PatriotProducts CSV-3090H 9 HP OHV Honda GX Gas-Powered Wood Chipper

I have put more than 80 hours on this unit and, overall, I am very pleased. The way that it makes branches "go away" by turning them into chips is "magic".Here are my "Pros" and "Cons":PROS - The unit always starts with one pull. This is great for an older-timer like me. - Some have commented that the unit bogs down with larger branches. It does, but some decrease in RPM is expected as the feed speed increases or the branch diameter exceeds one inch. Although you can feed a three-inch branch through the unit, you really must be reasonable concerning performance expectations for a unit of this size. For its size, it works just fine.CONS - Blade hardness could be improved. It was not defined within the literature that I received; however, you really need to resharpen the blades after 4 hours of use. If you have to chip Manzanita, the blades dull more quickly, so plan to chip these at the end of the day so that the blades stay sharp and feed rates are maintained.If you have to push the branches into the unit, the blades need sharpening.I developed a fixture that I used to sharpen the blades using a one-inch vertical belt sander, and this maintains the correct cutting angle and lengthens blade life. - I experienced a failure with the Rotor Tri-Plate. The welds around the center shaft were poorly executed and eventually failed.I contact the manufacturer and was very displeased with his response and overall technical competency. Even after I sent him pictures revealing the poorly applied and incomplete weld, he still indicated that I must have been mistreating the unit and that the weld was not at fault.I ended up buying a new Tri-Plate for $335 and receiving two sets of replacement blades.As a side note, the new Tri-Plate exhibited complete and very robust welds, must more substantial than the unit I received.I expect that the manufacturer has either adjusted their welding techniques or increased their quality control.Regardless, the whole experience did not reflect the response I expected based on the overall quality of the chipper. - I have an engineering background and I like to tinker. When I installed the new Tri-Plate, I measured the runout near the edge of the Tri-Plate with a dial indicator. The variation was almost 1/8 of an inch. So, this plate, at high revolutions, was creating a lot of vibration due to the imbalance that this "wobble" produced.To improve this condition, I created a fixture where I could adjust the the surface positioning around the circumference of the Plate to reduce the runout. I was able to reduce the variation to about 0.015 of an inch.This adjustment reduced the overall vibration of the unit and actually improve feed rate and cutting performance because both blades were addressing the feed material from a similar position.I suggest that the manufacture develop a more accurate fixture for welding the center shaft, and then make final adjustments to the Tri-Plate surfaces after the welds have cooled. This will reduce the amount of runout, lengthen the Tri-Plate service life, and improve chipping performance levels.

The Patriot 9 HP Honda Engine driven chipper is a great machine! It is however, not made to digest trees, but does well with small diameter branches up to about 2 or 2 1/2 inched in diameter. All kinds of yard waste, with diameters of 1/2" or less, can be loaded into the top of the machine where you avoid the two sharp knives and go directly to the swinging hammers. This is great for leaves.All branches of between 1/2 inch diameter and about 2 1/2 inch diameter can be fed into the cone shaped feeding device and will be chopped up by the two hardened steel knives, which can be removed for sharpening or replacement. Long branches, with leaves attached, can be loaded into the chipping cone and will be nicely chopped up into coin sized pieces.This machine will take some learning to best use its capabilities and not overburden the function by feeding branches that are too big to digest. A 3" branch will work if fed slowly so as not to overload the capability of this fine chipper. Having sharp knives helps considerably.The 9 HP Honda Engine is a quality engine and should last a long time. It starts easily, usually on the first or second pull, and is fairly quiet. However, both ear plugs and goggles are needed when using this machine. The Honda Engine has a fuel shut off valve and a carburetor drain, so if you use Sta-bil fuel stabilizer, you should be able to leave the gas in the tank for storage after draining the carb.This is a great and well made chipper, but it is a dangerous device if not used correctly. Don't forget to add oil before starting the engine for the first time.

Pros: super easy to assemble and use! If it can be fed down the neck, it is ground up instantly. The Honda motor is super quiet, powerful and easy on fuel.Cons: For this price point, it should come with a means of towing it around and a spare pair of blades. I modified the discharge shute as I wanted to broadcast chip instead of the bag thing.All in all, this machine is incredible...Happy Father's day to me!Thank you Patriot Products!

I purchased this unit in 2011 to make better use of the piles of shrub and tree trimmings I create each year from my property upkeep. The well written instructions allowed me to assemble the unit with no problems. Pros: The engine starts well. It does a nice job of chipping brush and small limbs. Cons: In shredding leaves I found it bogs down easily, necessitating a slow feeding process. For limbs, I spend a lot of time pre-trimming to ensure the pieces will fit. The unit is noisy - ear protection is a must. I would recommend getting the tow attachment as moving it on 'rough' ground is otherwise difficult. Pay particular attention to the instructions on how to be a happy chipper. Despite the longer "Con" list for me, I still give this product 4 stars as it is well constructed and performed as designed. For my application, I believe I really needed a bigger chipper.

Works better than expected. American made quality!

ok i read the other reviews.... some folks are really unrealistic...twisted branches..yeah that happens, cut em to fit!! This thing eats everything that fits in it and if it doesn't fit trim it! It is a beast! and no I'm not affiliated with Patriot Products in any way. Fill it with gas and oil after simple assembly and your ready for business. I highly recommend!!!!!