Chipper Opinions on small PTO chippers? Good or waste of time?

[jeff9366]

One reason the Wallenstein's are well regarded is that they have FOUR knives on the rotor, each of which has two chipping edges, which can be reversed when dull, working FOUR fresh chipping edges.

 

[gtivr6]

I had a BX42 wallenstein and it is a quality pc. Although with a bit extra expense I'd rather have one with a step up drive. The knife speed just isnt enough. My tractor is 24hp pto and as long as it was sumac or some other soft fresh cut wood you could chip 4" no problem. But some oak or real knotty trimmings and it will shut the tractor right off from 2500rpms at 4" material. That rpm boost would be just enough although Ive heard of the dreaded belt slip problems so of those models have. I rented a small 4cyl 6" chipper from a local tool rental shop but you most often get something that hasnt been kept up with and barely does its job. Plus I gotta pull it around with my tractor as most areas here arent truck accessible. Just a pain. I bought a big dump trailer so hauling brush is less hassle. Still very time consuming because I have one burn pile that always seems to be a mile away.

 

[RoyJackson]

I had a BX42 Wallenstein and it is a quality pc. Although with a bit extra expense I'd rather have one with a step up drive. The knife speed just isn't enough. My tractor is 24hp pto and as long as it was sumac or some other soft fresh cut wood you could chip 4" no problem. But some oak or real knotty trimmings and it will shut the tractor right off from 2500rpms at 4" material. That rpm boost would be just enough although Ive heard of the dreaded belt slip problems so of those models have. I rented a small 4cyl 6" chipper from a local tool rental shop but you most often get something that hasn't been kept up with and barely does its job. Plus I gotta pull it around with my tractor as most areas here arent truck accessible. Just a pain. I bought a big dump trailer so hauling brush is less hassle. Still very time consuming because I have one burn pile that always seems to be a mile away.

You're one of the very few I've heard complain about the BX42. With 24 PTO HP, you should have quite adequate power. I think you'll find your chipper blades need sharpening...

 

[jeff9366]

Have you reversed the four, double-ended blades to chip with fresh, sharp edges?

Chipper Blades, Brush Chipper Knives & Chipper Shredder Blades

 

[Baby Grand]

You're one of the very few I've heard complain about the BX42. With 24 PTO HP, you should have quite adequate power. I think you'll find your chipper blades need sharpening...

... yes - or maybe re-gapping. That made a huge difference on my machine. One blade was set .010" different (in the open direction) than the other 2.

 

[gtivr6]

I didnt mean it to sound like a complaint. It works pretty much as advertised I was just hoping for better results in the harsher materials I guess. Im pretty well versed in sharpening knives. Im a tool and die maker and Im standing inbetween probly 700k in cnc machinery as I type this but thanks.

 

[Finnster]

Thanks for all the responses. Very useful information. I think I'm going to pass on this.

 

[standardlee]

"Light duty" and "tractor" do not usually co-exist very well nor very long.

I want this on a bumper sticker!

 

[chris42]

I have a chipper like the one in the original post. It's green, might be Mackissic. Chipper chute might be 3" square, shredding chute obviously larger. It is definitely light duty. Good shredder, fair chipper. My HP isn't a problem as I drive it with a JD 1020 (about 35 HP). No blower and exhaust chute means that the chips pile up under the machine and you either move it periodically or shovel the chips out.

I could find it a new home if someone is looking and has a smaller tractor. I have replaced it with a Champion Chipper that is built here in Pa. It can handle up to 6", has a hydraulic self feed and a heavy disc with 4 reversible blades. Very good machine, heavily built. My only complaint is that the anvil, that the blades shear against, is virtually impossible to see to adjust. Guess I just need to do a greater amount of disassembly to see what it is I need to see. With 35 HP this is a seriously agressive (sp) machine. Feed rate is adjustable, so If you want to feed it 6" logs all day it will do it. A friend uses it with her 30 hp Kubota - while the motor will do the job, the tractor is really too light a machine for the chipper.

Shop for a USED machine. Craigslist, ebay, etc. I got the Champion for half of new cost, only slightly used. Thought about a motorized trailer type, but I already have the tractor, so I didn't want another engine to maintain.

The machine pictured in the original post is a compromise machine - it will work, but not seriously. I would use it to train those unfamiliar with such machines. It is relatively safe as far as chippers/shredders go.

 

[JohninCT]

Thanks for all the responses. Very useful information. I think I'm going to pass on this.

I think that's the right decision Small chipper/shredder frustrating. Look at all the photos of these units in action... perfectly straight pieces of wood being fed in. Having to take off all the little limbs to get the larger piece chippable is time consuming and a PITA! Lifting up leaves to dump into a top hopper shredder is IMHO a giant waste of time and effort (if you any more than a real small pile of leaves or debris to process anyway). Believe me I've been there and done all that with a small chipper/shredder.

Agree with the other posters who recommended using a PTO chipper with larger and low infeed chute with self feed. Now that IS a very useful tool to use with a tractor to chip up branches instead of piling and burning.

If you got lots of leaves to deal with in the fall, then I HIGHLY recommend getting a Cyclone Rake. With that machine the chore of cleaning up leaves in the fall went from drudgery to being actually kind of fun. Used with a lawn/garder tractor or zero turn mower the leaves get shredded up before being vacuumed up by the machine. NO raking, picking up, dragging tarps, etc. Just run over the leaves with the mower and leave a clean leaf free path behind you. Wonderful