Chipper questions

[oldafretired]

Hi, I'm looking into getting a PTO chipper to chew up mainly branches from lodgepole pines and some Douglas fir. Lodgepoles have a bunch of stiff dead branches on the bottom so I was thinking a chipper with as large an intake opening as possible that my tractor can handle. I have a Kubota L3901 with about 30 PTO horsepower and was considering a Wallenstein BX52 which has a minimum recommended horsepower of 18 but needs 40 HP for maximum capacity. Would the L3901 be able to handle this chipper? I don't think I would be putting in anything over 3 inches in diameter into the chipper but a lot of the branches would be dry.

I live on 10 wooded acres in North Idaho and have been thinning out trees around my house since the house was built almost 2 years ago. I had two giant burn piles last year and prefer not to burn too much again and would rather try and reduce the branches to chips as much as possible. I have a good size branch/brush pile this year but is way smaller than last year.

Wallenstein also makes chipper shredders. Should I consider one of those in a situation like mine?

Thanks!

 

[KyleH]

You shouldn't have an issue running a BX52 with 30 PTO hp, I ran a BX42 on my B2650 with 19.5 PTO hp and it took anything I could fit in the opening without struggling too hard. I sold the BX42 since I upgraded to a L45 which has 32 PTO hp and figured I'd buy a larger chipper with a hydraulic feed once I get another big pile on the go.

 

[dickfoster]

I've been looking at this 6 X 8" chipper for my 30HP PTO recently. $2600 with free shipping. WC68 6″ PTO Wood Chipper | Woodland Mills US It has a hydralic auto feeder and will run with as little as 20HP. They also have an 8X8" unit but 30HP is at the very bottom of what it wants for PTO power.

I think Woodmax has about the same stuff at about the same prices.

 

[oldafretired]

I've been looking at this 6 X 8" chipper for my 30HP PTO recently. $2600 with free shipping. WC68 6″ PTO Wood Chipper | Woodland Mills US[/url] It has a hydralic auto feeder and will run with as little as 20HP. They also have an 8X8" unit but 30HP is at the very bottom of what it wants for PTO power.

I think Woodmax has about the same stuff at about the same prices.

Thanks for the link! You gave me even more to think about. LOL

 

[oldafretired]

You shouldn't have an issue running a BX52 with 30 PTO hp, I ran a BX42 on my B2650 with 19.5 PTO hp and it took anything I could fit in the opening without struggling too hard. I sold the BX42 since I upgraded to a L45 which has 32 PTO hp and figured I'd buy a larger chipper with a hydraulic feed once I get another big pile on the go.

Thanks for the info. Looks like my tractor could handle the BX52.

 

[oldafretired]

This is a photo of the brush pile I need to get rid of.

 

[roadhunter]

Woodmaxx always gets good reviews

Best Wood Chippers Shredder | Wood Chipper

 

[oosik]

I've had two Wallenstein chippers - BX42 with my Ford 1700(around 25 hp) and now the BX62 with my Kubota M6040(around 64 hp). Both are excellent chippers, nothing ever broke and only required normal annual maintenance. Either the BX42 or the new BX52 would be an ideal match for your tractor.

I thin my Ponderosa pine stands every spring and will chip between 750-900 small(6" or less) pines every spring. I feed them whole into the chipper and it attacks them like the Cookie Monster after a cookie. Both of my chippers were manual feed.

You might want to consider a chipper/shredder if there are a LOT of smaller limbs in that pile. The shredder part will definitely reduce smaller limbs to chips. A chipper only will expel some smaller limbs as 4" - 6" pieces.

 

[moriboy]

I just bought a Wallenstein BX62S. It's really nice machine. I looked long and hard at a Woodmaxx as well and think it would've been a good choice to. If you are considering a Wallenstein, check out a company called Woodward Crossings in PA. They treated me very well and I had a hard time beating their price and delivery.

 

[oldafretired]

I guess I'll look into the Woodmaxx chippers too.

 

[oldafretired]

I've had two Wallenstein chippers - BX42 with my Ford 1700(around 25 hp) and now the BX62 with my Kubota M6040(around 64 hp). Both are excellent chippers, nothing ever broke and only required normal annual maintenance. Either the BX42 or the new BX52 would be an ideal match for your tractor.

I thin my Ponderosa pine stands every spring and will chip between 750-900 small(6" or less) pines every spring. I feed them whole into the chipper and it attacks them like the Cookie Monster after a cookie. Both of my chippers were manual feed.

You might want to consider a chipper/shredder if there are a LOT of smaller limbs in that pile. The shredder part will definitely reduce smaller limbs to chips. A chipper only will expel some smaller limbs as 4" - 6" pieces.

Do you think 30 horsepower is sufficient to run the BXM42 chipper/shredder?

 

[joeyd]

Oldafretired-

I have been thinking about a chipper also, I can see from your picture we have similar landscape except I am on more of a slope and do not have open areas that I can burn in. What area do you live in, I am off Hwy 97 near Squaw Bay. If you pull the trigger on a chipper I would really like to see it in action. I have been looking at the Woodmax chippers online.

Joe

 

[vsteel]

I have a TM-86H woodmaxx chipper and really love it. I LOVE the hydraulic feed and will never have anything else.

 

[hslogger]

I saw the brush pile. Rule one. If you have even the slightest inclination to chip your brush, stack it butts to one end. Looks like you have a rat pile and you're gonna have to wrestle it to chip it. Arborists, when doing removals, if they are an efficent crew, systematically remove the branches and head right into the chipper, handling it only twice and keeping their work space clear for more branch removal.

If they receive requests from clients to chip some brush, they tell the client to stack the limbs and branches in a way that they are easy to untangle, i.e. side by side, butts to one end.

I am a Woodmaxx owner, hydraulic feed unit and run it on the back of a L4400 Kubota. I have run big commercial arborists units extensively. For my use, this machine has so far fit the bill and only wish I had purchased it before I did. When I was looking at the possibility of buying one of something, I did search out some of the Woodmaxx owners off of their webpage testimonials. I phoned a couple of them and one spoke with them, one guy invited me up for a demo. I didn't go but everyone was really forthcoming, and I was not able to find a legitimate gripe or naysayer.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I saw the brush pile. Rule one. If you have even the slightest inclination to chip your brush, stack it butts to one end. Looks like you have a rat pile and you're gonna have to wrestle it to chip it. Arborists, when doing removals, if they are an efficent crew, systematically remove the branches and head right into the chipper, handling it only twice and keeping their work space clear for more branch removal.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Piling branches helter-skelter is among the best ways I know to make a lot of extra work in a short time.

 

[oldafretired]

Yeah, it sure does look like a rat nest. LOL I just recently though about chipping the branches and was planning on just burning the pile like I did last year. Thanks for the advice about stacking the branches.

Joeyd, I'm about 30 miles north of CDA.

 

[OregonCraig]

Do you think 30 horsepower is sufficient to run the BXM42 chipper/shredder?

I run a BXM42 with 35 PTO horsepower and have no problems. I would think that you would be fine with 30. The bigger question is whether you want to spend the extra money for the shredder capability. It's not insignificant. I occasionally wonder if I should have saved money and bought something like the BX62.

 

[Furu]

I have a Salsco Chipper and it is a beast. Been very happy with it.

621�XT, PTO CHIPPER | Salsco Inc. -

You can go the next size down as you have only 30 hp to drive it.

This one only needs 25 hp. Comes as hydraulic feed or not your choice.

627XT, PTO CHIPPER | Salsco Inc. -

 

[mark02tj]

OldAFRetired - I have a Bearcat 73554 Chipper/Shredder. It's a great unit, but...

I actually have it up for sale right now. I want to sell it and get one of the WoodMaxx chippers with hydraulic feed. While my Bearcat will suck in branches, I have to trim a lot of the "Y" branches so everything is a straight shot down the chute. I have a lot of invasive brush on my property and the brush has branches that go everywhere so I spend a lot of time cutting before it goes into the chipper. I think that a hydraulic feed unit will take care of that problem.

I rarely use the "shredder" part of my unit. If I have a handful of small branches / twigs, I'll dump them in the shredder. Otherwise it goes in the chipper.

Good luck with your decision.

And, THANKS for your service. My dad did 20 in the USAF, retired SMSgt.

 

[oldafretired]

Thanks everyone for all the great information and advice. Seems like there are too many good choices.

Looks like Woodmaxx has a unit that they say is made in the US and costs quite a bit more than their other chippers. It must be pretty popular since they are out of stock and taking deposits for the next shipment. Anyone own a MX-9900?

And Mart02tj, please thank your dad for his 20 years in the AF.