Woods 5000 chipper shredder

GreatWhitehunter · Oct 7, 2011

With all the chipper threads I was tempted to look for one. I usually rent a chipper once or twice a year. I don't have a fireplace but a friend usually takes any sizeable logs over a few inches. I had a heck of a time locating a chipper to rent when I needed it. So I feel I can justify the purchase.

I've located a lightly used Woods 5000 chipper/shedder, the seller is asking $1500 which I feel is fair for the area. I'll likely offer $1k and negotiate from there though. I understand Bearcat makes them for woods. Since I usually use the chips the I prefer to blow them into my dump trailer. So I'll need to buy the blower and discharge shoot to make it possible to get it into the trailer. Does anyone who has this setup with blower have a height for the dischage? It looks low from the pics but I can't seem to find any actual measurements.

As for the capability of the unit, how does it handle oak with branches? Will it chip hardwoods to max cap? The seller has no means of powering it so I imagine if it spins by hand that it should be ok? I will be using mostly for chipping but the oaks do drop alot of leaves so I'll definatly benefit from the shredding feature.

I'd also sharpen the blades as a precaution? Is there any adjustments I should know about? I've looked throught the woods manual online for it.
Has anyone priced the blower unit? Sorry for the longwindedness.

Matt

RoyJackson · Oct 7, 2011

I have a Woods 5000 I'm very happy with.
It will take those 5" branches as long as there are no stubby branches extending out (meaning a 5" capacity, MAXIMUM).
It pretty much eats anything I feed into the chute. With sharp blades, you won't have to feed it...just let gravity do it's part.
I priced a blower through Messicks last summer. It's about $1000.00...which is what I'd paid for the chipper a few years ago.
I have read (but no firsthand knowledge) that the blowers don't do so well. This has been attributed to the shredder section, but again, no firsthand knowledge.
$1500 isn't out of line for a good PTO chipper. I suggest you not wait too long as it'll probably sell fast.
As far as sharpening the blades...I wouldn't until you see if they need sharpening.
As far as testing it...once you make your deal, you could give the seller 50% or so of the price until you test it. If he's local, that shouldn't be a major problem...if not, well, you may have to make a judgement call. But these are well built units and if it looks good, it most likely is a good unit.

Good luck!!

GreatWhitehunter · Oct 7, 2011

Roy, can you disclose where you heard the blower issues? The seller is a few hrs away so I'm going to have to decide without trying it I guess. Other than bearings I can't imagine much that wouldn't be visible to inspect. Is the access to the internals difficult?

Matt

Gordon Gould · Oct 7, 2011

I have a BearCat with a blower that I bought used and have owned for five or six years. I have no trouble with the blower chipping wood. But if I put in a 4" diameter piece I cut it 3 feet long or so. This gives the blower time to empty the fan chamber which is done by the time you pick up the next piece. I only have to do this on big stuff. I can take a 2 1/2 inch tree 20 feet tall and it will suck it right in and blow it out.
The other issue is using the shredder. There is a grate between the chipper outlet and the blower inlet. If you want to shred wet materials like leaves you need the shredding grate or it will clog. I think the holes are 1 1/2" or more. My original grate had 7/8" holes and it worked fine for dry leaves but would not handle wet ones. It would clog. And don't put anything stringy like green pea vines in it. You would not believe the tangle you end up with.
Also, realize that it takes additional power to drive the blower. I have 25 hp at the pto. More would be better of course but if you have less your experience may not be as good as mine.
The center of my outlet shoot is 65" above the ground and it is a 4" pipe.

RoyJackson · Oct 7, 2011

GreatWhitehunter said:
Roy, can you disclose where you heard the blower issues? The seller is a few hrs away so I'm going to have to decide without trying it I guess. Other than bearings I can't imagine much that wouldn't be visible to inspect. Is the access to the internals difficult?

Matt

When I was considering buying a blower, I just did an internet search and read a number of owner reviews (all brands, not just Woods) so it is anecdotal information.
However, several Woods 5000 owners with the blower weren't too enthused about it.
Would I buy one...yes, but I wouldn't pay a thousand bucks for it.

GreatWhitehunter · Oct 7, 2011

Gord, thanks for the insightful reply and pic. How hard do you think it would be to extend the discharge pipe a little higher? I see the offer a extention for it but on the trailer mount unit so I'm sure it's not impossible. I'd have the same pto hp as you and did realize the blower robs some power. Your's looks virgin do you use it alot?

Matt

Gordon Gould · Oct 7, 2011

The extension they show in my manual is a horizontal extension. Have no idea what would happen if you made it taller. You would be fighting gravity as you know.
I keep mine inside so the paint stays good and doesn't fade. But the deep inside of the throat is shinny bare metal. I use it between 20 and 50 hrs a year depending on what grows, blows over, or what I thin. I chip what I cut around the house and I have a one mile road that I keep trimmed. That stuff I chip too. Anything in the woods I just let lay. BTW I paid $1250 for mine about 6 years ago with the agreement that the previous owner could use it. Which he has not done. It is older. It only will take the single edged blades. I am the third owner.

babypp2 · Oct 7, 2011

The center of my outlet shoot is 65" above the ground and it is a 4" pipe.

Gordon Gould · Oct 8, 2011

babypp2 said:
The center of my outlet shoot is 65" above the ground and it is a 4" pipe.

I guess that means that alot can come out and it will pile pretty deep. So be careful :laughing:

RoyJackson · Oct 8, 2011

Gordon Gould said:
IAlso, realize that it takes additional power to drive the blower. I have 25 hp at the pto. More would be better of course but if you have less your experience may not be as good as mine.

I first used my chipper behind a Deere 790 (24 PTO HP) which ran it quite well. There would be some bogging of the engine occasionally. Just pull back on the branch in the hopper a bit until the engine picks up. The engine never stalled, however.
Now I run the chipper behind a 30 PTO HP Deere 4400...no bogging at all.
Per Woods, the 5000 is rated for 15-30 PTO HP. Bearcat rates the same chipper to 40 PTO HP.
One thing I did that I'll never do again is feed some very dried out dead branches. I don't know what type of tree they were from, but the chipper was jammed at the flywheel (chipper blades are mounted to the flywheel) and the belts were smoking. Anyway, I shut down the PTO and tractor, pulled the cover off the unit and backed up the flywheel until I could pull that branch out. Didn't hurt anything (probably took some life off the twin belts though) and I continued chipping...just not that particular branch.
Thinking back on that (while typing this post), it's probably time to pull the blades for sharpening.