[vikingraider]

I'm in the process of felling a load of 40ft high conifers. I was going to buy a garden shredder to chop up the small branches to use as a mulch on my allotment paths. However, every shredder from the main suppliers have mixed reviews. I thought of hiring a shredder, but most of them say DO NOT put conifers through them(even thought the pictures show people putting conifers through them). Anyone have a recommendation for a good shredder?

[Goosegirl]

I have a Viking GE 250 shredder/chipper that deals with most things and has been used with conifers. I suspect conifers have a resin in the wood which might make the blades a bit sticky, hence the warning. I call it Ethelshred because of the brand name! 

[jezza]

Hello if you are shredding the feathery bits off conifer it tends to wrap around the blades thicker stuff should go through the chipper unit,I think Bosch make one with roller cutters that cant wrap material as it's always pulling material through between the rollers ,an ideal shredder unit would have the rollers to hold the material and a blade like a food blender under neath it would be a steady continuous flow of material ,if theres a lit of small bits run a good rotary mower over it   jezza

[Subversive_plot]

I like Jezza's suggestion with the mower.  I do the same thing with small, extra-thorny holly leaves and branches to prep them for going into my long-term compost pile.

Take the small branches with needles to a pavement area if you can (or a flat open area at least).  Run over them with a mower, you may need to rake in a low pile and make multiple passes to get a mulch that looks right. When finished, rake the mulch onto a tarp, drag it to where you need it.  I wouldn't try mulching anything much larger in diameter than a marking pen using a mower (pencil-sized would be even better).

Nearly all of my paths between raised beds have pine straw as the primary mulch.  A thick layer works a treat at preventing weeds.