Farmry GS65S 2-inch Gas Woodchipper Review (2026)
The cheapest machine Farmry sells. A 2-inch twin-blade drum chipper on a small 9.1-inch drum with a dual V-belt drive and a narrow 3.9 × 4.1 inch throat.
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- Lowest price in the lineup at $719
- Dual V-belt drive with a direct-drive clutch
- Hinged feed hopper gives tool-free access to the cutting chamber
- SGS CE certified
- Low fuel burn at roughly 0.62 gal/hour
- 9.1-inch drum is barely half the GS65V's 16.7-inch drum, for $80 less
- 3.9 × 4.1 inch throat is the narrowest of any machine we cover
- 16 lb heavier than the GS65V despite the much smaller drum
- Replacement blade set is $139.99 — nearly three times the GS65V's, on a cheaper machine
- Tow bar extra, pull start only, 12-month warranty
What the $80 saving actually costs you
The two machines look like near-twins in Farmry's listings — both 2-inch, both 7 HP Rato 212cc, both pull start, both twin-blade drum. The spec tables tell a different story. The GS65S drum is 9.1 inches in diameter and 4 inches long. The GS65V drum is 16.7 inches. That is not a trim-level difference, it is a different cutting system.
The throat follows: 3.9 × 4.1 inches on the GS65S against 5.9 × 5.9 on the GS65V. That is the narrowest infeed of any machine we cover, and on a hand-fed chipper throat width is what decides how much trimming you do before a branch will go in. Forked material and anything with side shoots gets cut down first.
It is also the heavier of the two at 194 lb against 178 lb, which is the wrong way round for a smaller machine and means no portability advantage to offset the smaller drum.
The blade pricing makes the cheaper machine more expensive
Farmry lists a replacement blade set for the GS65S at $139.99. The equivalent set for the GS65V — also described as two moving blades plus one fixed — is $49.99. On the cheaper machine the consumable costs nearly three times as much.
Blades are not an optional purchase on a chipper. They dull, and on a 2-inch drum machine fed with dirty garden material they dull reasonably quickly. One blade change erases the $80 you saved at purchase and then some. Two changes and you are $100 behind.
We think this may be a pricing error on Farmry's part rather than a genuine parts difference, and we have flagged it as a question for them. But we can only review what is published, and as listed it inverts the value case between these two machines.
What it does well for the money
Being fair to it: at $719 this is a competently specified little machine. The dual V-belt drive with a direct-drive clutch is a sound way to get power from a 212cc engine to a drum. The hinged feed hopper opens without tools for clearing the cutting chamber. It carries SGS CE certification and an emergency stop.
Fuel consumption is modest at roughly 0.62 gallons per hour, and Farmry publishes the anvil and blade dimensions, which is more parts detail than many brands at this price offer. The discharge chute adjusts between 27.6 and 34.6 inches in height.
Engine options are unusually broad — Farmry lists DUCAR, Loncin, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, and Honda as alternatives to the standard Rato. If a Honda-powered variant is actually orderable, that changes the long-term support picture considerably, so it is worth asking before you order.
What's in the box
- GS65S chipper unit with 7 HP Rato 212cc engine
- Blade set installed (2 blades plus counter blade/anvil)
- Wheels (4.1/3.5-4)
- Adjustable-height discharge chute (27.6–34.6 in)
- Operator manual (GS65S, also downloadable)
- Tow bar (optional extra)
- Tool box (optional extra)
- Gasoline and engine oil for first fill
- Spare blade set ($139.99 — nearly 3× the GS65V's)
- Ear protection and safety glasses
Ships free in a wooden case measuring 34 × 22 × 26 in at 194 lb. Both the tow bar and the tool box are optional extras. Farmry lists DUCAR, Loncin, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, and Honda as alternative engines on this model — worth asking which are actually orderable, since a Honda would change the long-term parts picture.
Farmry GS65S 2-inch Gas Woodchipper specs at a glance
- Brand
- Farmry
- Model
- GS65S
- Power type
- gas
- Max branch diameter
- 2"
- Power
- 7 HP Rato 212cc, manual pull start
- Feed system
- Manual
- Weight
- 194 lb
- Price (MSRP)
- $719
- Warranty
- 1 year
Who should buy the GS65S — and who should skip it
- $719 is a genuine hard ceiling and you need something better than a hand saw and a bin
- Your material is light pruning waste that fits a 3.9 × 4.1 inch throat without trimming
- You want the tool-free hinged hopper and a published anvil and blade spec at this price
- You may be able to order a Honda-engined variant, which would change the support picture
- You can find $80 more — the GS65V is a better machine in every published dimension
- You will ever buy replacement blades, which cost $139.99 here against $49.99 on the GS65V
- You need a throat wider than 3.9 × 4.1 inches, which is the narrowest we cover
- You expected portability; it is heavier than the GS65V and the tow bar costs extra
- Your branches reach 3 inches or more — buy a 4-inch machine instead
Alternatives to the GS65S
$580 more. 4-inch capacity (2 inch larger). from MechMaxx.
$1,606 more. 4-inch capacity (2 inch larger). 2-year warranty. from Woodmaxx.
$1,880 more. 6-inch capacity (4 inch larger). 2-year warranty. from MechMaxx.
GS65S blade replacement & sharpening
Small 9.1-inch drum, 4 inches long, turning 3,600 RPM. Farmry publishes the blade at 3.9 × 2.2 × 0.2 in and the anvil at 3.9 × 1.2 × 0.6 in.
Replacement set is listed at $139.99 — nearly three times the GS65V's $49.99 for a set described identically. This may be a Farmry pricing error; confirm before ordering.
Because the consumable is this expensive relative to the machine, one blade change costs roughly 20% of the purchase price.
- Blade count
- 2 flywheel knives
- Bed knife
- Yes — fixed anvil
- Sharpening angle
- 35–40°
- Reversible
- Yes — doubles edge life
- Blade material
- Hardened steel, double-edge reversible
- Replacement set
- $140–$140
- Sharpening interval
- 15–25 hours
- Bolt torque
- See manual
- 01Stop the machine and isolate power
Shut the engine off, disconnect the spark-plug boot, and wait until the GS65S 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 GS65S 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 GS65S 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 35–40° on a belt sander — quench every 10–15 seconds to avoid bluing the Hardened steel, double-edge reversible.
- 07Balance the set
Remove equal material from every blade in the set. On the GS65S'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 GS65S is the right size for your branches?
The Farmry GS65S 2-inch Gas Woodchipper handles branches up to 2 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 branchesGS65S — frequently asked questions
- Should I buy the Farmry GS65S?
- Only if $719 is a hard ceiling. For $80 more the GS65V gives you a 16.7-inch drum instead of 9.1, a wider throat, less weight, triple-inlet feed, and blade sets at $49.99 instead of $139.99. The blade pricing alone makes the GS65V cheaper to own.
- Why are GS65S blades so much more expensive than the GS65V's?
- We do not know. Both are listed as two moving blades plus one fixed for 2-inch machines, yet the GS65S set is $139.99 against the GS65V's $49.99. It may be a pricing error, and we have raised it with Farmry. As published, it works against the cheaper machine.
- What can the GS65S actually chip?
- Branches and woody yard waste up to 2 inches, fed through a narrow 3.9 × 4.1 inch throat. Expect to trim side shoots off before feeding. It is not suited to soft wet material in volume, or to anything a 4-inch chipper would handle.
- What engine options does the GS65S have?
- The standard engine is a 7 HP Rato 212cc with pull start. Farmry's spec table also lists DUCAR, Loncin, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, and Honda as options. A Honda variant would materially improve long-term parts support, so ask whether it is actually orderable.
- Is the GS65S towable?
- Only with the optional tow bar, which costs extra — Farmry's spec table lists it as an option, not as included. Worth knowing because the product photograph appears to show a tow bar fitted, so budget for it separately rather than assuming it is in the crate. At 194 lb the GS65S is also heavier than the larger-drum GS65V, so there is no portability benefit to choosing it.
- How much HP do I need to run the GS65S?
- The GS65S has a built-in 7 HP Rato 212cc, manual pull start. No external power source needed.
- What warranty does the GS65S come with?
- Farmry covers the GS65S with a 1-year warranty. Covers manufacturing defects; excludes wearing parts and cosmetic damage.
- What can the GS65S actually chip in real-world use?
- Rated for 2-inch branches. In practice, green softwood chips reliably at rated max. Seasoned hardwood at 2 inches slows the feed rate and bogs the flywheel on knots — comfortable working capacity on hardwood is 2–1.5 inches. Manual feed means you control the pace — feed slowly on hard material.
- Is the GS65S worth buying?
- At $719, the GS65S 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.