Super Tomahawk not chipping cleanly


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Old 08-07-13, 03:34 PM
J
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Super Tomahawk not chipping cleanly

Newbie here to DIY Forum

I have a Super Tomahawk model 11087 S/N W824570, which I take to mean was made in 1987. I just bought this unit, as it seems very sturdily built and the price was reasonable.

Anyway, I notice that branches in the chipper chute tend to get sliced into "spaghetti strands" rather than being cut off cleanly. The cutter blade is somewhat through not hopelessly dull, and I have a replacement on order.

However, I also notice that there is a significant spacing between the blade and the bottom edge of the chute, about 5/16" or 3/8" . I was expecting that there would be an "anvil" piece, against which the blade would slice the incoming branch, and that it would be positioned closer to where the blade swings past. All I see is a double-thickness of steel on one side of the bottom of the chute, which is spaced away from the blade position as indicated above.

I bought online a parts manual for a somewhat older Super Tomahawk (vintage 1985) and that style had a replaceable and adjustable anvil, along the lines of what I would have expected. Maybe the anvil was deleted as an economy measure?

Anyway, without an anvil, I don't see how the blade can cut cleanly. Is the entire drum assembly and blade capable of being moved closer to the edge of the chute? If so, how? Thanks.
 
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Old 08-08-13, 09:05 AM
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I am running a Troyblit super tomahawk V chipper (1988) Model 11389 Sn W828954

There is no removable, replacement anvil in my unit either. BUT the chute where it meets the housing is double thickness, like 1/4 inch thick instead of 1/8 inch or less. Which as best I can tell is the 'anvil'

The only time I get stringy stuff out of my unit when I am feeding via the chipper chute, is when I run very small, 1/4 inch diameter, green limbs. Anything larger than that gets chipped.

Also what size, type, kind of screen do you have on the unit. I have noticed that it actually chips and then regrinds the chippings.. If I drop the screen off the bottom of the unit I get a courser product.

I was able to slip a 1/4 inch thick spacer between the chute - anvil and the blade on my machine. And it chips limbs green or dry just fine.. I ground up some downed apple tree the past weekend with it..

I would check the knife, make sure its tight and sharp, as in REALLY sharp. I have noticed that running lots of dry leaves in the fall through my unit will REALLY take the edge off of the chipping knife. So much so that I have actually swapped out the sharp knife for a dull one, or put the chipper blade in backwards, etc.

new chipper knives, the ones I have gotten that were made by a 'machine shop' REALLY are sharp and cut well.
 
 

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