Chipper 101

Any way to lessen the effect?

I wonder if the anvil/knives are set correctly?

The feed wheel managed to pull it in sideways(ish) between the knives. Seems like an amazing feat considering how fast it spins.
 
I would feed chunks like that with other material to take up more of the horizontal part of the throat, as a guess.
 
Can you adjust the feed wheel speed?
I slow mine down for larger stuff, also the disk is at an angle to the feed, not 90*
The instructions also do say that the auto feed is not the only feed control, sometimes you have to watch and anticipate bogging by stopping the feed manually, let the engine catch up, then manually feed again. Thats on max size wood.
 
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  • #54
Pretty sure the feedwheel's fixed speed. The only controls are forward, back, and stop. Wheel's 90° to the feed. Dunno how the anvil relates to the wheel. I didn't look at it when we had the drum raised. Just wanted to get the job done before rain came.
 
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Without autofeed, you definitely have to manually prevent overload.

Sharp knives, fresh anvil edges, and proper anvil spacing from the blades are important. A manual sharper helps blade changes last longer and chip better with less fuel and wear and tear.
 
SeanKroll said:
I would feed chunks like that with other material to take up more of the horizontal part of the throat, as a guess.
Click to expand...
For sure. That was a 6’ long branch that turned on its side once the chipper had enough room in the chute to do so.

I’ll tell ya, when we had to reverse the feed wheel, it was usually due to horizontal pieces. Obviously they didn’t get fed that way but turned as they got whittled down.
 
SeanKroll said:
autofeedplus.com

Home - Quality Handmade Electronics - Auto Feed Plus

Auto Feed Plus offers handmade quality products. Call now at 989 330 5086 for exceptional technical support.
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Without autofeed, you definitely have to manually prevent overload.

Sharp knives, fresh anvil edges, and proper anvil spacing from the blades are important. A manual sharper helps blade changes last longer and chip better with less fuel and wear and tear.
Click to expand...
It’s definitely autofeed with a tach. Numbers should be set properly.

What’s a “manual sharper”?
 
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  • #60
Dumb question... The manual specifies a #10 flat bastard mill file for touching up the blades. Is #10 the length in inches? I'm not used to dealing with files for precision work. I just grab whatever, and eyeball if it's good enough or not. What kind of file should I get? Just grab something from the hardware store, or get a nice Pferd file or something online?
 
I was thinking and I also asked mechanic John……. Tighten springs on feed wheel to help hold the limb straight. Even the 2” limbs turned sideways at the end then they had room. Maybe more tension could help. Plus, those springs have never been adjusted and can’t be the prescribed tension anymore
 
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  • #62
We can try it. I suspect it won't help. There's a lot of rotational force pushing material sideways. It may be the nature of the beast. Maybe even up the screws, then add another 3mm to the tension, and see if anything changes. Keep bumping it up til something does change for better or worse. I'll see what the manual says about it; if there's anyway to judge aside from trial/error.
 
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  • #64
That I don't know. I need to get in and look at it. When I had the feedwheel raised, we were racing rain, and I just wanted the obstruction gone. I didn't take the time to inspect the anvil and anvil clearance.
 
I'm kinda surprised a file would cut a chipper knife, i could see a stone but i would think a file would just skate on it. I think that's a pretty fine finish file, if files have a number that's a fine file, the higher the number the finer the cut, and the length determines coarseness too so 10" would be as big as i would go. With the knives being hardened high carbon steel i would spend the money on a good one, pferd would be a good brand, the import ones aren't usually good enough when you get into hardened stuff because they are usually just regular steel that's case hardened for a lower manufacturing cost. I also imagine mainly draw filing since it's the finer cutting stroke and would likely be easier to keep it flat on the bevel. I personally just use a kline pull thru knife sharpener, hold the angle flat on the flat side and they work great. I might even consider hitting it lightly with a file that you have already to see if it'll cut (maybe not on the edge of the bevel but the top side of the bevel), if it's not i would look into just using a stone or get one of those diamond files so it's hard enough to cut it, you're not really removing metal but rather removing burrs from the cutting edge so the finer cut would be better.
 
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  • #69
The file's just for touchup. A week or two ago I was watching bandit videos, and they suggested filing the edges of new or freshly sharpened knives. File perpendicular to knife edge. IOW, you'd be dulling the knife slightly. They said it prolongs knife life by removing microfractures on the edge, and keeps them from propagating.

Still not sure where I'll get them sharpened. Bermy said she takes hers to mower blade guy. Not sure I trust mower blade sharpener with a chipper knife. You can do just about anything to mower blade, and it'll work well enough. I'm thinking of going to a machine shop.
 
Yeah, I dont touch up my blades, I change them. Machine shop. I keep 4 sets and 3 anvils. Diminishing returns when you "touch them up". You also shorten the life of the blade IMO as the machine shop has to take more off to correct the pitch of the knife. I understand that sometimes you have to "get through the day". But it should not be SOP.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #74
Knives I think are ok. There's a couple nicks that could be smoothed out. Anvil definitely needs to be checked. Maybe even up the spring mounts, then another turn for good luck. The only thing I could find in the manual says this...

3) Check spring tension on feed system:
Do not over tighten. Keep tight for small diameter
material and progressively looser for larger diameter
material.

Not very precise :shrugs:

edit:
I'm also gonna order a new set of knives and bolts. The ones on there are ready to go for flipping. Once that edge is dulled, *they can get sharpened, and the new knives put on with a new set of bolts.

*Pending inspection for minimum size. If they've been sharpened too much already, I guess I'll order another set of knives to replace them.
 
Last edited:
If you're touching up with a file i don't see how you would be changing the angle, but you'll need to hold it flat on the bevel and the back and be particular about it. A knife sharpener likely yes, but not enough to really matter i wouldn't think. When they sharpen they'll be taking a deep enough cut to get past the nicks in the blade, which will be far deeper than you'll be if you're just removing the burrs, and unless they're doing it with a grinding operation they have to take enough so the tool will cut properly anyways, the carbide cutters on a face mill need a at least few thousandths so they work right and get a good finish. A 1/16" nick in the blade means that they're gonna have to take at least that much off just to get it straight again, and there's no way that you're gonna get that deep with a file or sharpener if you're attempting to do it right. Remember hand tools like files are just like a machine tool, they just require you to do the work and rely on your skill and technique for accuracy rather than having it built into the machine for you, but just because it's a simple hand tool doesn't mean that very very accurate work can't be done with them.
 
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