What you need is commonly known as a "hammer mill" that has interchangable screens. The quickest way I can think of to explain what a hammer mill is, would be to hope that you have some knowledge about car engines. If you do, then imagine taking the crankshaft and connecting rods from a V8 and spinning that crankshaft via another engine.

The connecting rods would also spin and centrifugal force would cause them to rotate so that they were straight out from the crank. Now imagine having a curved steel screen installed about an inch below this spinning crank/rod assembly that has 1" diameter holes punched into it. If all of this was enclosed in a steel box, you could drop material into the top. The spinning connecting rods would contact that material and smash it into smaller pieces until those pieces were small enough to drop through whatever size of hole was in the screen.

And if the pieces didn't get out of the way of the connecting rod on the first pass, the connecting rod would bend out of the way because it is mounted on a bearing, allowing it to swivel.

This is the concept of the hammer mill. These devices are used in machines called "Tub Grinders" used to grind up all kinds of wood such as old pallets, tree limbs, construction debris etc. The biggest ones can cost over a million dollars and be powered by two 1000 hp diesels. However, there are also small stationary models out there too. How small, I cannot say because I have never searched for something the size that would be looking for. That chore will be yours. LOL

You asked for something that would re-size wood chips and other woody product and a hammer mill with screens is the only machine that I know of that will do exactly what you want and give you a consistent size of finished product.

The link below will take you to a site that makes such equipment. Scroll down the page to the 13th item called the Mini-Mac and click on that. Then click on the PDF specifications link. I think that you will find that this one would be about the size you need. I have no idea what it costs but I would be calling them to see if they knew where a well-used one could be found. You also need to know how much gasoline hp you will need to power it along with the various screen sizes available.

Don't be shy. Talk to their sales department and tell them exactly what you want to do with it. These people are in that business. They have experience I don't have and can help you much better. You would be surprised what you can learn just by asking questions. LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: hammer mill

I bought a Mackissic 12PT10 two or three years ago and it is outstanding.

With a 1/4" grill, it puts out what looks like a powder.

That grill is not good for anything wet and you would need a larger grill for that if the hyacinth is wet. I use a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch grill for wet materials.

Usually though, I just let wet or damp materials dry out for a few days in the sun before shredding.

I would recommend a Mackissic unit as well. I haven't used one personally, but have seen plenty since they make them about 3 miles from my house and personally know some people who work for them. No, I do not work there myself, but if you search the boards here, you'll find alot of good comments about Mackissic chippers and shredders.
The different screens can be nice to help determine the size of chips that will be produced. I _think_ the bar screen is designed for wet items, but not 100% sure of that.

bigoledude,

"If I had to dry-out the Water Hyacinth somewhat before I frappé their little butts, would I lose any nutrients in the drying process?"

No, drying involves losing moisture, which is just water. Drying out the Water Hyacinth material, at least partially, will make it much easier prevent it from matting together into a slimy, stinky mess, and will make it easier to shred it into smaller pieces.

A few years ago I purchased a MacKissic 12PT9 shredder-chipper, which is the predecessor to the present MacKissic 12PT10 models that others have mentioned. Mine has a 9hp engine, while the new models have 10hp. I have been very happy with it. The hammer mills that Castoff mentioned usually are prohibitively expensive but, as it happens, the MacKissic shredder-chippers also shred with a hammer-mill section, and they are much more affordable and in your price range.

For your purposes, I would recommend the MacKissic 12PT10 and a few optional screens in addition to the standard included ¾" screen. I use my ¼" screen the most for compost, and my ½" screen for garden path material. You can experiment to find what size of screen holes best suit your needs.

I would start those experiments by using the standard ¾" screen. I would throw some of those big chips into the shredder hopper and, while they are in the hammer-mill chamber being bashed to smaller pieces by the swinging hammers, I would throw in some of the partially dried Water Hyacinth material. By alternately feeding the two materials, what comes out will be an intimate mixture, very suitable for composting. The wood chips will actually help keep the water hyacinths from clogging the screen holes.

You can then perfect the process by trying smaller screens. There are several advantages to processing the wood chips and water hyacinth material simultaneously. The disintegrating wood chips will help tear up the water hyacinths and the two will become intimately "married" in the process. The resulting material will have a head start on composting together.

The following "X-ray" picture should help you understand the structure of the MacKissic 12PT10 shredder-chipper.

MM
{{gwi:295347}}

bigoledude,

I incorrectly said that the standard included screen was a ¾" screen. That is wrong. The MacKissic 12PT10 comes with a 1" screen standard. I had purchased several screens, and forgot which one came standard.

The standard 1-inch screen would be a good one to start experimenting with the simultaneous feeding of big wood chips and dried Water Hyacinth material, because the 1-inch screen is less likely to clog in case the material is a little moist.

Incidentally, a clog is relatively easy to clear. For a bad clog, you can shut the machine off and drop the screen with no tools required and poke the stuff out with a stick. For minor clogs, I keep a few scrap pieces of dead wood around, maybe an inch to two inches in diameter, and when a clog starts to occur, I let the machine continue running while I simply toss in a chunk of that wood.

A mighty clatter ensues, and the screen gets cleared. MacKissic might not recommend that technique, but the machine is built of heavy gauge steel. If you wanted, you could even pulverize oyster shells in it. You will want to wear the included ear protectors, because it will be noisy. I wear the ear protectors anyway. The engine isn't particularly noisy, but the hammermill can generate quite a bit of noise. Those hammers just keep bashing the material until it gets small enough to escape through the holes in the screen.

Incidentally, the chips from anything you feed in through the chipper chute also go through the hammermill. If you don't want to reduce the size of the chips, simply remove the screen altogether and, as they say, "let the chips fall where they may."

You may not plan to use the chipper section, but you might find that it comes in handy anyway. I had occasion to process a lot of big wild grape vines and they tended to wrap around the hammermill rotor. So I just fed them in through the chipper chute and, problem solved! The chipper blade chopped the vines into short sections that gave no trouble in the hammermill section.

I had the ¼" screen on and those grape vines emerged as a fine, fluffy product that you would never have guessed had once been grape vines. It felt soft enough to fill a pillow with. It had a lot of surface area for rapid composting. The MacKissic shredder chippers are versatile machines.

Incidentally, you might want to order the optional hand-pulling handle if you don't want to pull it around with a garden tractor or riding mower. That handle makes it more convenient to pull it around by hand like a big toy wagon.

MM

Just to back up what has already been said go with the 12PT10, it's an animal ! I have a Mackissic that was made as an attachment for my Gravely tractor. It is the 12PT10 (without the engine). It is driven by the 12hp Kohler motor on my Gravely. It pulverizes everything. Here are some pics:

{{gwi:304441}}

{{gwi:304442}}

{{gwi:304443}}

- Kris

Thanks-a-ton everyone for the input on this issue. I'm ordering my Mackissic 12PT10E Monday. I'm purchasing it from West Power Tools. Free shipping and no sales tax. I'm saving over $400.00 compared with ordering it locally. Before Katrina struck I had some nice "stuff". But, I must admit I'm as fired-up over this machine as I ever was for any of my other acquisitions.

My wife had me explain to her several times exactly what it was that this machine accomplished. Each time, after I finished explaining, she would ask "how much"? Did you ever make a funny noise and your dog would look at you with his ears up and his head sorta cocked over to the side? Well, that's the look she gave me, even after several explanations.

Maineman; What a reply! Lucid, concise and, as accurate as any I've found anywhere on this bigole WWW. Brother, I may not know what size screens I'm gonna wind-up using. However, I sure understand (now) how this puppy works. Thanks again.

I just got back from my first foray into New England (Stamford & Greenwich, CT) and, found the people there to be just as kind and generous as you. It's not exactly what I was prepared for. You know, this thing about "Southern Hospitality" and all.

Castoff; I know a little about hammer mills. As a young "outside" machinist, I spent many miserable days working on hammer mills. Those mills could've easily "shredded" the family car in seconds. You sure gave me a mental picture I could relate to.

bas157; Woncha hook me up with one of ya podnahs over at Mackissic! LOL Thanks for the guidance.

krislu2003; Tell me you are not gonna put those logs that appear in the 1st photo into your machine? Just kidding! Nice rig btw.

Thanks again and God bless all-o-y'all!

Ray

Sorry dmullen. Didn't mean to forget you. Thanks for the info.

I actually have a couple of questions for y'all if don't mind. Dmullen, you mentioned a powder-like texture to your finished product when using the 1/4" screen. I plan on using my compost EXCLUSIVELY for gardens and containers. No soil per se.

I want some coarser bits incorporated into the mix in order to promote air circulation to the root zones. Rendering everything to a powder would hinder air flow. I guess after shredding, I'll have to remix the batches that were shredded with different sized screens, right?

Now thinking of using a Home Depot sized, electric cement mixer to mix the different sizes of material. Whadda-ya-think?

Ray

Ray,

"Now thinking of using a Home Depot sized, electric cement mixer to mix the different sizes of material. Whadda-ya-think?"

I would hold up on the electric cement mixer until you see firsthand what comes out of your 12PT10E machine. I have used my Mighty Mac to mix old compost with leaf litter and deadfall, simply by feeding the two materials together and using a larger screen like, maybe the standard 1-inch screen or the ¾" or ½" screen. Being bashed around in the hammermill section mixes materials rather well. I think that is a much more "active" mixing than you would get in a cement mixer.

There's nothing to say you can't reprocess some material that came out of the machine right back through the machine with the same or a different screen. A couple of years ago I ran some dry leaves through the 1-inch screen and as I started adding them to a compost pile noticed that it looked like they were going to form a separate "wet" layer. So I decided to reprocess that pile of "one-inch" leaves with some old rotten deadfall (dead and rotten twigs and small rotten tree limbs, tree bark, some scooped up leaf mold, a few acorns and pine cones, and some dirt). That mixture came out of the ½" screen as a nice porous dark fluffy product that "looked" already composted, although it went into a new compost pile.

I wouldn't worry too much about the "powder-like" texture that Dmullen mentioned for the ¼" screen. I think that was just his word choice to convey that the product is very fine compared to what other screens produce. Depending on what you put through it, the one-quarter-inch screen can produce some very compostable material, and it is my favorite screen. Dry leaves through it might need something else for porosity, because they tend to shatter and the particle sizes can range from ¼" on down to almost dust. But when you are processing small greenish tree branches and twigs, you can get some longish fibers that "sneak through" the ¼" holes. They can be various lengths, and some of them might be 2 inches long or more, which gives the product a kind of fine fibrous texture that has plenty of air space for composting. Depending on what you feed and how you feed it, you can get a whole spectrum of products from just the ¼" screen. The same principle holds true for the other screens as well.

Incidentally, if you do see some longish piece of something appear on your output pile that "sneaked through" a screen hole, just toss it back into the hopper. It won't be so "lucky" the second time through.

Before you spend money for a concrete mixer, I do recommend that you experiment with the MacKissic as a mixer. It can work well. While you are processing some new material for compost, throw in a little old active compost every now and then. The hammer mill will do an excellent job of "marrying it" with the new material to inoculate your pile.

MM

Sorry for my choice of words. It is not like talcum powder but is ground up really fine.

"The size of the free chips is really much larger than I want."

Just how big are they?
It appears to me you are getting way more machine then you need.
Chances are a 5HP unit will "chip" the pieces and then you could run them back through the shredder on something like a 5HP MTD/Sears etc.
I doubt it's like you're trying to chip 3" diameter "logs".

Bill- If you read the original post in it's entirety, he also says "I don't usually like hobby-grade equipment. Is there anything out there for around $1500.00 that can take-a-lickin-and-keep-on-tickin?" We gave him what he asked for.

- Kris

Hey Bill

I know you were lookin-out for me. However, there's more to the story.

The machine will be used for much more than just my own gardens and, I use a lot of material! All four of my sons have beautiful, large landscaped beds. In addition to their landscaped beds, the 2 youngest (twins) each have vegetable gardens nearly as large as mine. All these gardens will use lots of chips-n-stuff.

My twin sons own a landscaping company and, will buy any composted material I make. I am probably not gonna make a whole lot of stuff for the twin's business but, whenever I NEED a new tool or new toy the Ole-Mackissic will help pay for it. They're now paying $40.00 per cubic yard locally, and that's not 100% OM!

Can't say enough good things about the MacKissic. Owned one for 2 years now and it is a beast(12PT10). As a "Is it tough statement", I put a 1 inch solid brass ball through it (hiding in the stuff I was shredding). It was a aweful racket! It made a few dents on the inside of the tub is all. I called MacKissic and told them. He said that they have a safety test where they pour large ball bearings into them at full speed! I've put a few small rocks through it (not a habit) and it doesn't phase it in the least.

Creating many yard's worth of material is a bit extreme though. I would say the only down side of the 12PT units is that it dumps the material on the ground under/behind the unit. It doesn't have a chute that can be aimed. As you grind, you have to move the unit off the material pile. Some folks put a tarp down and drag the stuff away keeping the unit stationary.

If you plan on becoming a "mulch mill", you might look at the bigger MacKissics.

good luck
-gh

GH,

"As you grind, you have to move the unit off the material pile. Some folks put a tarp down and drag the stuff away keeping the unit stationary."

I simply use a spade or shovel to scoop the material out from under the machine every few minutes. I leave my machine parked in a stationary location. Using the spade has created a kind of tunnel between the wheels under the machine. That increased space has room for some material. Clearing the accumulation from under my machine takes only a small percentage of my time. Most of my time is spent feeding the machine.

Actually, there is a bagging kit for the 12PT series of machines. Product 900-0116 is the Bagging Kit for 12P/12PT/12PTE and product 800-0045 is the Replacement Bag only.

I spend a rather small fraction of my time pulling the product out from under the machine. That forms a big pile in front of the machine. So I haven't felt the need for a bagging kit. But one is available.

MM

Hey greenhobby

I do like bigole stuff. However, I'm not really all that energetic any more. Keeping up with our substantial garden needs would probably be enough work for me. The idea of selling some to the twin's customers was more of a job I had intended for the wife. You know, while she was restin'.

Gettin' all that hyacinth out of the water ain't exactly the easiest thing. I've been reading though, and, hyacinth is some pretty hi-powered stuff for making compost with! Want some? Come-n-git-it. There's millions of tons of it, free!

And, I just know that whenever the boys spot a nice-looking pile-o-compost, they'd insist on puttin' it in one of their own beds!

Maineman,

Sure you can shovel/pitch it out of the way (I've done that as well). My point though was if the OP is going to make money at selling yards of the stuff, a chute that can be aimed into a truck would be the best way (IMHO). I looked at the bagging setup when I purchased it new and wasn't all that impressed. Decided that just moving it from the ground to a cart was ok (or pulling the unit along).

Bigoledude,

I agree that keeping the gardens clean is a fair amount of work. With my 12PT10, I can make a lot of mulch for my gardens (flower and veggie). I wouldn't want to make much more than that though!

You won't be disappointed...
-gh