Chipper New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper

   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #1  

Budweiser John

Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
733
Location
Dewitt, Michigan
Tractor
New Holland TC45D
Members. Budweiser John here from Central Michigan looking to purchase a three point wood chipper for my New Holland TC45D tractor. Since I burn wood in my workshop I'm not looking for a machine that will eat huge stuff so a machine capable of 4-5" would be plenty large enough.

I own a "Split-Fire" wood splitter that I love and I have looked at the Split-Fire chipper but I'm spooked about the lack of a clutch between the tractor PTO and chipper. I'm also wondering if 45 HP is adequate enough as a power source and the matter of a power feed on the in feed hopper is of some concern too.

Given this is my first post, I appreciate any and all information or references to existing posts on the subject
Budweiser John
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #2  
Your tractor has just a smidgeon under 40 PTO HP. That leaves you a lot of options! You've got enough PTO HP to easily run most home owner PTO chippers.
The next things to consider:
1) How much chipping do you expect to do? Yard clean up? Clear a wooded lot?
2) How much do you want to spend?

I have a Woods 5000 Chipper/Shredder. It accomodates up to 5" branches and trunks. The shredder chips smaller diameter branches (about an inch in diameter) and all kinds of brush (dedicated chippers don't do well with brush and smaller branches). For yard clean up, it's great...do get the blower chute option though.
Another thing I do like about the Woods 5000 is the flywheel is belt driven rather then gear...if a branch does get jammed, you might smoke the belts (uses two), but you won't bust any gears.

My favorite dedicated chipper is a Valby CH150 or CH160...very robust chippers...never could find a used one in my price range though.
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #3  
John,

I have a Bear Cat chipper rated at 4 1/2 inches but capable of somewhat more, and am very happy with it. I run it on a 29 hp JD 870, which handles it adequately, but it will load down if I put something big and hard in it.

Having the ability to chip up to 5" or so is handy even if you burn wood. I find partly rotten stuff I don't want for firewood, and never burn pine or fir, so want to chip them if I have some to get rid of.

In my view a power feed is unnecessary if all you're doing is annual cleanup of your property and you are willing to keep the blades sharp. It's no doubt nice if you intend to do more continuous work.

I second Roy's comments about a blower and chute. Unless you are doing only a tiny amount of chipping, raking the chips out from under the machine is a real pain. Learned that the hard way.

Mine is a chipper only, and as Roy says, it's not that happy with brush and small twigs. I'm satisfied with the chipper only, but if you expect to do a lot of small stuff a combo would be better.

Terry
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks guys. Had some time to snoop around the forums and there's some neat stuff out there so I'll be back often.
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #5  
I bought a Wallenstein BMX-42 and it works great for us. Belt driven 4" chipper with 2" shredder with a big shoot.
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #6  
This welcome is for you.....Bud!.
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks Bud. I'm hooked on this site.
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #9  
I have a Valby 160 with a chute and no feeder. I've found that when I have the chipper set right it pulls the branches in by it's self. I have used it to clear an area for my daughter's house, and general clean up. My 870 was sufficient to handle it. Hope the 3320 works as well this spring. Takes up to 6", but they go into the wood burner at the daughter's house so only junk stuff (rotting) that big goes in the chipper. Made a mistake and threw a small hemlock in the chute without taking the branches off. That bound up the chipper by wrapping around the whole thing. Kept spinning but no chips coming out. Now I put small sections at a time and watch for out feed product.
 
   / New member looking for advice on purchasing a wood chipper #10  
Lots of discussions on this topic. Try searching "wood chipper" on TBN.
 
 
 
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