Chipper Anybody using a Liberty Chipper?

[moot]

Lets face it, if it has moving parts, ITS GOING TO BREAK. It's what happens when it does break that counts.
Wedge

Can't argue the premise - but - when things break because of poor quality, that's what gripes me!

When I was looking at chippers about year ago I looked at the Liberty and was warned of their poor customer service. I own a Jimna.
Wedge

Guess I wish I had found that warning!

So, bottom line is - here is another warning from someone bitten - if you are going to deal with KPX/Liberty/who knows what name is used... beware!

It is one thing to decide that in order to save a couple of bucks you buy 'seconds'... another if you think you are buying a reputable product.
I cannot say that KPX/Liberty is dealing in reputable product.
I think the lack of customer service speaks volumes ... they know they are selling for the one time sale...

btw - I have not gotten any response to my emails to KPX about where we stand...

 

[moot]

Theirs are $1600 dollars.

Just so you know, I purchased the Liberty WC-8, extra set of blades and belts for $2848. Shipping was 'free'

The repair to the feeder arm cost $170 and KPX did refund that.
KPX did send a set of bolts but no blade replacements.

Curious - is $1600 for an 8" chipper?

 

[Dreamin_Tractors]

How many hours did you have on those blades? Besides the break, they have a lot of chipping/damage along the edges. I have about 60 hours on my Jinma, I have reversed the blades and sharpened them, but they had basically no nicks in them. Makes you wonder what metal those blades are made out of?

Just for reference, I ordered replacement A8 grade tool steel blades from Mill Depot, ($35 each blade). I am hoping they hold a sharp edge longer, we'll see.

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

Moot, I have not seen everything nor do I know everything, sooooo here is just another opinion.

It looks/appears that when the end of the blade broke/cracked it sheared off that bolt.

What I have seen under normal conditions that the blade/knifes edge will become more rounded as they dull.

When/if the blade hits something hard (metal,rock etc) they chip, break,crack.

If the blades lacked proper hardness, the blades would not hold there cutting edge very long and the cutting edge would become more rounded quickly.

A set of blades with proper hardness are brittle. Meaning they have little to no flex. So if they hit something hard the cutting edge gets chipped up.

A good set of blades & anvil can be broke / cracked when tightening down (torque down) if the bed / surface they lay in is not perfectly flat/clean. They are so hard they are brittle .....no flex. They will break/crack before they bend.

As many of you know we service/prep 99% of all the Jinma chippers we sell before we ship them out to the end user. We adjust the blades on every one of them for many reasons, but the main reason is because they are all out of adjustment straight out of the factory. I have found a broke/cracked anvil that happen when they (factory) tighten the bolts down. Removed the anvil to replace it and there was a weld that was causing a high spot. The list goes on .... they just need a good prep / service before they are put to work.

Running a dull set of blades & anvil puts a lot of extra load, wear and tear on the chipper and tractor.

I would not install the new set of blades you have pictured .... nor would I have even of sold them. So far all of my replacement blades have looked good / normal.

I recommend replacing the bolts & lock nuts when replacing blades. I don't think a flat washer should be used under the nut. But where the nut makes contact with the flywheel has the be flat to stay tight.

I am assuming the bolts are 10mm. I would torque the bolts 40 foot pounds for class 8.8. 47 foot pounds for class 10.9.

I look at chipper blades the same way I look at my chain saw. If I am sawing clean green wood the chain will stay sharp longer. If I am sawing dirty hard wood it dulls quicker. Wood that has been laying on the ground, drug through dirt/mud etc dulls cutting edges pretty quick.

I have sold my Jinma 6 inch chipper blades to owners of the 8 inch chipper. I guess the feed drum just goes up 2 more inches higher to make it a 8 inch ???.

I have a picture at the bottom of this page with measurments of the 6 inch blades.

Click here http://www.ranchhandsupply.com/woodchippers.html

Maybe annapolistractorsales will chime in ??


Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[moot]

How many hours did you have on those blades? Besides the break, they have a lot of chipping/damage along the edges.

I had under 20 hrs on the blades. The chips you see are from the pieces of shrapnel that came off the blade and from the bolt head that sheared off.
I never did find the bolt head or about two inches of the blade.

I did a visual check of the blades the day before this happened. The blades where clean, without any damage to the edge and even felt 'sharp' to the touch. The anvil still had a edge, i.e., not rounded. My routine is to take 30 minutes after each use of the chipper and clean up/dig out any stuff caught behind the blades, in the Cutter/Feeder Assembly, etc., and squirt in some grease to all the bearings. That way I'm ready to go the next time I want to do some chipping.

I believe the original blade bolts were WAY over torqued at the factory (or whomever put them on). The manual said 50 lbs -but- the warning on the PTO shield said 30-40 lbs. I would be betting that the bolt where the break occurred (and all the other bolts) were well over 80 lbs. They were a bear to get off - had to extend the handle of my ratchet to get them off. The bolts were 8.8 grade. From what I remember from the DIN specs, 50 lbs was max for that grade bolt. Anyway I replaced them with 10.9 grade and next time I change the blades I'm going to 12.9 grade.

Thanks for the info on where I may find a good set of blades. Have any experience with Tennessee Saw and Knife or other suppliers?

 

[moot]

I would not install the new set of blades you have pictured .... Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

OOPS... I installed the blades so I could get some work done. Put two hours on them yesterday. I'm keeping a eye on them and will replace ASAP.

I have a picture at the bottom of this page with measurements of the 6 inch blades.

Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

The original blades measure 9 15/16 (10) X 2 1/4 , holes are 2 1/2 o/c (close as I can measure). The anvil is 9 5/16 X 2 1/4 , holes are 3 3/4 o/c (close...)

The replacement blades were approx. 1/4" shorter. I noticed that because the stock migrates to the center of the flywheel as it feeds, just the 1/8" difference leaves a thin stringy 'tail' that is not cut.

KPX claims the WC-8 has a heavier flywheel vs. the WC-6 and that the chute opening is larger. That is why I went with the 8", I wasn't planning on putting anything larger than 5" anyway... now I revise that to < 5"

Do you have more specs on the blades you recommend and do you think they would work on my Liberty WC-8? Really does look like a Jinma knock off heh?

As for the clearance between the blade and anvil - I have mine set to .025, about the thickness of a credit card. The manual says .010 to .030, what do you suggest?

Also, I thought there was a dye/black light trick that could show stress/cracking on metal. I'm searching the web now. Any insight there?

Thank you Ronald for all you help and good information.

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

OOPS...

1: I installed the blades so I could get some work done. Put two hours on them yesterday. I'm keeping a eye on them and will replace ASAP.


2: KPX claims the WC-8 has a heavier flywheel vs. the WC-6 and that the chute opening is larger. That is why I went with the 8", I wasn't planning on putting anything larger than 5" anyway... now I revise that to < 5"

3: Do you have more specs on the blades you recommend and do you think they would work on my Liberty WC-8? Really does look like a Jinma knock off heh?

4: As for the clearance between the blade and anvil - I have mine set to .025, about the thickness of a credit card. The manual says .010 to .030, what do you suggest?

5: Also, I thought there was a dye/black light trick that could show stress/cracking on metal. I'm searching the web now. Any insight there?

Thank you Ronald for all you help and good information.

1: Understand

2: I have had the flywheel out of a Jinma 6 inch chipper. With the blades in the flywheel it weighted 135 lb on my shipping scale.

3: No, I have sold them to other 8 inch owners.

4: For all around use / wood I think .030. Around the thickness of a dime.

5: Don't know??



Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[wedge40]

1: Understand

2: I have had the flywheel out of a Jinma 6 inch chipper. With the blades in the flywheel it weighted 135 lb on my shipping scale.

3: No, I have sold them to other 8 inch owners.

4: For all around use / wood I think .030. Around the thickness of a dime.

5: Don't know??



Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

Ron I had a heck of time getting my blades adjusted. Is there some trick that you might be able to share with us. I was thinking of gettinga a piece of 20 or 24 gauge steel about 6" wide and making gauge to set between the anvil and blade. My problem seemed to be that I didn't get what ever I was using to guage thickness parallel to the anvil and blade.

Wedge

 

[Rara Avis]

OOPS... I installed the blades so I could get some work done. Put two hours on them yesterday. I'm keeping a eye on them and will replace ASAP.



The original blades measure 9 15/16 (10) X 2 1/4 , holes are 2 1/2 o/c (close as I can measure). The anvil is 9 5/16 X 2 1/4 , holes are 3 3/4 o/c (close...)

The replacement blades were approx. 1/4" shorter. I noticed that because the stock migrates to the center of the flywheel as it feeds, just the 1/8" difference leaves a thin stringy 'tail' that is not cut.

KPX claims the WC-8 has a heavier flywheel vs. the WC-6 and that the chute opening is larger. That is why I went with the 8", I wasn't planning on putting anything larger than 5" anyway... now I revise that to < 5"

Do you have more specs on the blades you recommend and do you think they would work on my Liberty WC-8? Really does look like a Jinma knock off heh?

As for the clearance between the blade and anvil - I have mine set to .025, about the thickness of a credit card. The manual says .010 to .030, what do you suggest?

Also, I thought there was a dye/black light trick that could show stress/cracking on metal. I'm searching the web now. Any insight there?

Thank you Ronald for all you help and good information.

Moot...I'd put your chipper up for sale on Craigslist and get one you don't have to dink with...a Wallenstein...

 

[moot]

Moot...I'd put your chipper up for sale on Craigslist and get one you don't have to dink with...a Wallenstein...

I looked at them but... 4" was to small, anything bigger needed more HP than what I have on my Kubota L3010. Please correct me if I am mistaken - do they make an affordable 6+" chipper that will run on 25hp HPO.

The main reason I went with the KPX/Liberty is because of the 185 pound flywheel and the large chute (even though I would never put anything bigger than 5" in it) to take brush without having to lop a lot.

It is a shame that they tried to cut corners because the main unit, i.e., drive balance, overall heft... it could have been a contender

Anyway, could have, should have... I've got to make do with what I have to work with. NO, I would never buy from KPX/Liberty again - AND - would not recommend to anyone AND would not try to sell this to anybody else... no matter how much I disliked them or didn't know them

I will have to work through the bugs. I cannot afford to throw good money after bad. Though it is disappointing, I will have to make the best of the choice I made.