What Attachment Scares You The Most?

[oosik]

My first chipper - Wallenstein BX42S. I hooked it up( 3-point only)and then opened the chamber to check the four blades. Yup - sharp as surgeons scalpels. Closed it back up and went thru this exercise. Could I possibly reach those blades by reaching down the intake chute.

NOT possible. I'm just too large and my arm is too short - by six inches.

SO.... with the purchase of my new 2009 Kubota M6040 - I upgraded to a Wally BX62S. The intake chute was bigger in diameter but also much deeper. Even standing on my head - my hand is eight inches short of reaching those uber sharp blades.

However - I DO have an ULTIMATE respect for my chipper. Get that tree started - let go of that tree - step back. Step back also reduces the chance of being "b itch slapped" by the top of the tree as it is pulled into the chipper.

 

[Runner]

However - I DO have an ULTIMATE respect for my chipper. Get that tree started - let go of that tree - step back. Step back also reduces the chance of being "b itch slapped" by the very top of the tree as it is pulled into the chipper.

Agree it is comforting to know you can't (easily) reach the rotor on the BX42. Also agree on getting out of the way IF the unit is self-feeding. However, on mine, without hydraulic feed, as the knives wear, it's ability to self-feed fades and I need to assist branches into the rotor.

If I have to be close enough to push them in, I find I'm much less likely to be "slapped" if I'm holding on to the branch, preventing it from flipping back and forth and/or rotating.

Another source of injury I've found is from the vibration from holding onto a branch to feed it (or prevent it from hitting me). I find that the best way to prevent it from battering my hand is to hold the branch by the smallest part that isn't likely to break. This works because it usually doesn't take much pressure to feed the branch, just gentle push in most cases. The smaller parts are more flexible and don't beat my hands up as much.

 

[oosik]

I thin my pine stands - every couple years or so. Around 800 small( 1" to 6" on the butt) pines - down the chipper chute. The ONLY trees here on the 80 acre homestead - Ponderosa pines.

I found - right off - you DO NOT handle pines with bare hands. Slowly but surely - that rough pine bark will take the hide right off your hands. Good pair of gloves is essential.

There is something to said for only chipping "clean" trees. Meaning trees that have no dirt, sand, mud, etc on them. I've used and chipped over 4000 small trees with the BX62S. The four blades are still exceedingly sharp. The pines are very soft wood and are clean. One of these days I may need to reverse the blades to the back side.