A Couple of Chipper/Shredder Questions

[yankeerider]

Riddler-

I have a DR Chipper on the back of my JD 755 (15 PTO hp, I think.) I'm very pleased with it for my needs. I have only 5 acres, and primary use is to clean up the tops of trees I fell as I increase the size of my orchard. It seems to self-feed the bigger stuff better than the smaller, I think because the feeding action is a combination of the knife pulling as it cuts and gravity pulling the branches down into the hopper. (You'll note the feed hopper points upward more than the hydraulic feeder units do.) I haven't had a proble with leaves or conifer needles yet- they seem to go right through largely unscathed unless you allow the discharge to become obstructed, in which case you get to clear the jam.

For me, 4" material is kindling I don't need to split, so i chip only up to that size.

Based on research here, i considered a Jimna, but decided I'd rather have my money help feed a family in the US than go overseas, even if it meant getting a little less metal for my money. My DR was built in the MacKissic factory in PA.

 

[Riddler]

Asylum, the 75% rule makes a lot of sense. That reminder, along with the other comments, confirms that I ought to size the chipper for my 45HP tractor. My BH has a "thumb", which comes in handy when I am doing clearing work, but I guess I will just have to organize my work so that I finish using my loader and BH before I get to chipping.

Todd, I appreciate your sharing your experience with chipping "green material." I am becoming more comfortable with idea of a chipper only unit.

I have followed the threads on the Jinma as much as I can. Sounds like most folks are happy with the utility/value ratio of the machine. I am, however, willing to pay more for a unit that requires less attention, is more durable, and/or is marginally more user friendly. I have not done a systematic inventory of all of the dead, dying or overgrown tree growth in the 25 acres of forest, but if I get serious about cleaning it up over the next several years, I have hunch that the chipper will get considerable use. My outdoor time tends to be limited right now (unfortunately), so there is value for me in a chipper that rates high in productivity and reliability.

Pax, I too have rented the self-powered Vermeers, both the BC625 and the BC1000. Either would be ideal. At $10K+ though, I can't quite justify it. Also, in my area, they are rather expensive to rent (over $300 a day and $1,200 a week), so that's not a solution. An effective, reliable PTO chipper at under $5K feels like the right investment for the task at hand.

I like what I see in the Wallenstein BX62. I saw a previous thread where the poster thought he needed the hydraulic roller feed option, but the dealer suggested he try out the self-feed hopper first. He was so satisfied with self-feed hopper that he skipped the hydraulic roller option.

I have rear remotes and enough capacity to run a hydraulic feed. If most of what I will be doing is feeding long branches and small diameter trunks with lots of green material on them into the chipper, will I experience a significant increase in production with the hydraulic feed? I am guessing that the self-feed (i.e., gravity feed) hopper works pretty well with limbs or trunks that are bare or don't have dense leaves and shoots extending from them. On the other hand, for limbs and trunks that fill as much or more space than the opening of the chute mouth or throat, I am thinking that you have to tend to them at the chipper, unless there is a roller feed mechanism to pull them in.

If folks have thoughts about the feed mechanism for my purposes, or recommendations for a 40HP PT0 chipper in addition to the Wallenstein BX62, I would love to hear them.

 

[hazmat]

I have a bearcat 73554 - I ran it a few times on my TC18 before I traded up to my Kubota B3030. I believe the bearcat 73554 to be the best PTO chipper/shredder on the market.

It is an awesome machine, but pricey ~$4K. The TC18 would slow down if fed 4" of dry hardwood, but would swallow most anything green.

The shredder is great if you have lots of twigs & leaves that you are cleaning up. I think it is more applicable for suburban/lawn applications than forestry management. If I were working woods, I'd spend the money on a chipper w/ hydraulic feed. I don't think anyone makes a hydraulic chipper with shredder. Gravity feed works, but hydraulic feed works faster. You may run into a flow (gpm) problem on the TC18. The wallenstein BX42 might work.


Review here chipzilla

Bear Cat,wood chipper,chipper shredder blower,pto chipper,string trimmer,stump grinder,truck loader,rental,commercial

 

[Farmerford]

Riddler:

I have a Vermeer 6" PTO chipper with a variable speed hydraulic feed. It is heavy and expensive, but very well made with a gear drive (rather than V-belt) and a complete hydraulic system (pump, reservoir, etc). I first used it on a 26 pto hp Kubota, and the tractor was barely adequate to lift or power it. Green pine over 5" and hardwood over 3" required a very slow feed rate, but the hydraulic roller made that easy to accomplish. It is now pulled by a 39 pto hp Kubota which is plenty of power to pull it faster than three people can bring limbs to it (you probably had the same experience with the rented one).

I have never used a manual (gravity) feed chipper, but I suspect they require quite a lot of hand feeding, particularly for long limbs, limbs with branches or heavy brush. With only one person feeding, the hydraulic feed allows you to walk away for the next limb while it is chipping the first one. I routinely stick the butt end of a 20-30' long pine sapling into the Vermeer and walk away with confidence it will be chipped up when I return. A gravity feed chipper would require that I cut it into several pieces.

I think the Vermeer was overkill in both quality and weight (and price: $10,000+), but at the time the Jinma's were hardly known, and the local Vermeer dealer was very good to deal with. The other commercial units (Bearcat, BEFCO, Bandit, etc. were only a little cheaper and there were no local dealers). From reading posts on here if I were to do it again I would probably get a Wallenstein with double feed rollers and hydraulic feed.

 

[JRobyn]

Hi Riddler,

I run an old Morbark (Eager Beaver) model 125 PTO powered 6" hydraulic feed. I run it on a Kubota L4330 (about 38 pto HP). The hydraulics are all self contained, belt driven pump off the main input shaft. I bought this used, but extremely well cared for; paid about $3500. It is wicked heavy, about 1000-1100#. If you watch e-bay for a while they occasionally come up, even a few Vermeers. I'd be wary of a used unit that was a rental, but PTO-powered ones are very rare in the rental world! From my old research, I think that the big Wallenstein 6" hydraulic feed was the closest match in something new. The latest Jinmas that have the few kinks worked out also seem to be pretty similar in capability.

We have used it for a few dozen hours now with only one blade change for maintenance. I bought one spare set of blades for about $45. Spending what's req'd for a big hydraulic feed may be mitigated some if you have other kin/relations that have similar needs;-). My BIL used it to digest all of the debris from cutting his powerline and road to his house!

It will happily digest full green cedar branches up to about 4" main branch diameter with no problem. Sometimes if the branches have 90 deg side branches of substantial thickness and strength, one has to manually "fold" (or cut) the side branches into the hopper or push down on the feed roller handle to get the extra grip needed to force the side branches through the hopper. With anything but cedar, this is usually not needed. 95% of the time, one shove into the hopper to get it started is sufficient and you can ignore it while going for the next load. The only time I stalled it was with a part-rotted, soft, soggy 6"+ diameter pine log; it cut so fast, and the soggy chips were so heavy, that the fan/blower blades couldn't get the chips up and out of the discharge chute fast enough, and it bogged down and then stalled the tractor. In summary, chipper only suits my needs fine, and I think your needs are very similar.

The major disadvantage I see to most non-powered feed chippers is that the user has to lift the material much higher to start it into the hopper. If one is chipping a few dozen branches or the remains of a medium sized tree, no problem. But with the volumes I am dealing with (and probably you too) the lifting to a manual feed would wear me out fast.

- Jay

 

[Riddler]

That's great looking chipper (and tractor). You're lucky to find a unit like that at that price.

You're right that having a relatively low chute angle will make a significant positive impact on the work I plan to do. The self-powered units I have rented have been like that, and now I can understand why. Hydraulic feed is pricey for sure, but with the many years and many acres of material that I have to chew up, the investment is looking increasingly worthwhile.

 

[Waltert]

Hi,
I had a Wallenstien BX40 chipper which I sold as the lack of power feed made it a total PIA, it chipped straight clean limbs well, small branches had to trimmed,,,, the chipper was very well built, but my advice is go with power feed, the newer BX 42 is convertable to power feed but the BX 40 was not, I would get a 6" model as anything real bushy with branches ect will feed alot easier, I am going to get the 6" Jinma as it seems to work well with minor mods and the price is right for me.
Walter t

 

[Riddler]

Can anyone comment on the price difference between the Bearcat 72854 and the Wallenstein BX62 with hydro feed?

 

[hazmat]

Can anyone comment on the price difference between the Bearcat 72854 and the Wallenstein BX62 with hydro feed?

72894 $8,900

BX62 w/ hydraulic feed ~$6,500

 

[Riddler]

Thanks Hazmat. I figured that the Bearcat would cost more. Also, at these numbers, I supposed I should make double sure that I can't make do with a Jinma 6.