Chipper Chipper...or chipper/shredder?

[hazmat]

I think the opposing opinions have been adequately reviewed. Continuing this argument boots us nothing except for you two getting more and more pissed at each other. Unless we can get side-by-side comparison type reviews that whole issue of quality difference is moot anyway...

Well said.

I bought a bearcat 73554 this spring. I looked at The Wallenstein, Salsco & Bearcat in person - All looked well enough built, but the bearcat looked a little better (paint & weld quality). Wanting a chipper shredder sealed the deal for the bearcat. Also the 73554 is "higher tech" than other units with it's screenless shredder & easy to adjust shred size.

This unit is the furthest thing from junk. I'd actually say it is the best built attachment I own (and I have several). It is well designed, well built & just plain a beast. I paid just under $4,000 for it & it was worth every penny. It just works.

I'm running it on my B3030 now - no issues with the added power (in fact it makes it work better - I can feed more into it at once)

more pix here

 

[ToddW]

That chipper looks like a beast! Nice.

/Todd

 

[acohen100]

Ok I fired up the BX42 for the first time today and I have a question which I have a funny feeling is going to leave me feeling extraordinarily stupid. How do you get the rear PTO to stay on without sitting on the seat? The power shut-off kicks in every time I get up to try to do some chipping Just to get through the day I took a large rock and put it on the seat.

 

[crd]

Hey, I did that. Flip the seat forward before you engage the PTO.

Reminds me of when I spent 15 minutes trying to align the PTO shaft before realizing I'd forgetten to disengage it on the tractor. Not my best day but I probably won't ever forget again.

 

[acohen100]

Hey, I did that. Flip the seat forward before you engage the PTO.

Reminds me of when I spent 15 minutes trying to align the PTO shaft before realizing I'd forgetten to disengage it on the tractor. Not my best day but I probably won't ever forget again.

OMG, is that how you do that? You just solved two problems for me with one post!

 

[ChuckinNH]

Ok I fired up the BX42 for the first time today and I have a question which I have a funny feeling is going to leave me feeling extraordinarily stupid. How do you get the rear PTO to stay on without sitting on the seat? The power shut-off kicks in every time I get up to try to do some chipping Just to get through the day I took a large rock and put it on the seat.

So, how did the chipper work?

 

[acohen100]

Well I have nothing to compare it to but it seems to do the job just fine. I was already exhausted by the time I had gotten it on and just ran a few branches through to see what all the fuss was about. Very loud. Didn't realize that I would need earmuffs. One minor complaint was that you need an extra long Cat. 1 lynch pin for the toplink and they didn't include it so I had to run out to TSC, but that's a minor gripe. You would just think that for $2500 they could include a $2 lynch pin. I also didn't realize that you had to have fairly straight branches to feed in which means I will have to do a bit more pre-processing with the chainsaw on my existing brush piles.

I'll try to do a more thorough review once I put it through it's paces.

 

[PaulieD]

After learning from contributors to this thread, poking around the Web for other chipper related info, and visiting with my local dealer, I decided to order the Walenstein Bx42. I can't wait to try it out, but I probably won't get it until next week. I just need to be patient.

Thanks for all the good information and advice.

 

[botics]

I just bought a Bearcat 73554 and a Kubota B3030. Bearcat makes a solid product, but with any chipper or combo unit all operation is dependent on how well the unit is maintained.

Buy an extra set of blades and make sure you change them as needed.

 

[PaulieD]

I picked up my new Bx42 Saturday morning and had it chipping by early afternoon. I have little tractor experience and no chipper experience, but I was pleasantly surprised at how effectively it performed. I had some 8 to 10 foot pine branches that measured 3 1/2 to 4 inch diameter at the base, and the chipper ate them up and spit them out in about 20 seconds. I ran some small apple branches through with no problems.

I hope I don't loose respect for this implement, it is very productive, but not something to treat lightly. I bought a Husqvarna safety helmet with integrated ear protection and visor; it was a good move. One of the big branches had a crook down at the bottom, and when I repositioned the limb, the chipper grabbed it and repositioned it against my helmet. If I wasn't wearing the helmet, I would have earned a big headache.

Thanks again for the help and advice,

Paul