Serving Domestic & International Markets for Grinder and Grinder Wear Parts

Member of the Waste Industry Market Place

The question is Tub or Horizontal Grinder?   It’s getting tougher to pick the grinder that’s right for a particular recycling or cleanup operation. But that’s a good thing; improvements have been made to machine features, making the distinction between tub grinders and horizontal models more obvious. And, once a buyer has settled on grinder type, a whole array of options and horsepower ranges await them. For many years, both types (tub grinders and horizontal grinders) have been successful in the market. This used to in-and-of-itself put manufacturers head-to-head — few used to offer both. Vermeer is one manufacturer that now does. 

Both types of grinders excel in conditions and applications that match up with their capabilities,” he says. In short, tub grinders generally perform better with heavy, large-diameter material such as stumps and root balls; if processing longer raw material is the consistent application, a horizontal model may be the best choice.  In some materials, a tub grinder is perceived to have a higher production rate, but the horizontal models may have a distinct advantage when it comes to longer, bushier material. This is mainly because the tub is only so deep, and when processing the longer stuff, long branches may be difficult to feed. Horizontal models have the long feed table and conveyor that guides material into the grinder, avoiding the sometimes tedious task of material placement and manipulation.”

Some say that extra-long feed tables on trailer-mounted Vermeer horizontal grinders allow for loading of long material without additional cutting. This could be extremely beneficial in land clearing, recycling or storm cleanup applications. Also, smaller loading equipment can be used for horizontal grinders, because they typically have a lower feeding height than a tub grinder. This could be a major factor, depending on the auxiliary equipment that a buyer or renter has onsite.

These grinder “categories” sometimes come with options that are specific to each. For example, Vermeer offers both track-mounted horizontal units and conventional towed models. In a situation where a single job site may have several debris piles — such as a land clearing job, the self-propelled track-mounted option can be highly efficient. So rather than having to tow the machine short distances, it can be moved by the operator, possibly into areas where it could not be towed.

Among the primary advantages of having a grapple loader on your tub grinder is better visibility of the tub; the loader cab provides excellent view of the tub cavity, so operators can load material more efficiently. It also helps the operator identify and clear contaminants mixed in with material. Self-contained loaders also eliminate the need for extra pieces of equipment, because transporting or renting a loading unit is not required.  Non-loader machines are common on work sites that include a fleet of multipurpose loading equipment. Some non-loader tub grinders require multiple auxiliary loaders to meet the production capabilities of the machine.  Grinders on the market range from 100 HP to 1600 HP. Two things should be considered when selecting a size: volume and size of material to be processed and necessary mobility.

Customers that represent a municipal landfill or private recycling operation, for example, may require a unit with high-volume capacity as it’s likely that a high daily volume of material can be expected in one central location, because in this case, setup and mobility of the unit is not nearly as important as the necessary capacity. So now a buyer has settled on grinder type, options and size. In addition to resulting in more choices and more customized “fits” for certain operations and applications, advancements are also addressing what have in the past been two primary concerns about owning and using any type of large grinder: maintenance and safety. As with any machine, proper preventive maintenance for a grinder is crucial to its longevity and productivity. Hammers, teeth, hammer shafts, anvils and screens are high wear items. Because of the difference in types of grinding materials and varying amounts of use from application to application, it is difficult to formulate a specific “rule of thumb” for average wear or longevity. Key variables include how well the raw material is cleaned, how fine the material is ground and how effectively the operator prepares the material.