PTO vs self contained wood chipper

[weee123]

Hey all, I’m wanting to pull the trigger on a new wood chipper. I’m not looking to chip anything bigger than 3”, for obvious firewood reasons. Seeing as all the chippers on marketplace by me are either way too small/big or, are only a couple hundred off a brand new one, it makes more sense to just go with new.

So my question is, which is the better buy? The chipper will live behind a rebuilt Ford 8n if I go the PTO route. I kind of like the idea of the self contained unit, but to get a chipper as capable as a PTO driven one it would cost more than the PTO one. Is it worth spending a few hundred more on the self contained unit or give the old 8n some love and put her to work?

 

[Eman85]

I had a self contained Troy Bilt, totally useless for much. I have an 8N and they aren't powerhouses, 70+ yo gas engine that had very low HP rating don't know how much of a chipper it will pull.

 

[Highbeam]

I used a PTO chipper behind my old (but modern diesel) 30 HP Kioti tractor for a huge fir and cypress project. Made mountains of chips. The PTO chipper was a pleasure to use. It was yellow and I think it's capacity was 4" or maybe 6". So much fun.

I have also rented trailer chippers, same 4-6" intake, with their own engine and it was harder to put the chipper where you want it. Seems way easier to drive the tractor mounted chipper to the branches than to move the branches to the trailer chipper. The trailer chippers usually have a hydraulic feed roller that's pretty nice but I didn't miss it on the PTO chipper.

If you're always going to have a tractor and it has enough HP to run it I'd vote for the PTO chipper.

 

[weee123]

I had a self contained Troy Bilt, totally useless for much. I have an 8N and they aren't powerhouses, 70+ yo gas engine that had very low HP rating don't know how much of a chipper it will pull.

I forgot to mention I rebuilt the engine on it a couple years ago so it’s not completely beat up. Definitely aware it’s only about 25 hp give or take a few but even on the low end will still have more power than my 1023e or the 7-15hp self contained drum chippers I was looking at as well

EDIT: This style of self contained chipper is what I was looking at

 

[weee123]

I used a PTO chipper behind my old (but modern diesel) 30 HP Kioti tractor for a huge fir and cypress project. Made mountains of chips. The PTO chipper was a pleasure to use. It was yellow and I think it's capacity was 4" or maybe 6". So much fun.

I have also rented trailer chippers, same 4-6" intake, with their own engine and it was harder to put the chipper where you want it. Seems way easier to drive the tractor mounted chipper to the branches than to move the branches to the trailer chipper. The trailer chippers usually have a hydraulic feed roller that's pretty nice but I didn't miss it on the PTO chipper.

If you're always going to have a tractor and it has enough HP to run it I'd vote for the PTO chipper.

Im definitely leaning more towards the PTO chipper especially now with your stated experience of using both and still opting for the PTO.

I also view it as one less engine to maintain and supply fuel for.

 

[Highbeam]

Im definitely leaning more towards the PTO chipper especially now with your stated experience of using both and still opting for the PTO.

I also view it as one less engine to maintain and supply fuel for.

Another con for the PTO chipper is if you have to help some relative farther away it means moving your whole tractor too. Spreading the chips with a front end loader makes a nice clean base. I also put the chips in my chicken coop.

On used chippers be careful about the knives being damaged. If some yahoo put a rock or cable in there it can cause damage.

Even after shutting off the PTO, the big flywheel would spin for a very long time so you can listen and feel for weird vibrations or sounds.

 

[weee123]

I'd only be taking it to my buddys 15 minutes away so not that big of a deal. I could have the chipper discharging into the FEL on my 1023e which is a good idea you mentioned that.

I'm going to be buying new since by me, all the chippers in my wanted size range are at new or almost new prices so no sense in buying used.

 

[hedge wood]

I am a little late to the party but since you have the 8N I wouldn't even consider a stand alone unit. Have a buddy that had a stand alone with a 20 HP two cylinder Kohler and it just wasn't big enough. He now has a PTO model he runs on a old JD A pretty similar to PTO size as your 8N. He mostly does branch's as the rest goes to firewood. In his area he can't burn brush like I do out on the farm.

 

[Jsjac1]

I bought a woodmax PTO chipper for my Kubota B2650. It is the 8H model. Has hydraulic infeed.
It chips up to 8".
It will chip green pine that big on my tractor. It doesn't have enough HP to chip hardwood that big.
I would not buy any chipper without hydraulic infeed.