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Shredding Small Trees to Create Mulch for Erosion Control

Shredding Equipment Reviewed

We looked for shredders or grinders in the Missoula, MT, area that could produce shreddings from 1/6 to 1/8 inch thick, 1/4 to 2 inches wide and 8 to 16 inches long. The shredder had to be portable and mounted on tracks to reduce the pressure on the ground, limiting soil compaction. Three machines that met our criteria were: a Bandit 3680, a Rawlings Manufacturing Grinder, and a Universal Refiner PDR–80–63.

Here is some information about each of those machines:

Bandit 3680 with Blower—The Bandit 3680 (figures 2 and 3) is a remote-controlled cutter head grinder with a 560-horsepower engine mounted on Caterpillar 325 hydraulic tracks. The shredder is remotely operated from a track-mounted excavator with a grapple head. The grapple drops trees into the shredder. The 62-horsepower centrifuge blower, an optional attachment, distributes the shredded wood. Buttons on the side of the grinder control the blower’s direction. If the blower is removed, the conveyor belt can be used to pile material for storage.

Owner: Johnson Brothers Contracting, Inc.
Web site: http://www.banditchippers.com/
Contact: Craig Thomas 406–543–5355

[photo] Bandit 3680

Figure 2—The Bandit 3680 was used to shred small-diameter
material during a demonstration in Bonner, MT.

[photo] Wood shreddings from Bandit 3680

Figure 3—Sample shreddings from the Bandit 3680.

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