Introduction

When I put down stakes to lay out the foundation for the cabin in the woods where I now live with my wife and daughter, I knew I needed to cut a few trees to open up the area. The brush was super dense. Although we loved the idea of living in a forest, we wanted to walk around freely, too.

Trouble was, cutting down and dragging away the scraggly balsams and poplars and chopping them into firewood took forever, and the building season was waning fast.

That's when my dad bought a PTO (Power Take-Off) wood chipper for his old 1974 International 574 tractor and lent me the ensemble for my forestry work. I was amazed! The tractor-mounted chipper turned unwanted trees into chips in short order, and the speed and power was addictive. The PTO chipper quickly became my go-to implement any time I needed to get rid of smaller unwanted trees fast.

Got a similar job on the horizon? Keep reading for a detailed guide on how to use a PTO wood chipper.

But first, keep in mind PTO wood chippers can be dangerous. Don't use one unless you're confident you can do so safely. If you do go ahead, be sure never place your hand or arm inside the feed chute during use.

Tools Required

Materials Required

• Fuel for chainsaw and tractor