Small PTO chipper options - Woodland Mills WC46/68/88 or MDL Powerup TH100?

[Harry Tate]

Hi all,

 

Has anybody got/used either a Woodland Mills WC46, WC68 or WC88 chipper, or a MDL Powerup TH100?

 

Just looking for real world experience and feedback on reliability, after-sales support (in the UK) and usability/ergonomics?

Chipper will be mostly for creating mulch out of brash that is less than about 3" diameter as efficiently as possible connected to a 25hp compact tractor.

 

I do like the idea of having the option to produce uniform sized chips for use in biomass boilers etc (ie TH100) but the chances of needing that in the future are probably realistically pretty slim.

 

Many thanks in advance!

[Whoppa Choppa]

Just find a bit more £ and get a TP. And they all lived happily ever after.

[GarethM]

7 minutes ago, Whoppa Choppa said:

Just find a bit more £ and get a TP. And they all lived happily ever after.

Second that, TP are built like a train and very simple to fix 

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

Do not buy WC 46 , I have one , absolute rubbish ,it’s sitting in the shed used 3 times , I can explain flaws , but too lazy, it can’t handle  any conifers at all , I mean at all, straight B-road leaf it’s ok . My compact Timberwolf 75 3 times as fast.

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

Just now, Sviatoslav Tulin said:

Do not buy WC 46 , I have one , absolute rubbish ,it’s sitting in the shed used 3 times , I can explain flaws , but too lazy, it can’t handle  any conifers at all , I mean at all, straight B-road leaf it’s ok . My compact Timberwolf 75 3 times as fast.

If you collect it from Ireland it’s your for 1000 vat includet!

[Doug Tait]

What a sales pitch!

[Harry Tate]

Thanks for the replies!

My concern with the TPs are that the smallest hydraulic feed model (TP130) is 523kg, which is just over half the weight of the entire tractor I want to attach it to.  It might theoretically be _nearly_ possible (Three point linkage rated for 750kg, but this is at the ends of the linkage - not including the leverage of the length of the chipper hanging beyond that), but doubt even if the linkage can actually lift it, that the experience moving it about would be very good.  The TP100 is only gravity feed, which I'd like to avoid as I don't like the idea of constantly jarring my hands/wrists when feeding the machine (already suffer from HAVS due to stupidity with cheap vibrating power tools in the past).

 

As for the WC46, I would be grateful to hear what its flaws are if you can find time to explain?  I'm not too keen on that smallest model because the opening for the in-feed roller is too small to accept anything with side branches still attached.  Seems like the WC68 solves that problem at the expense of a bit of extra weight?  Not got any conifers to feed through it either, will be mostly willow, ash, alder, aspen/poplar etc.

 

Does anyone have any experience of MDL Powerup in general, if not this specific product?  Woodland Mills seems to have a pretty good reputation in general with lots of positive videos on Youtube etc.  Can find next to nothing on MDL Powerup though...
 

[GarethM]

Without going into a whole discussion about hydraulic Vs gravity etc.

 

Whilst I appreciate your dilemma with a small tractor, personally I see only a few solutions Vs buying a cheap bag of spanners that's made in china to a very low quality/price.

 

1. Bigger tractor and a used TP or similar that will probably last your lifetime and cost peanuts to repair.

2. Same tractor with a gravity TP, Timberwolf or Greenmech.

3. Used diesel road tow wood chipper.

 

Option 3 is probably not a bad idea for you and easy to shift on if necessary.

[woody paul]

Depends how handy you are with spanners and a welder. Your 25hp tractor would run a timberwolf 150 but not lift it but you could put one on a set of wheels and fit draw bar. 

Or as above towable chipper. 

[Whoppa Choppa]

1 hour ago, woody paul said:

Depends how handy you are with spanners and a welder. Your 25hp tractor would run a timberwolf 150 but not lift it but you could put one on a set of wheels and fit draw bar. 

Or as above towable chipper. 

Very good idea. Kind of copy a heizohack on axle version.