Wood chippers provide a valuable asset for businesses to create fuel-grade wood chip. Also, cutting down large material to produce smaller pieces of wood, can save a lot of work and time. That kind of power puts a lot of responsibility on the user. If safety guidelines aren’t followed properly, it can result in serious injuries. There are also guidelines to follow on what you can put into a wood chipper for smooth and safe operation.
Can you put pallets in a wood chipper?
Wood chippers are designed to take in larger pieces of wood and convert them into wood chip. While different chippers can handle a variety of materials, our chippers are engineered to handle the following:
- Pallets
- Waste wood
- Wood logs
What not to put into a wood chipper?
For every right way to do something, there’s also a wrong way. To ensure you are using the chipper safely, avoid inserting materials that will damage your chipper. This includes:
- Rocks
- Rubber
- Plastic
- Metal (excluding nails in pallets)
- Glass
Can you put cardboard in a wood chipper?
It’s advisable to use wood for wood chippers only, so not to insert any cardboard or paper. For more guidance, each chipper should come with a manual advising the best practices for your wood chipper. It should discuss factors such as operational requirements, technical information and safety instructions.
Feeding wood that’s too large or wide into the chipper can raise the risk of accidents, potentially injuring people or damaging the machine. To avoid this, make sure the wood you’re putting in fits within the chipper’s shaft size. If necessary, cut it down to the right dimensions before feeding it in. It’s a simple step that helps maintain safety and efficiency.
Can wood chippers shred leaves?
Wood chippers are designed to convert larger pieces of wood into smaller wood chip. They do not shred leaves; this is more suited for shredders.
Best safety practices for a wood chipper
Whether you are a novice or have been using chippers for some time, it’s important to educate yourself about the stringent safety guidelines of using one.
1. Wear appropriate clothing
Ensure you wear short-sleeved clothing and remove anything that may get pulled into the machine, such as belts, straps or pieces of jewellery. For your safety and protection, it’s also important to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmets, safety glasses, and gloves.
2. Clear the area
Clear any obstacles or tripping hazards around the wood chipper, and keep the area tidy for easy movement. Don’t let the wood chips pile up too much. If they do, turn off the machine, remove the pile, and store it away to reduce the risk of slips and falls.
3. Choose a safe distance
It’s important not to get too close when inserting the wood into the chipper. It contains sharp blades, teeth or grates that operate at high speeds. Our chippers come with a self-feeding system that pulls the material in automatically, enabling safe operation.
4. Only use wood
As it’s a wood chipper, only wood should be inserted. Materials such as glass, rock and metal (unless it’s nails in a pallet) should not be used as they may get caught in the gears. Chippers work at extremely high speeds, so may even run the risk of shooting the material out if it’s a projective danger.
5. Regular maintenance
Your wood chipper should be inspected at least once a year to make sure all the components are working efficiently. Also check for any signs of damage and ensure screws and bolts are tightly screwed on.
Maintaining your wood chipper
Wood chippers are not only powerful tools for converting waste wood into high-quality wood chip, but they are also low-maintenance. To ensure optimal performance for your chipper, follow these steps:
- Ensure you grease the bearings for smooth operation
- Ensure teeth are properly secured
- Empty water out of the compressor service
- Check the cutting system via hatches with integrated safety switches
Most chippers come with a maintenance guide, which is helpful for using the chipper in a safe and efficient way.
How to use a wood chipper
Once all the safety measures have been considered, using your wood chipper is simple from here.
Simply insert your waste wood, wood pallets or other suitable wood material into the chute and the cutting mechanism will start chipping your wood. Continue feeding wood in at a steady pace that the chipper can handle, keeping your hands and body clear of the chute at all times for safety. In no time at all, you’ll have a pile of wood chips ready to use to sell on, fuel biomass boilers, or other intended purposes.
Here at GlenFarrow, we are biomass boiler and wood chipper specialists, offering high-quality solutions for your business needs. We supply both pallet chippers and auto-chippers for converting wood into valuable pieces of wood chip.
Contact our knowledgeable team today for more information.
