rob hope all good, honestly before I seen it I thought it looked a bit Micky mouse, for heavy graft I don't think it cuts it, OK for light stuff anyone looking a decent chipper for decent money and perfect for our work the Greenmech c100 18hp petrol that's the chipper I'm gonna buy this season, great video as always Rob glad your busy 👍
Thanks Jonny , appreciate your comment. I genuinely thought it would have performed better.
I have the non electric start mulching version for 2 years that can be used as a chipper or a mulcher. You only bought the chipper so you can't expect it to mulch. That said I use mine mainly now in chipping mode (which is essentially the same machine as yours) and it chips up all my hedges with green leaves on no problems at all. Check your blades are sharp as I rotated mine (2 sided) last week and its now feeding so much better and pulls the branches in faster and clearing itself and not getting blocked at all this year since I did that. When they were blunt it wasn't throwing the stuff out as much but I didn't realise as I has the mulching shoot on and that points down so it just sort of falls out the bottom.
Thanks for the advice. All the best.
Good to see your oppo there at the back end of the vid 👍 pity about the machine. They all have their limitations but it really pees you off when something doesn't live up to expectations. Look on the bright side, you can put it in your garage to keep the scarifier company 😂
All the best for the new season 👍
I have seen so many great reviews from other you tubers regarding this machine. Lesson learned.
All the best.
I have the same one (none e-start) it’s done me well for winter apple and pear tree pruning and similar.
It’s a chipper not a shredder is the way i look at it.
Also, take the shield off if you haven’t already, makes it much more usable. 👍
Thank you , appreciate that.👍🏻
Some people take that discharge chute off altogether and replace it with a home brewed short downward facing thing . That means you can't fill your wheelbarrow or bag with it but at least material doesn't have to travel up that spout and get bunged up ( Which it does with leafy stuff!)
Oh right looking forward to seeing the video 👍
Thanks.
ive got the 15hp one and you can adjust the blade to make your chipping biggers or smaller. i was having a nightmare until i found this out now it rips the branches out of my hand . if you can adjust blade closer to barrel make sure they dont touch each other .you can use pull start to check the gaps just pull slower and watch down the chute
Thanks for that. Appreciated.
Great video. I think this chipper would be great for someone who has a large garden or does a small amount of chipping. But not for a professional,I would get a bigger machine personally. But it looks like a nice compact machine.
Great point! Thanks for watching.
I watched other videos and agree with you. Thanks for honest video.
Thanks for watching!
I was caught between the 6hp for practicability (weight /size)or 14hp for power, went with the 14hp and it's great but just fits on the van ( Nissan NV 200) and a bit of a ball ache to get on and off on your own , think l made the right decision,you can't win them all rob 👍
Cheers Carl. How do you find your Nissan 200 van. Are they bigger than a Citroen Berlingo. All the best.
Not too sure size wise but l go down loads of narrow entries and it's brill cus it's flatsided ,short front ,good mirrors ,great turning circle and reverse camera ,one downside is people luv drilling above the side door handles to rob you ,it's happened to me and plenty of people l know with them 👍
Good video Rob. A chipper/shredder is high on my wish list as I've had a few jobs recently I could have really done with one. Appreciate the video 👍
Not this one. It’s poor, in my humble opinion.
I use a cobra chipper myself, that used to block. The trick I use is to alternate between wood and green.
Wise words. Thanks again.
Oh dear Rob.........I fear like your scarifier it may sit redundant in your garage don't worry I've made the same the mistakes in the past , my best winter work investment was a karcher pressure washer commercial one a few years back
Thanks David. We live and learn. Fingers crossed I will get to grips with it.
Hi Rob, I've got the same chipper, although I went for the electric version rather than petrol. Mine gets used numerous times through the year but mainly during the winter.
They do get bunged up if there is too much green leafy stuff so I try alternating between leaf and branch. I've also found it's bloody difficult to undo the bolts to adjust the blades. As yours is new I would loosen and spray with wd40 then re tighten them on a regular basis, I wish I had done it when mine was new.
Hope it works out good for you.
Thank you for the advice. I will do that. All the best.
I bought a year-old rock machinery RX13. Needed something a bit more substantial than a toothpick shredder
Nice!
Hi Rob had no probs with mine ,I do lots of dog wood, buddleia and other stuff, brilliant on anything up to 1 1/4 even green. As for oil where you fill it it should be to the top just before it starts to drip out , if you know what I mean.
So you take out the tip stick and add oil to the hole where the tip stick goes. Once it starts to pour over the top, your all good?
Cheers.
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices yes correct Rob
Thank you .
That looks good doesnt it! Def will pay you back on the jobs especially if your quoting for the whole job. Great way to warn money over winter with tidy up, brambles etc.
Let’s hope so. All the best.
I think with something like that you get the biggest/best one you can afford and fit in gardens as you really don't want to spend £500 on a machine only for the branches to be 2mm too big to fit or be bottlenecked by a slow mulching machine.
Your right Ben. All the best.
i had bearcat ones , greenmech x2 , lawnflight. ended up with Eliet tracked 4” self drive .,its the dogs 🐩…. ❤
Pleased your happy. All the best.
Looks like a lot of people have this chipper but I've seen quite a few mixed reviews. My old earthquake chipper/shredder has a hopper that you put the leafy wet material in, and a shoot that you feed the woody branches through. When I'm ready to upgrade I'm leaning towards the eliet shredders as they handle both leafy and woody material quite well
Sounds like a great plan. All the best.
The Eliat is a good make for green leafy wet mulching - Hyundai today said their chipper/shredder range would handle the green stuff but I am not so sure - my local garden people said most machines are pretty useless for this - seems £2k + is the only option.
Hi Rob, I’m new to your channel and loving you work. Thank you!! I’m newly back to the game after a 10+ yr break and making lots of mistakes, especially around pricing. I’ve got one of these little fellas but without the battery start. I really get where you’re coming from. My additional top tips are a blower to clear blockages and a sturdy piece of 4x2 ( pre checked to make sure it doesn’t touch the blades). These have reduced my need for the socket set. I hate having to take the thing apart on site. Looks so Mickey Mouse when you have to.
Great comment, thanks for the advice. All the best.
Nice video mate, if i had the money i would get a Timber Wolf lol but they cost loads.
Your right. Too expensive. 👍🏻
You guys across the pond must be limited where you can dispose of clippings. I have been in lawn care for 35 years and have never needed a chipper. I have a little trailer, load it up and haul it off to my acer of land. That thing would be $690.00 in Alabama. Thanks for your videos. I would like to see more of your customers properties.
Thanks for watching and your comment Mike. Some customers don’t like you filming their garden. Otherwise I would put a different scene up every week. Sorry.
Hi Rob,
I’ve had one of these for 2 seasons now and I love it, nice and compact, fits the van well, can lift it without using ramps and like the fact it fits through very narrow gates, I paid the extra £15 or £20 I think it was for it to come assembled on a pallet, I took out the restrictor plate at the top of the chute before first using it, it does clog occasionally if I don’t watch how I load it, like others say, sometimes best to alternate the leafy stuff with the more woody stuff to drag it through, also sometimes if it’s lightly clogged a little gust from the leaf blower will push it through, if I remember correctly there are 2 oil caps, either can be used, I didn’t think there was a dipstick tho, just thought it was if it comes to the lip, that is the full mark, my Honda rotavator has the same fill/level system, no dipstick, unlike the mowers.
Thanks Martin. That makes perfect sense. All the best and thanks for watching.
Hi Rob, Great Video. I have mixed feelings about chippers / shredders. They are great if you have got big jobs and you want to keep the waste down but found alot of these chippers / shredders hate anything with leaf's on so have been pointless putting them through the chipper. But I would recommend them as it does keep costs down and away from the tip with waste! All the best :)
Thanks David. Wise words. All the best
Hi Rob. No magic wand for waste.You're totally right. They are rubbish, in my opinion. In reality, you will still be leaving with bags of rubbish and a trip to the tip because it's not all suitable for the chipper. Apart from that, they are very noisy, and energy/time/fuel consuming. If you're quoting jobs, you want to get to the next job rather than stood by the chipper. I've been there, done it.
Wise words. Thank you for sharing them. All the best.
Another great video Rob, keep up the good work buddy
Thanks Simon. All the best to you.
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices No problem Rob. Thanks buddy, you to
Rob, I ran a Garden Machinery Dealership in Kent for over 20 years, so have plenty of experience! Small chippers and shredders almost always disappoint. The most common complaints are about struggling with green material, clean dry timber works fine but that isn't typical of UK gardens. Your comments about the wiring and the oil level are also valid: these are typical of a small scale manufacturer who are buying a standard engine and making a machine to suit. Decent commercial equivalents would probably be outside the price bracket you would accept. Sorry!! No easy solution.
Thank you for sharing your experience. All the best.👍🏻
If it quickens up you're work as in the length of time you are at the job Rob then it will be worth every penny spent Rob but only time will tell buddy
Your right. Fingers crossed I will get to grips with it. Thanks for watching and your comment. All the best.
My pleasure Rob take care of yourselves won't you Rob and have a fantastic weekend all of you also buddy
Don't give up on it. The green stuff might be OK if you keep your eye on what's coming out the other side. Feed the green stuff slower or reduce it to narrower branches. This can help I find, with most shredd. Best of luck. I'm sure you'll find a sweet spot for it.
Thanks Michael. I hope so. All the best and thanks for watching.
It looks a bit lightweight that shredder Rob. I never used one in all my time, but I did sometimes consider buying one especially when I was doing big pruning jobs in winter. I once checked out a 2nd hand Eliet Minor, but they wanted a grand for it and it looked well used.
The major is much better then the minor…wider shute, so easier to feed. Get a 2nd hand on mate for around 800 quid. Probs be 20 years old! But there built to last. Just make sure to get your dealer to give it the once over before using it out on the field
Probably the best decision. Thanks for watching and your comment.👍🏻
Thanks Carl.
Hi Rob i used the bigger version of this chipper on a big estate a few years ago, It chipped ok but build quality is poor. It was a new machine and after a few days of on and off work the engine vibration sheared the exhust off due to lack of welds supports etc. I would rather hire a big beast in as and when needed. I subscribe to a tree guy on you tube called August Hunicke he has this beast of a chipper called a vermeer AX19 this thing eats trees worth a watch.
Thanks for that James. Appreciate your comment.👍🏻
hi mate i have hyundai hych6560 chipper which i thought it would be good for getting into small gardens but i wish now that i didnt buy it. it just cause me lots of stress and the custmers service for genpower hyundai products is terrble. i find the best chippers are to hire a timberwolf for the day if its a big job. all the best mate from phillip spratling in Lancaster
Thanks Philip. Wise words. We live and learn. All the best.
This Machine is a wood chipper and is designed for fresh cut wood branches with some green leaves with wood branches together, Forest Master manufacture a chipper / mulcher called FM6DD-MUL that processes both greens and chips wood, his exits out of the bottom, the dipstick has been replaced with a bung when you open the bung oil should be up to the top of the threads this is the way to check the oil level, reason for this is oil alert switch if you are working on the side of a hill it does not cut the engine out like many other machines do. the big bung on the side this can be unscrewed so you can rotate the inner drum when inspecting or for changing the cutting blades. this is a domestic machine, FM9DD is the professional machine used to process all and fast can also fit in a small van or estate car.
Thanks for that Andy.
I am in the process of making a second video about this machine. It’s slowly winning 🥇 me over. You take care.👍🏻
I bought something similar a couple of years back. But, I stopped using it. By the time you’ve fed everything through - it’s just as easy to fill the dumpy bags and take it away 🤷♂️
I agree with you. All the best.
Made the mistake of buying a hyundai. Don't do it. Ended up getting 15 minutes out of it. And blades shot out. Nearly gave me a haircut. Always use lock tight when replacing blades.
Best shredder/chipper money can buy for gardening is Briggs and Stratton
Thanks Kell, appreciate your advice. All the best.
Forest Master 14DD Wood Chipper is a Very Good Chipper. You can get a Mulcher attachment for them which are also Good
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I bought one last year Rob, used it once - kept blocking and in my mind used way to much fuel. Got so fed up with it i took it home and its been in the shed ever since. My opinion- an absolute piece of crap! I watched all the reviews and was taken in like you it seems mate! Going to give it one more go and of i still don’t like it its going on facebook marketplace. 👍
I couldn’t agree with you more. Fingers crossed you get a good price. All the best.
If you adjust the blades to be as close to the anvil as you can it will chip better. Just a couple of mm of a gap.
Cheers Brian.
You need to get a Timberwolf TW 13/75g but it’s expensive but you can get it secondhand
Thanks for the information.
i am not surprised it cost a £100 for assembly
Hi rob I thought that was going to be good until you spoke about it I’m looking on getting one this season. Who was your friend using it.
Cheers Carl. I have been working with another local gardener on the big winter tidy up jobs.
Going to do a video about it soon.
i use the eliet maestro probley double the price and abit more very sturdy and good quality will chip up to 11/2 in but still have some issues works best on straight branches like buddllia with more bulky waste i have to push it down chute with a wooden post or old thicker branch where chippers are advertised as chipping up to a certain thickness i’d probably always go half of it you’ll get used to the chipper as i didn’t like mine when i 1st got it but where they say for professional use they are mostly domestic unless your paying a lot more
Thanks James. I am going to give it time . All the best.
Might of been better to rent one first 🤷♂️ .. carnt beat an old mower with a mulching blade on it .. Will chop it up ... 🍻.. kicking off next week on the green stuff 😊😊👌
Cheers for that. Good luck for the season.
Hi Rob, i have used a number of chippers for other people and myself and i find some the small one i do have a big chipper now but it can be to big for some work. but i think with most the chippers on market and i think (maybe wrong) but the blade on that will block up with leaf also were as the bigger chipper have the blade put on in different direction hard to explain without the chippers in front of us haha but also the bigger chippers have a feeder to blades were i guess your is gravity feed? so the speed you put it in can be to fast or slow so i think it ma just need some getting use to hopefully i make some sense not sure mind all the best
Thank you Shane. Great advice . 👍🏻
Great video as always rob. Now I'm not a gardener can you tell me why you bought this? It seems faster to just bag it up and take it to the tip than mess about with that machine ? Unless do some customers require this service? Just curious
My van takes 15 half full dumpy bags before its full. I thought this would reduce twenty bags of waste to 15, reducing the amount of tip runs which are priced per visit. I hope that answers your question.
Just received my forest master. All assembled then read that the dip stick isn't accurate and shouldn't be used to gauge the correct oil level 😂 I mean what's that all about?
I agree, it’s confusing. Thanks for watching and your comment .
It’s a chipper and chips, green foliage needs mulched. That’s it 🤷🏻
Thank you.
Time is money. It reduces waste but its very time consuming to do so. Luckily I have a big van so can take loads of waste without needing to chip it .
I understand what your saying. All the best.👍🏻
i have the same one and cleared the howl over grown garden around house and i mean it was over grown but it was fine i cant compline
Pleased your happy Luke . All the best.
That black cap at the end is nowt to do with oil level! You remove that and there is a nut behind it. The idea is to put a spanner on it and rock it back and forth if it blocks up. Think about it, if oil DID come out of there it would mean that the crankshaft end oil seal had gone!
Thank you .
It's a Forest Master not a Hedge Master! I have my criticism of the machine in terms of build quality, like awful plastic wheels with no traction, and how intuitively one uses the intake as handles to move and lift the machine because there's no handles. There's a single bolt which acts as a safety cutoff so you can't operate with exposed blades. After a few months using the electric version the single bolt stripped from lifting the machine. I custom added two bolts to the petrol version and that problem then wasn't an issue. Next problem was the throttle not staying in position so that's now tied with a shoelace! Glad I didn't want the electric start because the pull start has worked every single time.
The 6HP types has problems with anything that chokes the blades. Air needs to be sucked through as material is spat out so you have to feed leafy material in with care otherwise you will create a vacuum effect. The ultimate rule though to stop clogging is: do not feed the next piece in before the first one is gone, use the butt end of the second to gentle work the tips of the last in. Great for fresh branches if you take time to prepare them correctly but I'd say there is a learning curve to get the most out of the machine and it makes chipping no longer unskilled labour!
Wise words, thank you for taking the time to share your experience. 👍🏻
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices FM sell a mulcher now which I think is the same machine but with a spout that shoots down that can do kitchen waste, branches, and be cleaned by running a hose into it if you watch their video. I'm thinking about another chipper: the handy petrol drum chipper, The Cobra CHIP650L (which is one of the rebrands of some generic chipper, aka Lumag, Crytec), or hyundai hych6560. Possibly even another petrol FM 6hp. It's so light and cheap... almost disposable. Really annoying none of these small chipper companies produce something with sharpenable blades. Try to sharpen these and you mess with the 2mm tolerances, then you are slowly biting off more than the machines are designed to chew.
Blades supplied are made from poor steel. Get them changed, and it works better. I got a knife maker to make some, it doesn't clog up as much.
Thanks for the advice.
Who did you go to to make the new harder blades?
I've been looking at one of these myself mate🤔 unsure now on what to do...
I am not convinced by them. Thanks for watching and your comment/
Has anyone experienced with the FM4DDE, the electric version? They say you can only use a maximum of 10m extension cord. I would need my 50m extension cord would it still work?
Also, it's a 4HP electric motor against a 6HP petrol engine but the same 50mm diam max size. Does it make sense?
I am sorry, I haven’t.
Rob, I love this machine BUT you got it wrong. Its a chipper NOT a shredder/mulcher. You're expecting too much from it. I've got the same machine and it's on UA-cam if you type in vip gardens exeter. It doesn't mulch green stuff. I've just taken delivery of the big brother last week at £1400 which IS a mulcher/shredder. To check the oil, there is a dipstick. Thanks for the video
Thanks for the advice.👍🏻
I bought a chipper last year a bit bigger than yours, kept blocking up had to strip it lots of times. Then the guard welds broke off shooting the guard onto my wifes leg. Took it back and got a refund. Never again.
Sorry to hear that, hope your wife was ok . 👍🏻
Hope you get more out of it Rob than your scarifier 😉
I am sure they will both come good. Long term.
Great honest clip Rob. Agree with your perception of a small chipper. I had a Mculloch 6hp which could chip up to 2” and did that pretty well along with large conifer lopping but I always found that it was useless for anything else.
I sold it over the winter and have gone back to just loading into bulk bags. My thoughts were that you probably need to spend around £1000 to get an all round capable quality chipper and I struggle to justify that sort of spend given how often it came out to play with me.
I agree with you. I will give it a year. All the best
I've had mine about six weeks and I'm pretty impressed, I must admit though it's a bit of trial and error getting used to what you can put through, especially the green stuff. The thing I don't like about it is it's quite hard to manoeuvre as it's low to the ground and doesn't have handles.
@@jackw9920 yeah that's what I do, I think it's probably more the fact I'm quite tall and it's an awkward to bend. I'm actually using the machine right now for Laural and Bay and it's doing a good job.
Thanks for that. Appreciate your comment. 👍
They do a Mulching version ect
Hi where did you get your logo put onto your clothing ?
A local uniform shop does it. 👍🏻
In summer go invest in crytec mini chipper which is £715. Chip 4in of cuttings
I will have a look Darren. Thanks for watching and your comment.
Hi Rob. You old skinflint! For another £40 I bought the Hyundai last year. OK its a pull start, but no problem. That forest master looks a lot smaller, but maybe you were thinking about van size. I use a SWB transit, and mine fits in nicely. Wood wise, the instructions say its for fresh cuttings, and may struggle with hard dead wood. I have put the full 2 inches in (ooer missus) 🤣and if you don't let go in time you'll be going in too! I too looked at the piece of sh..e you ended up with, But now glad I didn't after seeing your review! Hey Ho, we all make mistakes along the way. The positive side is your vid may stop another poor sod from making the same mistake! Onwards and upwards mate, good luck for the coming season.
Thanks Nic. I have seen lots of great reviews regarding this machine. Another lesson learned. People aren’t honest.
@Maxwells Grass Cutting Services Yep, that's another lesson learned for me, don't take what you see on UA-cam as gospel. It's all just someone's opinions. But hey, that's how we never stop learning! All the best mate.
Hey Rob, wish I had known you was getting one. I made that mistake years ago. You have to spend a lot of money to get a chipper worth bothering with.
Wise words. We live and learn. All the best.
I have the cobra chipper that will take 80mm branches but not to good on leafy stuff but just putting branches through it , it goes through them like a hot knife through butter yet for leafy stuff I have a shredder that uses hammers and that does great
Thanks for sharing that. All the best.👍🏻
What part of "chipper" rhymes with "mulcher"?
?
I hope I say this correctly, but it does not make any sense, that you would make a woodchipper that only works on dry wood. All yard cleanup is going to be green and leafy. Based on what you say that machine is not just a disappointment it is worthless. I use my neighbor's, and while it is larger, it does everything. I use the wood chips for mulch. Word of caution, a full bag of wood chips could be very heavy. Good luck.
Thanks for that. I agree with you and yes the chipping are heavy. All the best.
I'm the same as you Rob, a machine with a pointless dipstick would raise red flags & the battery situation would annoy me as well, just says to me that its not quality sort of build. I bought a Crytec Power Washer before £200 was great when it worked for about 5 uses then it literally fell to bits and stopped working. Live & learn I guess. Also have a Hyundai back pack blower, 14 months old barely used & had to send it back for a new engine already as it seized 🤦♂️ very irritating but all a learning experience 🤷♂️😀
I am pleased it’s not just me. All the best to you. 👍🏻
And to you Rob, cheers 👍👍
But how do you unblock it?
Take off the blade guard and remove the debris. 👍🏻
Who's the mystery man @ 4-17?
A local gardener who I have been working with on the big jobs.
Ive tried this type of machine years ago, i found i spent more time unclogging it than working so not for me!
Sorry to hear that. Thanks for watching and your comment.
I got one sent it back first day spend more money and get something proper