Farmry CG84 4-inch Gas Woodchipper Review (2026)
Farmry's only gas chipper above 2 inches. A 13.5 HP DUCAR engine with electric start drives a 22-inch disc at 1,200 RPM, with a four-way discharge chute and an adjustable axle.
Chip It Right is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Our editorial recommendations are never influenced by affiliate relationships — we recommend the best product for your situation, whether or not it pays us.
- Four-way discharge rotation (0/90/180/270°) — the most flexible chute Farmry sells
- 12V electric start with a 9Ah battery, not a pull cord
- Emergency stop button at the feed hopper
- Axle width adjusts between 38, 42, and 46 inches for storage or towing stability
- Cheapest consumables in the lineup — blade kit $39.50, GATES belt pair $89
- $1,999 buys 4 inches here, while the 5-inch WCAP5 costs $1,698
- DUCAR engine parts support is far thinner in the US than Honda or Briggs
- Gravity feed only, with a 4 × 8 inch throat
- 425 lb and push-or-tow only — no DOT road rating
- 12-month warranty
Well equipped, awkwardly priced
Feature for feature the CG84 is the most complete machine in Farmry's chipper range. The 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420 turns a 22-inch disc at 1,200 RPM through a double V-belt drive. It starts on a key with a 12V 9Ah battery rather than a pull cord. The discharge chute rotates to four positions — 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees — which is more flexibility than either PTO model's 0/180. There is an emergency stop button at the feed hopper, and the axle width adjusts between 38, 42, and 46 inches so it stores narrow and tows stable.
The pricing is where it gets strange. At $1,999 the CG84 is Farmry's most expensive chipper, and it has the second-smallest capacity of the three machines worth considering. The WCAP5 is rated for 5 inches at $1,698. You are paying a $301 premium to give up an inch of rated capacity.
That premium is the engine, and it is a fair trade if you have no tractor — a self-powered chipper is simply a different product from a 3-point implement. It is not a fair trade if you do. Do not buy a gas chipper to duplicate capability already sitting in your tractor's PTO.
The DUCAR engine is the thing to think hardest about
On a gas chipper the engine dominates total cost of ownership, because it is the part most likely to need service and the part hardest to substitute. DUCAR is a Chinese engine manufacturer, and the DH420 is a 420cc single-cylinder in the same displacement class as the Honda GX390 and the Briggs Vanguard.
The mechanical risk is modest — 420cc singles in this class are a mature design and the CG84 only asks 13.5 HP of it. The support risk is real. A Honda GX can be serviced at any Honda small-engine dealer in the country with parts off the shelf. A DUCAR goes back through Farmry, or through generic import-engine channels. Farmry does stock consumables well, with a GATES belt pair at $89 and a clutch assembly at $69, which helps.
For comparison in the gas category: the MechMaxx DCH7 at $8,599 runs a genuine 22 HP Honda GX with 7-inch capacity and self-feeding rollers. It costs more than four times as much and does substantially more work. The Woodmaxx DC-1260 at $2,325 runs a 14 HP Briggs and carries 2 years of warranty against the CG84's 1.
Genuinely good details at this price
Credit where it is due. The four-way chute is better than what Farmry puts on either PTO model and better than most gas chippers near this price, where a fixed or two-position chute is normal. Being able to reposition discharge without moving the machine matters when you are working along a fence line or filling a trailer.
The adjustable axle is an unusually thoughtful touch — 38 inches to get through a gate or into a shed, 46 inches for stability behind a vehicle. The hinged hopper, disc cover, and pulley cover all open without tools, so blade changes and clearing jams do not mean hunting for a wrench.
The emergency stop at the hopper is a safety feature that should be standard on every chipper and is not. On a machine you hand-feed, having the stop where your hands already are is the right design.
What's in the box
- CG84 chipper unit with 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420 engine
- 12V 9Ah starting battery
- Blade set (2 moving + 1 stationary, installed)
- Pneumatic wheels (16 × 6.5-8) and tow bar
- Four-way rotating discharge chute
- Operator manual (CG84, also downloadable)
- Gasoline (6.5 L tank)
- Engine oil for first fill
- Protective cover ($49.99)
- Spare blade kit ($39.50) and GATES belt pair ($89)
- Ear protection and safety glasses
Ships free in a wooden crate measuring 42 × 24 × 47 in at 481 lb, against a 425 lb machine weight. The axle width is adjustable to 38, 42, or 46 in — set it narrow for storage and wide for towing stability. Confirm the battery holds charge on arrival, since dead batteries after freight are a common complaint across this segment.
Farmry CG84 4-inch Gas Woodchipper specs at a glance
- Brand
- Farmry
- Model
- CG84
- Power type
- gas
- Max branch diameter
- 4"
- Power
- 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420 420cc, 12V electric start
- Feed system
- Manual
- Weight
- 425 lb
- Price (MSRP)
- $1,999
- Warranty
- 1 year
Who should buy the CG84 — and who should skip it
- You do not own a tractor and want a self-powered chipper rather than a 3-point implement
- Electric start matters to you — this is the only Farmry chipper with it
- The four-way discharge chute suits how you work, along a fence line or into a trailer
- You want an emergency stop at the hopper on a machine you hand-feed
- Individually priced consumables and an adjustable axle fit how you maintain and store equipment
- You own a tractor — the WCAP5 is rated for more capacity at $301 less
- Engine parts support matters to you, and DUCAR does not have a US dealer network
- You need more than 4 inches — the MechMaxx DCH7 chips 7 with a Honda GX
- You want a longer warranty; the Woodmaxx DC-1260 gives 2 years against this machine's 1
- You need powered infeed rather than hand-feeding every branch
Alternatives to the CG84
$301 less. 5-inch capacity (1 inch larger).
$300 less. same 4-inch capacity. from MechMaxx.
$600 more. 6-inch capacity (2 inch larger). 2-year warranty. from MechMaxx.
CG84 blade replacement & sharpening
Two reversible moving blades plus one stationary on a 22-inch disc, 0.63 inches thick — the thinnest disc Farmry uses.
Shares its blade kit with the CP85 at $39.50, so one spare set covers both machines if you own them.
Belt-driven rather than direct: budget for the GATES double V-belt pair at $89 as a wear item alongside blades.
- Blade count
- 2 flywheel knives
- Bed knife
- Yes — fixed anvil
- Sharpening angle
- 30–35°
- Reversible
- Yes — doubles edge life
- Blade material
- 4CrSi alloy steel
- Replacement set
- $39–$79
- Sharpening interval
- 20–35 hours
- Bolt torque
- See manual
- 01Stop the machine and isolate power
Shut the engine off, disconnect the spark-plug boot, and wait until the CG84 flywheel has fully stopped. Do not open the hood while it is still spinning down.
- 02Open the discharge or flywheel access cover
Remove the bolts on the CG84 flywheel access hood (or flip the hinged hood if equipped). Swing it clear so you have line-of-sight to every blade position.
- 03Rotate the flywheel to the first blade
Turn the flywheel by hand until the first of the 2 knives is aligned with the access opening. Mark it "1" with a paint pen so you can keep track of orientation.
- 04Break the blade bolts loose
Use a breaker bar on each of the 2 blade bolts. Woodmaxx and Woodland Mills both thread-lock these at the factory; heat gently if they don't yield. Do not pry on the flywheel itself.
- 05Slide the blade out and inspect
Remove the blade and inspect for cracks, nicks deeper than 1/16", and rounded bevels. A cracked blade goes straight in the scrap bin — never re-sharpened.
- 06Flip or replace the blade
The CG84 uses 2 reversible knives. If the secondary edge is still clean, simply flip the blade for a fresh edge. If both edges are worn, sharpen at 30–35° on a belt sander — quench every 10–15 seconds to avoid bluing the 4CrSi alloy steel.
- 07Balance the set
Remove equal material from every blade in the set. On the CG84's 2-knife flywheel, even a 1–2 gram imbalance shows up as vibration at operating RPM. Weigh on a gram scale after sharpening.
- 08Reinstall and torque
Apply anti-seize to the bolt threads (not the heads) and torque in a star pattern to 45–55 ft-lb. Use fresh lock washers — reused washers are the #1 cause of a loose blade downstream.
- 09Repeat for every remaining blade
Rotate the flywheel and repeat steps 3–8 for the remaining 1 knives. Then inspect the fixed bed knife — if the edge is rounded, flip or replace it and reset the blade-to-anvil gap to ~0.030" with feeler gauges.
- 10Close up and test-run
Rotate the flywheel by hand one full revolution to confirm no contact with the bed knife or housing. Close the access cover. Start the engine and idle for 30 seconds before ramping to full RPM. Feed one small test branch before returning to normal work.
Not sure the CG84 is the right size for your branches?
The Farmry CG84 4-inch Gas Woodchipper handles branches up to 4 inches. Use the free HP calculator to check whether your tractor or engine has enough power for your specific branch diameter and wood type.
Check HP requirements for your branchesCG84 — frequently asked questions
- Is the Farmry CG84 worth $1,999?
- Only if you do not own a tractor. It is well equipped — electric start, four-way chute, emergency stop, adjustable axle — but Farmry's own WCAP5 PTO chipper is rated for 5 inches at $1,698. If you have a tractor, the WCAP5 is the better buy.
- What engine is in the CG84?
- A 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420, a 420cc single-cylinder with 12V electric start and a 6.5-litre tank. DUCAR is a Chinese engine maker, so parts and service run through Farmry or generic import channels rather than a national dealer network.
- How does the CG84 compare to the MechMaxx DCH7?
- The DCH7 costs $8,599 against $1,999, but it chips 7 inches to the CG84's 4, has self-feeding rollers, and runs a genuine Honda GX engine serviceable at any Honda dealer. If your budget reaches it, the DCH7 is a considerably more capable machine.
- Can the CG84 be towed on the road?
- No. It has a tow bar and pneumatic tires with an axle adjustable from 38 to 46 inches, but there is no DOT lighting or rating. Treat it as yard-mobile and trailer it for road transport.
- Does the CG84 have self-feeding rollers?
- No. It is gravity feed through a 4 × 8 inch cutter opening and a 16 × 23 inch hopper. Every branch is hand-fed. For powered feed in a gas chipper you need to step up to something like the MechMaxx DCH7.
- What maintenance parts does the CG84 need and what do they cost?
- Farmry stocks them individually: blade kit $39.50, GATES belt pair $89, clutch assembly $69, disc bearing with support $25, hub bearing $16, and a smaller bearing $14. That transparency is better than most brands in this bracket.
- How much HP do I need to run the CG84?
- The CG84 has a built-in 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420 420cc, 12V electric start. No external power source needed.
- What warranty does the CG84 come with?
- Farmry covers the CG84 with a 1-year warranty. Covers manufacturing defects; excludes wearing parts and cosmetic damage.
- What can the CG84 actually chip in real-world use?
- Rated for 4-inch branches. In practice, green softwood chips reliably at rated max. Seasoned hardwood at 4 inches slows the feed rate and bogs the flywheel on knots — comfortable working capacity on hardwood is 2.5–3.5 inches. Manual feed means you control the pace — feed slowly on hard material.
- Is the CG84 worth buying?
- At $1,999, the CG84 is the entry tier — good for occasional homeowner use but limited capacity. The 1-year warranty is shorter than competitors — factor that into your decision.