More chipper questions - mostly about feed type

[ning]

I've always burned the brush and smaller branches I collect on my land; I use most 3+" wood (oak) as firewood, but I really dislike burning (doesn't scare me, but having to collect, let the green stuff dry, manage the burn piles, besides the idea of just burning stuff - as much as my chickens like the ash - I don't like the waste). I'd love to have wood chips for a variety of reasons, so I'm shopping chippers.

One particular question that comes up is, hydraulic-feed vs manual/gravity feed?


One thing that's obvious is there's a big price difference in the self/gravity-feed vs hydraulic feed chippers. From here, it looks like the gravity feed ones rely on ... gravity, obviously, plus the pull from the teeth grabbing stuff eventually. One concern I've got with these is, smaller stuff doesn't feed as well (leading to dangerous hand placement trying to push it it - probably shouldn't feed a gator like that, or better, grabbing another stick to push it in), and also, big stuff needs to be picked up higher to get it into the chute - so you've got to do more cutting so things are the right size to lift and get to the chute.
From what I've seen, the hydraulic feed units can have horizontal intakes, so it's much easier to feed a long tree or branch in.
There is, of course, a big price difference.

Is my take on the difference between the two feed types accurate? Would you consider hydraulic to be safer (because of things feeding better?), easier to use (less lifting?), or less safe (stuff gets pulled by the blades and the belt, unless you hit the safety)?

The safety issue is a big one here; I've never used a chipper, and I've got significant resistance from my wife, who's heard too many horror stories. I'm probably lucky that she'd never heard of how dangerous tractors are before I got mine... but, I do regularly ride a motorcycle (ATTGAT) and operate a chainsaw (chaps & boots & safety glasses), so it's not like I'm not allowed to do dangerous things :laughing: I just want to try to mitigate some of the dangers and still get what I need to do done.




Secondary questions/issues: I've got a Branson 3520h tractor (35hp, PTO claimed 29hp); it seems like a 4" chipper is about the sweet spot. I expect to be mostly chipping smaller hard stuff (oak, manzanita, and other shrubbery) up to about 2" - I burn anything bigger than that; but I'd also like to be able to chip pine up to 5 or 6 inches. Not a hard requirement; I could limit my chipping to 4" if necessary, but I don't find pine to be that useful for burning vs the oak around here and I could use the chips. Would the 29 PTO hp run a 6" chipper with pine?

I've seen the postings on the Woodmax 8H & Woodland WC68. Drool. I've also seen posts about eg Wallenstein BX42S, and it seems like a pretty decent unit and there's one at a reachable auction going up ... tomorrow. Bids are low so far, unit's new, though I'd imagine it'll go for a lot more.
I can afford an industrial unit, but I'm typically cheap and prefer getting something used. However, watching craigslists within 75 miles of me for quite some time all I see are either $10k self-engined units for tree companies and $500 2-3-inch capacity toys; I suspect I'll have regular use of a chipper as our area gets a lot of winter wet growth, so I don't want something that's junk.

 

[ruffdog]

I hired the work done to remove 1800 evergreens......

 

[mark02tj]

ning - I've owned both a manual feed 5" Bearcat chipper and a hydraulic self feed WoodMaxx 9900. My advice - buy something with a self-feed.

The Bearcat was really a great chipper. Made in USA quality with a nice, built-in shredder as well. As you mentioned in your post though, a self-feed will "grab" the material and pull it in. While that's OK for the most part, the problem I had with the Bearcat is that if I was feeding bigger material (4"+) of any length, you don't have control of the feed rate and it would stall the chipper and the tractor. If I tried to grab the material and pull it out to regulate the feed rate, it was a struggle to say the least. With my WoodMaxx, I can regulate the feed rate for bigger stuff and I've never come close to stalling my tractor - even feeding 8" stuff through it.

Another issue with the manual feed is that you have to "trim" the Y's from branches in order to get it in the chipper. This takes a lot of time and energy. My power feed chipper eliminates this issue for the most part as it will pull flexible branches into the machine.

My WoodMaxx is their top of the line made in the USA model. It was expensive. But, there are tons of reviews on this site and other tractor related sites from people that own the WoodMaxx "8-H" (I can't remember the full model number) and they love it. It's more moderately priced (under $3,000 I think) and seems to be a good buy for the money. I went with the 9900 for a couple of reasons. First, I had a good year business wise and I could afford it. I first sold my Bearcat to help offset the cost though. Next, I liked the super compact nature of the hydraulic feed system on it. The 9900 only uses a couple of quarts of 10-W-40 oil as opposed to the many quarts of oil that the less expensive model uses.

I think that Woodland Mills also has a comparably priced model to the less expensive WoodMaxx.

Regardless, get something that has a "power feed" option.

Good luck.

 

[oosik]

Every spring I thin my Ponderosa pine stands and cut, drag, stack & chip right around 900 small(1" to 6") pines. They are green when chipped - and chip very easily. I have a Wallenstein BX62S manual feed - PTO driven.

Safety - I have stood on a two foot high stand and reached as far down the intake chute as possible( tractor turned OFF). I can squeeze down that chute and get my finger tips exactly 13" from the blades. What stops me from going further - the width of my shoulders. A small child might reach the blades .........

I do not need hydraulic feed because all my small pines are straight as an arrow and I chip them in the round. If you will be chipping stuff that is forked, twisted, bent etc - THEN you might benefit from hydraulic in feed. The gravity feed system is more than sufficient for anything like pine trees - straight limbs - brush - etc. One of the advantages of hydraulic in-feed is you can POWER back stuck stuff out of the chute also.

Let me give you my "take" on necessary chipper sizing. My BX62S will handle anything up to and including 6 1/2 inches in diameter. I will cut, drag, stack and chip pines that are that size BUT - know this - dragging a pine tree that is 6" on the butt and averages 32' long is a GENUINE PITA. When I get done cutting all I want, to thin out of a stand, it looks like a game of Pick-Up-Sticks. I pull trees off the top of the jumbled pile and attempt to drag them out and stack them without tripping and falling over all the other fallen trees.

Next time you consider a chipper that can handle 8" material - go out and fell an 8" tree and see how much work it takes to get it prepped for chipping.

I've been managing my pine forest for the 36+ years I've been here. Once a pine gets beyond 6" - its safe from the horrors of MY chainsaws.

Yes - a tractor with 29 PTO hp will run a 6" chipper. Be advised - this will be on the very low end of the power curve. If you want to chip 6" pines with this unit - do it while the pines are still green and expect to blow a shear pin now and then.

 

[Stimw]

Something you are overlooking is Hp is only part of the process.
They use a flywheel to do the work. Once the rpm gets up to speed you feed and monitor the rpm.
At times you allow rpm to recover, it's not a constant feed.
I have used/owned 12" commercial units and owned a smaller unit (pic) that had a 18 hp ONAN.
Even that little one did a great job!

 

[ericm979]

Chippers are safe if you never ever stick your hand in the chute.

I've had both "self feeding" and power feed chippers. A MackKissick TH184 4.5" and an 8" Woodmaxx 8H. I will not go back to self feeding. Power feed is so much better and safer. The material is pulled in at a steady rate that's not too fast. The MackKissick would yank stuff out of my hands and pull it in very fast... .when it caught. If it didnt' catch I'd have to mess around with angles etc until it did. Power feed has a lot less of that. If it doesn't feed I reverse the feed to get it out and try again. I recommend paying the extra for a hydraulic power feed. That lets you adjust the feed rate which is vital if you chip a range of sizes of material and lets you reverse the feed. Power feed makes for more consistent chip size and lets you adjust it some.

The Woodmaxx 8H uses a heavy flywheel that's geared up to 2x pto speed. While the flywheel effect does help it power through short bits of larger wood, it slows rapidly if I feed in a large piece of wood too quickly. It's not practical to burn here due to fire risk and air quality restrictions and I have way more wood than I know what to do with, I chip whatever will fit. With a 32pto hp Branson 3725 I can handle wood up to the chipper's capacity but only with the feed turned way down. I ended up buying a flow control valve that's better matched to the 8h's flow and better made as the chinese one's adjustment range was very narrow.

Much of the time I'm chipping stuff smaller than 8" but the capacity lets me chip without having to trim as much. I suggest a largish chipper even if you're not chipping large logs.

The 8H's chute is waist height but it's level. I can chip stuff that's too heavy for me to pick up entirely by putting the butt end in and then picking up the other end.

Another advantage of the 8H (and the equivalent Woodland Mills model) is the output chute. The MackKissick just drops the chips. They build up fast and when the pile gets too high the chipper clogs so you have to move it. The 8H blows chips a ways so I can dump them in the woods or spread them right from the chipper.

 

[Rustyiron]

I

One particular question that comes up is, hydraulic-feed vs manual/gravity feed?

Gravity feed :laughing: don't let them fool you. YOU are the gravity and after a short while of operating a "gravity feed" chipper, you'll be feeling the gravity. That is the gravity of your mistake for not buying a power feed chipper.
Seriously, I had a serious Royer 3 pt self feed (disc type) chipper, well over 1000# on a 60 HP JD, even that was a joke. Ended up with a used Vermeer 1210? with a 6 cyl Ford industrial gas 6 cyl. with hyd. feed rollers. I'd try to rent or demo one before you buy. PS, chip "green" wood if you can, much easier on the knives & chipper.

 

[Piston]

Hydraulic self feed all the way! Chipping is hard enough work as it is, the hydraulic feed makes it less so, and safer and more efficient as well.
I can feed a 25’ Long tree into my chipper, all I have to do is get it started, then as it’s feeding, I can adjust the feed rate and even stop, or reverse, the feed. When there are branches that stop the feed, I can usually just reverse feed, and start feeding it again, and this repeated action will break the branches down and suck the tree right in.

Hydraulic feed chippers have safety bars that as you feed the material, you pull the safety bar back, but if you push the bar, it reverses feed. This is so if by chance you got tangled up in something, you hit the safety bar on the way in, and it will reverse direction.

There is only one single advantage to self feed, and that is the lower price. That’s it.

So if cost isn’t your number one priority, then by all means hydraulic self feed is the way to go.

 

[ning]

Hydraulic self feed all the way! Chipping is hard enough work as it is, the hydraulic feed makes it less so, and safer and more efficient as well.
I can feed a 25’ Long tree into my chipper, all I have to do is get it started, then as it’s feeding, I can adjust the feed rate and even stop, or reverse, the feed. When there are branches that stop the feed, I can usually just reverse feed, and start feeding it again, and this repeated action will break the branches down and suck the tree right in.

Hydraulic feed chippers have safety bars that as you feed the material, you pull the safety bar back, but if you push the bar, it reverses feed. This is so if by chance you got tangled up in something, you hit the safety bar on the way in, and it will reverse direction.

There is only one single advantage to self feed, and that is the lower price. That’s it.

So if cost isn’t your number one priority, then by all means hydraulic self feed is the way to go.

I really appreciate the responses - thanks everyone! Now I just have to sell the concept to the bean counting committee (of which I occupy one of two seats at)!

 

[Aquamoose]

Go & read post #4 by oosik. It’s exactly what I’d say except about the shear pins. I always engage at low throttle then increase it up to speed slowly over 15 seconds. Mine’s a Woodmax 8M which is a mechanical feed.