Bandit 18" intimidator

Eric Frei · 28th June 2007, 08:47 PM

Around 3mins and 15mb WMV

www.treeworld.info/video/bandit.wmv

TrevMcRev · 29th June 2007, 12:02 AM

Watching that compared to my BC1800:

THe infeed chute looks tiny
you need and extra man just to operate the lift & crush like all bigger bandits
When undoing the winch that guys hands were awful close and it looked to be feeding forward
down here that wouldve made some nice firewood
did it pull out of the bog hole alright!

Juno · 29th June 2007, 03:29 AM

I agree with TrevRev. It's a nice peace of machineri with the winch that's really good. But Is that machine save to work with. Here in the Netherlands there have to be a bar around. I you fall, if you get stuck in the branches you kan push that bar and it will stop de machine. Is it on that machine to??
And if you got in to troble how do you stop it than?

Eric Frei · 29th June 2007, 06:34 AM

Personally, I think the Vermeer 18" 170hp beats it.

The lower feed table seems easier for winch and kanga etc but is an unusual height for tripping.

The Vermeer auto feeds better to and the revs stay up better on the machine. I also think the horizontal feed rollers of the Vermeer are easier to feed.

Streyken · 29th June 2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

I also think the horizontal feed rollers of the Vermeer are easier to feed.

(I think you meant vertical.)

True, but I prefer the horizontal hydraulic lift. I've heard when you feed a fork through it's possible to have it flip and catch under your arm with the vertical feed. Here in BC, it was a vertical Vermeer that ate the guy in 2005. He had 2 days experience.

Eric Frei · 29th June 2007, 02:25 PM

Oh yes, vertical.

The lift and crush is a good feature, especially vine covered crap.

TrevMcRev · 29th June 2007, 09:41 PM

I think the vertical feed wheels work far better. They seem to take everything easier without the need for lift & crush, unfortunately this includes people

Seriously, the wheels just easily open up even for the biggest of stuff you will put in there, it takes it all effortlessly. Takes alot more and maintains RPM longer before auto feed kicks in too.

In my experience i find it to spin branches less so than other machines ive worked with that had conventional feedwheel setups.

When i demo'd both before buying the vermeer, while operating the bandit all i could think about was the extra man needed to operate the machine on top of those needed to feed it. That man is gonna cost ya 1/2 as much as the machine again every year!

TreeCo · 29th June 2007, 09:58 PM

That Intimidator looks to have a much smaller infeed chute and feed rollers than the one I had.

Was it an early model?

Eric Frei · 29th June 2007, 10:09 PM

That's one is like 2 months old, 80 hours on it.

Vermeers have big openings, that looks a genuine 18"

At arborcamp they had a chip off, 18" vermeer vs bandit.

Vermeer won, was fastest and sprayed chip furthest.

The guy in the video had a bc1400 and it was such a POS he went off Vermeer back to Bandit with whom he had a 12" for years before the Vermeer.

Time will tell too, I known this guy a while now so we'll see how this one holds up.

TrevMcRev · 29th June 2007, 10:21 PM

Yeah ive heard of some issues with the 10 & 14" vermeers and in that range i'd choose a Bandit 9 or 12".

But the Vermeer 18" is a ripper i reckon. That said, my little bandit 6" was a grouse bit o gear, done heaps of work for me, flogged it for 5 years and no real dramas other than the electric ignition unit.

Here she is:

JohN Dee · 2nd July 2007, 01:49 PM

The bandit chippers never really caught my attention, on the other hand - their remote controlled stump grinder 2800/2900 turns me on, talk about a bludge.

Damn Trev, you got lots of toys

.

TrevMcRev · 2nd July 2007, 08:52 PM

Ah i sold off the small truck and bandit about a year after getting the bigger truck and chipper. Ran 2 crews plus a stump outfit and salesman(8+me) for a while but didnt have the best people at the time & decided it was easier to run 1 solid crew with the right people & bigger equipment at 100% than 2 under performing crews. Theres times i wish i kept that lil' set up instead, times i wish i had it as well as, and times i'd be happy with the ol ute n trailer! Big equipment means big turnover is required before big profit!
Big turnover = big headaches!
Big turmover + quality arb services is hard without council contracts and they are monopolized down here.
Big turnover is easy if you dont care how you treat trees or people.

I lurve treez

Drouin Tree Service · 2nd July 2007, 09:14 PM

There a good thing them 65s

Im hearing you on all the above Trev!

Get a good day of removals and your glad you have the guys and chipper to handle it,seems everyone down the city has an 18"

OsAGe85 · 11th August 2007, 10:33 AM

Vermeer makes a way better chipper. The motor seems stronger on the Vermeer and someone doesnt have to operate the handle/feeder. Like you said Ekka the Vermeer seems to have better feed and the RPM stayed consistant. My pop and I had a bc1250a and that thing rocked if it wasnt for the restrictions and safety we probably could of put much bigger logs in that sucker.

Sam Beazley · 21st December 2007, 07:53 PM

Nicely done mate what type of saw were you using.

Eric Frei · 22nd December 2007, 09:00 PM

Stihl ms660

shaggs · 23rd December 2007, 09:04 AM

What hp was that machine???
It did seem to take a bit to get the revs back up!

young bull · 3rd January 2008, 08:06 PM

att/ trev mcrev. sounds like a little bit of proffesional jealousy, i have owned a bc 1800 and believe me, you are missing out. the bandit is more of a mans machine. if you know what i mean.

TrevMcRev · 3rd January 2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by young bull

att/ trev mcrev. sounds like a little bit of proffesional jealousy, i have owned a bc 1800 and believe me, you are missing out. the bandit is more of a mans machine. if you know what i mean.

No not jealous, if i thought it were better than a vermeer 18" i would have said "wow, that chipper is awesome, i wish i had one", i just gave my honest opinion based on my experiences with both machines.

Dont know what you mean, or really care about having a "mans" machine.
I dont feel i need to make up for any inadequacies in that department.
I just wanna process material in the most efficient, profitable way.
My 18 is already overkill for 50% of the work we do.

allmarktree · 4th January 2008, 06:10 AM

I dont understand all this talk about needing an extra man with a bandit. It should have an autofeed on it and a bar around it. The one in the vid looked like it also had a stop button on the right. The 2 orange cords hanging in the infeed are supposed to be hooked to the bar as a last chance. If it had 80 hrs the belts might need adjustment so the autofeed works properly.
I agree he should not have been reaching in there with the rollers turning. That was operator error. When the winch is activated the rollers dont move...so he switched the valve. Also when feeding the wood they should stand to the side. I have a scar from 22 stitches on the corner of my mouth to back that opinion up.

I have a Banit 10+ years old and it has all the above features.I also feel the feed bar used to reverse the feed wheel on all chippers are backward. If you grabbed it as you were getting sucked in with 1 arm you couldnt push it and would actuall end up pulling it.

Just my opinions.

Eric Frei · 4th January 2008, 06:16 AM

Gawd, now we're done for, Young Bull is here!

TrevMcRev · 4th January 2008, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allmarktree

I dont understand all this talk about needing an extra man with a bandit. It should have an autofeed on it and a bar around it. The one in the vid looked like it also had a stop button on the right. The 2 orange cords hanging in the infeed are supposed to be hooked to the bar as a last chance. If it had 80 hrs the belts might need adjustment so the autofeed works properly.

I have a Banit 10+ years old and it has all the above features.I also feel the feed bar used to reverse the feed wheel on all chippers are backward. If you grabbed it as you were getting sucked in with 1 arm you couldnt push it and would actuall end up pulling it.

Just my opinions.

allmark, my point is that ive found the vermeer with vert rollers just opens itself up even when you shove in the biggest logs it can take. If it can chip it, it can take it in itself. So 2 guys can just continually feed one piece after the other without having to stop and operate the lift & crush to get large wood or forky branches to feed. Autofeed will take care of the size/processing rate. I'm of the opinion that when a chipper is running it should be chipping as close to 100% of the time its running = efficient use of the machine. Every hour on the hour meter cost you money, both direct though fuel/wear & tear and indirect through depreciating the value of your equipment.

I cant stand seeing a chipper running at full revs out in the street while bozo walks all the way to the back yard to get the next branch

If you want a bandit to run like that, someone needs to man the controls while others feed it. Otherwise you cant just shove everything in, you have to stop, walk to the side of the machine, pull levers, walk back to the piece on the infeed tray, push it in more, pull levers, then it chips the piece.

In the vid, the guy operating the machine was not the guy feeding the machine. How much longer would it have taken the guys feeding if the operator wasnt there & they had to do that themselves too?

In the vid, the guy was controlling the feed when autofeed could have. Maybe it wasnt set up right, or if he slowed the feed rate then autofeed would have coped with the large dia hardwood.

Eric Frei · 4th January 2008, 07:44 AM

I know when we feed the Vermeer 18" it's a darned free for all, people, Kanga, logs branches, winch etc all goes through.

Time is money for us too, the faster a machine takes what we shove through it the less it costs me on hourly rental.

I can say definately that the Vermeer is easier to feed and frankly, other than vines no need for lift and crush.

allmarktree · 4th January 2008, 09:33 AM

I thought you were refering to the autofeed...my bad.. My bandit has the controls on top so when it is fed it is a 1 man operation.

Eric Frei · 4th January 2008, 06:31 PM

On top? Do have pics, maybe yours are different.

TreeCo · 4th January 2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreeCo

That Intimidator looks to have a much smaller infeed chute and feed rollers than the one I had.

Was it an early model?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

On top? Do have pics, maybe yours are different.

In the second or third post in this thread I mentioned that 1890 in the video is not like the one I owned. Mine was a 1998 model and the news ones are even bigger.

Eric Frei · 4th January 2008, 10:36 PM

Hmmm, something fishy going on then. Need some USA pics and sizes ... maybe we're getting some redneck version.

shaggs · 6th January 2008, 08:13 AM

Trev,
would you say that with the vermeer 1800 has the same "pull" capacity as the 18" bandits even when the lift n crush is used??
What does the vermeer rely on to pull the rollers together? hydraulcs, springs? and it it adjustable??
Cheers, only seen them used not used one myself.

TrevMcRev · 6th January 2008, 08:05 PM

Not too sure about diff in "pull"....
Mine needs some tuning of the hydraulics at the moment, not pulling as good as it should.

The vertical rollers are brought together by 2 big springs, does the job, keeps it simple, gives enough force that they pull rather than spin on material yet they open up and say ahhhh at the first sniff of a big log coming their way.

Trev

shaggs · 7th January 2008, 09:46 AM

Sounds good Trev.
What size motor is in it??
That thang would fil the truck pretty fast eh??

28th June 2007, 08:47 PM	#1
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Bandit 18" intimidator Around 3mins and 15mb WMV www.treeworld.info/video/bandit.wmv __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

29th June 2007, 12:02 AM	#2
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	Watching that compared to my BC1800: THe infeed chute looks tiny you need and extra man just to operate the lift & crush like all bigger bandits When undoing the winch that guys hands were awful close and it looked to be feeding forward down here that wouldve made some nice firewood did it pull out of the bog hole alright!

29th June 2007, 06:34 AM	#4
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Personally, I think the Vermeer 18" 170hp beats it. The lower feed table seems easier for winch and kanga etc but is an unusual height for tripping. The Vermeer auto feeds better to and the revs stay up better on the machine. I also think the horizontal feed rollers of the Vermeer are easier to feed. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

29th June 2007, 02:25 PM	#6
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Oh yes, vertical. The lift and crush is a good feature, especially vine covered crap. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

29th June 2007, 10:09 PM	#9
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	That's one is like 2 months old, 80 hours on it. Vermeers have big openings, that looks a genuine 18" At arborcamp they had a chip off, 18" vermeer vs bandit. Vermeer won, was fastest and sprayed chip furthest. The guy in the video had a bc1400 and it was such a POS he went off Vermeer back to Bandit with whom he had a 12" for years before the Vermeer. Time will tell too, I known this guy a while now so we'll see how this one holds up. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

29th June 2007, 03:29 AM	#3
Juno Sappling Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 28	I agree with TrevRev. It's a nice peace of machineri with the winch that's really good. But Is that machine save to work with. Here in the Netherlands there have to be a bar around. I you fall, if you get stuck in the branches you kan push that bar and it will stop de machine. Is it on that machine to?? And if you got in to troble how do you stop it than?

29th June 2007, 09:41 PM	#7
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	I think the vertical feed wheels work far better. They seem to take *everything* easier without the need for lift & crush, unfortunately this includes people Seriously, the wheels just easily open up even for the biggest of stuff you will put in there, it takes it all effortlessly. Takes alot more and maintains RPM longer before auto feed kicks in too. In my experience i find it to spin branches less so than other machines ive worked with that had conventional feedwheel setups. When i demo'd both before buying the vermeer, while operating the bandit all i could think about was the extra man needed to *operate* the machine on top of those needed to feed it. That man is gonna cost ya 1/2 as much as the machine again *every* year!

29th June 2007, 09:58 PM	#8
TreeCo Mature tree Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 307	That Intimidator looks to have a much smaller infeed chute and feed rollers than the one I had. Was it an early model?

29th June 2007, 10:21 PM	#10
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	Yeah ive heard of some issues with the 10 & 14" vermeers and in that range i'd choose a Bandit 9 or 12". But the Vermeer 18" is a ripper i reckon. That said, my little bandit 6" was a grouse bit o gear, done heaps of work for me, flogged it for 5 years and no real dramas other than the electric ignition unit. Here she is: Attached Thumbnails

2nd July 2007, 01:49 PM	#11
JohN Dee Moderator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Climbing around the world Posts: 848	The bandit chippers never really caught my attention, on the other hand - their remote controlled stump grinder 2800/2900 turns me on, talk about a bludge. Damn Trev, you got lots of toys . __________________ We are what we repeatedly do... Excellence then, is not an act, but HABIT... Red : Green : Blue

2nd July 2007, 08:52 PM	#12
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	Ah i sold off the small truck and bandit about a year after getting the bigger truck and chipper. Ran 2 crews plus a stump outfit and salesman(8+me) for a while but didnt have the best people at the time & decided it was easier to run 1 solid crew with the right people & bigger equipment at 100% than 2 under performing crews. Theres times i wish i kept that lil' set up instead, times i wish i had it as well as, and times i'd be happy with the ol ute n trailer! Big equipment means big turnover is required before big profit! Big turnover = big headaches! Big turmover + quality arb services is hard without council contracts and they are monopolized down here. Big turnover is easy if you dont care how you treat trees or people. I lurve treez

2nd July 2007, 09:14 PM	#13
Drouin Tree Service Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,727	There a good thing them 65s Im hearing you on all the above Trev! Get a good day of removals and your glad you have the guys and chipper to handle it,seems everyone down the city has an 18" __________________ Drouin Tree Services \| Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland \| Landclearing Melbourne

11th August 2007, 10:33 AM	#14
OsAGe85 Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Littlerock Arkansas US Posts: 59	Vermeer makes a way better chipper. The motor seems stronger on the Vermeer and someone doesnt have to operate the handle/feeder. Like you said Ekka the Vermeer seems to have better feed and the RPM stayed consistant. My pop and I had a bc1250a and that thing rocked if it wasnt for the restrictions and safety we probably could of put much bigger logs in that sucker. __________________ Gotta love the smell 2 stroke and wood chips. Be smart, be safe.

21st December 2007, 07:53 PM	#15
Sam Beazley Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bulli N.S.W Posts: 105	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Nicely done mate what type of saw were you using.

22nd December 2007, 09:00 PM	#16
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Stihl ms660 __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

23rd December 2007, 09:04 AM	#17
shaggs Mature tree Join Date: May 2007 Location: sydney Posts: 419	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator What hp was that machine??? It did seem to take a bit to get the revs back up!

3rd January 2008, 08:06 PM	#18
young bull I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: queensland Posts: 2	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator att/ trev mcrev. sounds like a little bit of proffesional jealousy, i have owned a bc 1800 and believe me, you are missing out. the bandit is more of a mans machine. if you know what i mean.

4th January 2008, 06:10 AM	#20
allmarktree Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albany, New York Posts: 116	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator I dont understand all this talk about needing an extra man with a bandit. It should have an autofeed on it and a bar around it. The one in the vid looked like it also had a stop button on the right. The 2 orange cords hanging in the infeed are supposed to be hooked to the bar as a last chance. If it had 80 hrs the belts might need adjustment so the autofeed works properly. I agree he should not have been reaching in there with the rollers turning. That was operator error. When the winch is activated the rollers dont move...so he switched the valve. Also when feeding the wood they should stand to the side. I have a scar from 22 stitches on the corner of my mouth to back that opinion up. I have a Banit 10+ years old and it has all the above features.I also feel the feed bar used to reverse the feed wheel on all chippers are backward. If you grabbed it as you were getting sucked in with 1 arm you couldnt push it and would actuall end up pulling it. Just my opinions.

4th January 2008, 06:16 AM	#21
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Gawd, now we're done for, Young Bull is here! __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

4th January 2008, 07:44 AM	#23
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator I know when we feed the Vermeer 18" it's a darned free for all, people, Kanga, logs branches, winch etc all goes through. Time is money for us too, the faster a machine takes what we shove through it the less it costs me on hourly rental. I can say definately that the Vermeer is easier to feed and frankly, other than vines no need for lift and crush. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

4th January 2008, 09:33 AM	#24
allmarktree Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albany, New York Posts: 116	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator I thought you were refering to the autofeed...my bad.. My bandit has the controls on top so when it is fed it is a 1 man operation.

4th January 2008, 06:31 PM	#25
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator On top? Do have pics, maybe yours are different. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

4th January 2008, 10:36 PM	#27
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Hmmm, something fishy going on then. Need some USA pics and sizes ... maybe we're getting some redneck version. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

6th January 2008, 08:13 AM	#28
shaggs Mature tree Join Date: May 2007 Location: sydney Posts: 419	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Trev, would you say that with the vermeer 1800 has the same "pull" capacity as the 18" bandits even when the lift n crush is used?? What does the vermeer rely on to pull the rollers together? hydraulcs, springs? and it it adjustable?? Cheers, only seen them used not used one myself.

6th January 2008, 08:05 PM	#29
TrevMcRev Mature Tree Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Posts: 1,594	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Not too sure about diff in "pull".... Mine needs some tuning of the hydraulics at the moment, not pulling as good as it should. The vertical rollers are brought together by 2 big springs, does the job, keeps it simple, gives enough force that they pull rather than spin on material yet they open up and say ahhhh at the first sniff of a big log coming their way. Trev

7th January 2008, 09:46 AM	#30
shaggs Mature tree Join Date: May 2007 Location: sydney Posts: 419	Re: Bandit 18" intimidator Sounds good Trev. What size motor is in it?? That thang would fil the truck pretty fast eh??

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