Patriot Products Chipper Buddy

It is paramount for chipping management. At 50 bucks you think, " I could make that" Sure! but you have to buy the parts, cut them to the proper lengths, And glue it up. Just buy it from them. Its all schedule 80 too! its strong. Don't use anything else or you risk catastrophic damage to an expensive machine.

This chipper works really well for clean-up on my small farm. It is very easy to assemble and not too heavy to pull to where it is needed. I also purchased the heavy duty cord and utility push tool and recommend them as well.

I am chipping a 30 years overgrowth of forsythia with many pieces with side branches that stick in the feed hopper. This tool allows me to push them in without having to shut down the chipper and try to reposition them.

The "buddy" works great in preventing pieces from flying out of the chipper and pushing pieces into the blade. However, I have not found it useful for the hopper as clippings tend to clump under it and not fall into hopper. (Sometimes, turning it upside down and pushing with the handle, which can go further into the hopper works, but this must be done very carefully. Long sticks work the best if you don't mind getting them shredded in the process.

This came in handy many times as I was chipping smaller branches that sometimes needed to be pushed further into the chute. It is tempting to want to use one's hands, but that could get ugly. Using a stick is fine until the chipper grabs that and chips it up as well. Keeping this Buddy close by kept the chipping moving quickly, without injury to life or limb.

Yes, it's overpriced for what it is. Suspect if you were motivated you could make one yourself. However, it's sturdy and makes the chipping for faster and safer. Buy it.

I probably wouldn't spend the money if I had it to do over but it is helpful to stuff things into the chipper shute especially if it has a lot of vegetation on it.

Well-made product worked as advertised