Wallenstein BX-62 chipper...clog, clog, clog!

[eraforest]

I'm running a Wallenstein BX-62 PTO chipper behind a Kubota L-4600, so plenty of power. We're doing TSI and fire safe thinning on our woodland in N.W. California. Mostly pushing Tanoak stump sprouts, Ceonothus, and Doug Fir branches (ladder fuels), both green and couple months dry. Fresh machine, new blades (factory). Can't go 5 minutes without a clog at the outlet pipe. One man feeding conservatively, nothing over 3" diameter. Pretty easy to open housing and clear the jam, but...throttle down, turn off PTO, wrench out the holding bolt, tip back the blow pipe, clear jamb...not productive! Thoughts, suggestions, or experiences?

 

[northmanlogging]

run it faster? as in more RPM. (too hell with what the manual says) couple hundred more RiPMs might be enough to shove everything through.

that and try to aviod stuffing lots of small leafy stuff in at once, follow it up with something chunky to clear it out.

 

[eraforest]

There are definitely some subtleties involved. The tractor is easier to be around at 1900-2000 rpm, but I'd have to crank it up to 2300 to hit the 540 rpm at the PTO. The material is very leafy, but not especially stringy (like Redwood or Cedar bark). Seems like it's the little twigs that start the jamb, the chipper product is very coarse. More importantly, I've concluded it's mostly a function of; 1) how I hold my mouth, 2) proper cussing, 3) trying to finish for the day, 4) and lunar phase! So many emojis, so little time.

 

[lone wolf]

I'm running a Wallenstein BX-62 PTO chipper behind a Kubota L-4600, so plenty of power. We're doing TSI and fire safe thinning on our woodland in N.W. California. Mostly pushing Tanoak stump sprouts, Ceonothus, and Doug Fir branches (ladder fuels), both green and couple months dry. Fresh machine, new blades (factory). Can't go 5 minutes without a clog at the outlet pipe. One man feeding conservatively, nothing over 3" diameter. Pretty easy to open housing and clear the jam, but...throttle down, turn off PTO, wrench out the holding bolt, tip back the blow pipe, clear jamb...not productive! Thoughts, suggestions, or experiences?

Cutting bar should be sharpened and adjusted to factory spec so you can get a smaller chip.If that don't help it may just be the nature of the animal.

 

[2dogs]

Make sure the tractor says 540 rpm on the tach would be my first suggestion. If the machine is throwing long chips then I would reset the bed knife to the proper specs. Of course the blades have to be sharp. They may go a week without sharpening, maybe less, maybe more. Never throw the little stuff that accumulates on the ground behind the chipper into the chipper. Rocks of any sizes damage the blades in short order. You will need a couple sets of sharp blades ready to change out. Same goes for the bolts. Check the bed knife clearance at every knife change.

 

[eraforest]

Definitely going to check/adjust bed knife. The cutting knives are stationary, Easy to pull and sharpen, and I know SHARP is critical. How do you guys sharpen these heavy bevel knives? File? Grinder with a holder? Those are good comments, thank you.

 

[lone wolf]

Definitely going to check/adjust bed knife. The cutting knives are stationary, Easy to pull and sharpen, and I know SHARP is critical. How do you guys sharpen these heavy bevel knives? File? Grinder with a holder? Those are good comments, thank you.

A bench sander wheel that has an adjustable table or take it to a machine shop.

 

[northmanlogging]

Definitely going to check/adjust bed knife. The cutting knives are stationary, Easy to pull and sharpen, and I know SHARP is critical. How do you guys sharpen these heavy bevel knives? File? Grinder with a holder? Those are good comments, thank you.

machine shop with a proper surface grinder, or you can sometimes find a dealer that offers sharpening.

I would avoid "free handing" the sharpening, especially if they blades are in rotation... balance can be important.

Wind that poor tractor up till the PTO speed is actually 540 or better, barring that maybe you have a 2 speed PTO? some tractors do.

 

[Bango Skank]

Definitely going to check/adjust bed knife. The cutting knives are stationary, Easy to pull and sharpen, and I know SHARP is critical. How do you guys sharpen these heavy bevel knives? File? Grinder with a holder? Those are good comments, thank you.

I’m confused man, sorry.
Isn’t stationary knife, bed knife, and anvil all different words for the same thing and the cutting knives are rotary?

 

[Superduty71]

So we have owned a Wallenstein BX62R & run have it on our NH TC40D for around 10yrs... If I'm not mistaken yours is a manual feed & not hydraulic feed? If this is the case (IMHO) it is pulling material in to fast. When this was happening to us we would run the tractor full out at the 540 PTO speed but being our chipper was a hydraulic feed we slowed down the feed rate & it solved all our issues. I know this does not resolve your problems but wanted to let you know what worked to stop the clogging issues with our Wallenstein chipper... oh... I would even think of purchasing a different brand PTO chipper after owning one (& I worked for a tree company for many year in my youth...)

 

[dennis066]

I'm running a Wallenstein BX-62 PTO chipper behind a Kubota L-4600, so plenty of power. We're doing TSI and fire safe thinning on our woodland in N.W. California. Mostly pushing Tanoak stump sprouts, Ceonothus, and Doug Fir branches (ladder fuels), both green and couple months dry. Fresh machine, new blades (factory). Can't go 5 minutes without a clog at the outlet pipe. One man feeding conservatively, nothing over 3" diameter. Pretty easy to open housing and clear the jam, but...throttle down, turn off PTO, wrench out the holding bolt, tip back the blow pipe, clear jamb...not productive! Thoughts, suggestions, or experiences?

Wet, green Doug Fir limbs need to be chased with woody material to flush the green material through the chute. I personally trim off most of the green material before feeding if its fresh cut.

 

[2dogs]

I’m confused man, sorry.
Isn’t stationary knife, bed knife, and anvil all different words for the same thing and the cutting knives are rotary?

Yes Bango Skank you are correct. The chipper knives are on the rotating disc or drum.

You can use the reversing bar to slow the feed rate and reduce clogging.

I neglected to advise you to look inside the chute to make sure there is nothing blocking the flow. We had an older Bandit that had peeled a piece of metal into the air flow, we ended up cutting a large opening to remove it. Then we welded nuts on the inside, having the large opening was really nice.

Dennis066 yep we do the same.

Re sharpening we use a hand held carbide insert at lunch, the "as seen on tv" type. It helps from having to pull the blades for a day or two.

 

[Franny K]

Where the chute attaches to the base note how the volume or more accurately the cross sectional area increases. This will slow the flow down. There also seems to be a lot of taper to the chute. I would suggest making wood 2"x2"x18" or so filler blocks, a 2x2 ripped on a 45 degree to fill in the corners. That is my next tactic for a sort of similar issue. Mine is hydraulic feed and the rotor is run faster than the pto via belt gearing. At least yours clears easy. I believe it is the leafy stuff or needley stuff if evergreen that makes it clog easier, so winter would likely be better.

Perhaps keep some woody pieces nearby it tell tale signs of an eminent clog can be detected.

 

[Bango Skank]

I’d like to see the anvil on this chipper. If it hasn’t been done already, you can probably take the anvil off, flip it over, and have a new edge. I’m unfamiliar with this machine though.

Then check the gap, and spin the disc or drum to check/ adjust the gap on all the knives. Nominal gap is probably in the manual, but they seem to always suggest a number under .1” , so there’s a ballpark number, you can set your gap to maybe .08” and see how it does.

 

[2dogs]

I’d like to see the anvil on this chipper. If it hasn’t been done already, you can probably take the anvil off, flip it over, and have a new edge. I’m unfamiliar with this machine though.

Then check the gap, and spin the disc or drum to check/ adjust the gap on all the knives. Nominal gap is probably in the manual, but they seem to always suggest a number under .1” , so there’s a ballpark number, you can set your gap to maybe .08” and see how it does.

Once the bed knife, aka the anvil rounds over the machine will lose efficiency. IIRC ours is <3/16" clearance (I could be wrong), with a fresh bed knife and new chipping knives. As the knives are sharpened they are trued up. The bed knife wears at angle that depends on the average size of the material being fed.

Have a couple of sets and knives and bolts to change out. Same with a hydraulic filter if your chipper has one.

 

[Big_Eddy]

I have a similar chipper. Different brand but likely made in the same factory.
I only run it with the tractor flat out.it likes speed.
Mine has a transition on the chute deflector that occasionally catches twigs that will then slow down the outgoing material and eventually cause blockages. I watch it and knock away the twigs (with a stick) when I see them collecting. Eventually I will redesign it.
Mine has a twig breaker that fits between a slot in the rotor at the very end of the drum before the chute. The first time I used the chipper, it got mangled and bent. I had to straighten and weld it. Clearly I weld better than that factory guy, as it has not been an issue since. Check yours. If it is missing or broken, then longer twigs will pass through (and clog)

Dense spruce, weeping willow and grapevine have clogged mine. Everything else flows through nicely. I have a hundred hours on it with ~5 clogs.

Start by running it at PTO speed though. Could be all it takes.


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[blades]

Dull blades and anvil are the number one reason for jamming up

 

[eraforest]

So we have owned a Wallenstein BX62R & run have it on our NH TC40D for around 10yrs... If I'm not mistaken yours is a manual feed & not hydraulic feed? If this is the case (IMHO) it is pulling material in to fast. When this was happening to us we would run the tractor full out at the 540 PTO speed but being our chipper was a hydraulic feed we slowed down the feed rate & it solved all our issues. I know this does not resolve your problems but wanted to let you know what worked to stop the clogging issues with our Wallenstein chipper... oh... I would even think of purchasing a different brand PTO chipper after owning one (& I worked for a tree company for many year in my youth...)

Yeah, manual feed. I bought it a few years back, new old stock at a dealer here, and put it in storage 'til now. I had a P.T.O. Danhauser chipper w/feed (not hydraulic) that worked great with the controlled feed, but I guess I picked the wrong one to keep (thinking the new Wallenstein would be around longer). So, today I'll run the RPM up and check the bed anvil, consensus being the gap is too great (though factory setting). What I meant by stationary knives was they bolt in directly to the disc, no adjustment. I have too much material to process to allow time to strip the material of foliage.

 

[ericm979]

Running too slow means it's blowing less air out the chute. It needs the full 540.

 

[eraforest]

Make sure the tractor says 540 rpm on the tach would be my first suggestion. If the machine is throwing long chips then I would reset the bed knife to the proper specs. Of course the blades have to be sharp. They may go a week without sharpening, maybe less, maybe more. Never throw the little stuff that accumulates on the ground behind the chipper into the chipper. Rocks of any sizes damage the blades in short order. You will need a couple sets of sharp blades ready to change out. Same goes for the bolts. Check the bed knife clearance at every knife change.

Your comment about not throwing the junk that accumulates underfoot is spot on, it's hard not to resist keeping the work area tidy. A good rake and a warm up fire is our solution.