Monster Garage Season 1 Episode 13 West Coast Chipper

In Monster Garage season 1 episode 13, titled "West Coast Chipper," Jesse James and his team are tasked with building a wood chipper that can be mounted onto the back of a truck. The client for this build is the West Coast Arborists, a tree maintenance company that was looking for a safer, more efficient way to dispose of tree limbs and branches.

The episode starts off with the team visiting the West Coast Arborists to see their current wood chipping process in action. They note that the current system is time-consuming, dangerous, and not very effective. Jesse and the team then head back to their garage to begin brainstorming and designing their own wood chipper.

One of the first challenges the team faces is finding the right engine to power the chipper. They decide to use a Ford 460 big block engine, which provides plenty of power and torque for the job. They also decide to make the chipper hydraulic-powered, allowing for more precise control and less chance of jamming.

Next, the team sets to work on the heart of the chipper - the cutting mechanism. They decide to make a drum chipper, which uses sharp blades mounted onto a rotating drum to cut the wood into chips. This design is ideal for handling both limbs and branches, as well as green and dry wood. The team spends hours crafting the blades and mounting them onto the drum, making sure they are perfectly balanced and aligned.

As the build progresses, the team faces several challenges and setbacks. They discover that the hydraulic system they had initially planned is causing too much heat buildup, which could eventually lead to engine failure. They decide to switch to a mechanical system instead, which requires more work but ultimately proves to be more reliable.

Another challenge comes in the form of finding the right metal for the chute that will direct the wood chips away from the truck. They need a strong, durable material that won't dent or warp under the high pressure and speed of the chips. After several tests, they settle on AR400 steel, which is not only tough but also abrasion-resistant.

As the episode nears its conclusion, the team puts the finishing touches on the chipper and prepares to test it out for the first time. They mount it onto the back of a truck and head to a nearby tree trimming site, eager to see how it performs in the real world.

The results are impressive. The chipper easily handles even the thickest branches, cutting them up into small chips in a matter of seconds. The client is thrilled with the finished product and praises the team for their hard work and ingenuity.

Overall, "West Coast Chipper" is an entertaining and educational episode of Monster Garage that showcases the team's expertise in building custom, high-performance vehicles for a wide range of applications. From design challenges to unexpected setbacks, viewers get an inside look at the process of taking an idea from concept to reality.