Picked up a small chipper/shredder

[great white]

Did you take any pictures of the insides and the blades. I have a similar craftsman chipper that has never seemed to work very well. Maybe I'll have to have another go at trying to sharpen the blades.

Sorry, no. Didn't take any internal pictures....

 

[projectnut]

I'm sure mine is a rebranded MTD. It has just enough differences and a grey paint job to qualify as a Craftsman. It is a 5hp model. I was too cheap to spend the extra $100.00 for the 8hp model. The 1993 model (247.795950) is the only 5hp one I've seen with the tank over the engine.

I initially bought it to grind tree branches at the family cottage. We have well over 100 trees and at the time had cleared out a few to remodel the house. Everyone in the area was more than willing to take the firewood size logs, but there was no way and no place to dispose of the brush. I used it for a couple years grinding brush, but then the local township opened a recycling center where we could drop off brush and leaves. The shredder sat idle for a few years until the trees at our house started need in trimming. Then it went back to work.

As for a picture there are parts drawings for both the MTD and Craftsman models on the Sears Parts Direct and MTD websites. All you have to do is type in your model number and it will bring up the correct drawings.
https://www.searspartsdirect.com/mo...odelSearch&q=247.795950&searchTerm=247.795950

The sites are a bit different in that the Sears site only displays parts that are still available. The MTD site shows all the parts, but highlights in blue those that are no longer available. In most cases I think you'll find parts at the MTD site to be less expensive. The same chipper blades cost $27.73 from Sears and $20.15 from MTD.

I haven't ordered parts from MTD for a few years. I do remember the last time I bought chipper blades they were case hardened. At the time they claimed sharpening them wouldn't be a good option in that they would dull quickly once they were sharpened beyond the case hardening. They no longer make that claim on their website. As a precaution I saved all the parts I replaced just in case they became unavailable in the future.

As an FYI the Craftsman model numbers do work on the MTD website.
https://www.mtdparts.com/equipment/...redders-vacuums-parts/chipper-shredder-blades

They show the comparable MTD model.

 

[hman]

Neighbor in Bay Area was to cheep to buy a load of gravel so he got out his craftsman chipper and put rocks in it thinking it would spit out gravel, then he wanted me to fix it, sure give me your credit card I’ll get “all” new parts for you.

You GOTTA be kidding! That kind of idiocy is almost beyond belief. Maybe y'oughta have posted this story to ALL ABOUT GOOFS & BLUNDERS YOU SHOULD AVOID!

 

[Superburban]

You GOTTA be kidding! That kind of idiocy is almost beyond belief. Maybe y'oughta have posted this story to ALL ABOUT GOOFS & BLUNDERS YOU SHOULD AVOID!

To you and me, yes. But there is many folks out there, that just do not understand physics. Just get a job at HD, or Lowes for a bit, you will meet plenty of them. One of the best ones, I went out to unlock a riding mower a costumer just bought, expecting to load it into a pickup, or trailer. NO! this guy was going to have his son ride it while he pulled it with a tow strap from his car, the 6 to 8 miles across town to his house.

 

[hman]

Shudder!

 

[great white]

As for a picture there are parts drawings for both the MTD and Craftsman models on the Sears Parts Direct and MTD websites. All you have to do is type in your model number and it will bring up the correct drawings.
https://www.searspartsdirect.com/mo...odelSearch&q=247.795950&searchTerm=247.795950

The sites are a bit different in that the Sears site only displays parts that are still available. The MTD site shows all the parts, but highlights in blue those that are no longer available. In most cases I think you'll find parts at the MTD site to be less expensive. The same chipper blades cost $27.73 from Sears and $20.15 from MTD.

I haven't ordered parts from MTD for a few years. I do remember the last time I bought chipper blades they were case hardened. At the time they claimed sharpening them wouldn't be a good option in that they would dull quickly once they were sharpened beyond the case hardening. They no longer make that claim on their website. As a precaution I saved all the parts I replaced just in case they became unavailable in the future.

As an FYI the Craftsman model numbers do work on the MTD website.
https://www.mtdparts.com/equipment/...redders-vacuums-parts/chipper-shredder-blades

They show the comparable MTD model.

Yep. I did look up the blades and flails, but the flails on the one I have are different than the ones you linked to. The link shows flails as a casting, where as the flails in mine are all seperate. I actually prefer it seperate, as they are easily made from 1/4” flat stock.

In theory, I coukd do the same with the chipper blades and small mower blade if I wanted. Ie: make them instead of buy them.

That’s what I like about the older equipement: all steel and parts are fairly simple to produce in a home metal shop if you need to.

 

[great white]

Neighbor in Bay Area was to cheep to buy a load of gravel so he got out his craftsman chipper and put rocks in it thinking it would spit out gravel, then he wanted me to fix it, sure give me your credit card I’ll get “all” new parts for you.

Not trying to “call you out” or anything like that, but I have a hard time believing anyone could be that dense. Surely, natural selection would have killed of that line of genes long before grtting a chance to attempt such and asinine thing....

 

[jim18655]

I had that model and it was a real workhorse. I used it about 10 - 12 years and it cleaned up leaves from 2 large maple trees and all of the branches from a 80' tall, 60" diameter weeping willow. Made nice mulch for flower beds and the garden. I sold it when I moved and it still was doing its job. If you rotate large limbs as you feed it will grind them better/easier.

 

[dlane]

GW, that’s exactly what he did for about two seconds, he wasn’t the brightest candle on the cake “so to speak “
He did good at his profession though he was a SJ police officer now working for Amazon security..

Edit: there’s no shortage of stupid in this state