I get this question often enough that I figured it was time to make an article post to go with the video I made last year. It’s a short video so give it a watch. (See below) In short, The general rule of thumb is to run material that’s approximately 2″ smaller than the smallest throat opening dimension.
Let’s take the Morbark BVR line for example. The BVR 13 has a throat opening of 14 inches by 17 and a quarter inch so we would call that model a 12 inch chipper. In other words, the BVR 13 will take a steady diet of 12 inch logs all day long with an occasional 13 to 14 inch piece.
Now, the BVR 10 has the same throat opening size but… smaller engine options, no hydraulic lift/ crush and only one feed wheel so we call that model a 10 inch chipper. The BVR 10 will take a steady diet of 8 to 10 inch logs all day long with the occasional 12 inch piece.
The general rule of thumb is to run material that’s approximately 2″ smaller than the smallest throat opening dimension.
NOTE: Overfeeding a chipper can cause long term damage to your equipment.
The BVR 16 and BVR 19 would use that 2 inch rule too. With a 17 inch by 25 and a half inch throat opening, the BVR 16 would be a 15” capacity chipper and with a 20” by 25 and a half inch throat opening the BVR 19 would be an 18” capacity chipper.
So, is it right that “if it fits it chips”?
Sure, but at what cost? You’ve just invested a substantial amount of money in an important piece of equipment. Why decrease the life of it to get some higher logs through it?
So if you’re in the market for a chipper, I suggest give some serious consideration to what you might be chipping in a year or two when your company starts to grow. Depending on the growth you’re projecting, it might be wiser to invest in a larger capacity chipper rather than what you need to get through the jobs you’re getting right now.
I’ll leave you with these final thoughts…
How you treat your machine and regular maintenance are key to its longevity. Grease all the grease points and keep your knives sharp & belts tight. And keep that anvil gapped properly otherwise you’ll just be hammering that wood instead of cutting it. You’ll get a much longer life out of your chipper if you take care of it. Wear your gear, work safe and keep your equipment clean. See you next time.
For more on this, take a couple of minutes to watch this video.
