Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder

   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #1  

Browneyesvictim

Silver Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
163
Location
Creswell, OR
Tractor
Mahindra Max 25HST
I'm in the market for a chipper/shredder. I've also been toying with the idea of self feeding the shredder from the Mid Mount Mower "on the fly" for leaf cleanup in the fall. Perhaps I'm asking too much versatility to do both, but I'm thinking that shouldn't be too much of a stretch.
I am coveting the Wallenstein BXM32 but looking for input for ideas. Is there another unit that is better suited for what I want to do?

Here are my questions:
- Will the shredder have enough vacuum to keep the mower discharge ductwork flowing?
- Can the shredder keep up?
- I want to attach a small tow behind trailer to the Wally to catch the leaf mulch coming out of the chute. Is this feasible or must the BHM32 be set on the ground to operate only? I realize I may have to fab up reinforcement or add framework for adding the hitch.
- Should I forgo the 3-pt mount PTO drive chipper/shredder and go with an engine driven unit to mount on the tow behind trailer?

Last summer I experimented with a Stihl leaf blower/vac that I have and attached it to the discharge chute of the mower with 5" flexible ducting. The concept proved out ok, but the Stihl lacked the power and size I need to keep up effectively. Ive looked at tow-behind units like the Trac-Vacs, Agri-Fab, and DR PRO XL, Cyclone Rake, etc but they look like too small of a wood chipper to me. I keep going back to the Wally.
 
   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #2  
I find that a chipper/shredder does just that, it's not a vacuum. I used an 8hp unit that had a 6" hose to vacuum and it was a waste of time, not much suction at all. There was no impeller (like a walk behind leaf blower or vac) just a bunch of flying knives to shred and provide air flow. You will be better off making a leaf collection system (eg. Cyclone rake) and have a separate wood chipper. I have an old 8hp Billy Goat leaf vac that I plan to use in a leaf collection system. Even a walk behind leaf blower will work. As for chipping , I just pile all the branches in the corner of the property. Crush them down with the loader a couple times a year.
 
   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #3  
I think you're looking at 2 different attachments.
 
   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder
  • Thread Starter
#4  
The Echo Bearcat 5540 has a blower attachment for an additional $800 (or $2K for the 2-speed). They also offer a vacuum hose kit that may work
ECHO Bear Cat | Products

The Wallenstein discharges the material by means of an impeller in the rotor design which eliminates the need for the blower.

That is why I am deducing there is the vacuum on The Wallenstein unit unlike most all other chipper/shredders. Perhaps I'm all wet...
 
   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #5  
I think what you are wanting is a very logical request.

I have the McKissick 3pt C/S unit that is pretty much equal to the Bear Cat or Wally on rough terms. The "blower" attachment would definitely be required to extract leaves from a mower and send them through the shredder. The shredder it's self pulls almost no air. If the Wally has a useful blower "built in", that would be a boon.

It all would seem to get a bit bulky to trailer around a small yard with LOT'S of leaves.

But I'm all ears though!
 
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   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #6  
removed. 'not sure how the post got in this thread ;-)
 
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   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #7  
Hmmm...Nice idea, but not sure it will work. I haven't run it since last fall, but I have a BXM32 and I don't recall there being any noticeable "suction" either the chipper chute or the shredder hopper. Maybe if you sealed up the chute/hopper well...Also, the shredder hopper is way up on top, not the best path for smooth flow of material. Since I don't think it will have much suction, and I doubt the mower deck won't be able to push any quantity of leaves all the way up there either....

I also have a PTO powered, hard shell, quick dump grass catcher. It mounts on the 3 pt hitch and uses a pto powered impeller to create suction.

I know some trailer style machines, like the trac vac 880 I believe, or the larger DR models, have a small capacity chipper chute on them, but no shredder style hopper..
 
   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder #9  

Boy, that's pricey...But it does seems to hit most of the desires. Chips/shredds/vacuums. Looks like with a mower deck adapter, that hose could take the output from a MMM. The only downside (besides price) I see is the collection bag. Doesn't look very big. Maybe some sort of custom built hopper would solve that..?
 
   / Leaf Vac/Chipper/Shreadder
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Yowza! That is a bit pricey. That could work, but still doesn't hit all my wickets. Why spend the labor to feed a leaf shredder by hand when you can mow/suck process it I would prefer PTO drive as it would save cost and save space. I cant tell by the video if this one is shredding at all as it vacs. I'm coming to the conclusion that vacs don't shred and shredders don't vac.

Bummer about no vacuum on the Wally BXM but thank you for answering that question. Now I'm definitely leaning towards a Woods or Bearcat and adding the blower and hose attachment.
 
 
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