mulcher/shredder

As we are approaching Fall again, we are realizing we could use a mulcher/shredder.
We garden quite a large area, so have a number of trees worth of leaves, plus the
various smaller branches that could be shredded. What have you found to work well
that does not cost an arm and a leg?

Bill - I have quite a large one (Globe Gardenmaster) that unfortunately I don't think it is sold in the US, but what I can offer as advice is how brillant I find having both a shredder (hammers) and chipper (blades) in our machine - it just means that I can switch depending on what material I need to get through, and we can get quite big top growth through he chipper. It also has a big feed area, so I can get through big piles of material fairly quickly.

The other thing I would reccommend is we bought our second hand, and then had it serviced/sharpened. the machine was in very good condition, half the price of new, and servicing cost efficient. worth considering.

We need to get Sofer in on this thread, he is a great machine guy with some super pieces of garden equipment.

Bill, Didn't see until tonight that this had posted twice, but was worth replying to as Laurie added her input her and----I want that!!! I have been looking for a hammer-mill for several years (only sold commercially here I think, and can't afford new so need to find used....), and a chipper/hammer combination would be to die for! I am going to be heavily researching the posibility of finding yours that I would be able to somehow get here! Hammers are exactly what is needed to do the wet leafy stuff in our area, and would't you think that with everything going "green" that someone would figure out that a dual purpose machine would sell like hotcakes here?

RJ - this is the one I have - http://www.globeorganic.co.uk/products/shredder/gardenmaster9hp.html

What I would suggest is email Globe (they are incredibly nice people) and see if they have sent any over - it might give you a lead to finding a used one.

I have to say I just love mine - its a bit like having a Willy Wonka shredder, I keep waiting for it to toot and puff steam out of the top - its cute, but definately not girlie! This is a real workhorse.

(I'm thinking of getting their really big one - we are removing an acre of scrub this winter, and I want all of it shredded).