How Do Chippers Work?

Common Features

• All chippers have a feed tube and exit for the chips to fall out. Some small chippers are designed to fit onto a 55 gallon waste can to make cleanup easy, while larger ones are normally set on a tarp. The material is pushed into the feed tube and is chewed up to small pieces. Some feed tubes allow the material to be pushed into the tube while others depend upon the drawing action of the machinery. Gasoline-run chippers are portable and tend to be more powerful than electric ones.

Cutting

• Some chippers have whirling, heavy duty blades inside that are similar to larger wood maul blades. The blades chop at the material in the chipper until the pieces are reduced. An alternative method uses hammers to crush and break up the wood instead of cutting it. Another chipper mechanism uses a large screw to crush the material between the threads and the frame. All work well and, depending upon the size of the motor and chipper, can handle limbs over 3 inches in diameter.

Shredders

• A shredder is a specialized form of a chipper that is designed for leaves and smaller twigs and branches. Most shredders can handle wood only less than 1/4 inch in diameter. Small shredders work by using a flail to tear apart the material similar to how a string trimmer cuts grass. Larger shredders have a blade similar to a fan that cuts the material as it passes through. A combination shredder/chipper gives a typical home the best of both as long as the material is not too large.

Before Buying

• Examine the distance from the home that you'll use the chipper. The longer the extension cord the less power the electric shredder can generate. Some units continue to spin even when there is no material inside, while more expensive models allow you to disengage the motor. If you are using the material in the compost, check the shredding capability. A shredder that reduces the material on a 1 to 10 ratio will decompose faster than one with a smaller shredding ratio.