3-point Chipper and shredder recommendations?

[BoneDigger]

I need to purchase a chip;per and shredder to take care of some privet I have on my property. I have been looking online at the Walenstein BX42 and the DR PTO wood chipper. The DR is on sale for $2500 with free shipping through the end of May and seems like a pretty good unit. The Walenstein looks pretty good too but I'm unsure of the cost. It appears to be a couple thousand more than the DR. My tractor is a 35 HP New Holland Workmaster 35, with a rear PTO speed of 540, which should work with these. I realize that privet will grow back, but my plans are to cut and mulch then spray as the new growth appears. I have nearly 60 acres and it's over-run with the stuff. Privet is fairly soft wood but fairly "branchy". I don't have anything over 3-4 inches in diameter, and most is probably 1 or 2 inches.

Thoughts on the DR or Walenstein?

Todd

 

[DMW]

Check out the woodland mills wc68. Without hydraulic feed you are going to spend a lot of time trimming branches.

 

[billwleod]

WC68 6″ PTO Wood Chipper – Woodland Mills USA

 

[oosik]

I have a Wallenstein BX62S which is their manual feed chipper with 6" capability. Previously I had the Wallenstein BX42S - manual feed - 4" capability. Wallenstein is an excellent implement and you pay for it.

I've never chipped anything that requires the hydraulic feed system. I chip small( up to 6" ) ponderosa pines whole( limbs still on ). Both chipper did an excellent job.

You may well be into a situation where you will want a chipper with hydraulic feed. If privet has a lot of off-shooting limbs - the hydraulic feed system is probably the way to go.

Don't fool yourself with a cheap product. If you have 60 acres of ANYTHING to chip - its not a small deal. You are going to spend A LOT OF TIME chipping all that is on your acreage.

You have two choices - buy a chipper that will give good service and spend your time chipping OR by a cheap product and spend your time split between chipping and keeping the chipper operational.

The choice is yours.

 

[ThirdMan]

Hydraulic feed is worth a lot. I have a manual feed DR chipper that I bought used. My budget was tight and the price was right. It is very useful but has drawbacks. It will clog on green leaves (no shredding functionality). You can sometimes just place wood in the hopper, but often have to stand and hold while feeding. The will vibrate your hands quite a bit and slow you down. I have rented a big stand alone hydraulic feed unit and it is much nicer to run.

 

[mark02tj]

I also have a LOT of "branchy stuff". My first chipper/shredder was a Bearcat. Great, heavy, well built unit - but manual feed. I replaced it last year with a hydraulic feed WoodMax 9900 (their top of the line unit). No more trimming the branchy stuff and I don't miss the "shredder" part a bit.

The other guys that told you to get a hydraulic feed were right on!!

 

[waycoolmarine]

I bought a woodland mills - as said you need the hydraulic feed - nice unit you wont be sorry

 

[ericm979]

"self feed" or "chuck n duck" chippers do their best on nice straight trees with angled branches like pine. They don't work so well on irregular or highly branched trees- more cutting or shoving is required to get the material down. That's one of the power feed advantages.

If you don't need the shredder part then you can move up to a power feed unit. I have a MackKissick 4.5" self feed + shredder, and a WoodMaxx 8H hydraulic feed. The only place the MacKissick is better is shredding leaves and other fine material. For actual wood the 8H is far better. And it costs less at current prices.

If you have 60 acres of privet and want to chip it, that's a lot of chipping. I suggest a larger hydraulic feed unit. Even if you're not chipping 8" material, an 8" chipper means less work cutting the privet before chipping, which saves you time. Besides the WoodMaxx there's also a different design but similar price and capacity unit from Woodland Mills. Both companies make 6" and 8" models. Spend the small extra $$ for the 8".

For killing the stumps of tree species that tend to resprount I use 25% Triclopyr in oil.

 

[oosik]

Eric - I like that - - "Chuck 'n duck". I will admit - if I chuck a short chunk in the chipper - it more than likely will come back - hard - against the safety rejection flaps. I've never had anything come out beyond the safety flaps - but when I chuck - I do step aside.

There is the advantage to a larger chipper - a bigger feed throat. About 98% of the time - if I can get any part of a tree to begin the chipping - all the remainder - no matter how twisted will be sucked in and chipped. Its when I can't get even a part to being the chipping - got to pull it back out - cut something so it will get to the knives.

I only experience this situation when I chip really old dry pine limbs. They are big, twisted, multi-limbed and forked - can be a real PITA.

The normal stuff I chip - a whole pine tree, green, limbed, soft, limber - schlurp - gone.

 

[hslogger]

No professional arborist worth their certification would use a drum feed non hydraulic chipper.
The line of very good hydraulic feed chippers now offered to home and ranch owners are testament to the safety and physical advantages they offer the user.

You can always find cheaper. Cheap is cheap when it comes down to safety and operational ease. Hydraulic feed units besides being feeders, also REVERSE that can save you one heck of grief in more ways than one.

 

[BoneDigger]

I think I am going to go with the Woodland Mills WC68. It looks like a pretty good unit for the cost, plus free delivery.

I appreciate the recommendations!

 

[BLSXJ]

I recommend you use the search tool on this forum. there is lots of great information out there.

just recently I wrote a in depth review of the Woodland Mills WC68.

 

[mikester]

My cheapo chinese 8" chipper seems to have a built in coffee break timer. Something breaks down/plugs up every 15 minutes like clockwork.

Mine came with a mechanical belt drive feeder. Avoid these like the plague. It's now hydraulically driven and more reliable.

It's almost like building my own machine from scratch now. Funny part is that the machine was cheaper than me buying the raw metal and fabbing it up myself. I'm starting to think that would have been faster to build it from scratch vs the repairs/mods time.

Bottom line - get hydraulic infeed, swivel chute turner, and have the machine demonstrated how easy it is to pull off the shields to un-clog the chipper - in the field. Single point greasing without removing all the shields would be handy too.

 

[Silvic]

Looks like you made a decision.
My two cents worth is:
Everyone here always recommends the Wallenstein but I would say look at the Salsco chipper line. They are fantastic. I have had mine for 11 years now and it is great. Not cheap but worth every penny.

As to the DR line. Not familiar with their chipper but 8 years ago tried their DR brush cutter (their largest unit) for a week. Returned it under their program. Had to pay the shipping but it was the best decision to get rid of that POS I have made in a long time. It colored my opinion of all DR equipment if their best and signature line was that worthless. I would stay away at all costs from anything DR builds as a result. Just my opinion and experience with the line/ Your results may vary.

 

[oosik]

I checked the Salsco chippers. Look like good units. Only problem - the dealer for WA state is in Connecticut. The dealer for my Wally is 20 miles away.

I was going to try one of those DR driveway levelers - until I saw one up close. Make it about 1500# heavier and it could work.

 

[Silvic]

I checked the Salsco chippers. Look like good units. Only problem - the dealer for WA state is in Connecticut. The dealer for my Wally is 20 miles away.

You are on the other side (east) of the state I know but my dealer was only about 12 miles away. Washington Tractors (at the time was Sumner tractors) Same dealer that sold me my JD tractor. Maybe things have changed since I bought mine back in 07. Might have to check on that.

 

[the old grind]

8" PTO Wood Chipper Tree Chipper Brush Chipper - Hydraulic Feed

Isn't one about as good as another for cost? Everybody has a favorite, too ...

 

[oosik]

Well - the Salsco web site leaves a little to be desired on it dealer search program. There HAS GOT TO be dealers west of the Mississippi.

 

[Langanobob]

8" PTO Wood Chipper Tree Chipper Brush Chipper - Hydraulic Feed

Isn't one about as good as another for cost? Everybody has a favorite, too ...

Seems we have to be lawyers to buy anything these days. Their ad says “Made in USA Blades Installed in Every Chipper.” I believe the machine is Chinese and only the blades are made in the USA. Some of us prefer to spend our money on US or Canadian made machinery. Of course, YMMV.

 

[ericm979]

Woodmaxx is pretty clear about the 8H and 8M chippers being designed by them in the US and made in China. Woodland Mills does the same thing.
Woodmaxx also has some made in the US machines.