Woodland Mills WC88 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper Review (2026): 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper
8-inch hydraulic-feed PTO chipper — the Woodland Mills step up for owners who outgrow the WC68.
Woodland Mills WC88 Wood Chipper Full Product Walkaround (2024)
Manufacturer tour of the WC88's auto-hydraulic infeed system, 8" x 8" opening, and folding infeed/discharge chutes for storage.
- Hydraulic feed
- 5-year warranty
- Heavier build than WC68
- Price step up from WC68 is significant
- Not as large as Woodmaxx MX-9900
When the WC88 is the right buy
Buy the WC88 over the WC68 in two scenarios: you regularly chip 7–8 inch material, or you chip a lot of forked/crooked wood that hangs up mechanical feeds. If neither applies, the WC68 saves you $2,000 and does the same daily work.
Woodland Mills WC88 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper specs at a glance
- Brand
- Woodland Mills
- Model
- WC88
- Power type
- pto
- Max branch diameter
- 8"
- Power
- PTO-driven, 30–80 HP tractor
- Feed system
- Hydraulic
- Weight
- 1320 lb
- Price (MSRP)
- $4,999
- Warranty
- 5 years
Will the WC88 fit my tractor?
The Woodland Mills WC88 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper needs 30–80 PTO HP. Here’s how 26 common compact and utility tractors match up — rated PTO HP, not engine HP (after typical 10–15% drivetrain losses).
| Tractor | Engine HP | PTO HP | Hitch | WC88 verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kubota BX23S | 22 | 15 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| Kubota LX2610 | 25 | 19 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| Kubota L2501 | 24 | 19 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| Kubota L3301 | 33 | 26 | Cat 1 | At limit |
| Kubota L3901 | 37 | 30 | Cat 1 | Fits |
| Kubota L4701 | 47 | 38 | Cat 1 | Fits |
| Kubota MX5400 | 55 | 45 | Cat 2 | Fits |
| Kubota M4-071 | 70 | 58 | Cat 2 | Fits |
| John Deere 1025R | 24 | 18 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| John Deere 2025R | 25 | 19 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| John Deere 3025E | 24.7 | 19 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| John Deere 3032E | 32 | 25 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| John Deere 3039R | 38.2 | 30 | Cat 1 | Fits |
| John Deere 3046R | 45.3 | 37 | Cat 1 | Fits |
| John Deere 4044M | 43.1 | 35 | Cat 1 | Fits |
| John Deere 4066R | 65.9 | 53 | Cat 2 | Fits |
| Mahindra 1533 | 33 | 26 | Cat 1 | At limit |
| Mahindra 2638 HST | 37.4 | 29 | Cat 1 | At limit |
| Massey Ferguson 1735M | 35 | 28 | Cat 1 | At limit |
| Massey Ferguson 2705E | 49 | 40 | Cat 2 | Fits |
| New Holland WORKMASTER 25S | 24.7 | 18 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| New Holland WORKMASTER 35 | 35 | 28 | Cat 1 | At limit |
| Kioti CK2620 | 24.5 | 20 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| Kioti NX4510 | 45 | 38 | Cat 1 | Fits |
| LS MT225S | 24.4 | 18 | Cat 1 | Too small |
| LS MT342 | 41.3 | 32 | Cat 1 | Fits |
“Fits” = within the manufacturer’s rated PTO HP range. “At limit” = below the minimum by 5–15%, will feel underpowered on seasoned hardwood. “Too small” = undersized for reliable chipping. “Oversized” = above range (works but overkill).
Who should buy the WC88 — and who should skip it
- You own a tractor with 30–80 PTO HP and a Category 1 or 2 three-point hitch.
- Your typical branches are 6–8 inches in diameter.
- You regularly chip forked, crooked, or limby brush that hangs up on mechanical-feed chippers.
- You plan to keep the chipper 5+ years and value the 5-year warranty.
- You don't own a tractor. A gas-standalone chipper of comparable capacity is the right category for you.
- Your tractor produces less than 30 PTO HP. Size down to a 5–6 inch chipper matched to your tractor, or the feed rate will crawl.
- You'll chip only a few times per year. At $4,999, renting might be cheaper — see our rental vs buying calculator.
WC88blade replacement & sharpening
Four reversible flywheel knives on the 8-inch disc — balancing is critical given the heavier flywheel and higher RPM mass.
The hydraulic feed will keep pulling material into dull blades; schedule sharpening on run hours (30–50) rather than waiting for symptoms.
Woodland Mills sells complete blade kits including fresh bolts — use them, don't reuse stretched hardware.
- Blade count
- 4 flywheel knives
- Bed knife
- Yes — fixed anvil
- Sharpening angle
- 30–35°
- Reversible
- Yes — doubles edge life
- Blade material
- Hardened tool steel
- Replacement set
- $200–$290
- Sharpening interval
- 30–50 hours
- Bolt torque
- 55–65 ft-lb
- 01Stop the machine and isolate power
Disengage the PTO, shut the tractor off, and remove the key. Wait 60+ seconds for the WC88 flywheel to stop completely — it coasts longer than the engine.
- 02Open the discharge or flywheel access cover
Remove the bolts on the WC88 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 4 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 WC88 uses 4 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 Hardened tool steel.
- 07Balance the set
Remove equal material from every blade in the set. On the WC88's 4-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 55–65 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 3 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 tractor, engage PTO at low idle, and listen for 30 seconds before ramping to operating RPM. Feed one small test branch before returning to normal work.
WC88 — frequently asked questions
- WC88 vs Woodmaxx MX-8800?
- Very close. Both are 8-inch hydraulic-feed PTO chippers for 30–80 HP tractors. MX-8800 has a longer warranty (7 vs 5 years). WC88 is typically slightly cheaper. Either is a defensible buy.
- Is the WC88 worth the step-up from the WC68?
- Only if you need hydraulic feed or 8-inch capacity. The price jump is ~$2,000. If your material is mostly under 6 inches and fairly clean, the WC68 does the job for much less.
- How much tractor HP do I need for the WC88?
- The Woodland Mills WC88 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper is rated for 30–80 PTO HP. That's tractor PTO horsepower after drivetrain losses — rated engine HP is typically 10–15% higher. A 35 HP engine tractor produces roughly 30 PTO HP and would run this chipper at the minimum. The comfortable working range is 38–72 PTO HP.
- Does the WC88 fit a Category 1 three-point hitch?
- Yes. The WC88 mounts to a standard Category 1 or 2 three-point hitch and accepts a 540 RPM rear PTO shaft (included). Quick hitch compatibility varies by brand — most John Deere iMatch and Pat's Easy Change hitches accept it with a standard top-link bushing.
- What's the maximum branch diameter the WC88 can chip?
- The Woodland Mills WC88 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper is rated for branches up to 8 inches in diameter. Green and softwood branches chip reliably at the rated maximum. Seasoned hardwood at the maximum slows the feed rate and bogs the flywheel more — plan for 7-inch hardwood as your comfortable working size.
- What's the warranty on the WC88?
- Woodland Mills covers the WC88 with a 5-year warranty. It covers manufacturing defects but excludes wearing parts (blades, belts, bearings under normal wear) and cosmetic damage.
- Does the WC88 have reversible hydraulic feed?
- Yes. The WC88 uses hydraulic feed rollers with a reversible control bar. Reverse lets you back out jams without stopping the flywheel, and lets you align crooked branches before committing them to the chipper. This is standard on all hydraulic-feed PTO chippers in this tier.
- How much does the WC88 weigh?
- The Woodland Mills WC88 8-inch Hydraulic-Feed PTO Woodchipper weighs approximately 1,320 lb. Check your tractor's three-point hitch lift capacity before purchase — a Category 1 tractor typically lifts 1,200–1,800 lb at the hitch pins; Category 2 lifts 2,500+ lb.
- How often do the blades on the WC88 need sharpening?
- For typical property use (20–40 hours per year), sharpen the WC88's blades once per season. Heavy hardwood use cuts that to every 15–20 hours. A full replacement set runs roughly $80–$250 depending on blade count and material. See our woodchipper blade sharpening guide for the full process.
- Where is the WC88 made?
- Woodland Mills is headquartered in Ontario, Canada. The WC88 is assembled in Asia to Woodland Mills specifications, with quality control and distribution handled from their Canadian facility.