Clearing a small piece of my lot, Wood Chipper questions

RodSerling · Mar 31, 2014

I want to thin out a 1/2 acre in my backyard for recreational purposes. I want to leave about 1/3 to 1/2 the trees and clear all the brush. I've took a few trees down and cleared some brush but the amount of brush and small branches left over is overwhelming. My lot is also very wet so wood chips would be nice to have to elevate walk ways and paths.

So I'm contemplating buying a wood chipper vs renting. On one hand renting is nice, no maintenance, no storing it, and I can rent a bigger machine then I could afford to buy. On the other hand I have to make time count while I'm renting and it is only me and my wife so we only go so fast. I plan on living here in the woods until I pass on so how many times would I rent one and will the rental fees be over the purchase price? I don't need a monster chipper, anything over 3"-3 1/2" I save for firewood.

Pros of buying one is the ability to use it whenever I want or need to. But I don't want to spend more than $1000 new or used. What kind of chipper can you get for that kind of money?
So what do you guys think?

Here is the piece of land I want to clear.

s219 · Mar 31, 2014

Even used PTO chippers -- the good ones -- will go for a lot more than $1K used. I shopped around for a while, and it came down to scoring a good used one for $1800-2200 when the timing was right or buying one brand new for $2700. I finally bought brand new (Wallenstein BX-42).

I debated renting, but all the rentals were trailered models, and would not have been easy to get where I wanted. With a 3-point mounted model, it goes anywhere your 4x4 tractor will go. Plus there's no time pressure. If I want to bust it out to chip a tree this afternoon for 5 minutes, I can.

With a BX-25, how much PTO HP do you have? How big of a 3-point implement can you handle?

Finally, for thin brush, you will probably want a chipper-shredder. Straight chippers are mainly for thicker material or whatever is attached to thicker material (so it gets sucked in with the main piece). For thin stuff, a straight chipper can be frustrating unless you can pull the material in with a bigger piece.

Good luck! BTW, look for a chute model if you want to reuse the wood chips with minimal hassle -- you can either blow them where they need to go, or direct into a trailer for transport. One less step.

PapaPerk · Mar 31, 2014

If you don't wanna screw around with it you will need a good size chipper. And I would buy feed rollers too.

Next big question is how much HP do you have?

I burn my brush piles... Don't have the patience to feed sticks all day.

Nice property! (0:

groundcover · Mar 31, 2014

Been the cheap chipper route, the stingy man spends the most ! Spent more time working on it than working it. Sold it on Craig's list and never looked back. Picked up a 250XP Brush Bandit with a winch. A bit bigger than what most of the rental yars have but man what a machine ! I would rent someting rather than buying something that you may regret.

newbury · Mar 31, 2014

Your BX25D is on the bottom end of the power curve for a good chipper and the $1,000 is well below the average price point.

Things to consider - As you go "up" in size for chippers you basically get a bigger hole and heavier chipping wheels. But you also get a bigger opening to stuff branches in also. I've a Jinma 8" chipper I've documented on here. Now about the biggest piece of wood I've chipped is around 6" or 7" of SOLID hardwood limb.

But I also had a ton of curved branches, twisted limbs, etc. that although the diameter of the limb was only 1" I would not have been able to cram them in a 4" chipper. So getting something BIGGER doesn't mean you can't use it IF you can move it.

You've got about 18HP to run the chipper. Tractordata lists your rear lift at about 700 pounds, that may be a more limiting factor. My B7610 (18hp) can barely move my Jinma, in theory I can lift ~1,300 lbs.

Check some of the many chipper threads here. I'm sure there are oters chipping with a BX2X.

justme23005 · Mar 31, 2014

I have a DR chipper with a 13 HP engine on it, that I would sell for $875. I'm in NY.

RodSerling · Mar 31, 2014

I guess I posted in the wrong forum. I didn't think I would find a PTO chipper for $1000 I was thinking more along the lines of a small Bearcat or Stanley.

big lar · Mar 31, 2014

Rod Serling, your real name??

dave1949 · Mar 31, 2014

RodSerling said:
I guess I posted in the wrong forum. I didn't think I would find a PTO chipper for $1000 I was thinking more along the lines of a small Bearcat or Stanley.

I don't have any experience to share on those chippers. I have a BX62 that I think highly of.

Looking at the pic of your property and your goal of clearing 1/2 acre for recreation purposes, I wondered how or if you will deal with the stumps. Also, once you let some light in, you will have a 1/2 acre that wants to fill with something, and it doesn't look very mower friendly--no offense.

I have some much smaller areas I keep under control with a brush saw/weed whacker on steroids, a Stihl FS-250 I think it is. 1/2 acre will keep you busy for a while but it's doable. Those are not cheap either though.

s219 · Mar 31, 2014

newbury said:
But I also had a ton of curved branches, twisted limbs, etc. that although the diameter of the limb was only 1" I would not have been able to cram them in a 4" chipper. So getting something BIGGER doesn't mean you can't use it IF you can move it.

Most high-end chippers have enlarged chutes to deal with situations like that. For example, my Wallenstein is rated for 4" thick material, but the feed chute has a 4"x12" opening at the throat (they claim it can swallow 2x10 lumber, but I have not tried that).