Hi Brandon,

"The wallenstein has a bigger maximum tree size to chip but no shredder."

The Wallenstein brand has a chipper/shredder that works with a unique "chop-block", which is a screenless design. The MacKissic is easily converted to screenless, simply by removing the screen.

I prefer the versatility of a screen, because I have several, starting at 1/4 inch holes for an extra fine product, suitable for adding to a compost pile, and going up to a wet materials screen with extra big oblong holes.

I don't know anything about Wallenstein, but they might be good wood chippers. My old MacKissic 12PT9 is limited to 3.5-inch diameter limbs or saplings, but I consider anything bigger than that to be firewood. I don't know how I would feed an 8-inch tree to a wood chipper. I think I would need help with it.

ZM

I just noticed that an old post from earlier in the year has just popped back up. It is titled Chipper/shredder quandary.
One of the new entries at the bottom shows a pic of a very powerful looking Wallenstein pto chipper. Probably way more expensive than you were looking at.

I posted that pic of the Wallenstein, and I own one of those.

I bought it from Woodward Crossings, about three years ago, paid around $2750 delivered (to NJ)
I don't see that model listed on their website, but probably still available.
This is the one (BXM 32) that I have.

I like the machine. Use it with a Ford 601 tractor (33 hp PTO). Straight stuff gets chipped fast. Fruit tree brush (not straight) needs more cutting with a chain saw. Shredder is great for small clippings. Put vines, sweet corn in there too.

I don't know anything about Mackissic. But I am amazed that these 3pt machines (all brands) are not more popular. I have neighbors who had never seen one. I use mine quite often.

Just to add, the Wallenstein is designed to be opened, cleaned at the worksite. In other words, if you get stuff wrapped on the flywheel (or horizontal shaft), just need to remove one bolt (9/16" or 5/8" ??) and the entire shredder chute swings out of the way. I have put long grape vines in my shredder chute. Sometimes they wrap up. (best to cut stuff like that into shorter lengths)

Hope that helps.

I feed vines into the chipper chute of my MacKissic 12PT9, to prevent the vines from wrapping around the hammermill rotor.

I can only speak to the Wallenstein 32 chipper and I am just thrilled with it. it is a well built beast from Canada - I have had no major issues with it for almost 3 years. It is extremely heavy and a clunker to store but I had a cool idea which has saved some headaches - I kept the nice little pallet it was delivered on and put 4 heavy duty casters under it so I could slide it around the garage on wheels and slide it right up to the tractor when I wanted to mount it. This lets me do it solo instead of dragging my wife into the garage for a quick reverse lesson on the tractor!

I likely have a good 50 hours on it already and blades are still just fine. it is easy to peek inside and check their condition. Only con I have seen thus far is that it does not like vines - they tend to get caught round and round inside the blade wheel and you practically have to saw them out to relieve the pressure - I suspect this may be the case with any chipper though.

All in all, I am just thrilled with the performance and quality of this product - there is no question it has paid for itself several times over on my 3 acres where branches just rain down from the sky!