Woodland Mills WC88 vs WoodMaxx MX-8800 vs WoodMaxx WM-8H for 60HP Kioti DK6010SE

[future_vision]

I'm looking to buy a PTO chipper. Originally, I was looking at the Woodland Mills WC68 but that was when I was getting a 40HP tractor. Now that I am getting a 60(57.7) HP tractor with 44.9 HP at the PTO I am looking to size up. The thinking is that the WC68 is rated up to 50 HP at the PTO which is fine if I am happy with the 60 HP tractor but what if I want to go larger in the future? Then I need to move up to the WC88. Seems like sizing up would be a way to future-proof my purchase so I do not to re-buy implements. At least that is my thinking for a Woodland Mills PTO chipper.

Now, WoodMaxx only lists a minimum PTO HP. That has me somewhat confused. Is there no max HP for a WoodMaxx chipper? If that is the case, and I am fine with a chipper not made in the US, then maybe the WM-8H is the way to go (or even the MX-8600)? If US made then MX-8800 would be the best choice I think.

One thing I almost overlooked between the MX-8800 and the WC88 was that the WC88 needs 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid where the MX-8800 needs 2 quarts of motor oil. That tracks on another $50 to the WC88 depending on brand (I first thought it might be closer to $200 for 5 gallons but I was looking at the wrong type of hydraulic fluid. I'm in New England and need ISO 32 I believe).

Shipping is also $399 for Woodland Mills vs the $250 for WoodMaxx.

Woodland Mills also has a 6-12 week delivery time and WoodMaxx current states 1-3 weeks to be processed. Not sure how long it takes to ship after that or if that includes shipping.

Taking all this into account the MX-8800 is around $4565 shipped which includes a couple of qts of motor oil and the Woodland Mills WC88 is $3998 shipped which includes 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid. That's a $567 difference. Worth the difference to get an US made product possibly delivered more quickly?

Regardless of delivery time I'd be happy to pay the extra if the MX-8800 is just a better product overall. It's something I am going to keep for a long time. Or do I go with a smaller size chipper like the WC68 or the non-US made WM-8H(currently out of stock) or the MX-8600?

FYI. I've had Wallenstein's pitched to me as well but from what I can tell their manual feeds are more expensive than any of the hydraulic feeds I mentioned in this post and I am not sure there is that much better performance to justify the price.

 

[jonsstihl]

I would go with the WC88 if I were you. I have a wc68 and I"m kind of wishing I would have gotten the wc88. you can slow the feed right down to zero so HP is irelevant to a certain point. you wont be able to chip 8 inch trees with 10 HP tractor but...

The reason I chose the wc68 is that the flywheel it direct drive at 540 rpm. I figured long term if the hydraulics crap out I can just convert the feed roller to work on a rear remote. the wc88 drives the pump with the pto and flywheel turns 1000RPM with belt drive.

the woodland mills is designed in North America (canada) but manufactured overseas and I'm not sure if they are assembled here or not but don't think you are buying a made in USA product. Pretty sure woodmaxx is the same.

I had a few minor issues with mine and woodland mills was great to deal with.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have the Woodmaxx WM-8H which I've ran behind a Deere 4520 (46 PTO HP) and 4052R (42 PTO HP)
Nice chipper...

I wouldn't worry too much about having too much PTO HP...the unit is protected by a shear pin (two actually, IIRC) and unless you plan on consistently running the maximum capacity (8" in the WM-8H), I don't think you'd have any problems. Wood that size is probably firewood material.

BTW, take Woodmaxx processing dates with a grain of salt...processing delivery

 

[future_vision]

I have the Woodmaxx WM-8H which I've ran behind a Deere 4520 (46 PTO HP) and 4052R (42 PTO HP)
Nice chipper...

I wouldn't worry too much about having too much PTO HP...the unit is protected by a shear pin (two actually, IIRC) and unless you plan on consistently running the maximum capacity (8" in the WM-8H), I don't think you'd have any problems. Wood that size is probably firewood material.

BTW, take Woodmaxx processing dates with a grain of salt...processing delivery

I got to speak with WoodMaxx. The processing time is the time between taking the order and having it manufactured. Then it ships within 5 days of production(processing). I'm only a couple of states away from where they ship. They told me one day to get it. That is only for their US made products since they control what is manufactured. There are potentially longer lead times, like the Woodland Mills 6-12 weeks, and that is simply because they order a certain amount to be produced overseas and they don't know when they will be manufactured, shipped, time in shipping, etc. That's why the long lead times.

 

[future_vision]

I would go with the WC88 if I were you. I have a wc68 and I"m kind of wishing I would have gotten the wc88. you can slow the feed right down to zero so HP is irelevant to a certain point. you wont be able to chip 8 inch trees with 10 HP tractor but...

The reason I chose the wc68 is that the flywheel it direct drive at 540 rpm. I figured long term if the hydraulics crap out I can just convert the feed roller to work on a rear remote. the wc88 drives the pump with the pto and flywheel turns 1000RPM with belt drive.

the woodland mills is designed in North America (canada) but manufactured overseas and I'm not sure if they are assembled here or not but don't think you are buying a made in USA product. Pretty sure woodmaxx is the same.

I had a few minor issues with mine and woodland mills was great to deal with.

Some of the WoodMaxx are manufactured overseas and some in the US. As you can see in my other response that is why they can say they have 1-3 week processing time. That is because they put in the order to have the chipper manufactured when an order is made and you get put in a queue which is currently around 2.5 weeks when I called. The other, cheaper models, are manufactured overseas. They basically place a bulk order with the manufacturer and then have to wait for them to be manufactured and shipped which is the reason Woodland Mills lists a 6-12 week delivery time and WoodMaxx puts you on a wait list. ?They just don't know when they will come in. I think it is safe to say I would get the US Made WoodMaxx sooner (but not soon enough of course. I want my amazon 2 day delivery for it. Lol!)

Converting the hydraulics over is an interesting idea. I don't know enough about hydraulics to know how to do that or how costly a conversion would be but it's something to keep in mind for sure. I guess this is also where that 3yr warranty comes in handy but after that......

 

[oosik]

I've had my Wallenstein for nine years. My annual use is probably more than most. 800 to 1000 small pines every spring. Around 35 to 40 hours every spring. I have no need for any type of hydraulic feed. The pines - 1" to 6" on the butt - are as straight as an arrow. Likewise the steel used in the blades is obviously superior. Nine years - 300 to 360 hours of use - the blades are still razor sharp and have not needed to be rotated. The only work on the unit - periodic greasing.

I'm sure you will be happy with whichever unit you choose.

 

[PLanger]

Go large (8") AND hydraulic feed. The Kioti mentioned will have no problem. Neither would a 40 hp tractor. As stated, feed rate can be adjusted to accomodate both PTO hp and the type/diameter of wood being chipped. The larger 8" capacity not only handles larger diameter, it also is better able to deal with variation in material being feed (think crotches in branches, etc.). You will get wore out in a hurry without hydraulic feed. If you get a chance, try with and without before buying (maybe there are forum members in your area). Your decision will be easy.

 

[sea2summit]

I’ve got the WM-8800, I like it a lot but wish it was dual drum feed. I run it behind my MX and M4, there is a very noticeable increase in capabilities and speed behind the M4 which surprised me when I first noticed as the MX was well within the recommended HP range. Having an adjustable feed rate is a must have IMHO.

I wouldn’t get wrapped up in any HPnumbers on the chippers unless they are min/max HP. Likely as not any quality manufacturer is using an 80 HP gear box or belts.

 

[future_vision]

I’ve got the WM-8800, I like it a lot but wish it was dual drum feed. I run it behind my MX and M4, there is a very noticeable increase in capabilities and speed behind the M4 which surprised me when I first noticed as the MX was well within the recommended HP range. Having an adjustable feed rate is a must have IMHO.

I wouldn’t get wrapped up in any HPnumbers on the chippers unless they are min/max HP. Likely as not any quality manufacturer is using an 80 HP gear box or belts.

What's a WM-8800? The have the WM-8H and MX-8800. Which one do you have our is a WM-8800 an older version they don't sell anymore?

 

[Citydude]

I have the MX8800. Absolutely love the thing.

 

[sea2summit]

What's a WM-8800? The have the WM-8H and MX-8800. Which one do you have our is a WM-8800 an older version they don't sell anymore?

Sorry MX9900, that’s why you never post before the first cup of coffee has kicked in.

 

[future_vision]

Go large (8") AND hydraulic feed. The Kioti mentioned will have no problem. Neither would a 40 hp tractor. As stated, feed rate can be adjusted to accomodate both PTO hp and the type/diameter of wood being chipped. The larger 8" capacity not only handles larger diameter, it also is better able to deal with variation in material being feed (think crotches in branches, etc.). You will get wore out in a hurry without hydraulic feed. If you get a chance, try with and without before buying (maybe there are forum members in your area). Your decision will be easy.

Definitely comparable to the WC-88 and while more expensive I'm told the wait time 2.5 weeks right now. I think I'd rather pay they extra and know I'm getting it in a few weeks then pay less and get it in 6-12 weeks. I've got work to do! Lol!

 

[future_vision]

Sorry MX9900, that’s why you never post before the first cup of coffee has kicked in.View attachment 751655

No problem. I thought about going larger but honestly, 8" is probably larger then I'll ever chip.

 

[RoyJackson]

No problem. I thought about going larger but honestly, 8" is probably larger then I'll ever chip.

Same here...which is why I went for the WM-8H. I probably chipped one 8" trunk...everything else has been 5-6 inch or smaller

 

[sea2summit]

No problem. I thought about going larger but honestly, 8" is probably larger then I'll ever chip.

It’s not about the size of one piece, it’s about how many small pieces you can shove through and how big of a crotch it will eat without getting jammed up. In this case bigger opening is better IMHO.

 

[hosspuller]

I have the WC-88. And will confirm S2S's post about infeed size. It's the crotch that is too thick to bend that gets caught in the throat. So, reversible hydraulic feed and large opening becomes critical. Anything over 3 inch is firewood for me.

I choose the WC_88 over Woodmax for the safety bar located at the chute edge (consider if your gloved hand gets caught in a branch while feeding it. A hip or shoulder can stop the feed) & footprint when not in use. The chainsaw holder is a plus.

 

[Number15]

I have the MX-9900 as well. I am not nice to this thing and so far it has handled it fine. I have put big branches that have dragged the rpm's down on my 50hp pto but it always recovers (reverse helps ) I have a huge pile of dirty branches and I am now finding lots of embeded barbed wire but this thing keeps on rocking. Time for me to reverse the blades though. The chip pile in this picture is way huger than it looks

 

[ericm979]

I have the Woodmaxx 8H on a Branson with 32hp at the PTO. The one problem with it was the hydraulic flow control they used us a 20 gpm unit while the hydraulic system on the chipper is 3 gpm. The oversized valve has a very narrow range between dead slow and full speed. Mine had effectively two speeds. I replaced it with a 5 gpm unit that works much better and lets me set the feed to any speed in between full and barely moving. Supposedly the MX series hydrostatic feed does not have the same problem.

The 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid is a one time purchase and it's pretty cheap in any case. It would not be a factor for me. It's probably cheaper to get it locally from TSC or similar.

I think the Woodland Mills has a lot of superior features but two reasons I went with the 8H was the dual roller feed and the lift arm that lets you manually pull the upper roller up. With a bit of practice I can pull the roller up and toss in a short chunk that is too short to safely push in by hand and would jam if pushed in with a branch. The Woodland Mills videos showing their units in action make it look like it can be difficult to get material to start feeding. The guy has to shove it in pretty hard and has to try again at times. Videos of the Woodmaxx don't show that, and in my experience it feeds pretty easily.

For a tractor your size I would get a 9" chipper. Even if you never chip material over 4", the extra size means less trimming to get stuff small enough to go into the chipper. It'll save work.

If I were doing it again I would consider the MX series. The single feed roller would be a concern. Actually if I were buying the tractor again I'd get one with more HP, purely for running the chipper. And a 9" chipper. With the amount of chipping I have done and will be doing in the future as long as I own this property, it would have been worth it.

 

[sea2summit]

If I were doing it again I would consider the MX series. The single feed roller would be a concern. Actually if I were buying the tractor again I'd get one with more HP, purely for running the chipper. And a 9" chipper. With the amount of chipping I have done and will be doing in the future as long as I own this property, it would have been worth it.

This is a great point, until I started splitting it between my two tractors within the first year I had 10% of my total (five year old tractor) hours logged on the chippers tach meter. Unbelievable how much stuff you start throwing through there when you have it handy and don’t just make burn piles.

 

[future_vision]

I have the Woodmaxx 8H on a Branson with 32hp at the PTO. The one problem with it was the hydraulic flow control they used us a 20 gpm unit while the hydraulic system on the chipper is 3 gpm. The oversized valve has a very narrow range between dead slow and full speed. Mine had effectively two speeds. I replaced it with a 5 gpm unit that works much better and lets me set the feed to any speed in between full and barely moving. Supposedly the MX series hydrostatic feed does not have the same problem.

The 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid is a one time purchase and it's pretty cheap in any case. It would not be a factor for me. It's probably cheaper to get it locally from TSC or similar.

I think the Woodland Mills has a lot of superior features but two reasons I went with the 8H was the dual roller feed and the lift arm that lets you manually pull the upper roller up. With a bit of practice I can pull the roller up and toss in a short chunk that is too short to safely push in by hand and would jam if pushed in with a branch. The Woodland Mills videos showing their units in action make it look like it can be difficult to get material to start feeding. The guy has to shove it in pretty hard and has to try again at times. Videos of the Woodmaxx don't show that, and in my experience it feeds pretty easily.

For a tractor your size I would get a 9" chipper. Even if you never chip material over 4", the extra size means less trimming to get stuff small enough to go into the chipper. It'll save work.

If I were doing it again I would consider the MX series. The single feed roller would be a concern. Actually if I were buying the tractor again I'd get one with more HP, purely for running the chipper. And a 9" chipper. With the amount of chipping I have done and will be doing in the future as long as I own this property, it would have been worth it.

It's funny. Every time I finally make up my mind to buy a particular product somebody post something that makes me question. I don't know if I could justify the extra dollars for them MX-9900. I was originally looking at the WC-68 and was hesitating on going up one size to the WC-88. Same with the WoodMaxx. The MX-8600 was on my list for a bit. Then I settled on probably getting the MX-8800. Now I'm wondering if I should get the MX-9900. Lol!