How to Rent a Wood Chipper
The wood chipper is a handy tool for getting rid of large tree limbs quickly. The alternative is to cut up tree branches with a chainsaw and stack them for burning. If you have a high volume of branches to get rid of, the wood chipper is probably your best bet. Renting a wood chipper involves a few decisions related to use. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a size and style. Dealers or renters may have multiple models available. Choose one based on the scope of your project. The Bear Cat equipment website shows a variety of wood chipper models geared toward homeowners, commercial landscapers, or municipal maintenance crews, with modifications including the size of fuel tanks, hoppers, feed rollers, etc.
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Ask about directions for safe use and applicable safety or convenience features on the model. Your renter should be able to fill you in on the basics of using a wood chipper correctly and some issues that might arise.
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Ask about maintenance of the chipper. You might want to go over maintenance issues with the renter, not in detail, but by way of information, including how the renter stores the chipper, gas and oil issues and how they transport it. For older equipment, this is particularly vital if you don't want to get stuck out in the field with a quirky machine that you know nothing about. Ask before leaving the store if there are any 'tricks' to operating the chipper.
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Hash out a basic agreement on take-out versus return conditions. Let your renter know that it's not a reflection of their shop, but some renters occasionally use vague agreements to charge you for 'wear' when you return the equipment. Using a wood chipper involves some wear. Ask about what kind of wear or damage would get charged to you, including scratches, hopper dents, or other types of very minor damage.
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Look at the rent versus buy option. On one hand, rental fees over a period of time can result in you paying several times what a piece of equipment is worth. On the other hand, if you don't have space, buying equipment used once in a blue moon means you may be paying unnecessary money on monthly storage fees.
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