Garden Shredders

• How to work when your shrubby, hedgy, garden starts branching out fast...
• Discover which type of garden shredders suit your needs & how they do the job.
• All the accessories you need for the job are here.

• How do you easily move a sprawling mass of branches and hedge trimmings?
• How do you fit branches into a convenient space or get them all into the green waste container?
• How do you avoid spending hours cutting up branches, while enduring piles of branches and thorns everywhere?
• The free wood chip that I make with my garden shredder is a great asset for covering soil & paths.
• Paying for disposal adds a regular extra cost & at inconvenient times - I'd have to wait weeks.
• I need the job doing now.
  Then - owning the machine is not so much - & look - the way to your garden is always within your site.
• Can you afford not to use a garden shredder?

I've used several different garden shredders over many years and now I would not finish my garden work in a timely way without one. I don't hesitate to renew them when they become tired or a better model appears.

Below, I share lessons learned, my most efficient method for using them, and I describe several types of garden chippers and shredders that I've owned. In my garden now, several shrubs are fast becoming trees. With a garden shredder I can easily dispose of these bulky cuttings without extra help. Let's find out more...

Here's What Garden Shredders Can Do For You

• Reduce garden waste from a sprawling pile of thorns, cuttings and branches, to a vastly smaller volume that's easily moved around by a shovel and rake, and easily carried in filled bags and contained.
• Make your own fragrant conifer wood chip for garden paths, & to use around plants as garden mulch.
• Make old tough green stems of cabbage and tomato etc... compost quicker from fine shreds - & reduce the time disease spores have to spread.
• Lay down your home made chippings & mulch during a dry summer to help retain moisture in your soil. You'll save on buying that stuff.
• Your shreds and chips are also used as cover before winter time to insulate your soil. You will get an earlier warmer start for growing in the new year.
  So, many good things & - time well spent all around!

Garden Shredders & Wood Chippers Work By Different Mechanisms

As my shrubs have become larger they are growing faster. So I now prefer the larger higher powered garden shredders described further down, as they are quicker and better at tougher jobs. Well worth it. The smaller shredders are good for small twiggy hedges such as privet, clipped conifers, box - mainly light stuff. NOTE: hedge trimmers that shred clippings, & leaf shredders, are also described by following links below.

• Shredding Disks & Pre Cutting Knives:- The first of my garden shredders had precutting knives positioned above a shredding disk. This mechanism rotated rapidly.
  
  It worked well with twigs and softer material. Branches go through with more noise and vibration and this way it made nice piles of crumbly chips. There was however, a side shoot going direct to the shredding knives but I did not use it.
  Note:- Precutting knives in the main hopper are important - because a shredding disk alone may turn many branches into long strips instead of the finer cut chips & crumbs that you probaby want in the finished material.

• Shredding Disk and Anvil with Controlled Entry & Exit Size:-
  These rapid garden shredders (e.g. the Bosche AXT 2000 Rapid series or the Sun Joe CJ600 series) have a fly wheel with two slits bearing double sided shredding knives. The disk spins up to high speed and the fly wheel momentum helps to maintain speed. There is an anvil plate in the cutting chamber which holds against the material being shredded by the knives.
  
  The hopper has supports to steady the feed. A feed pusher assists feeding in and clearing exit port blockages. The size of the exit acts like a screen to ensure larger material is shredded down to size before exit. Blockages can be cleared superfast - disconnect - simply unscrew the large knob & the top comes right off for clearing.
  
  Note - these types of shredder are not wood chippers. They are useful for fine hedge cuttings, and will quickly dispose of tough plant stalks. That is what they are for.
  
  Modern versions of these simple machines do not have pre-cutting knives above the shredding disk, which means, less noise. However, for branches, the significant down side with my 2017 Bosche Rapid shredder was that without precutting blades above the shredding disk, many branches shred into long strips. I would not get this model again. Also - the switch-on/off mechanism is a little flimsy.
  but see the turbine shredder - better & more below >>>

• Cutting & Crushing quietly:- These types of machine are more properly described as garden chippers. They use a spiked drum to grip, cut and crush branches, against another drum or an anvil plate.
  
  This machine works with a slow beautifully quiet steady beat, though it gets through more material by weight nevertheless. It is especially useful and powerful when branches are your main material for turning into wood chips. For example, small branches off Beech, Holly, Hazel, and conifer shrubs / hedges will go through to wood chips.

For links to:- Wood Chippers / Shredders and to Specialised Leaf Shredders >>>  V V V V  check further down the page V V V V

• Turbine Cutting Blades shreds green twigs, along with branches & thorns up to 4cm. This system uses a cone of rotating blades, which makes the feed automatic. Use the reverse drive if it gets blocked.
  
  I've not yet used this type of garden shredder but, reports suggest to me that it may be the best of the Bosche home garden shredder designs. The mechanism runs quietly and it should easily deal with both wood and greenery. see the Bosche AXT25 series.

• Screw Cut & Crush not illustrated, uses a screw to draw larger branches in to cut them against a plate. Screw feeds are often used to draw branches into larger machines with the hammer mill mechanism illustrated next. I like this mechanism but Bosche have stopped making their screw cut AXT 2200HP.

• Hammer Mill Angled metal blocks rotate at high speed to bash the branches into pieces. The chips are allowed out of the mill when they pass through a screen.

• Swinging Knife Mill Sharp serrated knives swing on cross bars between two disks. When discs spin at high speed, the sharp knives will cut everything down to small chips to pass through the screen.
• For my latest machine I bought bigger and more powerful.
  Bigger with more power makes sense for my garden because the wood is growing bigger every year. Owning a bigger machine is faster, more effective & flexible than annually paying garden companies that are very busy to come when needed. - I'll get the job done much quicker too and I use the wood chip in my garden - see below

- Look below to find your garden shredders...vVv...vVv...

High Velocity Chippers to Reduce Smaller Branches, Twigs & Green Stuff.	Bigger, Better, Faster, Works Independently In The Field.
Chipper Joe Electric Wood Chipper / Shredder Mulcher CJ601E Cuts up to 11/5"	Throw & Forget, for Bigger Jobs Larger Garden
AXT 25 TC Quiet Shredder - & the ATX Rapid Shredders - click here & then scroll down next page	Throw & Forget, for Bigger Jobs Larger Gardens

Accessories And Spares. You'll Do Well To Have These. With Garden Shredders.

• Tough Protective Gardening Gloves - for use with thorny branches links below...
• Safety Glasses
• Ear Protectors
• Hard Safety Helmet - may come with visor & ear protectors attached
• Large bags for wood chippings
• Electric extension cable on reel
• Residual Circuit Breaker RCD to protect you if the cable becomes damaged etc...
• Fuel can for gas powered shredders
• Spare double sided blades to fit your garden shredder disk...
• Spare V or J pre-shredding blades...

Some accessories may be included with a garden shredder purchase. Others can be conveniently bought together which often saves you money on the purchase and on delivery. See below for useful accessories.

Accessories For Your Work With Garden Shredders
Find Replacement Blades - be sure to buy genuine parts - keep hold of screws - more here...	Garden Shovel - Moves Loads of Finished Wood Mulch	Garden Rake - Gather Together Finished Wood Mulch	Very Large Garden Bag(s) - Foldable
Replacement Blades - be sure to buy genuine parts - find more...	Garden Shovel - Moves Loads of Finished Wood Mulch	Garden Rake - Gather Together Finished Wood Mulch	LARGE Garden Bags - Foldable
Garden Rigger Work Gloves - for thorns, & tough handling	SAFETY HELMET SYSTEM - Hard Hat / EarMuffs / Face Shield Chainsaw Protective	Garden Workwear with Handy Pockets	Safety Boots For Work
Garden Work Gloves for thorns, thistles, & tough handling	SAFETY HELMET SYSTEM - Hard Hat / EarMuffs / Face Shield Chainsaw Protective	Garden Overall with Handy Pockets	Garden Safety Boots

Safe Efficient Working Methods With Garden Shredders

There's always a long, messy, unsafe way and - ***a quick, safe and efficient way*** to do things. Below I describe the most efficient working methods to get your job done as safely, smoothly and as quickly as possible.

There are different machines for different jobs. Let's start with my latest heavy duty 4 stroke petrol engine garden shredder. This is capable of handling most branches that you might expect from an above average sized garden containing larger growing shrubs, hedges and small trees.

• Moving A Heavy Garden Shredder Unlike the electric machines, these petrol engines are much much heavier. Do not fill the petrol tank until the shredder is on site. My chipper/ shredder weighs just under 1 tonne. It can be moved by first tilting it onto two wheels. You put one foot on the wheel axil while heaving the handle toward you. The most comfortable moving position is when the weight is balanced between a firm grip on the handle, and the wheels.

• The good news is that with 15 Horse Power (HP) doing 3,600 revs per minute, this heavy duty shredder destroys garden waste easily non stop. It is the right tool for bigger jobs and wider branches. The ability to use the garden shredder independently of an electric power source is a very big advantge too. Here's a few tips on managing the garden machine during operation, plus how to use garden shredding accessories and, very important to realise - how to organise your work flow and keep the machine running efficiently.

• Positioning The Garden Shredder For Work When you unpack the machine I suggest that you keep the timber palette that the garden shredding machine package is mounted on. Don't let the delivery driver take it away. I use this wooden pallet to mount the garden shredder at a work location so that it stands above ground level. The stand is not necessary if your machine can throw the shreddings clear out of a chute. More on this below...
  
  I wear boots with a steel toe cap and metal sole, a hard hat with a visor and ear defenders; and I wear protective gloves. Note that the T-Mech can drag branches rather violently into the machine which speeds up the job. Wearing gloves protects your hands from scarring by fast moving thorny branches, and if by accident, it is the glove, not your hand, that gets dragged into the machine. Don't wear lose clothes like scarves, or hold metal objects such as knives or secateures in your hands while feeding the machine.
  
  Unlike similar models, the T-Mech garden chipper that I have used, does not have a chute to project chips and shreds upward or distant into an adjacent container or pile. This is a problem. Therefore I position the wooden pallet on the work site and pull the garden machine on top of it so the exit delivers chippings over the edge. This way the shreddings fall out at the bottom to land below the exit chute. If possible I position the palette where there is a lawn edge so that the drop down allows the chippings to pile higher before I need to clear the pile. Make sure the site your chipper stands on is firm and level. You might even dig a hole to place a large collection bag below ground so it can be easily lifted out to empty it. None of he above is important if you have a machine with a chute to deliver chippings onto a wheel barrow or distant pile. More on organising the work process below...

• Organising the Materials For Garden Shredding to be Safe and Save Time First gather a pile of branch material near to the machine. For example you might position the machine near the middle of a length of hedge or shrubbery. Then sweep the twigs from both ends to the pile adjacent to the machine. I have done this job on my own but when you have two people I suggest the following organisation.
  
  1 - Person one needs to concentrate on controlling and feeding the machine. Person one will control the speed of the shredder and learn how branches can fit into the hopper without blocking. This job also involves removing side branches where necessary that otherwise block main branches from going into the hopper or into side feed. Keep short and long handled secateurs nearby, along with a pruning knife and a light pruning saw. These are conveniently placed in an empty barrow or on a portable work bench. It is important to return tools to the same place every single time to maintain safety, routine and efficiency. You will know exactly where they are when you need them. Don't feed the shredder while holding metal objects. If dropped into the hopper, metal will seriously damage the blades.
  
  2 - Person two gathers the material into the pile for person one. On each return to the pile person two uses a rake to drag away the rising mound of chippings or uses a shovel to move them into large bags. If your machine has a chute that can project shreds and chippings straight into bags or wheelbarrow then person two will change the full containers for empty. I suggest having an empty wheel barrow close by. For safety always stand your garden rakes and shovels between the handles of the wheel barrow and with the tool heads up, not down. This is a very important discipline. You may think you will be very careful, but then think to hurry. The job is non-stop busy and you will eventually be caught out, perhaps by stepping backwards onto a rake head that is dangerously on the ground where it has not been returned to the same protected area.
  
  The same work organisation applies to light electric garden shredders with a few additions. With these generally less powerful garden chippers and shredders, you may feel more able to do both jobs on your own, as the process will be slower. Keep the elecric cable safe away from areas that you walk and areas were you use cutting tools such as hedge trimmers or garden spades. Ensure the cable is clearly visible. Standing water or rain are also hazards with electricity. Most electric plugs sold today are sealed. Drops of water running down along a cable to an electric join are a potential hazard. Always ensure that a residual current protector is installed somewhere when using electricity in the garden...

 By Michael E. J. Scott.
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