Just in case you weren’t already aware, not all trees are created equally. For instance, some have harder material than others, while others are extremely fibrous. Species like Melaleuca trees, black locust, hickory, and even bamboo offer certain challenges to standard consumer-level wood chippers, making them nearly impossible to successfully process without experiencing at least a few issues.

While many of these tree materials are difficult to process due to being excessively hard and dense, palm trees present an entirely different problem because of their fibrous composition. Their fronds and vines are some of the most challenging tree materials to put through a wood chipper.

Those of you who have experienced the dreaded tangling and clogged-up drums from these stubborn trees are probably nodding as you read this.

Large, powerful, commercial-level chippers are typically the answer to fibrous trees like palms, but you don’t have to go lug around some 15,000-lb., 500-horsepower chipper to process palm trees.

In fact, the easily towable, 5,000-lb., 49 to 84-horsepower Bandit 12XPC is perfectly capable of getting the job done — all it took was a little innovation.

Here are the top five reasons why the 12XPC is the best chipper for palm trees.

1. 4-Knife Drum

Unlike other chippers in its class, the 12XPC comes equipped with a 4-knife drum instead of a 2-knife drum. This means you’re getting two cuts with each revolution of the drum, delivering double the cutting action and powering through the fibrous material of a palm tree that would otherwise create issues for inferior chipper models.

Here’s a quick demonstration for reference:

https://youtu.be/UO69tkBWDKo

2. Maximum Drum Productivity

Simply including more knives in the drum is not enough to ensure a palm tree can be processed with ease — RPMs are just as important. The 12XPC drum is adequately set for maximum productivity to provide the RPMs needed to make the cutting more efficient. This properly set amount of RPMs processes the palm tree material more efficiently and goes a long way to reduce the chipper’s chances of plugging up.

3. The Palm Tree Package

Did you know Bandit offers a literal “palm tree package” with its 12XPC? Well, now you do. The palm tree package for the 12XPC includes double-feed wheel teeth and scrappers on the side of the feed wheels that enable additional cutting and make it easier to get the palms into the chipper without getting the material tangled up in the feed system. This also helps to avoid material getting wrapped around the wheel.

4. Adjustable Side Vents

Airflow can make a huge difference when processing fibrous trees like palms, but it has to be

done strategically. The 12XPC comes with adjustable side vents that provide three different ways to create extra airflow in the chipper. Half-moon covers on each side can quickly be removed by simply taking out a few bolts.

This added airflow can help discharge palm material when needed and make it much easier to unclog when cutting.

5. Patented Power Slot

Aside from the 4-knife drum design, another 12XPC feature you certainly won’t find anywhere else is our patented power slot. Located on the front side of the discharge transition, these slots provide even more additional airflow to prevent clogging. You can also use this slot for easy access when unplugging the chipper.

 

Want to see the 12XPC in action? Come see for yourself why Cal-Line is the biggest distributor of Bandit chippers in the world. Drop by and see us today at any of our locations or contact our team to schedule a personal demo; we’d love to show you what the 12XPC can do in person.