How Does A Wood Chipper Work? Answers To All Your Questions!

How do wood chippers work? They all work in the same basic manner. They receive wood material through a hopper and the wood gets shredded by a cutting mechanism featuring sharp blades. The process is complete when the wood chips are discarded through the discharge chute.

Do you have a pile of leaves, branches, and twigs in your backyard? Don’t know how to make this yard debris useful? 

I have an idea! Why not turn it into a mulch using a wood chipper. You can get one from my best review list. A wood chipper is an awesome machine that can turn your yard waste into a gardener’s gold. 

But how does it do it? How does a wood chipper work? 

Understanding how wood chippers work will help you get a better idea of what to expect from your machine and how to use it safely and effectively. 

I will explain in detail how wood chippers operate and help you pick the best type for your yard. You can find lots more below! 

Everything You Need To Know About Wood Chippers

What Is A Wood Chipper?

A wood chipper is a machine used for reducing wood into wood chips or sawdust. Wood chippers are used for recycling wood, for the maintenance of property and land, and for cleaning up after tornados and storms. 

Industrial wood chippers have a much bigger cutting capacity than residential machines. They can cut tree limbs, trunks, and big branches. Wood chippers for home use can shred thinner branches, twigs, and leaves typically found on lawns. 

Despite the difference in size and power, all wood chippers work in the same basic manner. Let’s see how wood chippers work.

How Does A Wood Chipper Work?

All wood chippers, regardless of their size and build, have the same basic operation. You feed the wood chipper wood material through the hopper. The sharp rotating blades then shred the wood into chips, which get thrown out through the discharge chute. 

All wood chippers have an internal engine that powers this process. Wood chippers either have a fuel-powered engine or an electric motor that needs to be plugged into an outlet. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages, which I will discuss in the next section.

The job of the engine is to make the crankshaft turn inside a wood chipper. A crankshaft is considered the backbone of the engine. It converts linear motion into rotational motion.

Once the crankshaft is up and running, it either engages or disengages the clutch. The engine has to reach a certain RPM (rounds per minute) to engage the clutch and get the drive belt moving. 

The drive belt turns the impeller that has sharp blades or chipper knives. Once the impellers start rotating, the blades are ready for action. When you hear the impeller turning, you can start feeding your wood chipper branches, twigs, leaves, acorns, and grass through a hopper. 

Wood chippers typically feature two separate hoppers for processing wood. A large intake hopper located on the top of the machine is dedicated to twigs, foliage, vines, grass, and other finer yard debris. The hopper feeder on the side can receive longer and thicker logs and branches. 

No matter which hopper you feed, you should never push the material inside with your hands. Always use the push stick that the machine comes with or another branch to get the material in or to release a jam.

Once the material reaches the impeller, it will gradually get cut into small wood particles called wood chips or mulch. You can use them in your garden, add them to compost, or use them to hide mud on your lawn. Check out these clever uses for wood chips.

Big logs can get reduced to almost nothing thanks to the sharp rotating blades, which either operate on separate shafts or via an intermesh system. The perk of having several blades operating on individual shafts is that the wood gets repeatedly shredded when passing through at a high speed. 

But, an intermesh blade system makes the machine self-feeding. Intermesh blades draw the branches inside on their own. This cutting mechanism produces wood chips of consistent size. 

The last step of the process is the discharge. The wood chipper uses airflow and fins at the back of the impeller to shoot the wood chips through a discharge chute. Use it to angle and deflect the shredded wood into a pile, a garbage bag, or onto a trailer. 

Depending on which wood chipper you buy, some may feature different blade configurations, or have added hammers and additional components as part of the process. Despite that, the operation remains the same across the board.

5 Types Of Wood Chippers

You will come across many different types of wood chippers when you start shopping for one. I recommend you start picking your wood chipper based on the power source you want, so you don’t get overwhelmed. 

Once you decide whether you want a gas or electric chipper, you can start looking at the mechanisms. Let’s take a closer look at each type.

Gas Powered Wood Chippers

If you own a big property that produces lots of yard debris, consider buying a gas-powered wood chipper. Gas-powered wood chippers are stronger than electric ones. They can take on bigger and more demanding shredding tasks. 

Gas wood chippers are also a better choice for people who live in areas that often get hit by tornados and storms. This way, you can clean up the aftermath, even if there is a power shortage in your town. You only have to fill up the tank to get the engine going. 

I also like how gas wood chippers are not restricted by the length of the electric cord and they don’t have to be connected to an electrical outlet on your house or garage. They are fully portable and can be taken anywhere. 

On the downside, gas wood chippers are typically bigger, heavier, and bulkier. They are not the easiest to carry or move and can be a bit cumbersome to use. 

Another drawback is that you always need to make sure you have enough fuel in the tank before starting the job. If not, your machine will die on you in the middle of shredding. This rarely happens with electric models, unless there is a power shortage.

If you are favoring gas machines, be prepared to spend a little bit more on them. Gas-powered chippers tend to be more expensive. They also require more maintenance and need gasoline. These are the expenses we often forget about. 

Electric Wood Chippers

In general, electric wood chippers are an excellent accessory for smaller yards that don’t produce lots of debris for shredding. They are also ideal for those who are just starting out with landscaping and don’t know their way around gas machines. 

Electric wood chippers are easier to use and operate. They have a quick start so you don’t have to pull on a cord to fire up the engine. Just turn the switch, and you are good to go. 

Electric wood chippers are also lightweight and compact, unlike gas-powered units, so they are easier to haul around the yard. They, however, are tied to your house or electrical outlet.

On the bright side, you won’t have to deal with smelly gasoline and oil changes. Electric units don’t require regular maintenance because battery motors require less upkeep than gas engines. 

Electric chippers are beginner-friendly and cheap since they don’t require seasonal maintenance and gasoline refills. 

Just keep in mind that electric wood chippers are typically not as strong as gas chippers. You may not be able to shred thicker branches as effectively or bigger heaps of yard debris in one go. Electric chippers are better suited for light to moderate yard cleanups. 

Are electric wood chippers any good? Find out in this YouTube video: 

High Torque Roller Wood Chippers

Wood chippers with high torque rollers are great for residential home use. Most of them are powered by electric motors, which means they are quiet and operate slower than drum and disc wood chippers. This type of chipper won’t disturb your neighbors or hurt your ears. 

Most high torque roller wood chippers are self-feeding. This makes them safer and easier to use and an ideal choice for beginners. Some even have an anti-jamming feature. 

Drum Wood Chippers

Drum wood chippers feature a large drum in the center of the machine. The drum draws the wood material into itself like a feeder. The drum can take in huge amounts of material, which makes it ideal for big cleanups. 

Wood chippers with a drum work very fast and are loud. They are also more dangerous to use. You have to be careful not to get your clothes caught in the mechanism when feeding the drum. In fact, you should never wear loose-fitting clothes and scarves while operating any type of wood chipper. You run the risk of getting injured. 

The drum and the engine are directly connected. Any jam within the drum will affect the engine and possibly stall the operation. Working with a drum wood chipper requires caution and precision.

See how this industrial drum wood chipper operates:

Disc Wood Chippers 

Disc wood chippers feature a disc with cutting blades. Hydraulic wheels draw the material towards the rotating disc from the hopper. Sharp blades slice the wood into small chips with hardly any effort.

Industrial wood chippers can feature a disc as large as 160 inches in diameter. But smaller models can be found for residential use. They are a great alternative to high torque and drum chippers. 

Disc wood chippers represent a sweet middle ground. They are more dangerous than high torque chippers but not nearly as much as drum models. 

FAQs

Now You Know Everything About Wood Chippers! 

You no longer have to ask yourself: How does a wood chipper work? Now you know exactly how!

A wood chipper is a pretty straightforward machine with a tried and proven mechanism. Its operation starts at the hopper and ends at the discharge chute. The sharp blades step in the middle of the process to turn branches into useful mulch. 

Now that you know the ins and outs of your wood chipper, you can use it safely and effectively. You can use your machine to its fullest potential without it breaking down. 

Feel free to ask any questions on the topic in the comments and share your experience in using a wood chipper. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!