Shredder

Im about to buy a shredder want to be able to cut about inch size,what size should l get guys? :confused: :confused:

 

Which kind you want depends on what you normnally shred and what you want to do with the 'bits'. First of all though, go for the biggest wattage you can afford, the more powerful the motor the easier it is to use. Second, if you want to shred woody material then the kind which pulls the material through (self feeding) is the one. Avoid though one with an archimedes type screw blade (a sharp spiral affair). They are impossible to sharpen. If most of your material is soft green stuff then go for one with a rotary cutter. These will do woody material but obviously not as well as green. Some of the ones which do woody material do not like green stuff.

 

Many thanks Palustris

 

IMHO they are a pain, the ones most of us can afford cut, if at all, then at such a snails pace that it drives me mad. The ones that work are huge and noisy, and cost thousands. My dad and a couple of clients have bought the smaller electric ones, and after a couple of months they all seem to disappear to the back of the shed.

 

I must admit mine is a pain. It is noisy, dusty with dry stuff, and clogs up with green. having said that I do use it regularly and put the resulting chopped stuff in the compost.
I find that the most annoying and hard to deal with stuff is yucca and palm type leaves, whichit won't shred and which end up jamming it with rolls of stringy material wrapped round.
Mine is a Power Devil, cheap catalogue type but wouldn't be without it!

 

great help guys thanks

 

I wouldn't be without mine. When my previous cog type died I bought one with a spinning plate which was useless.

I now have another cog type (about �£200) and all is right with the world again.

 

I collect heaps of pernicious weeds and in hot weather they wither in a couple of days. Then I shred and compost them. Very satisfying!
Mine has a spinning plate and an upright cutter, was about �£90. I think a more expensive one would be better, but I couldn't afford it.

 

Hi Macleaf, I recently learned that my local council do a shredding service for free - you can use it as often as you wish (my abode is in Warwickshire). I suspect that there must be lots of other councils that do the same. In which case, it may be pertinent to purchase a cheaper shredder for the likes of your pernicious weeds and general prunings and then anything thats substantial in size you may be able to call on your council to do the work for you.

I often question the ridiculously high council tax rates but this service is, or could become, a right big help!

Kind regards
Roy

 

I just took delivery on our new shredder and I am one happy gardener! Have you looked at Globe Organics range? Worth checking if they have any second hand equipment (that's what I bought) Still comes with guarantee, and it really does the work. www.globeorganic.co.uk I'm really impressed.

Only draw back is it is a bit top heavy - managed to tip it over going down the ramp into the storage shed. And it was really heavy and awkward to upright.

Otherwise, great. Rumple

 

Great fun aren't they, when I've finished I go around the garden lopping branches off all over the place.