Fitchburg chipper

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sisco

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I just bought a Fitchburg 12 in drum chipper with a 4cylinder ford engine. I just put new blades in. What height are the blades suppose to be set? I set the new blade where the seated about 1/4 past the end of the bevel on the sharp end of the blade...about the same height as the old ones. I dont know if this was right or not though. I then went to adjust the bed knife and found it to be cracked in two. Is there a manual available for this chipper anywhere and where can I get a replacement bed knife? What size wood is this unit suppose to chip? Thanks for the help.
 
If you have an older Fitchburg I would probably be able to copy a manual for it and mail it to you for the cost of copy and mailing. I will not scan it as it would take hours.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Bill,
I have spent HOURS searching the web looking for information on how to correctly adjust/set-up a Fitchburg drum chipper, and you seem to be the only person who admits to having an old manual for one.I desperately need a manual to correctly adjust an older Fitchburg drum chipper that I seem to have inherited from it's previous owner. I'd be willing to make any arrangements that you feel to be fair in order to get a copy of the manual that you mentioned in your post . In addition to your copying and mailing costs, I'd be willing to give you something to cover you for your time... and I'll throw in a standing offer for a fishing trip if you ever end up on Cape Cod! (You probably don't catch many striped bass or blue fin tuna in your neck of the woods... and, I can always use a good excuse to spend a few extra days on the ocean.....)

Email sent. PLEASE help!!!

Many thanks,
Michael
 
Hey Bill I don't have much to offer other than money, but what would you like for sending me a copy of your manual also?

Thanks

Mike
 
Bill, THANKS!!! I hope you'll take me up on my offer of fishing The Cape.....

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I will try to scan and post the section on blade adjustment, so that Bill doesn't end up being "Fitchburg Support" for the whole board....

Michael
 
I would like to make it out East sometime but I do not see it in the near future. It seems that Allentown PA is the hot bed of great woodworking equipment. I wish I could make it out there. If I could be assured of a nice load of tools I just might make the run. I was considering a trip to CT to have a "chat" with a guy who stole my money and did not send my saws. In the end I got the saws but they were tough,

Bill
 
help fitchburg chipper is not throwing very far

I bought a used Fitchburg Chipper about a year ago. For some reason it just does not seem to throw the material very far. If I am luck it will hit the back 1/3 of my Dump truck. My other chipper is a Promark Model 210 and it will chip all of the way to the back of the truck with a vengeance.

I tried reworking the chute, but it still did not help. One friend suggested that the fan blades may have worn and so the fan is not blowing as well as it should.

Another friend said that the blades are not sharp enough or the bed knife needs to be sharpened or both and that when it is chipped small enough it will blow to the back of the truck easily.

I looked at the bed knife and it appears to have a flat top with two 45 degree angles on each side. The other side of the knife was painted by the last owner. How do I have it sharpened? Does anyone know the specs?

Is this the solution or is there something else?

Thanks.
Ryan
 
My bf is buying a very old looking fitchburgh 4 cyl 12" chipper this week it needs some work but what do you think a normal asking price would be for one that needs work is?
 
sharpening instructions

It looked like someone was going to scan and post the sharpening instructions for the Fitchburg chipper. Can anyone e-mail them to me at [email protected]?

I can't say whether I would buy another until I can figure out how to get it to throw the stuff to the back of the dump bed.

Ryan
 
I will try to scan and post what Bill sent me is a couple of days. (my father has been in the hospital, so chipper repair is on the back burner...) I will also post a pic of the blade spacer tool......

From what I have read, the drum blades MUST be sharp and the bed knife must be true. The specs are:

"Set the feed plate to clear the cutter blades from .065" to .070". "

"Set the bed knife to .004" to .006" from the cutter knives."

The bevel on the cutter blades is 35 degrees and the bevel on the corner of the bed knife is 45 degrees.....

Hope this helps for now...

Michael

edit: Be sure the bolts that hold down the wedges are "FIRMLY TIGHTENED DOWN" Fitchburg recomends "90 lb. torque". They also recomend that you tighten the blade adjusting bolts after you have locked in the wedge.....
 
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backwards blades

I'm new to this web site but I notice other people are having the same problem as me with my new/old fitchburg chipper.
The problem being not chipping well and not shooting the chips out the chute.
Well yesterday 2-20-08 I finally spent a little bit of time trying to figure out what was wrong. I had been thinking that it was an adjustment problem .
I was looking at the blades and to me the bevel on the was on the wrong side. I turned the blades over adjusted the tip of the blade 1/4" from the edge of the drum. Turned the drum around a couple of times to make sure nothing was going to hit. Then started her up.
I put a 1" dia. branch in it and it chipped and shot it out about 50',problem solved.
The previous owner had put the blades in backwards and couldn't get it to work.
I forgot to say , now the bevel on the blade faces the center of the drum,the flat side of the blade out.
Hope this helps
Gary
 
1964 Fitchburg 9" Chipper w/ Ford 330 Industrial V8

I have a 1964 Fitchburg 9" chipper that my dad bought new in 64.

The engine is the original Ford 330 V8 Industrial (with sodium cooled exhaust valves)

The chipper is still workable, the feed plate springs will have to be replaced. I once had the original schematic sheet...and the springs were going to cost about $100 to be custom made...I never did it.

The engine runs fantastic. You could use this chipper for parts, or fix it up and use it, or take the 330 V8 out and use it in a Ford 600 series truck.

nyctreeman
 
Fitchburg manual

If you have an older Fitchburg I would probably be able to copy a manual for it and mail it to you for the cost of copy and mailing. I will not scan it as it would take hours.

Thanks,
Bill

Glad to see above. I recently purchased a Model TWC 915, serial #C3021 Fitchburg 15" drum "line chipper" said to have been bought new in 1989 and made by a Gulf and Western Company, EW Bliss Co. in Portland, Maine. It has a 6 cylinder engine--haven't found the manufacturer on it yet and about 10 different coats of paint--?original color. I could use--make that"need"--a manual and would be very happy to pay for the cost of copy/mailing and your time. I am new to this site, but am happy to have found it and already have learned a great deal. Thank you. John Bengfort
 
Fitchburg manual

If you have an older Fitchburg I would probably be able to copy a manual for it and mail it to you for the cost of copy and mailing. I will not scan it as it would take hours.

Thanks,
Bill


Bill, just checking to see if you got my e-mail/post office address and are able to have the manual copied. I will want to reimburse you for your time/expense, of course. Thank you. John Bengfort [email protected]
 
Chips don't fly !

I have an old 9inch Fitchburg drum chipper, and have been reading the postings in the forum on how to set-up the knives and bed-knife and have adjusted mine accordingly. But still have a problem with the chips accumulating in the shoot and not flying out. I have noticed the feedplate springs are fully tensioned but seem very weak. Could this be my problem as the chips are very large? If any-one can help me with information, it would be most appreciated. Thanks Steve my e-mail is [email protected]
 
Bill - Futchburg help - please

If you have an older Fitchburg I would probably be able to copy a manual for it and mail it to you for the cost of copy and mailing. I will not scan it as it would take hours.

Thanks,
Bill

Bill,

I purchased a 9 inch Fitchburg chipper recently. I am having an extremely difficult time finding a manual.. There are 4 blades on the 9 inch drum.....I removed the 4 large Allen bolts on each blade, but I cannot remove the the blades ? There are two holes , total of 8 with a smaller threaded/tapped hole under each blade.....Question - How do I remove the blades so that I can get them sharpened - Is there anyway that I can pay you to send me a manual ? Please let me know if you would like me to send you some accurate pictures of the blade area or the machine....If you cannot help me , could you please suggest how I can find out this information ? Best Regards and Thank you, WALTONJOE35 - email address [email protected]
 

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