3Pt wood chipper help!

[helpfulbook]

Hi guys! I have a JD 4700. 48hp (40hp PTO)
I need to purchase a 3pt chipper. I am ok with chipping 4" and smaller, but I see a lot of the chippers on the market are for 16hp to 40hp tractors. Does that mean engine hp or PTO hp?
And if I would exceed the hp limit could I do damage to the chipper? Or do I have to go to a larger chipper?

Thanks for your help!!
Gary

 

[ultrarunner]

Welcome to TBN!

When I was looking the HP was PTO hp.

Some of the members have been using larger chippers on smaller tractors... mostly just easing up to speed and not being totally aggressive.

More PTO hp gives you the option to go bigger which can help with branches.

Belts, Slip Clutches and/or shear bolts should provide sufficient protection with high HP if adjusted properly.

 

[whirly]

My Fordson PM has 47 HP at the PTO and has never given my old 6" Jinma (Chinese) chipper any problems. No I don't run 6" logs through it but it handles 3-4" branches just fine.

 

[helpfulbook]

Thank you guys for settling that for me. I will go be ok with the chipper I had in mind.

Thanks again for your help.
Gary

 

[check]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. I only have 17 PTO horsepower on my Kubota BX25. There's a guy here in Ontario that sells a 4 inch chipper that he says can run on my little Kubota, but I am skeptical.

 

[whirly]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. I only have 17 PTO horsepower on my Kubota BX25. There's a guy here in Ontario that sells a 4 inch chipper that he says can run on my little Kubota, but I am skeptical.

With 17HP you are nor going to put anything much bigger than 2-3" through any chipper. The rest can be fire wood OR you can split it and run it through. My buddy has a BX25 and uses my 6" chipper for his small stuff and it seems to work just fine.

 

[OregonCraig]

Hi guys! I have a JD 4700. 48hp (40hp PTO)
I need to purchase a 3pt chipper. I am ok with chipping 4" and smaller, but I see a lot of the chippers on the market are for 16hp to 40hp tractors. Does that mean engine hp or PTO hp?
And if I would exceed the hp limit could I do damage to the chipper? Or do I have to go to a larger chipper?

Thanks for your help!!
Gary

It is frustrating when manufacturers don't specify engine or PTO horsepower. Your tractor has five more PTO HP than my 3720. I can vouch for the Wallenstein BXM42. It is very well built. It's not cheap, however. I believe your tractor would also be a good match for it.

The models without the shredder are less expensive and may be all you need. Still great quality.

 

[trihounds]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. I only have 17 PTO horsepower on my Kubota BX25. There's a guy here in Ontario that sells a 4 inch chipper that he says can run on my little Kubota, but I am skeptical.

I ran a Wallenstein BX-42 on the back of my Kubota BX25 and it worked great! I had to feed 4" hardwoods a little slower / carefully but it worked without issue. Chipped several tons of wood matter over 2 years.

 

[RoyJackson]

The Woods 5000 chipper/shredder is rated for 15-35 PTO HP. This is manufactured by Bearcat, which rates it up to 40 PTO HP.
I've had this chipper for at least 5 years and ran it on three Deeres:
790 (24 PTO HP)
4400 (30 PTO HP)
4520 (46 PTO HP)
Ran great on all the tractors using the chipper's full capacity (5" logs, branches or trunks). The 790 would occasionally bog a bit...never any bogging down with the 4400 or 4520. All I ever did was put the wood to be chipped in the chute and walk away.

BTW, the shredder gets used more than the chipper...great for after Winter clean up!

This machine is belt driven (PTO turns a pulley, belts drive the flywheel)...I prefer that over the gearbox direct drive. If a branch jams, the belts might smoke, but no other damage.

 

[helpfulbook]

Thanks again guys for your replies. I am looking at the Woodmaxx WC-8N. It seems to priced just right for me and should handle the my job.

WC-8N Economy Wood Chipper | Wood Shredders for Sale - WoodMaxx™

 

[helpfulbook]

Roy, I like what you posted here!

”"Any government that does not trust its citizens with firearms is either a tyranny, or planning to become one."
-Joseph P. Martino

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks again guys for your replies. I am looking at the Woodmaxx WC-8N. It seems to priced just right for me and should handle the my job.

WC-8N Economy Wood Chipper | Wood Shredders for Sale - WoodMaxx™

I like those Woodmaxx chippers too. If I was looking for one today, that would be my first choice.
But, just don't have enough downed branches and such to justify buying one at this point.

 

[helpfulbook]

Now I found this Victory BX-42. Do you think this is at all comparable or do you think is a big step down.
VICTORY TRACTOR IMPLEMENTS | BX-42

Compared to the Woodmaxx wc-8n
WC-8N Economy Wood Chipper | Wood Shredders for Sale - WoodMaxx™

Thanks again for your help!

 

[tman1020]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. I only have 17 PTO horsepower on my Kubota BX25. There's a guy here in Ontario that sells a 4 inch chipper that he says can run on my little Kubota, but I am skeptical.

I ran my Farm pro 6" chipper behind my last tractor (a Yanmar 1702) it had about 19 PTO horsepower. It would chip 4 to 5 inch pieces of cherry but you would have to cycle to feed shoot to let the tractor keep up. Wasn't a big deal. Most times 4 to 5 inch pieces of hardwood is firewood anyways. It did a fantastic job on the smaller stuff when I could keep it from breaking down. It had continuous feed wheel drive system issues. I think I finally got it worked out with the upgraded feed wheel drive shaft. It looks almost identical to this economy Wood Max one posted above.

 

[FatTire]

One advantage of a larger chipper is that it will accept some funky pieces (branch stubs, bent pieces, etc.) that won't quite fit in a smaller machine. In my experience, even if you're chipping small stuff you will eventually come to a piece that has to be trimmed or cut to feed.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've wanted a chipper for a long time and they are difficult to rent here... at least anything of commercial quality...

One of my friends grew up on a farm and he said they just had a spot down in the hollow where they would drag branches to rot...

I started doing that about 15 years ago and it is amazing how fast the process goes... a large pile loses about 85% over a year.

I do realize not everyone has a spot but for those that do is a chipper necessary?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Every year I dump limbs on the same few piles, the next year, they AGAIN are almost all gone...

It's just so FAST/easy to scoop the limbs up with my pallet forks and grabble,

and not have to deal with them again...

 

[Browneyesvictim]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. I only have 17 PTO horsepower on my Kubota BX25. There's a guy here in Ontario that sells a 4 inch chipper that he says can run on my little Kubota, but I am skeptical.

I think you will be surprised. I've got 20HP at the PTO on my tractor and Im glad I went with the size of the chipper/shredder that I did. I'm running the Echo/Bearcat (Woods 5000) with the 2-speed blower. The tractor will bog down a bit if I gravity feed a 4"+ diameter branch, but the feed opening helps in a BIG way with feeding limbs with branches. If I take that same 4" branch and feed it slow and let the flywheel keep momentum, It will go.

 

[RalphVa]

Your BX25 should be fine on that 4" chipper.

Ralph

 

[TurtleCreekFarm]

I've wanted a chipper for a long time and they are difficult to rent here... at least anything of commercial quality...

One of my friends grew up on a farm and he said they just had a spot down in the hollow where they would drag branches to rot...

I started doing that about 15 years ago and it is amazing how fast the process goes... a large pile loses about 85% over a year.

I do realize not everyone has a spot but for those that do is a chipper necessary?

The wood chips make a great mulch. I do both. Some I pile up to make carbon rich soil other I chip to use as mulch.