Help deciding between 3PH PTO Chipper, or standalone Vermeer or Morbark.

[tommcafee]

Decided to buy a chipper. I had actually bought a Woodmaxx 8 inch hydraulic PTO about 2 years ago, and ended up selling it to my neighbour. It was alright, but was constantly clogged when running white cedar through it, which is the main tree around here. I want to use the chipper for both personal and commercial. I have 50 acres and am going to be years cleaning up over grown pastures, trails, etc. I am also a building contractor, so it would see a couple days use a year for lot clearing and cleaning up, limbing etc. I realistically figure 50 - 75 hours a year use. Maybe do the odd tree removal as well, lots of my clients ask about it.
I have narrowed down to 3 choices. The new 7 Wallenstein BX 72R, which is a 7 inch chipper with hydraulic feed, and the blades turned at a 45 degree angle to the feed shoot, makes nice big chips. Have lots of power on the tractor, as I would be using my Mahindra 6010 to power it. Also uses the tractors hydraulics to run the hydraulic feed.
The other is a 2001 Vermeer BC 935, with a perkins diesel and auto feed. Good shape, low hours at 500, and two sets of knives. Used by an older gentleman to do lot clearing and limbing. Can handle a 9 inch softwood, but realistically 6 - 7 inches is good for the machine.
The other choice is a Morbark Model 13, with a cummins turbo, and able to handle a 13 inch tree. Has huge infeed rollers, and way overkill for what I need. Simplistic compared to the Vermeer, but does have an autofeed.
All three are about $1000 difference, andright about where I am comfortable spending. Could get a Vermeer BC600xl for the same money, but haven't heard the greatest about them.
I like the idea of the Wallenstein as it runs off my engine, meaning one less thing to change oils in etc. And it is new, so I get warranty, and it should last me a very long time. Downside is a pain to move, have to float my tractor and chipper to building sites etc.
I like the idea of the Vermeer and Morbark as I can just hook up and tow to where I need them. But its another engine to maintain, and I just cant be sure they weren't beat by previous owners etc first.

Thoughts? Anyone have experience with any of the above?

Tom

 

[dave1949]

I like my gravity feed Wallenstein bx62, but no experience with the others.

The largest one, the Morbark Model 13, would require some way to feed it (get the trees to the feed rollers) to make good use of it. That is way beyond hand work, and a FEL grapple would be awkward I think. So, if you don't really need it, you don't need the hassle and extra equipment either. At a $1000 spread, the Morbark sounds like the best value by far, assuming it isn't ready for a rebuild.

 

[RoyJackson]

If you're going to chip off your property, I'd go with one of the towable units...unless you regularly take your tractor to those work sites or can justify buying a large enough trailer and tow vehicle.
When ever you buy anything used, you can never be 100% sure it hadn't been beat...unless it's obvious it was, in fact, beat. But unless there's excessive smoke or any other thing you see in any worn engine, it's pretty safe to buy a used chipper. Obviously, run some limbs through any chipper you're considering as a test before you buy.

 

[tommcafee]

Good points Roy. I always float my Kubota L48 TLB, so an extra trip for my 6010 isn't really a big deal. I usually don't work more than 30 kms from the yard. So don't need to worry about buying the float or truck. I am not so much worried about the perkins or cummins engines, but the bearings, hydraulics, computers, etc. Anything too large is going to either get sent to the mill, or blocked up for fire wood. Realistically, I don't see too much more than 6 or 7 inches going into the chipper. I usually just burn it at the site, but its getting harder to do with daytime burning permits, and neighbours whining about smoke etc.

 

[Ken45101]

For a small price differential, I think I would go with a self contained unit. With a PTO unit, you have to unhook whatever you have on your tractor, then hook up the chipper. I am at the point of regretting a PTO log splitter because I prefer to wait until I'm not using the tractor for other things, too much of a hassle with unhooking/hooking up the bigger 3pt equipment by myself. Then in your case, you still have to load and tie dow the tractor, hook up the trailer, etc.

 

[boggen]

i would say a tow behind unit. more so if you have a trailer you can toss some sides up on it. to create more of a dirt/rock/mulch like hauler trailer. weld a hitch on rear of trailer. so ya got truck, trailer (with sides), chipper. put a winch on trailer. and winch the chipper up into trailer, and haul trailer and chipper where ever. unload chipper, and hook up to rear of trailer and do your chipping. un hook chipper and haul the chips/mulch were ever. and then come back and pickup the chipper.

i suppose if you have a full size truck, you might be able to just send all the chips directly into rear of truck for some smaller job doings.

bumper pull chipper means leaving chipper at a single point. and then being able to use tractor to bring stuff to the chipper. perhaps having another person feeding chipper.

 

[bigtiller]

If you do any commerical work it would pay to get the 13 inch Morbark. Smaller chippers takes too much of your time. Our local tree guy has 2 of them and his big one will take a trunk about 20 inches with a wench above the table.

 

[Piston]

If your honestly planning on doing a fair amount of work at other sites, I would get the self contained. However, if you think you'll do a bit of work now, then not much in the future, I'd get the Wally. It can sit for years unused and a quick adjustment of the slip clutch and your good to go. I have a Vermeer chipper run off the PTO. I absolutely love it. I don't use it often, but when I do it performs miracles every time.

Whatever you get, don't settle for non hydro, which it sounds like your aware of.

 

[newbury]

<snip>his big one will take a trunk about inches with a wench above the table.

Say what?
How big?
And why is the WENCH needed above the table?

 

[bigtiller]

Say what?
How big?
And why is the WENCH needed above the table?

i fixed it, thanks.

20 inches

the wench is needed because it can eat a tree in 1 gulp.