iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Mitts and Merrill M-11 Chipper

Started by rmallaire, October 05, 2018, 05:42:47 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

rmallaire

Hello everyone,

I recently bought a chuck n duck style chipper for personal use on my property.  It was decommissioned from a town that had it since new, due to safety they upgraded to a new hydraulic one.  

Ford 300 inline 6 cylinder engine, 9" wide opening. It sat for a few years so I will need to fully service it before expecting to use it.  I was given spare knives for it.  There was a folder of paperwork given to me with receipts for new parts over the last 15 years including a clutch rebuild, new carburetor, started, plugs, wires, points, some other minor services performed too.

I was wondering if anyone could provide me any pointers for using this chipper.  I've never ran one of these before.  Also, does anyone know where I can get a service manual for it?  I am looking to identify where all of the grease fittings are, and general maintenance procedures.  

Thank you for reading, any help would be appreciated.  

Attached is a picture



Ed_K

 On the one I had only had grease fittings on the flywheel bearings and one on the hand clutch, don't put to much grease in the clutch or it'll blow the seal out. I always loaded from the left side to keep from getting wacked with brush ends. Be real careful when pushing the brush in that doesn't just blow thru. A lot of times the blades just wont pull stuff in. Wear a pair of anti-vibration gloves, and even then your hands are going to get numb. Good luck and be safe.
 PS. Don't let any kids be around when it's running.
Ed K

rmallaire

Hi Ed,

Thank you for all of the suggestions.  The brush will actually blow through without even being chipped? I noticed rubber flaps are missing, I'll been to add them for safety.  I have never fed one, but several people told me the same about making sure you load it from the side and not have anything lose such as gloves or clothing.  Do you engage the clutch at idle then rev up?

Thank you,
Randy 

brianJ

Im envious.   Looks like a lot of fun

chet

The most critical thing that effects the performance of this style of chipper is a cutter bar that is not excessively worn. And also maintaining proper knife to cutter bar clearance.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Haleiwa

Once you get it running, let it idle for a few minutes and then bring it up to speed and let it run for awhile before putting anything through it.  Shut it off and turn it by hand, looking and listening for any indication of dry or loose bearings, interference, or cracked or holed panels.  Sometimes shaking the rust off will reveal something.  Also, warming up the bearings will help ensure that they take grease.  If it's an over center clutch, burnish it at low speed and then readjust it if needed.  Sometimes the disc faces get scaley if they sit too long.
Socialism is people pretending to work while the government pretends to pay them.  Mike Huckabee

Ed_K

If you have like 1/4" - 1/2" brush going thru without cutting into 3/4" - 1" pieces you need to re-adjust the cutter drum up closer to the anvil bar. I can't remember but I think the anvil moves to make the adjustment. On the clutch I brought the engine up to temp, then at a little over idle push the lever in a little the get the chipper moving then when the drum is running same rpm as the engine push the lever over the cam to lock and then bring the rpm's up to speed. Let it run a min or two before throwing brush in.
Ed K

rmallaire

Thank you to everyone for the replies this far. 

Haleiwa, great ideas for the initial start-up, I will follow those instructions.  I will warm it up before attempting to grease any of the fittings.  I am not sure what the clutch is considered, over center or not. I will look for a ID tag on the clutch and provide what it is. 

Chet, thank you for the recommendation about knives and cutter bar.  I am unfamiliar with the cutter bar.  Does that too get sharpened/ re-planed?

Ed_K, thank you about clarifying my question about chip size.  Is the anvil bar the same as the cutter bar that Chet mentioned?  To clarify, you can adjust chip size based on the setting of anvil / cutter bar?  I will look into that later today and take some pictures also. The start up procedure I will follow too. 

Randy

Ed_K

 Yes, the anvil is the same cutter bar Chet speaks of. The adjustment is for getting a clean cut,you really can't use it for different chip sizes.
Ed K

Maine372

this is affectionately called a 'chuck and duck' style chipper.

as one knife makes a chip the next comes around and pulls the brush in for more at a rapid pace! the basic idea is that you and it don't have ahold of the brush at the same time. lay the bundle on the table, and then push it in, making sure you aren't entangled in any way. most of the time I hang onto the material 4-6' back so im not closer to the machine than needed. use longer brush to push shorter pieces in.

gloves with big cuffs are asking for trouble, Velcro cuffs are best. loose clothing, drawstrings and the like are asking for trouble.


Southside

Also don't run it without having the hitch hooked to something, they will tip up and try to eat you if enough weight is on the infeed table and the hitch is not secure.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

rmallaire

Does anyone know what the tolerance/ gap between knives and cutter table should be?

Maine372

60/1000 or about the tip of a flathead screwdriver. bandit still makes this style chipper and they come with a feeler gauge.

chet

I always used the flap from a book of matches. You want it to put a slice in the cardboard without cutting it in two.  Are you sure your cutter bar is still in good shape?
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

rmallaire

I am sending the cutter bar out to be re-surfaced at a local sharpening business for less than $30, it will allow me to start with four new edges.  Thank you for the recommendations of 60/1000 inch and also the truck of using card stock.  Does anyone know of a source where I can see step by step instruction for setting the bar to the drum then setting the bar to blades? I read some other forums with drum chuck and duck chippers and I saw instructions for setting the bar to the drum (1/4"?) then setting the knives to the bar (60/1000). 

As for re-installing the knives into the drum, I noticed a dowel pin on the wedge goes into the back side of the knive.  Does does dowel pin allign the knife into place, making them all equal (as long as they were all sharpened uniformly)?

kiko

I am not familiar with the chipper you have, but on  the larger chippers I deal with as the knives are sharpened and thus made shorter, babbet must be added to the back of the knife to maintain knife protrusion.  

chet

Quote from: rmallaire on March 17, 2019, 06:53:53 AMAs for re-installing the knives into the drum, I noticed a dowel pin on the wedge goes into the back side of the knive.  Does does dowel pin allign the knife into place, making them all equal (as long as they were all sharpened uniformly)?
I haven't worked with that chipper since the 70's. But if my memory is correct, the pin was to keep a knife from being thrown if it had not been installed or tightened correctly.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Thank You Sponsors!