Woodland Mills WC68 Chipper

[Hilbilly]

I can "almost" help you out. I have the 8" model of the Woodland Mills you're looking at. I'm a machinist by trade, and have done a lot of fabrication work too. The quality and thickness of materials of my WC88 are excellent. The hydraulic feed is a bit fussy, in that you breath on it and it goes from too fast to too slow. Once you fine the right spot, it does stay put. If you're just chipping fir boughs it will clog, as will most chippers. You need WOOD not just branches full of those fine needles. If I'm into a bunch of fir or hemlock boughs, I run through a few branches, then follow up with a good chunk of wood to clear out the needles. If you can swing the WC88, it does allow you to feed in a much bigger bunch of stuff than the 6" model. It's not that you're going to chip 8" firewood, but rather the bunching up of branches feeds better through a bigger chute. Hope this helps. The Woodland Mills unit we have is really a great attachment for our property. Wish I had one years ago! Keep the belts tight, don't chip dirty limbs and you should be fine.

Welcome to TBN and thanks for your input.

I can certainly swing the WC88 but I am concerned that the belt drive system is just more potential problems down the road. My main concern is whether or not the WC68 will feed the small branches (with needles) better than the chipper I have now.

I guess there is no way to know unless I get personal experience with one. That comes at a cost.

 

[Goss]

Welcome to TBN and thanks for your input.

I can certainly swing the WC88 but I am concerned that the belt drive system is just more potential problems down the road. My main concern is whether or not the WC68 will feed the small branches (with needles) better than the chipper I have now.

I guess there is no way to know unless I get personal experience with one. That comes at a cost.

All I can say is the brand is a good chipper. Unless we put them side by side and compare it's tough to say what the difference would be with fir needles.
Sorry I wasn't more help.

 

[Hilbilly]

Please don't be sorry. I appreciate your input.

I think I will pull the trigger on the WC68. That's the only way to find out if it is better than what I have now and maybe I will be kicking my butt for waiting so long, lol.

 

[34Willys]

I just recently got the WC68, and it is awesome. I've chipped Douglas fir, alder, oak, cedar, and maple. Green and dry, it feeds as you walk back and grab another branch. It tends to chip the wood and then spit out a string of needles or leaves. Never had it clog.
My tractor is on the very low end of the PTO power required, and even feeding a 5 inch fir branch, the tach is rock solid. I haven't had it bogg down at all.
It is difficult to start large diameter branches. There are tension springs that can be adjusted looser, but then it wouldn't feed the smaller stuff as well.
I added the trailer hitch and chainsaw scabbard options. I can hook up my polar trailer and pull up to the branches, position the trailer and chip into it still connected.
So much faster than burn pile work.
I was so impressed with the build quality, etc that I ordered a Bushlander off road trailered band sawmill from them today.
Patrick

 

[Jstpssng]

It seems like for what the OP wants he should be looking in the other direction, for a smaller top feed chipper mulcher.

DR PRO 475 Wood Chipper | DR Power Equipment

A dedicated self-feeding chipper that will power through branches up to 4.75" in diameter.

www.drpower.com

 

[Hilbilly]

I already have this Woodchipper self feeding chipper. The DR is actually rated for bigger stuff. Mine is rated for 4" max.

 

[2manyrocks]

I currently have an Agriease 4" gravity feed chipper which is a Chinese knock off of the Wallenstein. I've had it for around 10 years and it has chipped a lot of small stuff, which is all I chip. Normally nothing bigger than 2" to 3" but mostly green tree branches and green tree tops. It works OK but lately it seems to struggle pulling in the smaller branches and short pieces.

If it used to work okay for you, could it be that the blades need to be sharpened or replaced? I'm thinking that if the blades just don't cut like they used to, then this would make the whole chipping process that much slower because the machine has to chip what's in it before the rest can feed through.

I've only had a small gravity machine myself. I would think a hydraulic feed would be easier to use. If you plan to do a lot of chipping for many more years to come, that's worth considering.

 

[jonsstihl]

I have a WC68 and have had it clog but not too often. mostly when you get to the top of spruce trees with lots of needles. I bought the wc68 because the flywheel is pto drive and hydraulic pump belt driven so I figured if ever the pump crapped out I could just plumb the hydraulics to my tractor remotes. the WC88 the pump is PTO driven and flywheel is belt drive (3 of them) . the flywheel speed is much higher on the WC88 and I would think that would translate to less clogging. Sometimes I wish I had a larger chute entry not to chip larger branches but to be able to let in more crooked branches.

the new TF810 seems to be the best of both worlds but more expensive and youtube reviews seem to reveal some problems with shear bolts among other things. i've had mine since 2020 and no problems with the hydraulics. kind of wishing I had gotten the wc88. but i'm still happy with it. i'm due to flip the knives.

 

[Hilbilly]

I just ordered it. I will find out if this was a good move or a mistake, in a few weeks.

 

[bigtiller]

If it used to work okay for you, could it be that the blades need to be sharpened or replaced? I'm thinking that if the blades just don't cut like they used to, then this would make the whole chipping process that much slower because the machine has to chip what's in it before the rest can feed through.

That's what it sounds like to me also.
I used to have a 5" BearCat manual feed chipper/shredder.
When it was new the branches would gravity self feed. Sometimes feeding very fast.

After some use, I had to help the branches feed occasionally.

After a lot of use I had to force feed the big branches. That was a lot of work so I started putting everything under 2" down the shredder.

Then I bought some new knifes and the chipper acted like a new machine again.

Edit.. I just posted and seen your previous post. I should have gotten up earlier.

I'm sure you will be happy with the new chipper, I am really glad I bought mine.