May get a new chipper

[Captain Dirty]

Tomtint - holding on to anything I feed into my chipper, while its chipping, is definitely ill advised. Yes - vibration can/will hurt. The bark on a pine tree is just like the surface of a potato grater. I use to hang on to the tree as it fed into my Wallys. Then I realized a couple of things. I really don't need to hold on to the tree. The Wally will pull it in and chip it just fine without my help. Holding on to the tree hurt my hand/wrist and it only took one four hour session to have my new leather gloves completely ruined. The vibration and the simple act of just holding on to the tree completely ate the palm out of my right hand glove. So ..... I ended up with a new pair of leather gloves - left hand glove is pretty good, right hand glove has a hole where the palm use to be.

Besides - once the tree starts chipping - it's time to head back to the "tree pile" and get another.

That is one of the reasons I wear only gauntlet style gloves or drivers' gloves without a wrist-cinching strap. If a twig, fork, knot, or even rough bark catches on a hole, loose seam, or even a reinforcing pad, a glove is a better thing to lose than a body part.

 

[RalphVa]

The MacKissick I have is self-feeding, at least the chipper part is. The Woodland Mills and Woodmaxx units have power feeds. They feed slower than a self feeder can when it's got sharp blades... those will whack you hard if you're in the way.

The power feeds could be dangerous because they don't stop, but all of them have big safety stop bars to stop the feed. Overall they're safer than the self feeding type.

I'd get a hydraulic power feed. That way you can change the feed speed. The mechanical ones are single speed.

I'll second the recommendation for the Woodmaxx 8H. Mine's been fine. I replaced the hydraulic feed control with one that's sized appropriately for the system but many people use them as is. The bed knife is a bit of a pain to get to but does not need attention often.

Which Mac do you have? There's a TPH475 chipper only one that is 4". Looks as though the blades are accessed through a door NW of the rear bearing.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Take a look at the Woodmaxx, I have the WM-8M, it's a beast. 8"x8" opening and a 200 pound flywheel. I've had mine 3 years, tons of use, no issues.

Looks as though they're harder to service than the Woodland Mils ones are, e.g. blade access through a little panel, similar to the MacKissic ones.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

I've had two Wallensteins. First the BX42S - now the BX62S. They get excellent reviews and there is a local dealer. I've had the 62S for eight years. I chip 900-1200 small ( 1" to 6" ) pines every spring. The original side of the blades - still as sharp as a razor. That's the way it is with soft pine.

When I got the 62S I considered the 92S. However - it's all I can do to drag a 6" diameter by 30' long pine without falling. I'd never be able to move a 9" pine. The only real advantage to the 92S - a larger rotor. But with soft as butter pines - that's just not necessary.

How's the blade access. This is not shown on the web site (for the 36S). Does the whole top rotate over like on the Woodland Mills or is there a door access like the Mac and WoodMaxx?

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Well, no more replies. Done even more research.

Will go for the Woodland Mills WC46.

Best price is the Mac TPH475 at about $2,000. However, it and Wallenstein have 2 problems: 1) high lift to get stuff into them, 2) have to go through small windows to remove/rotate the knives.

The Woodmax servicing is far inferior to Woodland Mills unit and only a tad cheaper (if you buy the non hydraulic Woodmax; hydraulic one is a tad higher). Woodmax knive servicing is apparently through windows like on the Mac and Wallenstein.

Just waiting for final approval by the boss of finance. Maybe tomorrow. She'd wanted to see one, but the video is excellent for that. Sent a note to Woodland Mills about this; no reply yet.

Ralph

 

[oldballs]

I've been wondering what effect our relationship with China is now and going to have on supply of new machines and parts......just wondering. We see that due to Covid etc. supply of many things is backed up as well as the ability to manufacturer things right here in USA. ....just wondering......This may affect one's buying decision.......

BTW...your comment on high lifting to feed a hopper or chute is well taken.......in that not only am I an old geezer....but a short old gezzer.....

Cheers,
Mike

 

[sea2summit]

Well, no more replies. Done even more research.

Will go for the Woodland Mills WC46.

Best price is the Mac TPH475 at about $2,000. However, it and Wallenstein have 2 problems: 1) high lift to get stuff into them, 2) have to go through small windows to remove/rotate the knives.

The Woodmax servicing is far inferior to Woodland Mills unit and only a tad cheaper (if you buy the non hydraulic Woodmax; hydraulic one is a tad higher). Woodmax knive servicing is apparently through windows like on the Mac and Wallenstein.

Just waiting for final approval by the boss of finance. Maybe tomorrow. She'd wanted to see one, but the video is excellent for that. Sent a note to Woodland Mills about this; no reply yet.

Ralph

Window? The whole top half of the chipper folds over for the knives and the feeder folds out for the anvils.

 

[oosik]

Ralph - both the BX42S that I no longer have and my current BX62S - the top half of the chipping chamber rotates over with a hinge on one side. As far as the height of the intake chute. I either have to lift the butt of the tree a little on my 62S or as with my neighbor's chipper - bend down to ram the tree into the intake chute. I've never considered my chute height as a negative. I do not limb the pine trees prior to chipping. This DOES present a problem with my neighbors chipper. On larger pines with longer limbs - you have to press down on the tree and pull to get it into the chute.

Pay your money - take your choice.

BTW - I paid $4500 for my BX62S, new in 2013. So ....... cost could be another consideration.

I see now Wallenstein making new chippers - 36S, 52S, 72S & 102S.

I also see that they have lightened up on the specs. The BX72S ( their 7" chipper ) has a rotor that weighs 175#. The rotor on my BX62S = 200#.

 

[hosspuller]

I bought the Woodland mills WC-88. The larger throat reduces the need to limb. I don't chip anything over 4 inches... that's fire wood.

One hint : If you use a credit card, ask if it charges a foreign transaction fee. Even though Woodland ships from the US, their operation is in Canada. Many cards do charge and many do not charge.

 

[RalphVa]

Window? The whole top half of the chipper folds over for the knives and the feeder folds out for the anvils.

Yes, on the Woodland Mills chipper. It's apparently the only one that does this.

Ralph