What is the Best PTO Driven Wood Chipper?

A PTO chipper is great for property maintenance so let's get into some of the best choices for your property

A wood chipper is a useful machine for turning small branches, yard waste and tree debris into a useful pile of wood chips across your property.

If you have a tractor then your options are even greater, being able to connect a chipper with a PTO shaft to directly power your machine. 

But what are the best wood chippers for your property? Let's get into it.

What should I look for in a PTO wood chipper?

PTO wood chippers are great because they directly connect to your tractor's engine to make the most out of its horsepower. That means that the more powerful your tractor, the higher capacity wood chipper you can attach to it.

Remember too that all Woodland Mills wood chippers attach to your tractor via the 3-point hitch, making them easy to attach and disconnect.

Some of the things you want to look out for when purchasing a PTO wood chipper include:

• • Chipping diameter capacity

  • Infeed system (hydraulic or gravity)

  • PTO horsepower compatibility with your tractor

What PTO wood chippers are compatible with my tractor?

Not all wood chippers are compatible with all tractors, so Woodland Mills offers a number of models to ensure there's always something that works for you. Make sure you check your tractor's HP at the PTO, which may differ from your engine's HP.

• 12-30 HP: TFG55 PTO Wood Chipper

• 15-30 HP: WC46 and TF46 PRO Wood Chippers

• 20-50 HP: WC68 and TF68 PRO Wood Chippers

• 35-100+ HP: WC88 and TF810 PRO Wood Chippers

How do PTO wood chippers work?

PTO wood chippers are powered by the PTO shaft which spins from horsepower supplied by your tractor's engine. That powers the flywheel or flywheels (in the case of Woodland Mills Twin Flywheel chippers) which are equipped with blades to chip material.

If the chipper has hydraulic infeed, like the TF810 PRO or WC88, then a hydraulic pump powers infeed rollers which pulls materials from the infeed chute. Once a branch is inserted into the infeed opening the rollers grip it and pull it into the flywheel. The rapidly spinning wheel then chips branches which are sent out via the discharge chute.

If the chipper doesn't use hydraulic feed, like the TFG55, then it will use gravity infeed. In this setup the branches are fed directly to the flywheel without the use of infeed rollers, using a combination of gravity and manual force.

Twin Flywheel chippers utilize two flywheels, one to chip material and another to optimize airflow and reliably send material out the discharge chute, which more consistently chips green, lightweight and leafy materials. These types of chippers are exclusively offered at Woodland Mills.

What is the best PTO driven wood chipper?

For owners of subcompact tractors, smaller models like the TFG55 PTO or WC46 are excellent. For those with larger tractors doing regular property maintenance, check for compatibility with larger models like the TF68 PRO or TF810 PRO because those will let you chip larger materials.

If you plan on chipping green, leafy or fresh branches then you should consider a Woodland Mills PRO chipper with Twin Flywheel, which will improve your chipping consistency without needing to mix lightweight and dry materials.

What's the best wood chipper for a larger property?

If you own a farmstead or woodlot and have a larger tractor, you may want to consider the Woodland Mills TF810 PRO. This beast of a wood chipper can chip materials up to 8" in diameter and is equipped with Twin Flywheel technology.

It will turn not only your tree debris and branches into chips, but can even chip through small trees. With hundreds of 5-star reviews from satisfied landowners the TF810 PRO is a workhorse that will make the most of your tractor's horsepower.

If you're looking for a slightly smaller wood chipper, the TF68 is another excellent choice, able to chip materials up to 6" in diameter.

What's the best wood chipper for a small farm?

A great affordable option if you have a smaller tractor is the TFG55 PTO, a 5" chipper, that is compatible with most subcompact tractor models. This is great for cleaning up yard waste like tree branches and small pruning jobs.

If you want hydraulic infeed you could try the TF46 PRO, a 4" chipper which can chip green or leafy material easier, so you don't have to let your tree waste take up space drying.

What maintenance do PTO wood chippers require?

Woodland Mills engineers its wood chippers to be easy to maintain. Sealed bearings make it easy to replace if there's any issues. Replacement kits with common wear parts are also available if you need them. Blades are reversible and can also be resharpened or replaced if the cutting edges dull to ensure you're always getting the most out of your chipping capacity.

If you're using a gas powered model like the TFG55 GAS then you'll need to maintain it with motor oil and fuel, but PTO wood chippers rely on your tractor's engine so just keep up with regular tractor maintenance and your chipper should be good to go.

Follow any routine maintenance steps included in the manual and you will ensure efficient chipping power each time you use your chipper.