Chipper Shredder

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

I picked this up and probably paid way too much for the condition its in, but they are hard to find around here and I paid a fraction of what a WH one goes for. The guy I bought it from said his cousin bought it new for their business solely to shred plastic lids for a year or so and hasn't been used since.

 

 

If you don't recognize it, its an Amerind MacKissic "Mighty Mac" hammermill chipper shredder. It once was green. These things are like the Cadillac of consumer sized but professional grade units. New ones still go for over $1000.

 

The whole thing has a good coat of surface rust and the hopper chute has a small crack and a broken hinge but most of it seems solid. Its the same base unit that was adapted to many tractors back in the day with different brackets, the "12P" model. This one was made in '76.

 

The bearings still (surprisingly) turn quietly and MacKissic still sells basically the same unit so repair and replacement parts are still readily available. I am going to price out having someone blast all the parts for me since I don't have the space or compressor power for a media blaster and get a good coat of paint back on it with new fasteners.

 

I haven't decided whether I will fab up brackets to make it a WH attachment or if I will throw an engine on it... If I throw an engine on it I can mount it high enough to shred straight into a wagon, if I make it an attachment I will have one less engine to maintain... Thoughts?

 

Edited April 10, 2015 by bmsgaffer

[rmaynard 16,218]

Looks like it's a nice unit. What do you intend to chip/shred with it? 

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

Yea these things are beasts. Here's the current version (99% same as old version) http://www.mackissic.com/HSC_12P.html (they won't sell them without an engine, i asked!) $1,929.

 

I get a ton of leaves in the fall and little branches that through the year that come off. I don't have a good place to keep piles of leaves and I don't feel like using a thousand yard bags every fall just to give them to the dump, so I plan on setting up the shredder a couple times a year to mince that giant pile of leaves and branches! Last year my pile of leaves by the shed ended up mostly blowing down a steep hill to my neighbors yard.

 

And I know I can rent my machine/services out to my neighbors all in a similar situation to recoup my costs on the unit .

[AMC RULES 37,185]

Planing to keep it on a dedicated tractor? 

[chazm 413]

Yea those things arre a monster when it comes to branches ....   I had one & it would rip the branch out of your hand before you knew what was going on ... Only problem I had didn't have enough 's to keep it mounted all the time

 

Edited April 10, 2015 by chazm

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

I would see about fabricating the pieces to attach to the tractor. I have a stand-alone 12PT that I bought used last year. I enjoy using it for cleanup of fallen branches but it is too small to do any serious chipping for my property. I put the Johnny Bucket under the discharge to catch the chips, or just place it where I need it.

 

So because of that, it would be handier to attach actually to one of my Gravely tractors. The Gravely version, like everything else, ts pricier on the used market (probably twice or more when you can find one for what I paid for the stand-alone) and no longer supported by MacKissic for attachment parts. Here is an example (not mine) for a Gravely.

 

You'll need to disassemble it. Hopefully the hammers (can be flipped four times before tossing them) and the knife are in decent shape. The capacity for these is really in the knife/flywheel so more horsepower doesn't make for more capacity.

Edited April 10, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

I will not have a dedicated tractor unfortunately. I will probably end up with only one attachmatic tractor at my house because of my limited space, so I will be attaching it and removing it as needed. I will be fabricating my own bracket for it so I plan on either making it fit onto the front weight bracket/bumper I am building or using front+mid attachmatic points.

 

On the plus side, I will not be using the tractors as mowers this year so the 854 will be on sweeper/trailer duty and the attachmatic tractor will be for the chipper or pressure washer attachment I hopefully finish later this year.

 

If I do mount an engine it will be the predator 13hp, so it would be comparable to the power of the tractor. I just don't think I could make it compact enough.

 

I will be taking it all down to blast or sand and paint. I will inspect the hammers closely but they look hardly even worn. I will probably be replacing the side chipper knife as I think it may be too rusted, but I will see upon disassembly.

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

So because of that, it would be handier to attach actually to one of my Gravely tractors. The Gravely version, like everything else, ts pricier on the used market (probably twice or more when you can find one for what I paid for the stand-alone) and no longer supported by MacKissic for attachment parts. Here is an example (not mine) for a Gravely.

Gravely MacKissic.4.jpg

 

There was a gravely version for sale on my local CL for $150, looked hardly used. I called within 5 hrs of posting and it had already been picked up. I missed a good shape one with a 10hp Tecumseh for $130 that was only listed for a day.

 

Had to drive almost 2 hrs into Geno territory for this one and had to shell out $100 for it  . I think it was probably still a good deal, but after seeing those on CL I felt pretty wrung out. I know I could paint it up and sell it on ebay and still make money, so that makes me feel less bad about it.

Edited April 10, 2015 by bmsgaffer

[shallowwatersailor 3,214]

I haven't taken mine apart but I believe the knife is left-handed thread and a bear to get apart. Check other forums for more specific info. Good luck!

[Forest Road 594]

I had a stand alone version. It worked well but was a PIA to move around the property. I found it to be very tipsy. I found one on CL in similar shape to yours. Came up w a mounting system of my own and never looked back. A 14hp Magnum at 1/2-3-4 throttle is more power than this chipper could ever need. It's a pleasure to use now.

Someday I might take it apart and make a factory type mount. My setup requires a hydro floor jack to mount.

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[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,393]

The screws that hold my knife on are Allen head flat/countersunk screws and should be Loctited in. They are a standard right hand thread. Hardest part to removing them is cleaning out the hex holes for the wrench. Next I heat the screw heads with a torch and then use an impact driver to break them loose. The knife is a very good grade of HSS and you will know it if you purchase a new one $$$. I am fortunate enough to have a 24" planer knife grinder so keeping a good edge is easy. Another critical adjustment is a bar in the chute that limits the depth of cut. They are also hex head flat/countersunk screws and very hard to clean the hex holes. Forget the clearance to the knife but it is in the manuals we have.

 

Garry

 

Adding

Just checked to make sure the operator manual is in the library and it is not. Will get it added.

[Forest Road 594]

X2 on removing the knife. I've broken several Craftsman 3/8 drive Allen wrenched getting those out. I finally bought one from Snap On. Also purchased a spare blade. Don't recall it being too expensive $30

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Edited April 10, 2015 by Forest Road

[Rob R 973]

I have one for sale (currently has mounting for Sears Suburban) but would be easy to remove the welded on Sears I beam) and convert it back to Wheel Horse.  It is a beast and I have done my entire yard with it. I am firm @ $400.00. It is a solid unit. I am located in Brewster, NY The unit is WAY to heavy to ship.....  Contact me if your interested.

 

Here's is a link to the Craiglist ad:  http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/grd/4973118583.html

 

 

 

[sorekiwi 761]

I have a stand alone unit as well.  I love it.

 

I will agree that it is "tippy" when moving it round the yard.

 

For several years I have thought about mounting it inside a yard cart so the discharge ends up right in the trailer.  Havent done it yet.

 

I did pull mine apart last fall and replaced the bearings and flipped the hammers.  It wasnt bad to do, and the units are built well.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,393]

The shredder-chipper manual

 

Garry

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

I have one for sale (currently has mounting for Sears Suburban) but would be easy to remove the welded on Sears I beam) and convert it back to Wheel Horse.  It is a beast and I have done my entire yard with it. I am firm @ $400.00. It is a solid unit. I am located in Brewster, NY The unit is WAY to heavy to ship.....  Contact me if your interested.

 

Here's is a link to the Craiglist ad:  http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/grd/4973118583.html

 

Mighty Mac Chipper Shredder 002.jpg

 

Mighty Mac Chipper Shredder 003.jpg

 

Mighty Mac Chipper Shredder 004.jpg

 

They actually ship really well via Fastenal (strapped to a pallet) and they can make it to the midwest for just a hair over $100 (which is cheap considering the size).

 

I had a line on one up in PA but he wanted too much for it, after shipping I woulda been over my budget.

[Lane Ranger 11,308]

I have one that has only been used about a dozen times in its lifetime.   It was purchased new in the 1970's by a man who used it to cut up his cornstalks on his garden  three years in a row.  Sat for about 35 years in his garage on a wheeled stand his grandson made in school shop class.   This thing mounts very nice on the Wheel Horse B and C model tractors,     MacKissic still has the Wheel Horse Operators Manual for this online and it can be downloaded free of charge.   Look for 9WH  for 74 -Operating-Maintenance Parts Manual.

 

The  round hole screens in the bottom of the hammermill can be changed to make the final debris cut smaller or larger.    The hammers on the  Mighty Mac shredder/hammermill are heat treated for hardness and can be turned around after worn.  The   9WH Mighty Mac made for the Wheel Horse attaches to the front attach-a-matic with a small frame -seen in the last picture.

 

 

Note the guard placed around the  drive pulleys that run with a belt off the Wheel Horse PTO.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking down the chute into the hammermills that turn inside-very fast to chop leaves, twigs and small limbs, etc.

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2015 by Lane Ranger

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

Thanks for the info Lane!

 

Could you measure the drive pulley for me? I don't know what the designed RPM is for this shredder.

 

Is that a spring-loaded idler pulley or do you manual set the tension?

[Lane Ranger 11,308]

Brandon:   Drive pulley is 5 1/2   .  The  9 WH Manual is also in the WH Manuals  Implements -Other Section right above the one  Garry posted.  It has a good list of the parts and numbers and most should still be available from MacKissic.

 

MacKissic Website:

 

http://www.mackissic.com/

 

 

 

Why a Hammermill?

 

Edited April 21, 2015 by Lane Ranger

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,393]

From the 12P operator manual

 

Shredder rotor should run at 1800 rpm + or - 200 rpm.

 

Garry

[bmsgaffer 2,052]

Now that's interesting. The info sheet that Lane posted shows 2800 RPM, but the manual does say 1800... I wonder if the info sheet was a misprint?

 

Assuming this is supposed to be run on the outside PTO pulley, the ratio is 63%... So at 3600 rpm that puts the rotor at about 2300 rpm... right in the middle...

 

However, I would say that they probably don't have their engines running at WOT, so if you put engine speed about 3000 RPM, you get 1890, right on target.

 

 

Thanks Garry!