Is a 4" chipper up to the job or is fire the only solution

[kiethton]

Currently 10% of the way through clearing the above-ground vegetation from our long-neglected garden ahead of a levelling exercise and clearing/digging some foundations for some garden rooms/future extension.

In total there is c100m of overgrowth at anything from 2m to 5m deep. I'm currently clearing the above ground stuff - mostly bushes/self-sown weed trees but we have a lot of stumps which will be dug out with a 1.5t excavator in due course. Although I've barely scratched the surface my pile of cuttings is already massive.

Historically I'd have burnt it in situ but feel that with a lot more to go and living in the London suburbs I should probably get a chipper in. Looking at some of the branches coming out, will a hired petrol chipper be up to the job? If not do you know where a "beefier" one could be hired at reasonable cost for a weekend in S London?

[netherfield]

Hss hire centres around £300.

https://www.hss.com/hire/c/outdoor-gardening/garde...

Some will claim to shift 4" and struggle .the one above won't.

[kiethton]

Thanks - you meaning the towable one? The smaller one was the one I was actually looking at given budget. If a clip more the fire may be the only practical/cost effective way of doing it

[biggiles]

We have a big towable chipper. It's handy, but for that sort of scale, a bonfire is probably easier. Handling every single branch, and feeding the chipper takes ages. Even at 1 second per branch (which it won't be), how long will that take?

Even better if you can use your 1.5t digger and make a big pile to burn.

[CubanPete]

3"+ diameter you can put on you local FB page as free to collector. People will have them for stoves, insect gardens etc.