6" vs 8" chipper for 30hp

[eco88]

Just ordered a 6" chipper by woodland mills, the TF68 PRO. Has a dual flywheel and is rated for 20-50hp.
It would be going on a kioti DK4210SE, that has about 30hp at the pto.

Ever since, I've been thinking about whether I should have gone with the 8" one, the TF810 PRO, but it says it prefers 35-100hp.

I wouldn't be pushing anything over 5" through in either, I'm just thinking about the bigger opening on the 8", which is 8x10, vs the 6" that has 6x8 opening.

Also the flywheel is probably much heavier on the 8", makes chewing easier, but probably takes a lot out of the pto to spin it.

Just got hit with a massive ice storm, have probably several months if not all year to clean up this mess.
It's about 90% pine, and about 10% cherry and maple.

Anyone saying go with bigger?
Keep thinking about upgrading before they ship it out. Not sure.

 

[Oz_Kioti]

I'd be guided by WM's recommendation. It'd be disappointing if you ordered the 8" model only to find the performance was lack-lustre.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
What he said.
Also, I have always found that they like a steady diet of half the rated size.

 

[Hoobie]

I have the WM 6 inch chipper. 200 hours or so on it. Use it mostly on my old Ford 641 with 48 hp rated WHEN NEW. Being a 1959 model probably less now. Occasionally use it on my Kubota 50 hp.
Anyway I suggest sticking to the 6 inch. Even a 5 inch solid stick to chip is asking a lot of mine. Although the bigger throat makes it easier to push through crooked branches and stuff.
Go with what the WM guys say. They are pretty good.

 

[mikester]

I can stop my 60HP tractor with an 8" chipper

In general I don't chip 8" logs due to the engine braking but I do find the larger capacity better for chipping branches.

 

[eco88]

Sounds good thank you. Sticking with the 6" then

 

[bigtiller]

Sounds good thank you. Sticking with the 6" then

Good choice.
An 18 volt top-handle chainsaw pares up good with a chipper.

 

[Oz_Kioti]

Good choice.
An 18 volt top-handle chainsaw pares up good with a chipper.

That's exactly what I have. Sometimes a branch with a tight bend is enough to prevent the infeed roller grabbing it, so even though it might be quite small, it can stop in it's tracks this beast of a machine which can easily devour large logs!

Most of the time, the saw just sits there in the holder, but when you need it, it's right there.

 

[Hoobie]

That's exactly what I have. Sometimes a branch with a tight bend is enough to prevent the infeed roller grabbing it, so even though it might be quite small, it can stop in it's tracks this beast of a machine which can easily devour large logs!

Most of the time, the saw just sits there in the holder, but when you need it, it's right there.

The holder is great and convenient. I think I ordered it as an option. Recommend it.

 

[eco88]

The holder is great and convenient. I think I ordered it as an option. Recommend it.

I just looked into that. This one apparently comes with a holder.

 

[Quaffer]

You will be glad you stayed with a 6" chipper at that PTO. I usually figure a 6" chipper should get a diet of almost all 4" and under material, occasionally larger. Just to keep everything running smoothly.

Ditto with an 8" chipper and maybe 6" material.

 

[eco88]

So did a lot of clean-up the last 7 days. Put the chipper through hell. 7 days of about 10hrs a day. 70% red and white pine, 30% maple and cherry.

Couple of weeks ago did a similar thing. So probably close to 140ish hours under its belt.

The 6" is good for the tractor I have. Maple and cherry 4" make it work extra hard. It struggles, but keeps going.
6" green pine, especially the white pine, it eats like nothing. You can definitely tell a difference when switching to red pine. It's much tougher.
Haven't choked the tractor yet. I keep it at a steady 2000 rpms as most of my pto implements.
On the last day the shear pin snapped.
I found some cheap chinesium nuts and bolts in my garage and used them as temporary measure. Snapped 3 more within few hours. Glad I didn't use those bolts on something more important.
Either way, shopping for shear pins now.

Blades are double sided. Had to flip them around after few days of maple and cherry and old hard pine. It chipped the edges a bit. With the green pine no issues at all. The other side is still razor sharp.

The only thing I wasn't a fan of, is the damn throat. Eventhough it's a 6x8, you don't realize how little that opening is until you start feeding it tree tops. Especially the pine, red even worse, with the crazy web of branches. Even the inch or 2 offshoots will make it get stuck and render the infeed roller useless. Then it's either keep pushing by force and hope it gets in, or yank out and clip off. Pia.

Either way. Great machine. Well worth the money. Wish I had a bigger tractor so I could have gotten the 8" one.

 

[number two]

Looks like Northern Michigan.
I feel your pain!
Good Luck!

 

[CalG]

Too bad you don't have a wood stove for winter heat... or an outdoor fire pit on the deck for evening "ambiance".

I try not to chip anything over about three inch . burn the rest for heat.

Spent 6 hours feeding the chipper three days ago. Plum wore myself out.

That Makita electric chainsaw is an effort saver.