I'll tell you about my little adventure.
I do not have much land (clay, with underground water everywhere at 2m), but there is a willow, a cherry tree, a plum tree, lilacs, bay laurels, lawn, etc.
Every year, when I have the courage (or health rather), I am quite tall. With trailer transport to the recycling center.
I have a low composter, where I mainly put only leaves and lawns. Finally, there is not much after a year; let's say 2 bags of potting soil.
Passionate about your experiences, I told myself that a garden shredder would help the maneuver for more compost.
Also, the mulch to make fertile ground (Jean Pain method), which would help my clay flat well.
Also the mulch can be spread on strawberries, I think.
Also for dry toilets, but I don't practice.
Last year I looked for an electric garden shredder, as economical as possible (quality and fair price).
There are 2 kinds:
- In the first prizes, with knives. In fact it's like a carrot grater in a robot.
A disc provided with 2 knives turning quickly and cutting the branches introduced, in strips, at least in small pieces. It should turn quickly, often noisy, and often get stuck, because there is always a tendency to put more and bigger.
- More expensive, there are roller crushers, like 2 long gears, which shred the branches. In principle, it can rotate slower, therefore less noisy, and more effective to really support the branches of 40mm.
Having read and reread the interesting cases, finally I planned myself to a roller model, quite exceptional according to the comments of the Internet users.
Not very noisy, capable of easily grinding 40mm, and when it gets stuck, a reverse gear is automatically made to unlock.
The shreds are a little larger than with the knives, which is good for a mulch, but limit for a composter it seems.
For those who have a large lot, it was advised to use this shredder with rollers to cut down the work, then pass the ground material in another shredder with knives, in order to have an extra grind (without blocking), and remove the disadvantages of the 2 machines.
This roller model is the Florabest FLH 2500 sold at Lidl only in September-October,
for 139 € this year, with 3 years warranty, and German manufacturing, please…
http://forum.mongazon.fr/viewsujet.php?id=393
Last year, I missed the promotional garden week, where the machines only stay for a week until some copies are sold off.
If you don't receive the flyers, you have to watch the Internet every weekly ad on the chain of stores.
Determined to buy it this year, I missed it again, around September 3 because I was busy with my cut and my change of Internet operator. Still missed
Disappointed, I went to Emmaüs to buy bidet taps (for an elderly person), which cannot be found in supermarkets now.
I got a bidet for 5 €, and ... What do I see? A sort of yellow, vegetable crusher that was bored in the pile of objects.
At first glance, not famous, the rotating disc seems more than rusty, the bizarre switch, no basket, and the broken pusher.
By any chance, I raise it to see if there was still the 2400 W electric motor.
I ask the price, asking if it works? Mystery.
I point out the rust on the knives, and the uncertain functioning.
After thirty seconds of thinking, the good man announces me € 5 ... He must have had this price in mind. I take.
I then hear the comments of the companions who said that he stayed several months in the rain to wait for a buyer ...
We'll see !
I dismantled it all this weekend. Cleaned, blown, motor in good condition, oiled, checking connections. A good blow of frameto on the beginnings of rust, and painting.
The 2 knives are reversible, and they had a new side. I pushed the vice to leave the worn knives chipped, after a good grindstone and a sharpening, the blades are still a little wavy but we will see.
Reassembly, like new. Finally the problem had to be the safety which prevented the engine from running, when the top cover was not in its place. I lengthened the nipple which pressed on the contact and it's all good, waiting for the size branches to come.
Tonight, I am doing an Internet search to see the source, the technical sheet and the price of this Italian-made device (from 2005) 2,4kw, 2850 rpm.
And bang! It was on sale at Au.hn, my neighboring store (a little too bulky by the way ...)
At the price of 149 €, and which seems not to be of too poor quality.
www.auchan.fr/vad/article/ficheArticle. ... yonBout = 17
So for once, I was strong, and very happy I came to tell you about my adventure.
Edit / I corrected the title. Then the name of the store.
