Gravity feed vs mechanical feed wood chipper

[bikerdib]

I've read the various threads about wood chippers and I've pretty much narrowed it down to one of four. A 4" Wallenstein gravity feed or 8" Woodmaxx with mechanical feed or an 8" Tomcat with mechanical feed or finally my last choice an 8" Jinma with mechanical feed. These 4 fall pretty close to what I want to spend with the Jinma being the lowest priced and the Wallenstein the highest. From what I've seen in videos the Wallenstein by design doesn't really need additional feed because it draws the wood in with the blades. Not that speed is the main concern but from the videos I've watched, it looks line the Wallenstein is the fastest at processing wood even though it doesn't have an additional feed. I assume this is because of the fact it has four blades compared to the other three machines having two? Oh BTW, my tractor is a B3300 so 33 engine HP and something like 25 or 26 PTO HP.

The Tomcat holds a slight advantage because the dealer is only 35 miles from me and I can go pick it up and save the freight cost plus if there is a problem parts and service will be close by. Woodmaxx is offereing free shipping right now which puts its cost about the same as the Tomcat but then if I need service it will have to be shipped back. Like I said, even with the shipping cost added in the Jinma is cheapest but I still wonder if all the bugs are really worked out.

I know this subject has been discussed before but any and all input I can get on these machines will be greatly appreciated.

 

[PHILIP8N]

If doing limbs with allot of small growth sticking out, it can clog in the shut and slow down the gravity feed, often needing a push to keep feeding. Get the mechanical feed. The video is in the best intrest of the manufacture, they will not show you their weak points. Philip.

 

[bikerdib]

If doing limbs with allot of small growth sticking out, it can clog in the shut and slow down the gravity feed, often needing a push to keep feeding. Get the mechanical feed. The video is in the best intrest of the manufacture, they will not show you their weak points. Philip.

I assume the videos on the dealers websites are weighted in their favor but I've also seen some by individuals on youtube that make the Wallenstein look pretty fast. Any one ever done a side by side comparison? That kind of input would be invaluable.

 

[ibnxe]

I have been using my Wallenstein BX 42 for about five years now. It is powered by my BX23, which is on the lower end of the horsepower recommendation for this unit. On two occasions I have managed to stall the tractor. Both times it was 4" diameter dry cherry wood.
Once the limb touches the cutter blades, you let go and stand back... no mechanical feeder needed. It is difficult to try to pull anything back out once it starts to feed. The heavy flywheel and four cutting blades do an amazing job of turning limbs into chips, at a rapid rate.
So far the only servicing has been to sharpen the reversible blades once and to grease the robust bearings before each use.

 

[wschapinjr]

I've used the bx42 and found it to be ok. Check out the blades or sharpening and adjustments for same. The bx42 was a bit of a bear getting the clearences set just right so that the chips aren't too big or too small. The discharge chute seems to plug up more than what I would like. Make sure you carry the correct sized wrench for removing the chute to clear chip jams.

 

[boggen]

things to think about....

are you wanting a specific "chip size" so you can use the mulch for flower beds?

also the out feed chute for the chips. can you back up a truck or a trailer to it. so you can just put all the chips right onto it or into it. without having to handle the chips multi times? or do you have to keep moving the chipper as the piles build up below it?

is there enough room or does chipper come with a "slip clutch" or "shear pin" if going with a PTO type of chipper? so if for what ever reason something happens. you do not stall the engine out or possibly tear up the rear end and PTO shaft of the tractor?

local dealer or not, i doubt they carry all parts for a chipper. and most likely will order stuff anyhow. that will take time to get shipped in.

does the out feed chute, have an option to attach side of a garbage bag? or stands high enough that you can place say a 55 gallon garbage can under it? so you can fill the cans up with chips.

is everything made, so when you get done with chipper, you can take it over to a garden hose to spray everything down, and remove the glue type tree sap off of everything? or does it need a power washer, with a long extension on power washer gun to get down into it? and does it have some sort of drain hole in bottom or like, to let the water to escape?

for the bigger chippers, can they handle rocks? nails? large metal spikes? fence wire? fence staples?

is there a possibilty. to have inlet chute on one side, and out feed towards back, so you might be able to pull a small size trailer right behind the chipper. so no need for second vehicle or tractor?

are the access panels easy enough to take off, so when something wraps around the blades and shafts, you can get in there and remove it?

do things look good, so when it is fall to early spring, and you have a couple layers of cloths on. and you do not have as much fear of a loose cloths getting caught up and pulling you in to the chipper.

 

[AStanton]

Biker,
If you are not going to do any serious chipping, then you could go with the gravity feed. I would look at Wallenstein and order from Woodward Crossings in Pa. They have the lowest prices and they can freight it to a business near you.
Attached is my chipper. It is a Patu from Finland.

 

[RoyJackson]

I suggest you consider your chipping needs.
If it's strictly the occasional yard clean up of downed branches, twigs and limbs, a gravity feed machine works fine...in fact, you might want to consider a chipper/shredder rather then a dedicated chipper.
If you have a "major" clean up...one time, then renting a full sized machine may be your best option...

 

[DennisArrow]

I have one of these:
Wood Pro Brush Chippers

I find it totally fantastic and straightforward. A machine that doesnt have a bunch of doo dads or stuff, just an engine, heavy flywheel, centrifugal clutch for easy starting, 4 KNIVES ( NOT BLADES) and belts to transfer the power. Yes they also make a PTO version.

My neighbor has rented a hydraulic feed a few times and borrowed my gravity feed the other day. He WAS looking for one with a feeder; but after using this he cannot see the added cost of a feeder when a gravity feeds actually grabs it out of your hand and FEEDS itself................Often one has to hold big stuff back to avoid clogging the chute but for me.........FANTASTIC............God bless.....................Dennis

 

[Rock knocker]

I don't know about these particular models, but I am a former arboreal ground-man/brush chipper/monkey. There are gravity feeds and high duty self-feeding drum chippers. The drum chippers can actually pull limbs up hill.

Like as said earlier about drum chippers, watch out!

Some chippers have a feed drum to ease operator effort, and to protect the operator from over speed limbs in the case of drum chippers. These feeders work with drum or disk chippers.

 

[Art812]

I wouldn't want a gravity feed chipper if you gave it to me. The blades have to be really sharp in order for them to draw the material in, after a short time the blades dull and you have to stuff the branches in by hand. I would lean toward the mechanical self feeding chipper (although I wouldn't buy a jimna, heard to many horror stories about them) My neighbor has a Woodmaxx and he doesn't ***** about it, so it must be OK since he ******* about anything he doesn't like. :thumbsup:

Art

 

[Viat]

We bought a Wallenstein BX62 a few years ago and were debating the manual vs automatic feed. In the end we pulled the trigger on the automatic feed and I'm very glad we did. When you hold onto a branch and it hits the spinning rotor it creates some serious vibration. I couldn't imagine chipping all the branches we do and manually feeding them -- not to mention how much faster and easier it is. I'd imagine it's a bit safer too.

It seems to be a pretty solid unit and I would recommend it. We are running it behind an old IH 856 (95 HP).

Another possibility is that you can buy the chipper without the automatic feed and then install the automatic feed chute on later. You can purchase the whole chute independent of the chipping unit.

 

[JOHNINMA]

I think as stated earlier it depends on the amount of usage you intend. I have the Bearcat sc5540 gravity fed chipper with shredder hopper and it works amazing for everything from leaves up to 5 inch limbs. I have it attached to my L3540 and after last years remnants of Hurricane Irene went thru I was able to clean up my yard as well as the surrounding neighbors with very little effort. I have had no feed problems although I admit if I were going to use the chipper all the time I would probably want one with the ability to feed limbs.

 

[apease]

I bought a gas-powered, gravity-feed chipper ten years ago for my house on 3/4 acre, to chip yearly tree trimmings. I haven't used it in years because it's such a pain. You have to stand there forcing trimmings into it, rather than placing material into the hopper and having it do the work. It's faster to pile trimmings in my trailer and take them to the dump 1/2 hr away. I wish I had spent three times as much and gotten something that works. Maybe other gravity-fed chippers are better, but I would certainly get a mechanical feed.

 

[Brant]

It really depends on your needs and budget. I've had a manual Patu DC65 for about 10 years. It's not really "gravity feed" as the knives do pull the material in. It's fine for general cleanup and very low maintenance. Cost was $2k used in great condition with extra knives. I personally would not a buy a mechanical power feed; I would only buy a hydraulic feed if I thought it was worth the (substantial) extra money for my needs.

 

[bikerdib]

Thanks for all the info everyone. As I stated, the only "gravity" feed unit I'm considering is the Wallenstein because from previous threads Iots of people with this brand said they were totally happy with gravity feed. Again, this is apparently because of 4 cutting blades instead of 2 plus the fact that the feed is at an angle to the flywheel instead of 90 degrees allowing the wood to be drawn in by the blades? I've kinda narrowed it down to either the Wallenstein or the Woodmaxx. I know there are even better machines out there but for my needs the extra cost isn't justified (remember, I said for my needs). I looked at the Tomcat in person and I don't like how difficult it would be to clear a clog. I can get a Woodmaxx 8" with Hydraulic feed shipped to my door for $2649 but I'm unsure about how difficult it will be to clear a clog. Also, it weighs 990# so I wonder if my B3300 will suffer. A local dealer said he could get the Wallenstein for me at $3000 plus local sales tax. I'll be using the machine mostly to dispose of dry limbs up to 3" in diameter, chip size doesn't matter to me.

 

[bikerdib]

BTW, one thing I do like about the Wallenstein is the simplicity of the unit, a lot less to give problems. It is also designed to be very easy to clear clogs as well as get to the blades for sharpening or replacement. I wish I could find someplace that offered free shipping on the Wallenstein which would put it at the same price as the Woodmaxx.

 

[bikerdib]

Anyone out there that can give me some hands on input about the Woodmaxx unit?

 

[Brant]

I can't help with hands-on experience with the Woodmaxxx, but I did just look at the website. It looks like a lot of chipper for the money but it's a far more complex design than than the Wallenstein. In the long term, I'd be shocked if there were not far more maintenance issues. On the upside, the belt drive for the chipping disc will give higher rpm and better chipping performance. On the downside, feeding the wood straight into the disc (not at an angle) is less efficient. Think about how you would use a wood chisel. This may not really matter though if you are only chipping dry 3-inch wood though.

 

[s219]

I took my time shopping around, and really didn't see a better option than the Wallensteins in terms of features, design, and price. Gravity feed pulls limbs in surprisingly well. I have a BX-42 chipper, running on a Kubota B2920.