Wallenstein BXM32 - One Heckuva Chipper/Shredder

[clarksvilleal]

Well, I finally got the chipper/shredder of my dreams :thumbsup:. (OK, I don't usually dream about chipper/shredders, but until now I did have nightmares about doing the work :shocked I have 5 acres to maintain with lots of chipping & shredding -- most recently a lot of large pine branches that came down in a storm last winter, and about a dozen good-sized apple and pear trees that I knocked down (to be replaced with dwarf trees) to make room for a large out-building. I also shred prunings from a number of large maples trees and various small fruit crops. And I have a couple of acres of woodland that I have wanted to clear of brush, briars, vines and small trees for some time but had been too intimidated by the size of the task. I can't believe I ever got by with my wimpy little 5 HP MTD toy. Since I have a Kubota B2910 compact tractor, I decided to take advantage of it's 29 HP diesel engine and beefy 3-pt hitch, and finally get a *real*, man-sized chipper/shredder.

After doing much research and reading numerous reviews on this and other forums, I finally settled on the Wallenstein BXM32, just introduced last year. Man, am I glad I did. This is one great machine. It weighs over 400 lbs., has a true 3" capacity chipper and a large shredder hopper to funnel the smaller branches down. The rotor is a hefty 70 lbs., and the shredder has 27 knives that instantly (and I do mean instantly!) turn anything you put into it into a fine mulch. The chipper is pretty much self-feeding, though you sometimes have to push a bit when there are side branches on the limb you're feeding it. But the shredder, which is spec'ed for up to 1" branches but seems to do fine up to 1-1/2" or so, is truly amazing. The first time I put a good-sized branch in the shredder hopper it almost scared the living $#@! out of me , as the shredder instantly (literally) sucked that branch (with a number of smaller side branches) in like a giant vacuum cleaner, with a loud WHOOSH!

Before I got the BXM32, shredding was my most hated outdoor task. Now it is almost fun . OK, chipping and shredding will never be truly enjoyable, but this machine really does make it so much easier than what I was using (a small 5HP MTD) that it at least is not the torture that it used to be, gets the job done in a fraction of the time it used to take, and really is almost fun to use :thumbsup:. One of the best features of the machine is the discharge chute, which rotates 300 degree and accurately blows a focused stream of chips & mulch 15 or 20 feet, into a dump trailer in my case. My first day using it I took about two hours to do what would have taken me at least a full day, and of course I can now chip much bigger stuff instead of having to cut it up with the chain saw. (Yeah, I could have saved some of it for firewood, but IMO it is just not worth the time for anything 3" or under, except maybe if it was oak or rock maple.) It took everything I threw at/in it without skipping a beat.

Now I know there are some of you "real men" out there that think even a 400 b. chipper/shredder with a 70-lb. rotor is a little too wimpy. I had looked hard at the Wallenstein BXM42, but decided it was overkill for my needs, and the cost was about $1000 more. And at almost 800 lbs it didn't look like an optimal match for my Kubota B2910, which also is a little light in the HP (~23 PTO HP) for the BXM42. I have had the BXM32 for almost a week now, and put it through its paces with a mountain of stuff that has been accumulating. The only thing I regret is not having gotten it much sooner. I'm now convinced that this is really the optimal chipper/shredder for my needs, as well as the optimal match for my B2910.

I did have one significant setup problem that I should mention, regarding hooking it up to my 3-pt. hitch. The BXM32 cat. 1 hitch pins are pretty low to the ground, and the lower lift arms on the B2910 initially did not drop down low enough to slip over the hitch pins: the ball sockets were almost 4" higher than the BXM32 pins. After calling Woodward Crossings, where I got the BXM32, they pointed out that there are usually 2 or 3 sets of holes on the lower lift arms for attaching the lift rods (turns out there are 2 on the B2910), and suggested moving the lift rods to the other set of holes. When I did that it allowed the lift arms to get close, but still not quite low enough. Actually, the right side lift rod on the B2910 is a ratcheting adjustable rod that, after moving it and lengthening it to its full length, did allow the right lift arm to go low enough. But the left side lift rod is a fixed length, and the left lift arm is still about 3/4" too high at its lowest point. So for now I am putting a 1x4 board under the front of the chipper when I am using it, and setting on a pair of 4x4's when I park it. Eventually I'm going to try to find an aftermarket adjustable lift rod to replace the fixed one to solve the problem. (Kubota wants $500 for a replacement ratcheting lift rod - highway robbery, IMO .) Another option would be to bolt 2x3 wood skids to the bottom of the BXM32, but that would raise the shredder hopper a bit, and it is already pretty high, so I'd rather not do that.

BTW, last year I looked at a used Bearcat 73554 chipper/shredder, which looked almost new. I mentioned in a post last October that the owner had to force branches in when he tried to demo it to me, both in the chipper chute and the shredder chute. (And he said the blades were sharp.) Well, based on that demo, I would have to say that my Wallenstein could run rings around that Bearcat, at least up to its 3" max chipper capacity and 1+ inch shredder capacity.

Al

 

[broncorm]

Glad to hear works for you. I've been looking at th BX42 seams there a lot of people here that have them and talk highly of them. Have not heard any reviews on the 32 with a shedder. might need to look at that. But the hard part is convincing the wife

 

[nh DRAGON]

Thanks for the review Clarksvilleal, I too am interested in a Wallenstein and had not herd of the 32. Sounds like you are real happy with it, Great post!:thumbsup:

 

[niemeyjt]

BTW, last year I looked at a used Bearcat 73554 chipper/shredder, which looked almost new. I mentioned in a post last October that the owner had to force branches in when he tried to demo it to me, both in the chipper chute and the shredder chute. (And he said the blades were sharp.) Well, based on that demo, I would have to say that my Wallenstein could run rings around that Bearcat, at least up to its 3" max chipper capacity and 1+ inch shredder capacity.

Al

I guess the seller did not know what a sharp blade was! I have the Bearcat and put it on my 20HP B1750 - and I have to hang onto the wood to stop it being pulled in too fast - but my blades are sharp - I use the diamond sharpener for my router bits on them.

Two things I personally like on the Bearcat (and that this one does as well), is 1) the ability to shred into a trailer (Stico, for example, chip to trailer but shred to ground) and 2) the separate shredder that allows you to rake up debris at the end of the day and shred and not worry about the odd stone dulling a chipper blade.

I do not think you will have a problem with the 3" limit - anything above that is firewood!

Enjoy!

J

 

[2fast2]

Al, glad you are happy with your Wally, I have a bigger chipper which I'm impressed with, too.
Do you have a FEL on your Kabota? If so, lift your front end off the ground with your bucket and it will lower your 3 pt hitch points a little and give you the connection point access you need. At least it is an idea :thumbsup:
Stay safe!
Jim

 

[clarksvilleal]

Glad to hear works for you. I've been looking at th BX42 seams there a lot of people here that have them and talk highly of them. Have not heard any reviews on the 32 with a shedder. might need to look at that. But the hard part is convincing the wife

I thought hard about the BX42 vs. the BXM32. The main thing I liked about the BX42 was the larger chipper hopper opening (17-1/2' x 18" vs. 14" x 15") and chipper housing opening (10"x4" vs. 6"x3"). I expect you would not need as much side branch trimming with the larger unit, which would save some time and effort. But I really wanted to be able to make fine mulch for the garden and compost pile, and the BX42 chipper can't do that. So after talking it over with Woodward Crossing, I settled on the BXM32. I didn't need the larger 4" chipper capacity, since - as niemeyjt from the UK said - anything above 3" is firewood for me.

Still, the BX42 is a couple hundred dollars less expensive than the BXM32, and it has a couple of other potential advantages such as the heavier rotor - 105 lbs. - 4 chipper blades and direct drive with no belts. So it may be a good choice depending on your needs. But for me the shredder sold me on the newer BXM32, and I am definitely happy with that decision.

 

[clarksvilleal]

Al, glad you are happy with your Wally, I have a bigger chipper which I'm impressed with, too.
Do you have a FEL on your Kabota? If so, lift your front end off the ground with your bucket and it will lower your 3 pt hitch points a little and give you the connection point access you need. At least it is an idea :thumbsup:
Stay safe!
Jim

Unfortunately I don't have an FEL. I priced one last year at the local Kubota dealer. A new retrofit would cost about $3400, which I couldn't justify for the limited things I would now do with it. I should have gotten it with the tractor, when I think I could have negotiated a pretty good discount. I had some significant grading and dirt moving to do a couple of years ago that I wound up having to hire someone for; I could have done that with a FEL. But going forward I just wouldn't use it enough to make it worth the cost. I'm pretty sure I will be able to find an inexpensive aftermarket lift rod that will fit my B2910 to permanently solve the problem.

Speaking of "staying safe," I have a neighbor friend who, about 15 years ago, literally shredded his right hand right down to the wrist in a shredder accident. So I am very much aware of what can happen if you are careless and don't observe all the safety precautions.

 

[clarksvilleal]

I guess the seller did not know what a sharp blade was! I have the Bearcat and put it on my 20HP B1750 - and I have to hang onto the wood to stop it being pulled in too fast - but my blades are sharp - I use the diamond sharpener for my router bits on them.

Two things I personally like on the Bearcat (and that this one does as well), is 1) the ability to shred into a trailer (Stico, for example, chip to trailer but shred to ground) and 2) the separate shredder that allows you to rake up debris at the end of the day and shred and not worry about the odd stone dulling a chipper blade.

I do not think you will have a problem with the 3" limit - anything above that is firewood!

Enjoy!

J

J - I suspect you are correct that his blades were not as sharp as he thought, though he said he had recently sharpened them himself.

Also, to clarify, the BXM32 does have a very good rotating discharge chute that worked quite well to direct the chips & shreddings, in my case into a small dump cart 10 or 15 feet away. My only complaint is with the cart - it's way too small considering how fast the BXM32 can spew out the chips & mulch. I wound up pulling the cart by hand to dump it periodically, so I didn't have to disconnect & reconnect the BXM32, which would be a pain. Good workout for the legs and hamstrings, though (and good practice for dragging the deer next hunting season ).

And yes, I like having the separate shredder on the BXM32 as well, although I plan to try my best not to have the "odd stone" get into it. It has 27 quite sharp swinging blades that I believe are key to both how well & fast it sucks in the branches, and to getting a fine mulch output. The blades are reversible, but I don't want to have to reverse and/or sharpen them any more than necessary. So I think I'll forego the raking up of the debris and just pick up branches by hand to avoid problems.

 

[Runner]

Thanks for the excellent user report on this unit.

"One of the best features of the machine is the discharge chute, which rotates 300 degree and accurately blows a focused stream of chips & mulch 15 or 20 feet, into a dump trailer in my case. "

I have a BX42, and it seems to throw better to the left than to the right. When I try to throw to the right, the chute tends to clog up easier.

 

[clarksvilleal]

Thanks for the excellent user report on this unit.

"One of the best features of the machine is the discharge chute, which rotates 300 degree and accurately blows a focused stream of chips & mulch 15 or 20 feet, into a dump trailer in my case. "

I have a BX42, and it seems to throw better to the left than to the right. When I try to throw to the right, the chute tends to clog up easier.

You're welcome. I have gotten a lot of good information from this forum which helped me greatly in this and other implement purchase decisions, so I thought it only right to return the favor, so others could benefit from my experience with this unit, FWIW.

I have been throwing only to the left as well. Never tried discharging to the right. Looking at the way these machines are laid out, it may make sense that it would have more of a tendency to clog when throwing to the right.

On the BXM series, however, the orientation of the shredder hopper, which is skewed quite a bit to the right, almost forces you to throw to the left, assuming you are using the shredder at all. It only makes sense to feed the shredder hopper from the right. Otherwise you'd have to reach around the discharge chute to load branches in from the left, plus you would be farther from the hopper opening because of its right-hand bias, which would make it much harder to load branches in. And you definitely don't want the chute throwing to the same side you're loading from, unless you like the idea of getting whacked in the face with a hi-velocity stream of chips. That's no fun. Don't ask how I know :ashamed:. (OK, like an idiot, at one point I walked around to the left to pick up a stray branch. Walked right across the path of the discharge chute while it was still spewing out chips - right at face height . Fortunately I was saved from permanent disfigurement and possible blindness by my hardhat helmet with built-in earmuffs, wire face guard and underneath the face guard safety glasses.)

On the other hand, if you are only using the chipper hopper, you could safely throw to either side if you wish. But I find that I almost always want to use both the chipper and shredder hoppers. When I am chipping a larger branched limb or tree branch, I will feed it into the chipper chute until it gets down to about 1-1/4 inches and then pull what's left out of the chipper hopper and feed it into the shredder hopper. That's what they recommend in the owner's manual, and I think it helps minimize the possibility of clogging the chipper if you don't try to feed too many smaller branches and leaves into the chipper hopper.