Frequently Asked Questions About Wood Chippers
What is a wood chipper used for?
Wood chippers are used to reduce branches, logs, and tree waste into wood chips or mulch. They are essential for forestry, land clearing, municipal tree maintenance, and agricultural operations across South Africa.
What types of wood chippers does MCM sell?
MCM Group offers PTO-driven wood chippers (powered by a tractor), self-powered industrial wood chippers, and wood chipper attachments for skid steers and excavators. Models range from small residential to heavy-duty commercial units.
What size wood chipper do I need?
The right wood chipper depends on the diameter of material you need to process and the volume of work. Smaller models handle branches up to 150mm, while larger industrial chippers can process logs up to 400mm or more.
Can a wood chipper be attached to a tractor?
Yes, MCM offers PTO-driven wood chippers that attach directly to the three-point hitch of a tractor and are powered by the tractor PTO shaft. This is a popular and cost-effective option for farmers and landowners.
Tree felling contractors in South Africa's urban areas face a growing requirement to chip all material on site, as municipalities increasingly prohibit open burning within town boundaries and skip hire for green waste has become expensive. A self-propelled or towable wood chipper allows contractors to process tree trunks, limbs and brush into chip that can be left on site as mulch, collected by landscapers or transported in a much-reduced volume compared to whole branches.
Infeed capacity (the maximum branch diameter the chipper can accept) is the most important specification for tree work. Smaller disc chippers handle branches to 100—150 mm diameter — suitable for garden and light commercial tree work. Drum chippers process 200—300 mm diameter material and above, suitable for full tree felling operations and municipal street tree pruning contracts.
MCM Group supplies wood chippers with full local warranty, chipping knife and anvil replacement parts and after-sales service from our branches in Cape Town, George, Gauteng and Bloemfontein. Contact us for a demonstration and model recommendation based on your typical material size and daily volume.
