Chipper Can't get new chipper to work...

[Jason977]

A friend of mine bought a chipper that appears to be a Jinma/Clone and never took the time to set it up properly so I told him I'd get it working ,in exchange for using it, of course.

I have the pulleys aligned, set screws tightened, and anvil set 0.025" from the blade at the closest point. The blades are still practically new. Even after all this, the chipper will not cut up more than a couple inches at a time on its own. If the branch is long, I can push it very hard into the machine and it will feed a few more inches, but of course I'm uncomfortable doing this without a few feet sticking out of the machine. Otherwise, the feed roller simply spins on the branch.
I've tried adding additional down pressure to the feed roller, but that doesn't help. I wonder if the bark/ irregular shape of the branch is hanging up on the uneven surface at the bottom of the chute. Especially now that there's a 1/4" gap behind the anvil where I moved it towards the blades.

I've tried a variety of limbs, from 1" to 4", sweetgum, oak, pine, and yaupon, all freshly cut.

Anyone else have this problem? I was expecting great things from this machine, but after many hours of dickering with it, all I've got is a lot of frustration and about a gallon bucket full of chips.

Any ideas?

 

[moeh1]

Are you certain that the blades aren't in backwards. That might account for your troubles?

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I am not that familiar with that chipper. But it should be pulling in branches without you shoving them in. What do the chips look like coming out of the chute? They should be angled like a knife edge as the cutting blade comes around and slices them off against the anvil. Is there plenty of air coming out of the chute indicating the chips are being blown out. Can you see the flywheel spinning when branches are fed into the unit? Is the feed roller hydraullic powered? Make sure it is pulling in branches. Another thought is your PTO is engaged and up to Speed? How strong of a PTO do they say to use on that Chipper?

 

[Jason977]

I don't believe the blades are in backwards. The flat (widest) edge is against the limb being pushed in.

There's plenty air coming out, and as soon as it gets a bite and starts feeding it spits chips out immediately, but then stops feeding within seconds. The flywheel and feed roller (belt drive) are working properly, and all the belts are adjusted. The feed roller just spins on the limb. In fact, it digs in pretty well but still does not move the log without help. I've experimented with different PTO speeds, all with the same results. Horsepower has not been a problem, it never lugs the engine.

The first time I tried to use it without the anvil adjusted properly (~1/4" clearance) it would make a curved cut at the end of the branch, resulting in a narrow, uncut "flap" at the bottom. I thought this was my problem. This "flap" would push against the flywheel impeding forward motion, but the knives would only temporarily move it out of the way without the shearing function of the anvil. This no longer seems to be an issue, since the cut end is now smooth and square.

Perhaps my next step is to remove and inspect the knives, but they sure seem sharp. I know when I was adjusting the anvil, between the two did not seem like a happy place for my fingers to be.

 

[tatra805]

dont know anything about these chippers but...

can it be the feed roller is in backwards? (like 180 degrees turned, or left side right) If it has angled teeth to drive the wood it would not grab and only digg in under pressure.

wild gues

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Good call Tatra. That would make sense.

 

[LarryD]

Otherwise, the feed roller simply spins on the branch.

Jason, It sounds like you have the chipper set up well and it just will not pull in some of the branches or is it any branch?

I find many times that a branch 90º to the feed roller wiil cause it to just sit-n-spin and a little twist on the material causes it to start feeding again. It isn't so much of a problem for me but there are times when I turn to throw in more material and the last peice is still hangin' out there.

Maybe 3RRL will chime in about his feed roller and it's effectiveness. I believe he (maybe the misses?) took a grinder to the feed roller and sharpened the teeth along the axis of the roller. I thought that sounded like a good idea and if I get frustrated with mine at any point I will proably do the same.

 

[wedge40]

Just my 2 cents. First I'd check to make sure the tractor PTO is spinning clockwise as you look at it. (I think this is right, if not I'm sure I'll be corrected). Once you figure out that the PTO is spinning in the correct direction turn around and face the PTO on the chipper. It will spin counter clockwise. Now spin the chipper by had to get the fly wheel moving and look inside to make sure the knives are in correct. Like what has been said you can tell a lot by what the chips look like. If they are crushed pieces of wood, it's a good bet that the knife is on backward or the PTO is running backward. I've heard there are some tractors that the PTO does run backward. Some photos of the wood chips, tractor and chipper might help some here. Besides we love photos.

Wedge

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

I've heard there are some tractors that the PTO does run backward. Some photos of the wood chips, tractor and chipper might help some here. Besides we love photos.

Wedge

The PTO running counter clockwise was my first thought. But, if that was happening the feed drum would be running backwords also........ his post did not mention that ???


Your right, some pictures/video may help ??

Jason, Which Jinma clone do you have ??


Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[kruszert]

I have a Jinma chipper with about 40 hours of chipping time - - - great chipper but if there was one thing I would change it is the feed roll teeth. In fact I did sharpen them slightly with a grinder to improve feeding. It takes very little to stop feeding a branch with the flat bars they have on the feed roller. the bars just spin on the bark and then just slowly scrape into the green wood. Usually turning the branch a little or lifting a fork off the end of the feed chute does the trick but it is not just put the branch in the feed roll and walk away to get the next branch. The high end machines have hydraulic feed systems that will pull in just about anything but then you pay a lot more.

Assuming all things are working correctly like rotating the correct direction, etc. I would suggest grinding the edges of the flat bars to get a better bite in the branch - - it did improve the feeding on my Jinma.

Reggie

 

[Jason977]

First of all, thanks for all the input. I'm not sure what kind of chipper it is, or where my friend go it, but it looks just like the Jinma and is green and yellow and has a Chinese name plate.

The PTO is definately turning the right direction. The blades come down onto the anvil, and the feed roller turns the right direction. I haven't paid much attention to the wood chips, but from what I remember they look like clean cuts, not smashed up pulp.

Pretty much everything I feed it, it chews up a couple inches then stops. If I get it started again by pushing really hard, it will do a couple inches (up to about 6" at a time) then stop again. By this time, the limb is pushed over to the left hand side due to the knife angle, and it's no longer at a 90deg to the feed roller.

Since I got it, the feed roller's serrated plates have been covered with bark/ pulp from slipping. I haven't bothered to clean it off because I figured it would just clog up again. I took the fact that it was removing bark and cutting into the limb as sufficient evidence that it was pushing as hard as it could. In hindsight though, it's not that hard to yank the limb out without lifting or disengaging the feed roller.

I will definitely pull the feed roller and cut deeper/ sharper teeth into it. Also, if I can find some light sheetmetal, I may make a plate to cover the sharp edges on the bottom of the chute up to the end of the anvil.

Hopefully I'll come back with a report after the weekend. This time with pics

 

[wedge40]

First of all, thanks for all the input. I'm not sure what kind of chipper it is, or where my friend go it, but it looks just like the Jinma and is green and yellow and has a Chinese name plate.

The PTO is definately turning the right direction. The blades come down onto the anvil, and the feed roller turns the right direction. I haven't paid much attention to the wood chips, but from what I remember they look like clean cuts, not smashed up pulp.

Pretty much everything I feed it, it chews up a couple inches then stops. If I get it started again by pushing really hard, it will do a couple inches (up to about 6" at a time) then stop again. By this time, the limb is pushed over to the left hand side due to the knife angle, and it's no longer at a 90deg to the feed roller.

Since I got it, the feed roller's serrated plates have been covered with bark/ pulp from slipping. I haven't bothered to clean it off because I figured it would just clog up again. I took the fact that it was removing bark and cutting into the limb as sufficient evidence that it was pushing as hard as it could. In hindsight though, it's not that hard to yank the limb out without lifting or disengaging the feed roller.

I will definitely pull the feed roller and cut deeper/ sharper teeth into it. Also, if I can find some light sheetmetal, I may make a plate to cover the sharp edges on the bottom of the chute up to the end of the anvil.

Hopefully I'll come back with a report after the weekend. This time with pics

There should be two pretty heavy duty springs on each side of the roller to provide tension of the wood being pulled in.
As the wood stops does the feed roller keep moving?

Wedge

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Yes the pictures are worth a thousand words. I have a Vermeer 6" chipper that the feed roller is compressed down on the wood with 4 big springs. The teeth on the feed roller are fairly sharp. You can't pull wood out once the feed roller has gotten ahold of it. The feed roller is Hydraulic operated. That is on a speed controller to speed up or slow down the feed rate into the wood knives. That really helps on fluffy branches or hardwoods. There is also a electric governor that senses when the Kohler motor is slowing down trying to chip large stuff. It will stop the feed roller until the RPM's pick back up.
The fact that your wood is ending up over to the left side of the chute is interesting. The wood should be pretty much pulled straight into the wood knives and sliced against the anvil.....

 

[Jason977]

The springs on this machine are actually pretty light. I can easily unhook the springs by hand to service the blades/anvil. However, I have tried putting downward pressure on the bar as the feed drum is spinning against a limb, and it didn't seem to help any, so I determined that was not an issue and heavier springs wouldn't help. The feed drum works fine, never stops unless the clutch is disengaged. Right now, it looks like I need more traction on the feed drum, and possibly less drag on the bottom of the chute.

Treemonkey,
The way this machine is designed, the knives are (I believe) in line with each other, across the diameter of the disk which is rotating clockwise. The feed chute is in the bottom right quadrant of that disk, so as the knives pass through the chute opening they start at the top right and move towards the bottom left. This way, the knives and anvil are not parallel to each other, with the right hand side contacting first. This makes the shearing motion much like a pair of scissors. Have you ever tried to cut a pencil with scissors (why was i doing that??)? Anyway, it has a similar tendency to push the material away from the initial contact point.

Hope that makes sense, Like I said, next time I'll have pictures

 

[srjones]

I have similar problem that I've been meaning to fix the next time my JM-6 is parked near my MIG welder.

Basically, there's a slight gap in the sheet metal under the feed roller where the chute meets housing for the anvil/chipper. If you're chipping knotty or irregular branches they tend to get stuck on this gap especially now that the sheet metal has 'flexed' a bit.

My fix, which I haven't done yet, is to weld a 6" x 1" x .065 flat bar to the intake chute and grind smooth the edge that faces the incoming branches (so they don't get stuck there either.

 

[Affordable]

What is the bedding knife and blades set at,? I heard something about 1/4" if so thats way too much it should be the width of a Quarter.I would also check the belt tension on the feed roller.

Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sale Co.
Bellville,Texas
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

 

[BigE_]

The width of a quarter is a tad bit too much, unless you have side play in the main bearing for the chipper head. But, it's a nice safe starting point.

On my chipper, I can advance the bedding knife with set screws. The easiest way I've found to get it adjusted right is to get close and tighten down the blade pretty good, but not too much.

CAVEAT:
Now, make your own judgments on the next part -- it might not be the best thing for your equipment, and may just be downright dangerous on your chipper. On mine I have a standalone chipper and it works.

OK, so once I get the blade close and partially snugged down, I start up the chipper and let it come to full speed. Then I *very slowly* advance each of screws about 1/16th of a turn, going back and forth between the two. When I hear the blades hit I back off 1/8th of a turn. The next "knock" when the blades hit will kick the blade back against the screw again.

You'd think this would damage the blades or at least make them dull, but I can't tell the difference before / after.

I stumbled upon this method accidentally -- thought I had the blades adjusted, and they started knocking when I was using the chipper with the chute pointed downhill, meaning the flywheel was putting pressure on the side of the bearing nearest the bed knife. My chipper takes a few minutes to wind down, and in that timeframe I was able to just barely loosen the knife and back off the set screws enough to keep it from knocking. Had it done before the flywheel came to a stop.

Once again, this may not work on your chipper, and do this at your own risk.

-Steve

 

[BigE_]

I do need to take my roller feed out and grind on the feed teeth a bit myself. I tried grinding when it was on the machine, but that ain't easy to do. I figure if I grind too much off, I can always run a hard weld bead across and regrind.

My feed roller is hydraulic fed, and rather than having springs to provide tension, its got a huge weight -- my guess is over 100lbs, because I can't lift it without a pry bar.

 

[moeh1]

I have to work at getting my feed roller up off a piece of wood to prevent overfeeding on a large diameter piece of wood and I'm a tad over 200 lbs.... well maybe two tads.
I'm wondering if the springs really are correct or attached properly. I've blocked mine up to set blade gap and it was really under some tension. Pics that you indicated are coming will help us figure this out.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

BigE your adjustment method sounds a bit too scary. There is no way I would adjust mine if the machine is running. They just had an incident where a knife came off a chipper and went a few hundred yards away through someone's roof. The Vermeer that I have has a knife gauge to set the gap between the anvil and the blades. My chipper is like yours that has the threaded adjustments for that gap. I spin the flywheel around and check both knives for gap. The gauge is .100"(2.5mm). The knives are sharpened as sets so that they maintain the same overall length. About every 40 hours of run time I change knives.
Moehl is your feed roller adjustable for speed at all so that it doesn't shove big wood in too quickly? Or are your knives good and sharp?
I am really particular about making sure the wood doesn't have rocks and grit or pieces of metal like nails in them. Very hard on the knives.
Jason the way my chipper is set up the knives are coming straight down onto the wood and shearing it that way. Not like a scissors action which would sort of pull the wood towards the corner like yours.