Selecting a wood chipper

[Brazos]

I recently bought a new L2501DT. It has 24.8hp and 20.5hp at the PTO. That said engine torque is basically the same as the L3301 but at 2200rpm on the 2501 if that matters.

So with my tractor in mind I am curious if others out there are running wood chippers. I like the look of the Woodmax: http://www.woodmaxx.com/WoodMaxx_8_PTO_Wood_Chipper_Hydraulic_Feed_p/wm-8h.htm Woodmaxx says 19hp at the PTO minimum and the more the better. Obviously at 20.5hp at the PTO on my 2501 I am just barely over the minimum. Does anyone have any real world experience with this chipper and a similar PTO hp output? There are plenty of wood chipper options out there such as this one: http://www.palletforks.com/titan-bx42-wood-chipper.html Reading the reviews on this one it seems to work with a lower hp tractor and half the price. Whatever I get I want something as trouble free as possible and keep the budget under $3K.

As for my intended use I have approx. 150-200 Texas cedars I want to run thru it. Really just the limbs as I will cut the trunk section for fence posts. Most limbs are 3" and under but some may get to 4". Being cedar is so soft It should be easy chipping. I have done all I can do with a dozer. Most of my remaining cedars are intermixed with oaks and I don't have room to push them up and burn them.

Thanks

 

[Alphonse]

Hello
I can't answer your specific questions but do have some observations about chippers.
I'll take your word that the cedar you have is soft. Around here, some are , some not, depends on species.
That said 20HP is plenty for 3" soft stuff.
If the unit is NOT self feeding, what I find more important is what actual diameter the chute will take.
I have a 10 HP self contained unit that is rated at 4", but that is TOTAL diameter....so if you have a 1" branch with stems and leaves that exceed that, a struggle ensues.
It chips a 4" solid in oak (white or red) OK. Green wood easier than dried.
The other thing, what kind of blade(s), and how easy are they to sharpen. Mine are tool steel, any dirt and gravel takes a toll, but they are easy to sharpen and not hard to access.

 

[trvrider]

I have a 3pt chipper (forgive me can't recall brand) w/ 4" feed chute that I run behind either my Ford 1600 (18hp at PTO) or L3600. Either tractor works fine chipper does well w/ 2-3" hard wood but it's very slow compared to a commercial chipper. With how much you are chipping you may consider renting a commercial unit and save a great deal of time.

 

[mdhughes]

I have a Woodmaxx WM-8M that I used on my L3901DT and it works really well. If you get the WM-8H you can control the in-feed rate so it doesn't feed the wood into the chipper to fast on the bigger limbs. With the WM-8M it has a set feed rate and I have had one or two test that I was chipping close to an eight inch limb and it pulled the engine down. I had eighteen trees push out this last winter and chipped all the limbs from them up. I had five piles of chips the size that is in the picture below, they are about 4' tall.

So, I would say that you would have no problems running the WM-8H with your tractor.

 

[Brazos]

Thanks for everyone's input. I work for a living so this will be a drawn out process over a year or two. Basically when I have a spare weekend I will go pick out 5,6,7... cedar trees, delimb them, and mulch the limbs. This will go on until I have eliminated all the cedars I want to get rid of. Kind of one tree at a time when I have time. That is why I want to buy a chipper. When I finish I will most likely sell it. I just need something there when I need it, do the job with the size tractor I have, and reliable. After more research I found the Woodmaxx is made in China. That gives me pause. I should have known the price was too good. That said it is hard to find a bad review on one. I will continue to research. I will be buying one as I have no choice. Will purchase in the next few months. Too hot to mulch cedars in TX right now.

 

[pendoreille]

I just inherited a Eco-Bear Cat. Does up to 5 inches on the side shute and 3/4 inces top chute. I have a B2620 with 20HP on the pto. We mulched up a couple yards of brush and branches in about 20 minutes. Not as fast as burning but we have a short burn window late fall and early spring. It is an older model but the new ones are running about 3000 usd. The engine on the tractor never slowed down at all. The unit is gravity feed and dumps the mulch on the ground.

 

[Wbk]

Hi I have a Walenstein BX52s chipper that i purchased in June, it's power range is from 18 to 50 hp. I use my bx2660 to run it 19.5 pto hp. It has a 5" X 10" opening and I'm really happy I didn't go any smaller because the bends in the trees are what cause the problems. It will chip up to 5" poplar all day long, it uses a 145 lb. flywheel with 4 blades, I didn't get the auto feed because of my shortage of hp. one thing I wish it came with is a chainsaw bracket. Hope this helps you Barry

 

[MagKarl]

I have a Braber/Agri-Ease chipper that is a copy of a Wallenstein but at about half the price. They run $2K or less in my area. Works great, I'd buy again and recommend it to anyone in the market.

http://braberequipment.com/Products?ProdCode=13066

 

[Southernfarm]

I am wondering if certain models are made in China? I found the BX series that I am considering importing. I was quoted for a BX42S (not 32 and not 52), $570 USD and shipping to dock in central Canada, another $298 USD. The place I was emailing also has a BX62S as well. The 42S 18-50HP with a 4" dia (max 10" slab) and a 210lb flywheel, and the 62S has a 6" and 12" slab opening, and a 270lb flywheel.

 

[Brazos]

I just noticed Woodmaxx has a TM 86H model which appears to be a scaled down version of the WM 8H model I was looking at. It is for lower HP tractors. That may be an option too. The price is only $100 less than the than the WM8H. I guess I need to call and talk to them for their advice.

 

[Retread68]

I have an L2501 and a WM-8HW. The two work together fine! A couple weeks ago the two working together ate and spit out the limbs from a bradford pear tree like it was munchy time at a frito factory.

Other than the machine was made in China with all metric sized nuts, bolts, screws, etc. I have no complaints on the WM-8HW. Out here in rural W TN it is difficult to find metric set screws. One came out of a bearing collar.

 

[mdhughes]

I have an L2501 and a WM-8HW. The two work together fine! A couple weeks ago the two working together ate and spit out the limbs from a bradford pear tree like it was munchy time at a frito factory.

Other than the machine was made in China with all metric sized nuts, bolts, screws, etc. I have no complaints on the WM-8HW. Out here in rural W TN it is difficult to find metric set screws. One came out of a bearing collar.

Which bearing collar was it? I guess I need to double check all the bolts on my WM-8M

 

[afret]

Woodmaxx has a new made in the US model. You might check that one out.

http://www.woodmaxx.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MX-8800

 

[Boo]

Woodmaxx has a new made in the US model. You might check that one out.

http://www.woodmaxx.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MX-8800

That sure sounds like a good deal!

 

[Brazos]

I am glad my post got revived as some more helpful info came out. My question is for Retread68. Is this the chipper model you have and use sucessfully with your L2501?: http://www.woodmaxx.com/WoodMaxx_8_PTO_Wood_Chipper_Hydraulic_Feed_p/wm-8h.htm

For $100 more than the TM 86H model it seems like a lot more for the money.

 

[Retread68]

"I am glad my post got revived as some more helpful info came out. My question is for Retread68. Is this the chipper model you have and use sucessfully with your L2501?: http://www.woodmaxx.com/WoodMaxx_8_P...ed_p/wm-8h.htm

For $100 more than the TM 86H model it seems like a lot more for the money. "
Sorry for the delay in response. I've been offline.

Yes - my chipper is the WM-8H. The one I have is 2 1/2 yrs old according to Amanda at Woodmaxx. (I bought it at an estate auction a few months ago).
There have been several improvements to the WM-8H since mine was made, such as: improved infeed controller, extendable legs to allow better alignment of PTO shaft to tractor, skid type base vs fixed 4 feet, double edged blade.

I can verify that the more HP the tractor has, the better; plus having sharp blades makes a difference. Mine will do fine with 4 - 4 1/2" soft wood, but 3 - 4" hard wood is max for the machine. That is fine for me because 5" and larger hard woods get used for firewood.

I'm not sure if the WM-8H is now being built in the USA. I know they have some PTO shafts that are and the blades are. If the WM-8H is being built here now, I'd be tempted to trade mine in and buy a new one, just to have one built in THE USA.

 

[ryebread70]

Taking a chance here since this is over 2 years old. I'm hoping someone is still around that has experience with these WoodMaxx chippers. I also have an L2501 and looking at the WM-8H versus the TM-86H. Jim at WoodMaxx recommended the TM-86H when I called to ask about the WM-8H. When I told him I have a 2501 he looked it up and based his recommendation on the tractor specs, ie: PTO hp of 19.

Has anyone recently purchased a chipper from WoodMaxx for an L2501? Did you chose a TM-86H or a WM-8H?

The picture is my backyard, 16acres of that. My goal is to thin this out, make trails, etc.. My hardwood is small but I am also overrun with small pines.

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