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Step 1
Determine what you want to do with a wood chipper. For home use, there are small, portable gas-operated wood chippers that are great for cleaning up limbs and branches of fallen trees. A wood chipper cuts the brush and debris into small pieces that can be used for mulch around your flower beds, pine islands and walkways. Some hardware stores carry this kind of wood chipper. Your local home improvement store will usually have a variety of brands.
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Step 2
Purchase a larger wood chipper that hooks up to a tractor if you live or work on a farm. There is a type of wood chipper that hooks up to a tractor on the PTO shaft (a gear that runs attachments). The power for the wood chipper is furnished by the tractor's engine itself. If you buy this kind of wood chipper, you will be able to cut up larger trees and limbs, produce more mulch and keep the farm clean more easily. Farm and tractor supply stores carry this kind of wood chipper.
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Step 3
Consider a commercial-grade when you buy a wood chipper if you are considering starting a tree service for customers. These come with gas or diesel-powered engines, have more power and can be used to clear land. A grabber on the commercial wood chipper picks up trees, stumps, brush and everything cut down and drops it all into a huge drum chipper. Of course, this kind of wood chipper is quite expensive and must be hauled on a tractor-trailer. Commercial lawn-care stores would carry this style of wood chipper.
