How to Use a Wood or Limb Chipper: Use & Safety Tips

How Does a Wood Chipper Work?

A wood chipper or limb chipper is a portable machine that reduces small limbs to wood chips. As you feed a limb into the chipper chute, rotating blades chop the wood and the machine ejects the chips onto the ground or into a collection bag. In addition to the limb chipper, some machines — wood chipper shredders — have a shredder chute equipped with a set of blades or flails that shred leaves and twigs.

Wood Chipper Safety

With a powerful gasoline engine and rapidly spinning blades, wood chippers and wood chipper shredders each require attention to safety. We’ll give you some wood chipper safety tips, including information on safety gear, checking the condition of the machine and making sure the work area is ready. These are just a few factors of using a chipper safely. Read your manual to get completely familiar with the operational and safety procedures that apply to your chipper.

Caution

Don't attempt to chip or shred anything other than branches, twigs and leaves.

Disconnect the spark plug wire before doing any inspections, maintenance, adjustments or repairs on a wood chipper.

Using a Wood Chipper

This how-to has general steps for using a gas wood chipper, but use these steps as a general guide only. Follow the manufacturer’s use and safety instructions specific to your machine.

Preparing, Starting and Using a Chipper Shredder

Make sure you’re using the right safety equipment to operate a wood chipper. Your manual will specify the right gear, but common instructions include:

Wear eye protection.
Wear hearing protection.
Wear work gloves.
Wear heavy-duty work boots or work shoes.

Avoid anything that could get entangled in the wood chipper. For example:

Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing.
Don’t wear jewelry.
Tie back long hair.

Ensure the spark plug wire is disconnected from the plug and check the wood chipper according to your manual’s specifications. For example:

Inspect the machine for any loose, broken or worn parts and correct any problems.
Make sure the chambers and chutes are empty.
Make sure all shields, deflectors and other safety components are in place.
If you have a collection bag, make sure it’s connected.
Check oil and fuel levels.

Preparing the work area is another part of safe operation. Here are some tips:

Make sure the area is dry and clear of obstacles, tripping hazards and anything that might distract you.
Find a spot of level ground for the wood chipper, but avoid surfaces like hard ground, concrete or asphalt.
Block the chipper wheels or lock them in place so the wood chipper can’t roll or shift as it runs.
Keep children and pets away.
Any materials you’ll be chipping or shredding need to be dry and free of stones and other debris.
Don’t refuel near an open flame.
Work in an outdoor area with plenty of ventilation.

Caution

Your manual may indicate a work zone for the operator. Work in this specified area.

Reconnect the spark plug wire. Instructions on how to start a wood chipper vary depending on whether the machine uses an electric starter or requires a manual crank start.

For manual-start machines:

Set the engine switch to the ON position.
If the engine is cold, move the choke lever to CHOKE.
Turn the fuel flow to ON.
For manual-start units, pull the starter cord until the engine turns over and begins to start. For electric-start machines, turn the key.
Once the engine is running, move the choke lever to RUN.

Hold a branch in a firm grip with both hands and insert it slowly into the chipping chute, starting with the blunt, larger end. Don’t force the branch into the chipper, let the blades do the work. Depending on the size of the branch you may need to feed it into the chipper, pull it out, and feed it back in several times. If you have trouble chipping or controlling a branch, don’t attempt to force it. Remove it from the machine.

Keep your hands clear of the chipper chute. If a branch is too small for you to keep your hands away, try using a longer branch to push it into the chipper, but don’t try to chip two pieces at the same time.

Good to Know

Chippers have a maximum diameter branch they’ll accept. A 3-inch maximum diameter is common for the chippers a homeowner would typically use. Make sure the branches will fit the machine. You may need to prune some branches before chipping them.

It’s a good idea to alternate between green and dry wood. Moisture from chopping the green wood lubricates the chipper blades and reduces the heat they generate.

You can try loosening minor clogs by using the handle on the machine to lightly shake the hopper back and forth. If you can’t free the clog this way, turn the engine off, close the fuel valve and unplug the spark plug wire. You can remove material that’s on top of the hopper but don’t reach inside. Use a small branch to shift and dislodge material inside the hopper.

Once you clear the clog, reconnect the spark plug, turn the engine switch on, open the fuel valve and restart the machine.

Caution

Never attempt to unclog the machine with hands, feet or any part of your body.

Good to Know

Some clogs may be too tough to clear using the methods above. Consult your manual for steps to clear serious blockages.

Get the machine ready for storage.

If you’ll be using the machine again in the next few days, close the fuel valve and allow the engine to run until it burns all the fuel in the engine. Turn the engine switch off. Disconnect the spark plug cable from the spark plug.
When you’re ready to store the chipper for up to 30 days, your manual may recommend adding a fuel stabilizer to the gasoline and running the mixture through the engine before burning off the fuel in the engine. Turn the engine switch off and disconnect the spark plug cable from the spark plug.

Allow the engine to cool for at least five minutes. Sweep away debris from the surface of the machine with a soft brush. Store the chipper in an area that’s dry, away from heat sources and direct sunlight. Make sure it’s out of reach of children.

If you won’t be using the chipper for more than thirty days, follow the procedures above and the additional steps in your manual for long-term storage.

Caution

Don’t place anything in the chipper chute or shredder hopper. Don’t touch the engine after using the wood chipper. It will be hot.

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Wood Chipper Safety

Using a Wood Chipper

Preparing, Starting and Using a Chipper Shredder

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