Hi Gang ! It's good to see a few responses to my suggestion(s): >Instead of using branches, use 1x2's or 2x2's. They should be less likley to cause injuries. First team to grind up their wood wins. I would be more worried about the chipper flying apart. Those things spin at high RPMs. If it's not ballanced right, Look Out! This idea may not have been on the FAQ, but I know it has been mentioned before.
Regarding the nuclear idea. Do we judge that by greatest hair loss or most cases of cancer? Actually, I forgot to mention the possibility of using lumber, as it is easily available, and like you said, should be less dangerous. Yes, there is no question that these machines would have to be constructed with a care as to the danger possible. The actually chipper ( I had pictured a "squirrel cage powered by a big V-8 surrounded by metal shields type of thing ) is going to be very tricky to construct. How to judge the nuclear thing ? Most survivors wins. If any. >Ya, Junkman, remember the end of the movie "Fargo". A little dangerous but sounds like a fun challenge.... I couldn't sit through Fargo. I never understood the popularity. Now "The Gumball Rally", now THAT'S A MOVIE. >Yes and have it wind powered and grind grain too. Ah, a reference to the worst Junkyard Wars show ever. This one had me screaming at the TV to stop the cheating of the team that was "manually turning" their "windmill" in order to keep it spinning. That show was shown the same night as the disastrous "bombing blimp" and airplane. Two of the worst shows. ( I have them all on tape, and not at $19.95 per :-) >I would hope that the "chief expert" (the one that has to bet the farm) is smart enough to teach the crews the safest way to operate the more dangerous equipment. A butterknife can be dangerous to the untrained. Here at the Watts Compound we use surgical chainsaws to spread butter. >well.perhaps some type of safety screen could be put around the wood chipper.. the idea has some possibilities Ideally, these would probably be the most dangerous machines ever attempted on JW, and extensive efforts and procedures would have to be put into place to protect the teams. Or maybe not. Reality shows can be dangerous. You know about the "When Police Attack" shows all over TV don't you ? >People get sucked though those things every now and then. The Factory built one are dangerous enough. I can see george/robert covered in gore saying "MMM Tasty!" I can't really see that unless condiments are provided. bobwatts..... Earth

-- bobwatts (watscarb@one.net), February 09, 2001

Answers

Obviously cutting and pasting a sensible, well laid out post went to hell with the way the server crammed my message into one long sentence. I hope it can be interpreted.....bobwatts

-- bobwatts (watscarb@one.net), February 09, 2001.

Well, since you went to all the cut-n-paste trouble…here is what would work. I grew up in a “tree company family” (when my father started, they used horses) and I have built a few pieces of equipment.

It could be a good challenge as there are two types of chippers, drum and disk. The drum chipper is what most people notice. It is high RPM, loud and fast. It’s like giving a carrot to Taz. It yanks the limbs in at a high foot per minute. The disc chipper is more refined (like Bugs and the carrot) it eats steadily and constantly. Both are efficient in their own way…

The high RPM’s are used to make the chipper with a smaller (cheaper) engine and to blow the chips out the other end cleanly. There are booster fans on most chippers to aid in blowing the chips under heavier loads. You don’t need extreme RPM’s if you use a big motor and a big flywheel (the flywheel does most of the work anyway).

If you limit the wood to pine 2 x 4’s, the loading wouldn’t be too bad, so again, the lower rpm would be okay. A team with an efficient blower would also excel (Maybe an electric one or an additional small motor.)

Anyway, I explain too much. The cutter assemblies (a disc and a drum) would need to be inspected and “seeded” into the yard. This would be the biggest safety concern. Additionally, 15 minutes of training on how to place the boards in would be a must. (Believe me, you only put Hawthorn (a thorned tree) in a chipper wrong ONCE!)

So it can be done and can be interesting. There are a lot of factors I didn’t include so not to spoil the potential fun…

-- Dan Denney (bolden2@hotmail.com), February 09, 2001.

I still cringe when i think about it. People would get killed if you had someone who didn't grow up around that sort of stuff. The Brothers Long would be OK as a silage chopper and a tree chipper are essentialy the same equipment. "MMM Tasty!" Said Robert/George

-- Stephen A. Binion (Stephenbinion@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

Aw...just put a 8' x 8' lexan shield on the input end with a 4" x 4" hole in it. (And keep it 24" away)...

Hey! Throw sausages into it and aim it at George!

Hmmmm...Tasty...

-- Dan Denney (bolden2@hotmail.com), February 13, 2001.