Please HELP Identify this Old Chipper

[mudyser]

I acquired an Old Chipper in decent shape, I need to try and find a Parts manual and any assistance would be Greatly appreciated. I have discovered that it has a 4 cyl Hercules G1600 engine Block # 4915359. I think this is a Wood Chuck or Bandit machine, my guess is the 80's based on the name plate.

I have attached a link to photos of the Chipper and name plate. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zF1E6aTHW4Fnxy7p8

 

[user 159780]

Hercules Engine closed shop in 1999. I suspect parts would be unobtanium.

Here's a source for a parts manual. 1/2 price today.
https://farmmanualsfast.com/product...3XcMwyA3OVYT3z3fkvnuhEp8PHQsTYrsaAr0qEALw_wcB
Even if you had the chipper manufacturers info sourcing factory parts for a machine of this vintage would be next to impossible.

 

[mudyser]

Hercules Engine closed shop in 1999. I suspect parts would be unobtanium.

Here's a source for a parts manual. 1/2 price today.
https://farmmanualsfast.com/product...3XcMwyA3OVYT3z3fkvnuhEp8PHQsTYrsaAr0qEALw_wcB
Even if you had the chipper manufacturers info sourcing factory parts for a machine of this vintage would be next to impossible.

Thank you so much for for help, very much appreciated, when I purchased the machine I assumed it was a Ford engine and I was thinking parts would not be an issue,, but there I go assuming again..lol

 

[mudyser]

I am just Curious as to what the Make, Year and Model is on this machine, is there anyone familiar with these numbers on the Name plate? I put the numbers how they are located on the name plate.

5 81 JJ
4915359
1W9C58913BS4G2003
HD 12 163

 

[Del_]

The round discharge chute looks like the older MITTS AND MERRILL BRUSH CHIPPERS.

https://www.machinerytrader.com/lis...owable-wood-chippers-forestry-equipment/31463

 

[rarefish383]

I have an old Brush Bandit and it looks nothing like that one. That looks like a 6" drum. I had friend's with a 9", 12" and we had a 16", all Asplundh drums. That is not an Asplundh. I just spent about an hour and can't find anything that looks like that. I'd say it is not an Asplundh, Vermeer, Brush Bandit, or any of the Woodchuck's I found. Here's my Brush Bandit model 65. The feed is 6"X12", and it's a Disc chipper.

 

[rarefish383]

The round discharge chute looks like the older MITTS AND MERRILL BRUSH CHIPPERS.

https://www.machinerytrader.com/lis...owable-wood-chippers-forestry-equipment/31463

Thanks Del, the M&M was the round chute one I couldn't place. Did some of the early Vermeers have round chutes? I don't think it's a Vermeer.

 

[rarefish383]

Sorry, for some reason only a few of your pics came up. I went back to look again and they are all up. Looks like a much bigger than 6".

 

[mudyser]

I just uploaded some more pictures to the Same Link https://photos.app.goo.gl/zF1E6aTHW4Fnxy7p8 I am showing more pics of the Drum and drive assembly, it measures out to 12" (not sure a Hercules 1600 4cyl can push this drum very well,, IDK.. From looking at the chute, I am not 100% sure that the round one that is on it has not been welded on to it..

 

[mudyser]

Also I checked Compression on all 4 cylinders and they were all in the 150 to 151 psi range dry. I have ordered a replacement Banded Drive belt, radiator, waterpump, new gauges, and plan to rewire this thing front to back, so I hope this thing actually works when I am done..lol

 

[mudyser]

Sorry, for some reason only a few of your pics came up. I went back to look again and they are all up. Looks like a much bigger than 6".

I just posted more pictures to the link, drum is measuring 12"

 

[Del_]

I just uploaded some more pictures to the Same Link https://photos.app.goo.gl/zF1E6aTHW4Fnxy7p8 I am showing more pics of the Drum and drive assembly, it measures out to 12" (not sure a Hercules 1600 4cyl can push this drum very well,, IDK.. From looking at the chute, I am not 100% sure that the round one that is on it has not been welded on to it..

That part of the chute is not a high wear part so I doubt a repair was made. It may be it got a new less expensive smaller used engine sometimes in the past.

BTW, that old chipper would be called a 'chuck and duck' because it had no hydraulic feed wheels. When the brush hits the drum if flies out of your hands taking hair, skin etc with it. The larger modern drum chipper have hydraulic feed wheels for a slow controlled feed. Much safer. Not many chuck and duck pulled whole men through them like the feed wheel type could do.

 

[mudyser]

That part of the chute is not a high wear part so I doubt a repair was made. It may be it got a new less expensive smaller used engine sometimes in the past.

BTW, that old chipper would be called a 'chuck and duck' because it had no hydraulic feed wheels. When the brush hits the drum if flies out of your hands taking hair, skin etc with it. The larger modern drum chipper have hydraulic feed wheels for a slow controlled feed. Much safer. Not many chuck and duck pulled whole men through them like the feed wheel type could do.

The engine and frame bolts look undisturbed, I see no signs of new welds or modifications to retrofit this engine, especially since it's and old Hercules 1600, I can't imagine someone would add that engine any ways. The chute has some poor, bubble gum looking welding around the base of the round tube. I was wondering if the original chute got damages and it was repaired or replaced with a round tube??. There are areas of the frame that have not been painted and it looks like the machines original color was yellow. It's odd that the round chute has been welded and looks like it's original color was blue.

 

[rarefish383]

That is a kind of small engine for a 12”, but if they have the pulley’s dialed in , I guess it’s good. I’ve seen 12’s with Chrysler 318 V8’s and slant 6’s. My Uncle had Ford V8’s on his 16”. Dad ordered his 16” with a Ford 300 ci 6, because the radiator was a little skinnier. My uncles guys kept crushing the radiators on the V8’s backing up. Sorry for rambling, bringing back old memories.

 

[mudyser]

UPDATE: after pressure Washing the Chipper, it looks like the ORIGINAL color was baby Blue like the Chute.. Was there a Baby Blue Chipper built in the 80's?

 

[rarefish383]

Our 16" Asplundh was a 1972-3, then the Whisper chippers came out, still looked the same, still drum. Then when the disc chippers came out they took the industry by storm. At least it seemed that way to me. I went to collage and everyone had drums, got out and everyone had discs. I think yours is older than the 80's, but it may be?As was said above, we called them Chuck and Duck. You would get a big arm full and chuck it into the knives. The brush would take your gloves, glasses, hat, shirt, and clumps of hair. If you have used a modern disk with feed rollers you can stick a limb in there and it just takes out slowly. If you try that with an old drum you are going to be missing chunks if meat and flaps of skin off your hands. When I met my wife she said my back looked like the slave's on a Ben-Hur Galleon. I'm going to spemd some time looking. I know there was another round chute one, but, I'm leaning toward the M&M.

 

[Bill G]

I believe it might be a Fitchburg. Somer of theirs had round tubes and 4 cylinder engines. Mine was a 16" with a 330 Ford V-8. I also had an Asplundh 12" with a Ford 6cyl and a 16" Asplundh with a Ford 330.

 

[nuts4modela]

looking at the tag on the frame it looks to me its a woodchuck WC-12 . I have a mid 70s WC-16 square chute though. Same tag on mine say,s HD 16