tractchores
Veteran Member
Looks great congrats!
Buying Advice Bear Cat vs. Wallenstein
- Thread starter The Deerslayer
- Start date
- Views: 8183
Bob77064
Elite Member
Congrats
tractorman
Silver Member
We just took in a beautiful, and like new, Valby 3 point chipper. It's listed on our website Woodbury Tractor Company, LLC
Gittyup
Elite Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Messages
- 3,145
- Location
- Mid Atlantic
- Tractor
- Kioti CK25 Shuttle Shift, loaded tires, JD X739
I have a belt drive chipper/shredder, and I think the belt has some advantages. Several times mine has gotten clogged. When it happens the belt slips and you have time to disengage the PTO before the belt is permanently damaged. I've done it several times and the belts are still working fine. If direct drive, relying on the just he shear pin, the pin would break and you'd be down for several minutes to replace assuming you had one. The belt is better protection for the gears/pto than a shear pin too. Shear pins sometimes won't fail soon enough.
Water under the bridge now for the OP, but I prefer the chippers that have a big shredder and hopper. Hoppers process brush much faster. They usually cost more, and the chipper blades are more trouble to change, but a brush hopper that'll take up to 1-1/4" branches in large bunches is far more useful for me. I can still process big branches in the chipper, but most of my cuttings are woody bush trimmings, not tree limbs.
Water under the bridge now for the OP, but I prefer the chippers that have a big shredder and hopper. Hoppers process brush much faster. They usually cost more, and the chipper blades are more trouble to change, but a brush hopper that'll take up to 1-1/4" branches in large bunches is far more useful for me. I can still process big branches in the chipper, but most of my cuttings are woody bush trimmings, not tree limbs.
rmorey
Platinum Member
This fall, we went to a farm auction just outside of town. There was a Bearcat 5" chipper/shredder. It ended up being the last item auctioned off. By this time, there were only 3 of us left. I got it for $550. It had sat out for several years, but everything turns. This spring I'll take it apart, clean it up and sharpen the blades. Should be ok. :thumbsup:
OP
The Deerslayer
Platinum Member
Starting to feel a bit better about the belt drive after taking it apart and using the chipper....your additional comments also helped. The belts appear to be in excellent condition and I figured I could buy a ton of belts with the money I saved buying this one! I also liked the heavier fly wheel (140 lbs) as well as the overall weight of the unit (600 lbs) being more than the Wally. I'm sure I would have been happy with either, but I now have a few more bucks in my pocket......and that's a good thing.:thumbsup: