Talk me out of buying a Woodmax WM8H

[radas]

Just as the title says, talk me out of buying one. The CFO is not a fan

We don't have a ton of property right now, but we do have a lot of trees and saplings that I've spent many hours clearing/burning/hauling offsite. I refuse to rent a tow behind chipper for $600/day so I've paid a few bucks in gas and disposal fees to have the brush hauled away or slowly burn it in my 5' fire pit.

I want a PTO chipper so that I can grind up mainly 4" and smaller branches/brush/etc... To mulch my wooded area and not burden my buddy with a dump trailer on the weekends or myself hauling and burning. I would also loan it out to my buddy who lets me borrow his stump grinder when I need it - paying it forward.

Here's an example of some brush I'd prefer to chip from clearing 20 small cedars. This is not typical, but I'd expect half or 1/3 of this roughly 2x per season as long as I'm not feeling anymore trees.

I've looked at used PTO chippers, and folks are asking near new prices for 20+ year old woods units and similar. I refuse to buy any of the no-name Chinese brands I see popping up for less than $2k.

 

[Freeheeler]

That looks like a tiny burn pile to me, but my burn spot is much more open that yours so I don't have to worry about stressing near by trees. If you had a more open spot you could just burn and make the CEO happy. If you don't have a more open spot, maybe you can convince the CEO to put the would be cost of a new quality chipper into a real estate expansion plan

 

[Elliott in GA]

I do not know how much help this will be, but there is an alternative. I have rented 20 yard dumpsters for about $300 - includes 2 tons of fill. The advantages are: time (just dump the brush in it, and you are done - what would take many hours to chip is completed in less than an hour), no chips to deal with (good if you have no use, bad if you can use them), flexibility (dumpsters handle everything including partially rotten wood, stumps, wood with nails in it, metal and etc.) and cost (takes many dumpsters to add up to the cost of a chipper and no repair/service to worry about). Also, a dumpster eliminates: an unsightly burn pile location, no issues with fire dangers and again much faster.

All of that said, I keep thinking of buying a WoodMaxx MX-8600 - the one made in the US by WoodMaxx.

 

[PortTackFarm]

Sorry, can't help you, or should I say I can't help the CFO. My CFO also highly questioned the purchase when I told her we needed one, but after some convincing, it was delivered earlier this week. It took about 2-3 hours to complete assembly but that gives you a good opportunity to see how well it's constructed. WoodMaxx has some other models which are "Made In The USA" but the WM8H is made in China. Even so it looks like a solid chipper. I need to pick up 7 gallons of hydraulic oil yet to get it up and running. We have 44 acres of mostly woods. My goal is to clear most of 5 of those acres over the next year or two. I don't mind cutting and burning the big logs but dealing with the brush is very time consuming so I can see the chipper making the job a lot easier. I also looked at Woodland Mills but I thought this WoodMaxx was the best bang for the buck.

 

[D2Cat]

Pile your brush in an area you won't need and let it settle. Make a nice cover for rabbits. Save the money and then the additional cost of adding space to store the chipper won't be needed either. Quit thinking about the new implement and you'll soon discover it's not really needed for 16 acres!

Your post the "talk me out of" topic here is like going to the local liquor store and asking the owner why alcohol is bad for you!!

 

[Dave Ogren]

I am in the same boat. Am going to watch to find out the outcome of this. Thank you for posting, it reassures me that I am not alone.

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

I say buy it.

We bought a Vermeer BC900XL a few years ago for our chipping needs in our parks, not the same thing, I know. But WOW how much stuff the guys have cleaned up!

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I guess I would ask is buying the chipper a fireable offense? . Either way it ultimately depends on how bad you want it.

 

[D2Cat]

I say buy it.

We bought a Vermeer BC900XL a few years ago for our chipping needs in our parks, not the same thing, I know. But WOW how much stuff the guys have cleaned up!

Did you read the thread topic?

 

[Mark_BX25D]

I refuse to rent a tow behind chipper for $600/day

I would, too. That's more like a weekly price, for a pretty decent machine. If you are chipping up to 4", get a machine that's rated to 6", not less. Otherwise you will beat yourself to death trying to chip it.

How much land do you have? How many trees to be felled? And of course, if you have woods you'll always have branches falling.

Speaking of which, feeding a chipper of any size is pretty hard work, and you have to hustle or you are going to waste a lot of fuel. Are you up for that workload? if you are, consider buying a used standalone chipper. Get your tree-felling done, buy the machine, chip it all, and sell the machine.



Here's the low cost option for your back:

Spend the money on a grapple.

Then choose your poison:

• Haul the brush to your burn pit. Grab a chair, your favorite beverage and a good book..
• if you have enough land, put it on the back 40 out of sight. Just pile it and leave it for the wabbits.
• Build deer shelters to attract game.
• Lots of options.

 

[PortTackFarm]

The grapple is the next thing on my list, then probably done purchasing implements or attachments for quite a while. Most of my tree work is very close quarters right now so I can get by with dropping a few trees, cutting the smaller branches and limbs off and feeding them into the chipper, and then cutting the remaining trunks into 4 or 5 foot sections and hauling them to a burn pile with the Polaris Ranger or the bucket on the tractor. That said, a grapple would probably be handy. I'm a chiropractor in real life so I know I should be doing a better job of minimizing strain on my lower back.

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

Did you read the thread topic?

I did. And I took this thread as he is sorta set on buying one, but wanted someone with first hand experience to talk him out of it. Not big enough, cheaply made, crappy welds... stuff like that.

I think a chipper is a game changer, if you have the need for one. After using ours at work, it has really surprised me with what it will chew up, the auto feed is freaking awesome.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

The grapple is the next thing on my list, then probably done purchasing implements or attachments for quite a while. Most of my tree work is very close quarters right now so I can get by with dropping a few trees, cutting the smaller branches and limbs off and feeding them into the chipper, and then cutting the remaining trunks into 4 or 5 foot sections and hauling them to a burn pile with the Polaris Ranger or the bucket on the tractor. That said, a grapple would probably be handy. I'm a chiropractor in real life so I know I should be doing a better job of minimizing strain on my lower back.

A quick tip on the branches: Pay attention to how you pile them. Lay them with all the butts in the same direction, preferably pointed to where your chipper is going to be sitting when you chip them. Don't just dump them willy nilly. You will be creating a LOT of extra work. Yes, it's a bit more work on the front end to pile them carefully, but it's a lot LESS work on the back end when you aren't fighting a tangled mess.

It makes a huge difference. In fact, on a tree forum I used to hang out on, just about all the professional tree guys agreed - they would not touch a "homeowner pile", because they are just so much work when they are just thrown on any old way.

If you leave the logs alone until you have the grapple, you'll save your back a bit. Craigslist is a great way to give away firewood. 4 foot log sections will go like hotcakes in most parts of the country.

 

[RalphVa]

I use wood chips as base for my compost pile, it and kitchen stuff. Bought a WM WC46 a couple years ago and love it. Needed one to self feed and lower down than the chipper hatch on the Mac Kissic TPH-122 that I'd had for 16 years. Also didn't need to shred leaves any more because my source dried up.

One of the advantages of the Woodmax is it has a built-in lever to raise the feed roller in case of a jam. I have to put a low rise floor jack under the lift point on the WC46 to do this.

You'll occasionally get a plug of the entire casing if putting stuff with small vines into it. They tend to plug things up.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I burn an enormous amount of sticks, brush, limbs, logs.. . I burn over 20 times what you have in that pile annually (not bragging or anything). All from trees on my 2 1/2 acre suburban lot, and sometimes the neighbors. I like to burn , it makes my hillbilly heart sing. I would not want a chipper. Good luck.

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

I burn an enormous amount of sticks, brush, limbs, logs.. . I burn over 20 times what you have in that pile annually (not bragging or anything). All from trees on my 2 1/2 acre suburban lot, and sometimes the neighbors. I like to burn , it makes my hillbilly heart sing. I would not want a chipper. Good luck.

You’re not helping his TIAD. Tractor implement acquisition disease. I like to burn too.

 

[radas]

That looks like a tiny burn pile to me, but my burn spot is much more open that yours so I don't have to worry about stressing near by trees. If you had a more open spot you could just burn and make the CEO happy. If you don't have a more open spot, maybe you can convince the CEO to put the would be cost of a new quality chipper into a real estate expansion plan

I wish I had a better spot to burn on my measly 1 acre

 

[radas]

I do not know how much help this will be, but there is an alternative. I have rented 20 yard dumpsters for about $300 - includes 2 tons of fill. The advantages are: time (just dump the brush in it, and you are done - what would take many hours to chip is completed in less than an hour), no chips to deal with (good if you have no use, bad if you can use them), flexibility (dumpsters handle everything including partially rotten wood, stumps, wood with nails in it, metal and etc.) and cost (takes many dumpsters to add up to the cost of a chipper and no repair/service to worry about). Also, a dumpster eliminates: an unsightly burn pile location, no issues with fire dangers and again much faster.

All of that said, I keep thinking of buying a WoodMaxx MX-8600 - the one made in the US by WoodMaxx.

The dumpster is a good idea! I hadn't thought about that, that might be the way to go for those one time large jobs. My only limiting factor is the lift height of the FEL on the LX... It is not very high

 

[radas]

Sorry, can't help you, or should I say I can't help the CFO. My CFO also highly questioned the purchase when I told her we needed one, but after some convincing, it was delivered earlier this week. It took about 2-3 hours to complete assembly but that gives you a good opportunity to see how well it's constructed. WoodMaxx has some other models which are "Made In The USA" but the WM8H is made in China. Even so it looks like a solid chipper. I need to pick up 7 gallons of hydraulic oil yet to get it up and running. We have 44 acres of mostly woods. My goal is to clear most of 5 of those acres over the next year or two. I don't mind cutting and burning the big logs but dealing with the brush is very time consuming so I can see the chipper making the job a lot easier. I also looked at Woodland Mills but I thought this WoodMaxx was the best bang for the buck.

View attachment 84002

Beautiful! I did not realize the wm8h was a Chinese unit... But so is the woodland Mills manual feed equivalent, albeit cheaper. I wish I could run a larger unit but PTO hp is my limiting factor.

 

[radas]

I am in the same boat. Am going to watch to find out the outcome of this. Thank you for posting, it reassures me that I am not alone.

Glad to help! My biggest downside is my small property, if I didn't have only an acre, I would have pulled the trigger without hesitation (despite the CFO's reluctance )