Nows the time were battling with the never ending falling leaves.

We can rake them. ” Oh my aching back ! ” or we can blow them away. ” thats a little better. ” or we can shred them! Aha!

Is your yard full of twigs, acorns, and leaves? Why not shred them and make useful mulch and compost.

They make all kinds of models. Stationary models, towable models, and mobile push models that include vacuums to clean up a yard full of leaves, by vacuuming them into a bag. Wow my kind of model.You need to ask yourself some of these questions to decide what kind of model you need .

1. Is my shredder/chipper for home use or commercial? Me I have 5 acres of cleared area and 80 acres of surrounding woods I’d say I need a commercial model.

2. How large is my property and how many trees do I have in that area?

3. Will I be using the shredder/chipper with my garden tractor?

These questions will help you to determine what type of chipper/shredder you will need.

Now lets go shopping!!

Chippers /shredders are heavy duty power equipment used to help reduce yard waste. They are two machines in one.The chipping mechanism turns tree limbs and branches into chips ,good for mulching gardens, flower beds, walkways, or any number of other things. The shredding mechanism converts plants and leaves into pieces for the compost pile. Again good for all kinds of things.

Most units have one or two steel blades that are 3 to 4 inches long that are used for chipping and 8 to 28 shredding blades that swing freely to shred material that comes through the chute or hopper.

When you shop consider: 1. Engine horsepower and shredder revolutions per minute (RPMs)

2. The number of blades. The more blades the more efficient the machine will be.

3. Reduction ratio is 10-1 ratio 10 bags of waste will be reduced to 1 bag of shredded waste.

Now we know how they work lets look for features that are beneficial

1. Reliable Engine–Dual ball bearings extend the engines life, Cast iron sleeves withstand wear and abuse and provide improved oil control . A OHV design runs cooler and is cleaner, delivering more power, longer engine life and improved fuel economy.

2. Easy start— nothing worse then struggling for an hour trying to get your equipment to run. electric ignition is the key to a smooth quick start.

3. Self Feeding– free swinging shredding hammers for self feeding action.

4. Two Chipping knives for smooth cutting.

5. Easy accessible shredding chamber for easy cleaning in case of jamming .

6. and last but not least check your accessories an optional vacuum kit and tractor tow bar are great accessories to have.

One more suggestion

A great way to find the right unit for you is to visit your local dealer. See how much noise and vibration the engine makes. See how easy the machine is to turn. Be sure to start the unit try out the controls, ask alot of questions.

Last but not least ask about their service.

If you do a little looking and choose wisely for your needs , your chipper/shredder will last for years to come.