Wood chipper

dwitt · Apr 30, 2018

Been looking at Wallenstein bx72r. It’s they 7” x 12”self feed.
BX72R Wood Chipper | Wood Chippers | 3 Point Hitch - Hydraulic Feed Wood Chippers | Wallenstein Outdoor Power Equipment
I have 65 horse at the pto so this is about as big as I can run. I’ll be feeding it cottonwood and brush for the most part. Anyone have any experience with one of these? Don’t want to end up with a toy that I don’t use because it some much easier to burn it. I know that will be always the easiest route but if I can get lots of chips for not too much work that would be worth it. It’s not like burning is easy. I generally need to move the material a fair ways to a suitable burn location and that a lot of trips.

Industrial Toys · Apr 30, 2018

I got a Brush Bandit PTO Chipper last year for our 65 or so HP JD. A little under powered for the capacity of the chipper but I like the very large opening to accommodate branches. A lot of fun, but my first impression was how much bloody work it is to get the larger (mostly dead pine) material not just to the chipper but properly lined up. It can be quite a fight.

I would much rather have the useful chips, but carrying the trees to a burn pile via loader is much, much easier no matter how many trips even if some distance away.

Omega Woods · Apr 30, 2018

Grapple+Matches=Much less work.

dwitt · Apr 30, 2018

Industrial Toys said:
I got a Brush Bandit PTO Chipper last year for our 65 or so HP JD. A little under powered for the capacity of the chipper but I like the very large opening to accommodate branches. A lot of fun, but my first impression was how much bloody work it is to get the larger (mostly dead pine) material not just to the chipper but properly lined up. It can be quite a fight.

I would much rather have the useful chips, but carrying the trees to a burn pile via loader is much, much easier no matter how many trips even if some distance away.

What size chipper did you get? Is it self feed? Have you tried used iron to feed the chipper?

Ortimber · Apr 30, 2018

I have a Wallenstein BX-62R which is essentially the discontinued version of the 72R. I run it on my Deere 100HP tractor. It works great for chipping fir, oak, and pine. Green wood chips better than dry (less shear bolts breaking). While piling and burning is easier physically, a huge plus for having a chipper is that I can work year round. If I had to do it over again, I would definitely consider a hydraulic feed version, but that's not to say that a gravity feed doesn't work well. It's just much more physically demanding.

oosik · May 1, 2018

I had a Wallenstein BX42S and three years ago I moved up to the Wallenstein BX62S. Its designed to handle 6" and I run it on my M6040( 62 hp ). The only type trees I have here are Ponderosa pine - very soft wood. I chip 750 to 900 small pines every spring to keep my pine stands healthy. As you would expect - I've never had a moments problems chipping the pines. My problem - dragging a 6" pine some 75 feet to the "chip pile". It will usually take a month and a half to identify, fell, drag & chip. By the end - I feel somewhat like a draft horse. I end up with sore muscles during and for a week afterwards.

I never limb any of the trees I chip. In they go - butt first. A great shower of yellow and green comes out the discharge chute. The chipper is fairly effective at separating the chipped material. Pine chips go the furthest - pine needles fall out first.

Obviously, I find the Wallenstein brand works for me. I think the '72 came out a couple years after I upgraded. I've found ABSOLUTELY no need for the hydraulic unit. I feed only whole trees - no limbs.

Industrial Toys · May 1, 2018

The brush bandit is 12". I am thinking about putting an autofeed on the thing. Looking for a suitable tach with alarming outputs. It would be a neat project. Albeit, yet another one! For larger material, which drags the under-powered tractor down, it would avoid having to stand there and operate the feed manually.

A hydraulic discharge chute rotator would also be a nice option.

I think it needs more safety stickers.

lpigott · May 1, 2018

I got a Woodland Mills WC88 last month which is hydraulic feed and very well made. Cheaper than the W ones. I am very pleased with mine and would buy the same unit again without a second thought.