Located close to Ballyhaise in Co Cavan, Ollie O’Reilly runs an agricultural contracting and plant hire business. Specialising in digger work, Ollie also provides a baling, slurry, hedge-cutting and reseeding service to local farmers.
In recent years, Ollie’s workload with diggers carrying out tree shear and dangerous tree clearance has grown.
Having been running a tow behind engine driven chipper for the past six years, the ban on burning green waste has led to more product to be chipped.
Ollie’s previous machine had a 6-8in timber diameter intake capacity, but was lacking in capacity for the growing workload.
When Ollie went to the market for a new chipper, he explained that he had his mind made up that there was only one machine to buy.
“We do work in Ballyhaise agricultural college and they have had a smaller Farmi Forest chipper for years, and it has been a super machine.
“A friend of mine also has one, and I always said to myself that I would buy one when I would be upgrading.
“I took delivery of a new Farmi Forest CH38 tractor mounted chipper in early January. I was lucky that I got it when I did, as storm Éowyn caused a huge amount of damage, and created a lot of work, much of which is still going on today,” explained Ollie.
The machine comes with its own independent hydraulic unit with an integrated thermostatic cooling system.
Farmi Forest CH38
The Farmi Forest CH38 model is designed for professional users, with an output capability of 5,000–40,000 m3/year. The CH38 is designed for tractors with an engine power of approximately 200hp, with the manufacturer claiming that optimal production of almost 2m3/min can be achieved at a fuel consumption lower than 0.4 l/m3.
The CH38 is a four-blade disc chipper with a 380 x 420mm infeed chute. Ollie’s machine is fitted with the optional conveyor feed system (ACC) which is designed for efficient and continuous feeding, rather than having to continuously spoon feed material in with a digger. The wood chipper can be adjusted to produce chips sized 10–30mm. The optimal disc rotation speed is 800rpm. The manufacturer explains that a 55° hydraulic angular feed is used to reduce power demand.
The load-sensing (LS) hydraulic system controls the infeed chute, the rotation of the exhaust chute and hydraulic easing of the upper intake feed roller. The machine comes equipped with a self-learning smart feed control system, which is capable of reacting and adjusting the feeding system if necessary to prevent any potential blockages.
The smart feed system also includes an automatic pressure reversal feature, which helps minimise load on the tractor.
The CH38 features an intake capacity of 15”, and has an output capacity OF 30-100m3/h with a 4.1m discharge chute. The machine comes with its own independent hydraulic unit with an integrated thermostatic cooling system to maintain oil at ideal operating temperature between 40-50°C. With an operating weight of 2,450kg, the unit has a three-stage cutting system including knives, counter knives and twig breakers.
The CH38 features an intake capacity of 15”, and has an output capacity 30-100m³/hr.
Driven in the tractor’s 1,000 speed PTO gearbox, the unit is fitted with a 10 series shaft with an overrun clutch.
Remote-control operation
Ollie opted for wireless remote-control operation to help streamline the work process. He noted that this was a great move, and means the digger driver has full remote control of the workings of the chipper, which Ollie explains really cuts out a labour unit, which would otherwise need to be based in the tractor cab. On the CH38 model, the operator can remotely rotate the discharge chute, adjust the chute spout positioning, control the feed roller direction and both ease and pressurise the upper gripper feed roller to deal with awkward materials.
The Farmi Forest woodchippers can be fitted with a 3P support base which includes fold down legs, a crane base and a three-point-linkage to enable the installation of a crane which can be used to feed the unit. This eliminates the need for an excavator.
Verdict
“We run the chipper on a Valtra T235, and it’s well able for it. We find that the machine does exactly as it says, and it’s well capable of handling timber with a 15in diameter. The chipper is easy to put on and take off the tractor, with a simple three-point linkage design with three hydraulic hoses and an electrical cable.
A 55-degree hydraulic angular feed is used to reduce power demand.
“The chipper has a good high chute, and it’s well able to fill into high sided silage trailers. We have a 20ft Broughan silage trailer, and if the material to keep the chipper fed is close to the machine, it would fill the silage trailer with chip in 25 minutes. Depending on the dry matter content, this equates to approximately 14.5t of chip. It has a very impressive throughput capacity. The chipper has its own hydraulic and cooling system, and it’s very well built and designed.
“The stress controller system and the way the machine regulates the intake of material is very effective, while the remote-control operation is the only job, you just couldn’t be without it.
When purchasing the machine, I availed of the 40% grant aid under TAMS III which was a help in buying the unit. Overall, I cannot say one bad word about the machine. It hasn’t given us an ounce of trouble, and the backup service and help from JMS Agri & Forestry Machinery has been top notch,” he concluded.
Who is Farmi Forest?
Farmi Forest Oy appointed JMS Agri & Forestry Machinery as its distributer for the island of Ireland last autumn. JMS Agri & Forestry Machinery is a Cavan-based agricultural contracting and tree surgery business. The business has been running Farmi Forest equipment for the past 30 years, and is now responsible for selling the equipment and parts throughout Ireland, direct to customers.
Founded in 1962, Finnish-based Farmi Forest Oy is a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of forestry and agricultural machines including woodchippers, winches, log trailers and cranes for the forestry industry. The importer plans to focus on the TAMS III eligible PTO-driven tractor mounted wood chipping equipment, with intake capacities ranging from 4” to 18” and with output capacities ranging from 3m3/h to 120m3/h.
Top likes
Stress controller system very impressive.Serious blow and throughput capacity.Very well built.
Located close to Ballyhaise in Co Cavan, Ollie O’Reilly runs an agricultural contracting and plant hire business. Specialising in digger work, Ollie also provides a baling, slurry, hedge-cutting and reseeding service to local farmers.
In recent years, Ollie’s workload with diggers carrying out tree shear and dangerous tree clearance has grown.
Having been running a tow behind engine driven chipper for the past six years, the ban on burning green waste has led to more product to be chipped.
Ollie’s previous machine had a 6-8in timber diameter intake capacity, but was lacking in capacity for the growing workload.
When Ollie went to the market for a new chipper, he explained that he had his mind made up that there was only one machine to buy.
“We do work in Ballyhaise agricultural college and they have had a smaller Farmi Forest chipper for years, and it has been a super machine.
“A friend of mine also has one, and I always said to myself that I would buy one when I would be upgrading.
“I took delivery of a new Farmi Forest CH38 tractor mounted chipper in early January. I was lucky that I got it when I did, as storm Éowyn caused a huge amount of damage, and created a lot of work, much of which is still going on today,” explained Ollie.
The machine comes with its own independent hydraulic unit with an integrated thermostatic cooling system.
Farmi Forest CH38
The Farmi Forest CH38 model is designed for professional users, with an output capability of 5,000–40,000 m3/year. The CH38 is designed for tractors with an engine power of approximately 200hp, with the manufacturer claiming that optimal production of almost 2m3/min can be achieved at a fuel consumption lower than 0.4 l/m3.
The CH38 is a four-blade disc chipper with a 380 x 420mm infeed chute. Ollie’s machine is fitted with the optional conveyor feed system (ACC) which is designed for efficient and continuous feeding, rather than having to continuously spoon feed material in with a digger. The wood chipper can be adjusted to produce chips sized 10–30mm. The optimal disc rotation speed is 800rpm. The manufacturer explains that a 55° hydraulic angular feed is used to reduce power demand.
The load-sensing (LS) hydraulic system controls the infeed chute, the rotation of the exhaust chute and hydraulic easing of the upper intake feed roller. The machine comes equipped with a self-learning smart feed control system, which is capable of reacting and adjusting the feeding system if necessary to prevent any potential blockages.
The smart feed system also includes an automatic pressure reversal feature, which helps minimise load on the tractor.
The CH38 features an intake capacity of 15”, and has an output capacity OF 30-100m3/h with a 4.1m discharge chute. The machine comes with its own independent hydraulic unit with an integrated thermostatic cooling system to maintain oil at ideal operating temperature between 40-50°C. With an operating weight of 2,450kg, the unit has a three-stage cutting system including knives, counter knives and twig breakers.
The CH38 features an intake capacity of 15”, and has an output capacity 30-100m³/hr.
Driven in the tractor’s 1,000 speed PTO gearbox, the unit is fitted with a 10 series shaft with an overrun clutch.
Remote-control operation
Ollie opted for wireless remote-control operation to help streamline the work process. He noted that this was a great move, and means the digger driver has full remote control of the workings of the chipper, which Ollie explains really cuts out a labour unit, which would otherwise need to be based in the tractor cab. On the CH38 model, the operator can remotely rotate the discharge chute, adjust the chute spout positioning, control the feed roller direction and both ease and pressurise the upper gripper feed roller to deal with awkward materials.
The Farmi Forest woodchippers can be fitted with a 3P support base which includes fold down legs, a crane base and a three-point-linkage to enable the installation of a crane which can be used to feed the unit. This eliminates the need for an excavator.
Verdict
“We run the chipper on a Valtra T235, and it’s well able for it. We find that the machine does exactly as it says, and it’s well capable of handling timber with a 15in diameter. The chipper is easy to put on and take off the tractor, with a simple three-point linkage design with three hydraulic hoses and an electrical cable.
A 55-degree hydraulic angular feed is used to reduce power demand.
“The chipper has a good high chute, and it’s well able to fill into high sided silage trailers. We have a 20ft Broughan silage trailer, and if the material to keep the chipper fed is close to the machine, it would fill the silage trailer with chip in 25 minutes. Depending on the dry matter content, this equates to approximately 14.5t of chip. It has a very impressive throughput capacity. The chipper has its own hydraulic and cooling system, and it’s very well built and designed.
“The stress controller system and the way the machine regulates the intake of material is very effective, while the remote-control operation is the only job, you just couldn’t be without it.
When purchasing the machine, I availed of the 40% grant aid under TAMS III which was a help in buying the unit. Overall, I cannot say one bad word about the machine. It hasn’t given us an ounce of trouble, and the backup service and help from JMS Agri & Forestry Machinery has been top notch,” he concluded.
Who is Farmi Forest?
Farmi Forest Oy appointed JMS Agri & Forestry Machinery as its distributer for the island of Ireland last autumn. JMS Agri & Forestry Machinery is a Cavan-based agricultural contracting and tree surgery business. The business has been running Farmi Forest equipment for the past 30 years, and is now responsible for selling the equipment and parts throughout Ireland, direct to customers.
Founded in 1962, Finnish-based Farmi Forest Oy is a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of forestry and agricultural machines including woodchippers, winches, log trailers and cranes for the forestry industry. The importer plans to focus on the TAMS III eligible PTO-driven tractor mounted wood chipping equipment, with intake capacities ranging from 4” to 18” and with output capacities ranging from 3m3/h to 120m3/h.
Top likes
Stress controller system very impressive.Serious blow and throughput capacity.Very well built. 
SHARING OPTIONS