g'day shelly,

only one as far as i'm concerned that is the 'greenfield peacemaker' whether you buy it with a b&s motor or honda motor (reputed to be the better motor).

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

I too have been quite dissapointed with munchers in general. Some jam, some cut the stuff way too big, some spit out long chewed lengths of stuff.

Len, did you mean the Honda motor is the best?? Is it better lasting or more powerful or what?

Shelley, what did it cost to hire the industrial muncher? I have considered doing this myself. Our present muncher is not working at the moment and I am not convinced it is worth spending any money on.

Cheers,
Dee.

Hi Shelley,

We started with a Ryobi electric muncher about 18 years ago. After a few of our nursing wattles died it was too small for them so we bought a 5HP Granberg with B&S motor for $900. It does the job reasonably well, however here is a list of things I do not like about it:
1. Very heavy to move about
2. Very difficult to start, I have to relly on my husband to start it, which is very annoying
3. As noted by Dee tends to spew some branches unshredded.
4. Also tends to get blocked and is EXTREMELY difficult to unblock, the top does not unscrew easily.

Some time ago I saw other shredders during Perth Garden Week and I tried some with Honda and B&S motor. Honda is much easier to start but is more expensive.

I would like to try the biggest electric muncher which is much quieter and much lighter to move for smaller material. That way I could do the shredding without my husband being present. The big muncher would be for yearly tree prunnings. I think I will take a bag of my stuff for this year's Garden week (starts on Friday this week at Perry Lakes) and try it out there.

Hi Len, Dee and Meggs.

The industrial one cost $135 a day to hire and took branches up to 3 inches in diameter, If we got it back withing 4 hours the price went down to $105.

Meggs I sympathise with you, it is no good me buying one that I need to get my husband to start for me and the fact yours jams so much isnt good. Let me know if you find a good electric one.

Len thanks for the recommend I will check out that link.

Shelley

g'day dee & shelly,

yes i meant the honda has the best durability and reliability!? recommendations about it from users that i ahve read. for me i ahd the b&s ic 5hp and as always the b&s did the job very well i had no problems with it but then with my background i do tend to know how to run a new motor in and use it within it's capabilities.

the greenfield (and i can't help saying it is "damn fine machinery") will do all material fibrous or otherwise, you must all remember though these machines are only common garden type shredders they are not chippers, chipping is an added capacity that the user must know the limitations of the main variable whether branches are hardwood or softwood. if you require a chipper then you need to buy a chipper (about twice the price of a good shredder) and for the main us common garden type folk can't afford them and i don't realy think we need them.

and a word to the wise it pretty much doesn't matter how much you spend on an electric model they always have been and always will be in the toy catagory in the average garden, and box models purchased from discounters come under the 'pig in a poke' catagory you get what you pay for, you want good machinery with after sales service/advice you go to a specialist.

i don't want to talk anyone out of buying a good machine but for the main as i see it most gardeners could get by with just hiring a shredder as they need it, good hire companies have the greenfield's for hire, this way you don't have the capitol expenditure nor the servicing or maintenance to be concerned about.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

Thanks Len,
Dee.

I agree Dee, Thanks Len you have been a great help. I think I will struggle on with my pathetic electric one and then hire the industrial one once or twice a year. Plan major pruning with that in mind. Seeing as how this is towed on a trailed behind a car, it would be great if others in my area wanted to use it the same day. That would reduce costs.

Shelley

We've got a Troybuilt mulcher and it's a beauty. I think it's about 10HP and it cost a fair bit but it goes every time. If I was to buy one again, I'd look for one that threw the mulch out up high. This one discharges the mulch underneath it and you need to keep raking it out, or moving the mulcher. It mulches branches up to about 50mm when they're fresh, but we usually put the heavier branches aside and burn them.
Barbara B

I have a Greenfield 'Peacemaker'. It has plenty of power, starts first time every time and doesn't clog up when you use it to mulch palm leaves (which is my main mulching material).

Andrew.

yes shelly twice a year is plenty for cleaning up the garden (don't cut and store until the material gets dry cut all yor material then on say one day then hire the machine in the next few days thereafter) that is all i ever used mine, so to have say a machine worth $1000+ sitting around is maybe not the best and sitting there doing nothing does nothing for the engines reliability once it has been run. and a 4 hour hire will be more than enough for one body to cope with hey lol.

well there you go barbara look at the greenfield next time around they have i think a 10hp model but get it with the electric start.

i did actually get mine to clog a couple of times andrew when i tried to push too much sweet ptoatoe and/or pumpkin vine through it but the greenfield is a very easy machine to unclog no tools needed. but it was a dream on palm fronds and those other fibrous thingies.

len

I have a Cox chipper shredder. Works great for me and I use it all the time. Easy enough to move around that I often take with me and chip the branches right back under the trees they come off off. I have never had it get jammed. Starts every time. Takes hardwood branches up to about 3 inches if green and about 2 inches if dry. I use it for just about everything coming out of the yard and for making lucene and sheep manuer mulch. Only complait I have about it is it tends to much things up very fine, great for compost but a little bigger would be better for mulch which is what I use it for. I would not want to be without it.
Deb

Does anybody know where I can hire an industrial mulcher from?
Shelley...you say it was $135 a day...do they deliver & pick up?

palm,

call the hire companies, also it may not be so much dearer to have a bloke come, he will have chain saw etc.,. to do the work for you, creating a pile of chip and taking a trailer load of rubbish to the tip. too easy.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page