Can You Use A Wood Chipper To Shred Cardboard? 7 Superb Steps And Tips To Do It Properly
Are you looking for a way to get rid of all that cardboard…
….in your garage? A woodchipper is a great way to get rid…
….of that stuff. Woodchippers are machines…
…that can be used to shred wood. The most popular types…
….of wood chippers available today include the horizontal…
….vertical and auger-style models. They are designed to chop down trees…
….or even lumber into small pieces so…
…it can be easily disposed of. If you want to know about….
….can you use a wood chipper to shred cardboard…
…read this article until end to know more about it.
Can A Wood Chipper Shred Cardboard
So, can a wood chipper shred cardboard? Yes it is! Cardboard shredding…
….using wood chippers is an easy process. You need to rip the cardboard…
….into strips and feed them into the chipper. It will produce a lot of noise…
….as it does its job. Some people may not like the sound but others…
….might find it relaxing. The good thing about having a wood chipper…
….at home is that there are no sharp blades involved. This makes the operation…
….safer than if you were to cut the cardboard by hand.
The other benefit of having a wood chipper is that it can be very efficient…
….when it comes to shredding large amounts of material. For example…
…if you have a huge pile of old Christmas decorations…
….you can shred them with ease. This means less space required…
….to store these items and they can also help reduce waste. If you don’t want…
…..to buy one, you can always rent one from a local company. If you are searching…
…about gardening tool or anything regarding gardening…
…you can go to AllThingsGardener.com to find more about it!
Is Paper Harmful To The Soil?
Before diving into the process of using your compost…
….make sure you’re aware of what kind of paper products…
….you shouldn’t be using in your compost pile. Glossy…
….printed or waxed papers could expose your soil to harmful chemicals.
There are many types of ink used today, but most of them are made out…
….of petroleum products. Some companies have started…
…using water based inks instead. This is much better because…
…it doesn’t pollute our environment.
Shredding Cardboard for Compost
Composting is the process of converting organic waste…
…into useful fertilizer. You need to add some brown materials…
…like leaves and branches to make sure there is enough…
…nitrogen in the compost. When you’re making compost…
..you want to avoid adding too much water…
…because it will cause the mixture to become soggy.
Cardboard is great for compost because it provides oxygen. Composting microbes…
…need oxygen to work properly. Shredded cardboard is easier…
…to handle than whole pieces. Big sheets of cardboard…
…can be hard to move around. Smaller pieces are more manageable. Shredding…
…the cardboard makes it easy to recycle.
Methods for Shredding Cardboard
- Cardboard shredding may be a pain in the buttocks. It takes time and energy, and at times, it must be done manually. However, there are workarounds. I’ve included a list of the best ways for shredding cardboard below. However, before shredding, it is critical to remove any tape, plastic, or staples that will not degrade.
- Some gardeners place pieces of cardboard with the tape still attached in their compost heaps and then remove the tape once the compost is ready. I find that removing the tape beforehand saves me a lot of time, and shredded plastic may be difficult to see.
- You may continue to add staples to your heap since they will provide more iron, but if you’re using an electric shredder, you may want to remove them to prevent damaging the shredder blades!
Tips for General Shredding
- Steer clear of shiny or colorful cardboard. While current inks are often vegetable-based and hence quite innocuous, the inks used on colorful or glossy card may contaminate your compost due to the presence of heavy metals.
- Additionally, before to shredding cardboard, attempt to remove plastic items such as tape and packaging document envelopes. Generally, plastic is not biodegradable. And after the paper has been shredded, removing the objectionable pieces becomes much more difficult!
- While others argue that staples are a comparable problem, I tend to disagree – after all, they do contribute some iron to the mix!
- Tip – If your compost is very dry, you should limit evaporation. Cover the tops and sides of your compost heap with cardboard sheets to prevent moisture loss.
How To Choose A Good Wood Chipper
Choosing a wood chipper is no easy task. There are many factors…
….to consider before making a purchase: size, cost…
….ease of operation, durability, capacity, etc. The following tips…
…will help you choose the right type of woodchipper.
1) Capacity
The first factor we’ll look at is capacity. What’s the maximum amount…
…of wood you’d like to feed? Also, how big is the opening of the machine…
….and what kind of cutting discs does it use? Typically, larger machines…
…..cut thicker wood faster. Of course, the bigger the capacity…
….the cheaper the price tag, but also the harder the job!
2) Size
Next, let’s take a look at the size of the machine. Ideally…
….you’d like one with a large feed area so you don’t have to get up…
….close and personal with your wood. This is especially useful…
….when chopping branches which might be unevenly shaped (or even broken).
3) Cutting System
Finally, let’s talk about the cutting system. Most people think…
….of woodchippers as having circular discs mounted along the length…
…of the feed tube. But actually, there are three main types of cutting systems:
- Radial disc. These offer the most versatility, allowing for a wide range of different sized chips. They have several advantages over other systems, including better chip separation and less wear and tear on the cutting disks. You can also vary the height of the blade by adjusting the spacing between the discs. They are typically found in commercial models.
- Cylindrical disc. These offer greater power consumption than radial discs, though both types produce a similar volume of chips. They can be very fast and effective, but because of this, they are usually found only in smaller home units.
- Combination disc. Some manufacturers create hybrid designs, combining features from each style. For example, a combination design could include a cylindrical disc set at differing heights depending on the type of material being chopped.
4) Price
As mentioned earlier, bigger capacities mean lower prices. However…
….there are other considerations to keep in mind when purchasing…
…a wood chipper. First and foremost, you need to ensure…
….that you’re buying a quality product. You shouldn’t buy cheap junk…
….just because it’s dirt cheap. Quality products will last longer…
…require fewer repairs, and maintain their performance more effectively.
5) Warranty
Lastly, check out the warranty offered by the manufacturer. Many companies…
….offer warranties ranging anywhere from two years….
….to five or more! Make sure that the warranty covers…
…any damage caused during normal usage…
…and not just accidental damage. It should also cover…
…replacement parts. Finally, make sure that the company offers…
….free shipping if necessary. Some companies charge around…
…$40 per box for standard delivery. So if you’ve ordered 10 boxes of parts…
…you could end up paying $400 extra just because the company…
…didn’t want to bother providing free shipping!
6) Chopping Speed
A final consideration when choosing a wood chipper…
…is its ability to chop through wood quickly. After all…
…no one wants to spend hours waiting around while the unit chops…
…their wood into pieces. The best way to gauge this is to measure…
…the diameter of the feed tube. If it’s too small, it won’t do much good. On the other hand…
…if it’s too big, then it will be slow and inefficient. You want an optimal balance…
…between these things.
How To Maintain Your Wood Chipper
Wood chippers are a great tool to have on hand when you need to get rid….
….of a lot of debris in the yard. If you are using your chipper on a regular basis…
…it is important to keep it in good condition. Here are the ways to do it:
1) Cleaning
Make sure to clean the cutter head regularly after every use. This will help reduce buildup…
…of debris. Most manual wood chippers come with brush attachments…
…that allow you to sweep away the waste without lifting…
…the entire machine off the ground. In addition…
…remove the chipper parts from time to time to prevent rust accumulation. Do not store them…
….in the rain as this can cause moisture in the components and lead to corrosion.
2) Preventive Maintenance
Regular maintenance checks will enhance the life span…
….of your chipper. Check the blades frequently for signs of wear…
…breakage, or poor alignment. Also, take note of where the blades…
….meet the feeder chamber. Over time, they can become worn down…
….and block the flow of chips. This results in less efficient operation. You may choose..
…to replace the blades yourself or contact a professional service provider.
3) Lubrication
To ensure proper functioning, lubricate the gearbox…
….thoroughly before each use. Once again, a cleaning brush attachment…
….will do the trick. Also, apply oil to the gears periodically..
…to prevent excessive friction. Remember to only apply lubricant…
….to the inside surfaces of the gears. Never add oil directly…
…onto the teeth of the cutter head. Doing so could result in clogs.
4) Oiling System
If you don’t utilize the automatic oil system, it is recommended…
….that you manually spray oil onto the gears periodically. There are different types…
….of oils designed specifically for wood chipping machines . Choose one…
….based on how often you plan on using your chipper…
…and what type of material you plan on chopping.
5) Proper Storage
Never leave your chipper unattended. Store it in dry conditions…
….and preferably indoors. Keep the area where the chipper sits clear…
….of water and debris. Debris can cause premature malfunctioning…
…of the machine and/or injury to the operator.
6) Avoid Excessive Wear
Do not overload your chipper. Always remember…
….that heavy loads can stress the motor and decrease efficiency. When loading the wood…
….leave a gap at least 1 inch wide between the load and the rear wall…
….of the chipper. Too tight a fit and the wood might jam against the walls…
…of the chipper; causing damage to the cutting system.
7) Use Appropriate Tools
Always use the correct tools when working…
….with the wood chipper. For example, never use metal spikes…
…in place of wood spikes. These spikes will cause extensive damage…
…to the chipper and should be avoided at all costs. It’s also wise…
…to avoid putting sharp objects such as glass or stones inside…
…the feeder tube. Both items can cause injury or damage to the chipper.
8) Be Careful When Using the Machine
When operating a wood chipper, always wear safety goggles. This will protect your eyes…
…from flying splinters and other debris. Make sure to stay behind the wheels…
…and out of the path of spinning debris. And lastly, make sure that children…
…and pets are far enough away from the chipper. They can get caught up…
…in the spinning blades and suffer severe injuries.
Sum Up
If you have a lot of cardboard to shred, you can use a wood chipper…
….to do the job. The wood chipper shreds the cardboard into small pieces…
….which are then easy to dispose of. The wood chipper is a great tool…
…to have if you have a lot of cardboard to shred or you want to cut up…
…wooden pallets for recycling purposes. A wood chipper should be kept….
…in good working order to avoid downtime, especially during peak seasons like summertime.
Conclusion
The cardboard was shredded into small pieces and then fed..
…into the wood chipper. The wood chipper is an amazing machine…
…that can turn any cardboard into a pile of small pieces. They’re great for people…
…who need to recycle cardboard but lack the space and manpower needed…
…to handle large amounts of paper. I hope this article give you a good information…
…about this topic! If you have any question, just drop it…
…in the comment section below! Thanks for reading! Cao!
