Your UGC Chipper/Shredder will arrive by UPS in a fairly large and fairly heavy single box. If you do not have a handy dandy cart or lots of excess muscle, figure out where you are going to put it together before it arrives and ask the driver to put it there for you. Close to good light and tools will make it easier to put together.

Tools you will need to assemble the chipper:

• Phillips screwdriver
• The metal wrench tools included with the chipper
• Socket wrench to fit the nuts that come with the chipper

The first thing to do, of course, is to remove the machine from the box. Easy, right? wrong! The interior box is very tightly fitted into the outer box, so you will need 2 people to extract one from the other, or use a box cutter to cut the sides away.

Then you can take everything out of the box to see what's what.

It comes with instructions, but I found they were not very elementary about the steps, so thought I would show you how I did this.

This is sorta what it looks like without the boxes around it.

I turned the box upside down and slide the box off the top.

I did that twice before I could see the contents.

Then spread it all out so you can see what's what.

All this stuff came out that box in the background!>

Now you want to pick up the instructions and parts list and review it before you get frustrated and come back here for the how-to.

The first thing you want to work on are the wheels, getting them attached to the legs. You will see two wide flat metal brace panels between the two sides of the cart that steady the frame. Turn the frame so one of the braces is on top towards you. The other brace should be on the side. You will see holes punched in the metal frame to hold the wheels and the feet. The holes for the wheels are along the side of the frame as it sits upside down. The holes on the very bottom of the frame will be facing you while it is upside down, and they are for the feet.

Look at the picture provided in the instruction sheet to see how to insert all the parts for the wheel. Leave the wheel cover (#3), off-it will snap on last. The picture shows how the assembly goes together, fitting a large washer over the bolt head (#5), then the bushing (which is the long hollow tube (#6) next. Then you insert the bolt screw-end into the smoothest side of the wheel and push it through all the way and put it through the outer side hole of the frame.

The wheel should be on the outside of the frame. Using the open end wrench that came with the chipper, hold the bolt with it while you place the washer and nut on the other side of the bolt where it comes out the other side of the frame. Use the nut wrench to tighten it all up.

Then you can snap on the cover.

Now for the feet: The instruction sheet calls the big rubber thing a 'foot cover' that fits over the 'stand foot'. The dipped out end of the 'foot cover' fits over the metal frame, insert the 'stand foot' into it and then a bolt that will go through to the other side. You will put a washer and a nut on the opposite side of the frame to bolt it on. You will need a tool in each hand to tighten it down tight. Your bolt should not stick out of the stand foot surface.

Time to take a break and admire your progress.

Now we come to the part that is ellusive! The instructions say to "Place the motor housing on the stand and attach with 3 M6xM40 screws." That's all it says! First you have to find the holes the screws are going into and then figure out how the housing sits on the frame. This is easiest done while everything is upside down. Lay the heavy motor housing upside down on the ground and you will see 3 screw holes. Place the frame over the motor housing so that the rectangular opening in the housing bottom is under the part of the frame where the same size opening is and the feet are attached. That opening in the housing is where the chipped up material will come out and enter the chip bin and should be at the front of the frame. This is the time and place to insert the screws into the 3 holes and tighten them down real good.

This is one end of the chip bin. Slide this end in first from the front of the chipper frame that you have now turned right side up. This handle should be on the end where the wheels are. Make sure the handle will go down all the way, thereby locking the bin into place with the motor housing. Your chipper will not operate unless this handle is locked into place.

Attach the handle to the top of the frame above the wheels. There are two special desinged nuts to attach it with. You will want these very tight so the handle doesn't wiggle around.

This picture does not show the correct position of the handle. You will want to adjust it to the upward position before tightening the nuts.

The completely assembled UGC Chipper/Shredder without the chip bin in place.

Now insert the chip bin from the far end first putting the end of the bin with the interlocking handle in first. Slide it all the way back and lock the handle in the up position. Your chipper will not work unless it is locked. It also will not work without being plugged into electricity, so move it to a place where you want to use it where there is electricity. You can see the cord is kind of short, so you will probably need a heavy duty extension cord for it.

You should look at page 6 of the instruction sheets to get an overview of what the buttons will do for you. Then go out and practice those buttons by shredding some of the thin trimming branches you have piled up.