Shredder choices??

[Mike13]

Hi,

Decided to bite the bullet and buy a shredder from ebay that could be local to me, Are there any makes or models to avoid? I expect it to mostly cope with extensive privet cuttings and assorted other smaller branches up to say 40mm or so, above that would either pile as bug habitat in odd corners or burn, especially thicker rose stems, as those thorns are to unpleasant on hands.
Have seen titan cropping up, as well as black and decker, are they up to the task. I think that a petrol one would be overkill for my garden.

 

[Burnerman]

Check out machines similar to the Atco Quiet Shredder 2000......slab cutter, slow speed and very powerful.
Flail machines are a waste of time.
John

 

[Mike13]

Flail machines? Could you please elaborate what that means, are all the quiet ones suitable for my purposes?

 

[Burnerman]

I'm not familiar with all of the available machines, but the flail ones have a tube the timber is fed through, and blades on a disc (flails) chop the stuff up.
The slab cutter ( a bit like a long cog wheel with blades instead of gears) grind the brash against a plate. They work really well, self feed the timber and if the timber goes through the letterbox on top, it will cope with it.
John

 

[Burnerman]

http://www.raidiy.co.uk/2000shredderserviceparts.htm
Part number 115 does the business.
John

 

[Nozzle]

Flail machine are not a waste of time, and they do have their uses. I have a Viking Shredder (AKA Stihl) which is the rotating block with blades on. It'll take leaf litter and logs upto about 50mm (if dry). It's a substantial bit of kit, and 2kW to boot. I can understand why someone wouldn't want this type of shredder if the housing were weak.

This Viking one has different shredder blocks available, the other type is, (so I am lead to believe) no good with the softer leaf litter,

Nozzle

 

[Burnerman]

Fair enough, you get what you pay for......invariably I find that people overload these machines big time, hence my recommendation.
Mine has lasted for years, until some k nobhead fed it some barbed wire and a screwdriver......£150 repair, new cutter and anvil
John

 

[EddieM]

Personally I'd go for a petrol driven chipper, but that's just me.

 

[Burnerman]

Me too, but I can’t justify the expense now.....if my Atco can’t handle the brash then its in with the tree surgeons.
For leaf collection, you can’t beat the Billy Goat.....Montana’s finest
John