PTO Chippers??

[Ghost Hunter]

Anybody have experience with PTO wood chippers?  Working on thinning & pruning a few acres, prefer to chip the slash rather than burning.  Tractor has 35 HP PTO, so no problem there for the size I need.  Won't be chipping anything over 3 1/2" - 4".   I'd be interested in a used one if price, condition, and specs were right for me.  Renting doesn't appear to be practical.

[Knocker of rocks]

A lot to think about.  Top or flat load?  Hydraulic feed?  There are some nice ones out there.

[Ghost Hunter]

Flat load and mechanical/hydraulic feed would be a priority.

[hollymaster]

Tagging along 

[Knocker of rocks]

The one thing I wonder about is that modern tractors generally use an electric PTO cluth and it is very much I/O, where the older machines allowed one to feather in the manually operated mechanical clutch.   

I guess one just get a high quality PTO slip clutch and let it do its job?

[Ghost Hunter]

JD 830 with manual PTO 540rpm.  Here's a couple with hydraulic feed I'm considering.  I like the design of the Woodland Mills.  PTO w/sheer pin included.  Pricey, but it wouldn't take long to have that in rent.

https://woodlandmills.com/product/wc68-6-pto-wood-chipper/

https://betstco.com/hydraulic-feed-wood-chipper-fh-wcrf8/

[Knocker of rocks]

I wouldn't think of the Bestco as flat-fed in that you have to lift the material up-over-and into to feed the beast.   The Woodland Mills does look to be a flat feed.

No matter what the manufacturer supplies, a slip clutch PTO shaft is always nice

[BDildine]

830 as in an old 2 cyl 830?
you'll be able to do a lot more than you think, them thing have torque for days
My family bought a mech PTO drive years ago, was used Primarily w a JD B, and now a model 40, 420 and similar
I dont remember the brand off hand (its blue), but we've run more stuff through it than a normal person would. Been great. The only issue, if you can call it that, is splitting the machine every few years to send the knives out for sharpening. When it was new you could toss a 3" branch in the chipper chute, and it would pull it out of your hands self-feeding. Just have to clear out below the outfeed every 5 min or so (bottom discharge)
Also, it uses a 3 rib v-belt and a pulley system, so if something jams, the belt will slip (and smoke) but to my knowledge in 15+ yrs, havent had to change it
Hopefully all this helps

[BDildine]

Just remembered its a "Goosen" brand. Looks like this

[Ghost Hunter]

830 as in an old 2 cyl 830?
you'll be able to do a lot more than you think, them thing have torque for days
My family bought a mech PTO drive years ago, was used Primarily w a JD B, and now a model 40, 420 and similar
I dont remember the brand off hand (its blue), but we've run more stuff through it than a normal person would. Been great. The only issue, if you can call it that, is splitting the machine every few years to send the knives out for sharpening. When it was new you could toss a 3" branch in the chipper chute, and it would pull it out of your hands self-feeding. Just have to clear out below the outfeed every 5 min or so (bottom discharge)
Also, it uses a 3 rib v-belt and a pulley system, so if something jams, the belt will slip (and smoke) but to my knowledge in 15+ yrs, havent had to change it
Hopefully all this helps

Newer JD 830 (1975) 3 cyl.  I want to leave the chips spread/scattered for compost, chute discharge best option for me.


"No matter what the manufacturer supplies, a slip clutch PTO shaft is always nice"  Thanks, Will be looking into this.

[Knocker of rocks]

The Australian made Bare Co. PTO shafts are quite nice in quality and ease of both installation and maintenance. They were carried by Washington Tractor a couple of years ago. I don’t know if you have a three-point quick hitch or not, but they sure are nice.

http://www.bareco.com.au/files-pto2002-index

[Ghost Hunter]

The Australian made Bare Co. PTO shafts are quite nice in quality and ease of both installation and maintenance. They were carried by Washington Tractor a couple of years ago. I don’t know if you have a three-point quick hitch or not, but they sure are nice.

http://www.bareco.com.au/files-pto2002-index

 

I don't.  Got to set a limit somewhere.  Wife has been great on this little adventure.     She is starting to raise her eyebrows.    

[KFhunter]

Your JD has a wet clutch PTO, the chipper has a sheer pin, you'll be fine without upgrading your chipper with a fancy slip disk shaft.   

Engage the chipper when the engine is at idle, feather it in if you can (depends on your adjustment on the PTO clutch) then throttle up to chipping speed. 
I think you have a brush hog, if you can spin that up to speed the chipper will be easy by comparison. 

As with all new PTO equipment..just make sure the PTO shaft is the correct length and doesn't bottom out when you raise the 3pt up making the shaft level with the output shaft.  That'll be your shortest distance on the PTO shaft.  If the shaft bottoms out (too long) it'll shove a massive ton of pressure into your PTO drive and could mess stuff up bad.  If anything I think your shaft will be too short (did I just say that?)  as your tractor is more of a class II even though it's HP rating is lower. 

Also make sure the shaft isn't too short, you want no possibility of the shaft flying apart when you lower the 3pt arms expanding the PTO shaft to its longest position.   I got a small PTO tiller that if I drop the tiller too low the shaft is fully extended and there isn't much room left so I need to get a longer shaft at North 40.  but I'd rather get a bigger tiller 

[M_59]

Odds are that the 830 has a continuous running pto clutch with a  dry clutch disk. Would only be wet if equipped with an independent pto.

[KFhunter]

Odds are that the 830 has a continuous running pto clutch with a  dry clutch disk. Would only be wet if equipped with an independent pto.

Thanks for the clarification and correction