MechMaxx GS650 Wood Chipper

Introduction

Your new wood chipper is constructed with premium materials and engineered for safe, efficient operation. With proper use and maintenance, it will provide years of reliable performance.

Prepare to experience the durability to take on any job with the ease, portability, and convenience of your new Wood Chipper!

Key Features:

• Enhanced design features come standard
• Engineered for the best user experience
• Quality metal parts are used instead of plastic
• A robust warranty supports all products
• Budget-friendly prices make it practical

Table of Contents

Specifications - 2

Overall Dimensions - 3

Safety Signs - 3

Safety - 4

• General Safety Rules - 4
• Personal Safety - 4
• Inspect Your Machine - 4
• Engine Safety - 5
• Fuel Safety - 5
• Specific Safety Rules - 5
• Prior to Starting - 5
• Operation Safety - 6
• Feeding Materials - 6
• Unclogging - 6
• Moving - 6
• Machine Use and Care - 6
• Maintaining Your Machine - 7

Unpacking the Container - 8

Contents Supplied - 9

To-Scale Hardware - 10

Assembly - 11

• Axle - 11
• Wheels - 11
• Base Foot - 11
• Lower Discharging Chute - 11
• Tow Bar - 12
• Infeed Chute - 12
• Emergency Stop - 12

Know Your Machine - 13

• Component Identification - 13, 14

Operation - 15

• Add Oil to Engine - 15
• Add Gasoline to Engine - 15
• Starting Engine - 15
• Operating - 16
• Idle Speed - 17
• Stop Engine - 17
• Transporting - 17

Maintenance - 18

• Preventive Maintenance - 18
• Regular Maintenance Checklist - 18
• Grease the Outside Bearing - 19
• Grease the Inside Bearing - 19
• Knife and Wear Plate Inspection - 19
• Knife Removal and Replacement - 20
• Belt Adjustment - 20
• Belt Replacement - 21
• Centrifugal Clutch Tech Tips - 21

Storage - 22

Troubleshooting - 23

Specifications

Overall Dimensions

The machine has the following approximate dimensions: Height: 43.0 inches (1094mm), Length: 75.9 inches (1928mm), Width: 31.4 inches (800mm).

Safety Signs

The rating plate on your machine may include symbols that provide important product information or usage instructions. Common safety signs include:

• DANGER with symbols for: Read and understand the operator's manual, Keep all shields and guards in place, Keep hands/feet away from infeed bin/discharge chute, Shut off engine before clearing jams, Do not install/remove parts while engine is running, Do not operate on uneven ground, Keep combustible materials away from hot engine.
• DANGER with symbols for: Keep children and others away, Wear approved safety glasses, gloves, and ear protection, Do not operate on pavement/hard surfaces.
• WARNING: Do not place wood or branches over 4 inches in diameter into the infeed bin.
• DANGER with symbols for: Keep hands away from rotating parts, Do not operate while barefoot or wearing sandals.

Safety

General Safety Rules

Read this manual and labels to understand limitations and hazards. Be familiar with controls and proper operation, including quick stopping. Read the engine manufacturer's manual. Ensure proper operation and maintenance to avoid injuries. The user is responsible for accidents. Use the correct machine for the application for safety and efficiency.

Personal Safety

Do not permit children to operate. Keep children, pets, and bystanders away from the work area. Shut off the unit if anyone enters the area. Keep children under adult supervision. Do not operate under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medication. Wear heavy long pants, boots, and gloves. Avoid loose clothing, short pants, or jewelry. Secure long hair. Keep hair, clothing, and gloves away from moving parts. Protect eyes, face, and head with safety goggles or glasses with side shields. Wear appropriate hearing protection. Keep hands and feet away from all moving parts and pinch points. Do not touch hot parts; allow them to cool. Stay alert and use common sense. Do not overreach. Wear protective footwear for proper footing.

Inspect Your Machine

Check the machine before starting. Ensure guards are in place and secure. Tighten all nuts and bolts. Never operate a damaged or poorly maintained machine. Check for fuel leaks. Ensure the engine switch functions correctly. Remove keys and wrenches before starting. Avoid accidental starting by ensuring the engine switch is off before transport or maintenance. Stop the engine if abnormal vibration occurs.

Engine Safety

This machine has an internal combustion engine. Do not use near unimproved or brush-covered land unless the exhaust system has a spark arrester. Never start or run the engine in a closed area due to dangerous exhaust fumes (carbon monoxide). Operate only in well-ventilated outdoor areas. Do not tamper with engine speed settings. Keep a Class B fire extinguisher handy in dry areas.

Fuel Safety

Fuel is highly flammable. Use approved fuel storage containers in clean, well-ventilated outdoor areas. Do not smoke or allow ignition sources near fuel. Never fill the fuel tank indoors. Keep grounded objects away from electrical parts to avoid sparking. Always stop and cool the engine before refueling. Never remove the fuel cap or add fuel while the engine is running or hot. Do not operate with fuel system leaks. Loosen the fuel cap slowly to relieve pressure. Never overfill the fuel tank (leave 1/2" space). Securely replace fuel caps and wipe up spills. Avoid creating ignition sources if fuel is spilled; move the machine away from the spill area. Wash skin and change clothes if fuel is spilled on you. Store fuel in approved containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away from ignition sources. Never store fuel or a machine with fuel inside a building where fumes can reach ignition sources.

Specific Safety Rules

Identify hazards and take preventive steps. Hazards include moving parts, thrown objects, machine weight, and operating environment.

Prior to Starting

Inspect the work area for cleanliness and debris. Operate on flat, level ground. Ensure the feed hopper and cutting housing are empty. Check oil level, nuts, bolts, and tire pressure.

Operation Safety

Never place body parts where they could be endangered by movement. Keep bystanders and pets at least 75 feet away; stop the unit if approached. Never place hands, feet, or body parts in the chipper hopper, discharge opening, or near moving parts while the engine is running. Keep the discharge area clear of people, animals, buildings, and glass. Be aware of wind direction affecting discharge. Use a stick, not hands, to push material into the hopper.

Feeding Materials

Feed only clean materials. Foreign matter like soil, sand, grit, or metal will damage knives. Root balls and dead wood dull blades. Avoid feeding pine needles, flax, or cabbage tree leaves as they can wrap around the rotor shaft. Feed short, stubby pieces with longer pieces. Prune to suit machine capabilities.

Unclogging

Never allow processed material to build up in the discharge area. Never attempt to unclog while the engine is running. Shut off the engine, wait for the cutting disk to stop completely, then remove clogged material. Inspect for damage and loose parts. Always shut down the engine and ensure it is off before leaving the operating position or removing material. Ensure the engine is off, the cutting disk is stopped, and the belt drive is disengaged before opening the cutting disk housing.

Moving

Move the machine at least 10 feet from refueling points before starting. This chipper is for hand movement only; never tow on public highways. Always stop the engine before moving and watch for sharp objects that could pierce tires.

Machine Use and Care

Position the machine to prevent movement during maintenance or storage. Do not force the machine; use the correct machine for the job. Do not adjust engine governor settings or operate above recommended speed. Do not run the engine at high speed when not working.

Maintaining Your Machine

Keep parts away from chemicals. Never cover a hot muffler. Do not alter sealed parts; only qualified technicians may adjust governor settings. Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts. Repair or replace worn or broken parts before use. Many accidents result from poor maintenance.

Unpacking the Container

Use scissors or a knife to cut and remove the straps. Remove the wooden plate in the top. At least two people should hold up the package and move it from the top.

Contents Supplied

Your Wood chipper comes partially assembled and contains the following:

• 1x Engine and base frame
• 1x Lower discharging chute
• 1x Axle
• 1x Infeed chute
• 1x Wheels
• 1x Tow bar
• 1x Support feet

Verify all component and hardware quantities are correct prior to assembling the Wood chipper.

To-Scale Hardware

Hardware graphics are printed at 1:1 scale for ease of identification. Place hardware over images to verify size.

Assembly

Axle

Attach the wheel axle to the base frame using M10x80 hex bolts, 10mm flat washers, and M10 lock nuts. (See Figure 1)

Figure 1 Components: 8x Hex lock nut M10, 8x Hex bolt M10 X 80mm, 8x Flat washer 10.

Wheels

Attach the wheel to the axle using an M14 nut. (See Figure 2)

Figure 2 Components: 2x Hex lock nut M14, 2x Flat washer 14.

Base Foot

Attach the support feet to the tow bar using M10x80 hex bolts, 10 mm spring washers, and M10 lock nuts. (See Figure 3).

Figure 3 Components: 1x Hex lock nut M10, 1x Hex bolt M10 X 80mm, 2x Flat washer 10, 1x Flat washer 8, 1x Flat washer 8.

Lower Discharging Chute

Attach the lower discharge chute to the base frame using M8x30 hex bolts, 8 mm spring washers, and 8 mm flat washers. (See Figure 4).

Tow Bar

Attach the tow bar to the base frame using M10x25 hex bolts, M10 lock nuts, and 10 mm washers (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 Components: 4x Hex lock nut M10, 4x Hex bolt M10 X 25mm, 4x Flat washer 10.

Infeed Chute

Install the infeed chute onto the base frame and secure it with the two safety clasps (see Figure 6).

Emergency Stop

The Emergency Stop wiring is located near the engine. Simply connect the wires as required (see Figure 7).

Know Your Machine

Identify the main components of your wood chipper:

• Deflector
• Deflector Lever
• Engine
• Emergency Stop
• Feed chute
• Wheels
• Recoil Starter Handle
• Throttle Control
• Choke Control
• Fuel Shut-Off Valve

Operation

Add Oil to Engine

Note: The engine is shipped without oil. Do not start the engine before adding oil. Do not overfill; check the engine oil level daily and add as needed.

1. Ensure the wood chipper is on a flat, level surface.
2. Remove the oil fill cap/dipstick and add oil up to the FULL mark. (See engine manual for oil capacity, recommended oil type, and location of the fill cap.)
3. Using a funnel, add oil up to the FULL mark on the dipstick.

Add Gasoline to Engine

Gasoline is highly flammable and explosive. You can be burned or seriously injured when handling fuel. Use extreme care when handling gasoline.

Fill the fuel tank outdoors, never indoors. Gasoline vapors can ignite if they collect inside an enclosure. Explosion can result.

1. With the engine off and cool (at least two minutes), remove the fuel filler cap and fill the tank. (See engine manual for fuel capacity, recommended fuel type, and the location of the fuel cap.)
2. Fill the fuel tank outdoors. Gasoline vapors can ignite in enclosed spaces.
3. Reinstall and tighten the fuel cap, and clean up any spilled fuel.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT OVERFILL! Overfilling may cause permanent damage to evaporative emissions control system components. Filling to the recommended level ensures a vapor gap required to allow for fuel expansion. Use a portable gasoline container with an appropriately sized dispensing spout.

Starting Engine

1. Move the engine switch to the ON position.
2. Open the fuel shut-off valve.
3. Move the choke lever to the CLOSED position (unless the engine is hot).
4. Move the throttle lever slightly to the FAST speed.
5. Pull the recoil starter until engine compression is felt. Let the recoil return to the home position, then pull quickly to start. Repeat as needed. Fully open the choke and set the throttle to FAST before operating.

Rapid retraction of the starter cord (kick-back) may pull your hand and arm toward the engine, potentially resulting in broken bones, fractures, or bruises.

Operating

After the engine warms up, pull the throttle lever to accelerate engine speed. The wood chipper can process dry or green organic materials like branches, stalks, vines, leaves, and roots. Maximum capacity is 4-inch diameter branches, varying by wood type and hardness. Rotating the branch as you feed it improves performance.

Feed limbs cut-end first, leaving the bushy head on to guide the limb and reduce spinning. Some side branches may need pre-cutting. Process freshly cut materials; dried wood becomes springy and dulls knives faster.

Keep a wooden stick (approx. 1 inch diameter, 2 feet long) handy to push short, brushy, or leafy materials and keep the feed hopper clear.

Do not force material. If it does not chip well, knives may need sharpening/replacement, or the gap between knives and wear plate needs adjusting.

Do not overload the machine. If the engine speed decreases, stop feeding material until the engine returns to full speed.

The chipper can clog with soft, wet, or fibrous materials. Feeding these intermittently with branches should be fine, as the chipper tends to clean out residue.

If stringy material wraps around the rotor shaft, remove it before it works into the bearing.

If the chipper stalls due to overloading or clogging, turn off the engine switch, wait for the cutting disk and belt drive to stop completely, and allow the engine to cool. Open the housing cover to clear materials. Restart the machine to resume operation.

As discharge material piles up, move the chipper away from the pile. Do not position the deflector vertically, as this reduces airflow and causes blockage.

Ensure the machine is level and stable to avoid vibrations.

Do not open the housing cover unless the engine and cutting disk are completely stopped and the belt drive is disengaged.

To shut down: move throttle to idle speed, turn engine switch to OFF. The machine will gradually stop.

Idle Speed

Set the throttle control lever to the SLOW position when chipping is not being performed. This reduces engine stress, extends engine life, conserves fuel, and reduces noise.

Stop Engine

For emergencies, turn the engine switch to OFF. For normal shutdown:

1. Move the throttle lever to the SLOW position.
2. Let the engine idle for one or two minutes.
3. Turn the engine switch to the OFF position.
4. Turn the fuel valve lever to the OFF position.

Sudden stopping at high speed under heavy load is not recommended; engine damage may result.

Do not move the choke control to CLOSE to stop the engine; backfire or engine damage may occur.

Wait until the machine completely stops. Allow the engine to cool. Clean the interior and discharge chute.

Do not disengage the belt drive with the machine running; this will cause friction and vibration.

Transporting

Your chipper has two large pneumatic wheels for hand movement. Grip the handles and tilt the chipper slightly. Ensure the oil tank cover is tightened.

Maintenance

Maintaining your Wood chipper ensures long life for the machine and its components.

Preventive Maintenance

1. Turn off the engine; it must be cool.
2. Keep the engine's throttle lever in the SLOW position and remove the spark plug wire.
3. Inspect for loose screws, misalignment, binding parts, cracks, or breaks that could affect safe operation.
4. Remove debris with a soft brush, vacuum, or compressed air. Lubricate moving parts with premium quality lightweight machine oil.
5. Replace the spark plug wire.

Never use a pressure washer to clean your Wood chipper. Water can penetrate tight areas and damage spindles, pulleys, bearings, or the engine.

Shut down the engine, wait for all moving parts to stop, remove the spark plug wire, and wait five minutes before performing maintenance.

Regular Maintenance Checklist

Service intervals are maximums under normal conditions. Increase frequency in dirty or dusty conditions.

Grease the Outside Bearing

There are two bearings. Grease them when new, and again after a couple hours of use. One or two pumps is sufficient. Be careful not to over grease.

1. Open the plastic oil plug.
2. Grease the outside bearing through the filling hole.
3. Close the plastic oil plug.

Grease the Inside Bearing

1. Loosen the lock nut which holds the discharge chute on the machine.
2. Slide down the fixing plate under the lock nut.
3. Open, then grease the inside bearing.

Knife and Wear Plate Inspection

Routine inspection of knives for sharpness and wear plate for a sharp edge ensures full efficiency. Dull knives or a rounded wear plate decrease performance and cause excessive vibration, damaging the machine.

If the machine's cutting disk strikes a foreign object, or if the machine begins to make an unusual noise or vibrates excessively, immediately shut off the engine. Allow the cutting disk to come to a complete stop. Switch the engine to "off" to avoid any accidental start. Then perform the following steps:

• Inspect for damage.
• Repair or replace damaged parts.
• Check for any loose parts and tighten to ensure continued safe operation.

Knife Removal and Replacement

The chipper has two knives mounted on the cutting disk. When dull or nicked, the machine loses self-feeding action and material must be pushed. Replace knives by following these steps:

1. Remove the feed hopper.
2. Remove the discharge chute.
3. Rotate the cutting disc until the blade is visible from the feed hopper side.
4. Remove the bolts and nuts that fix the blade.
5. Remove dull or damaged knives. Inspect the cutting disk slot and mounting area for cleanliness and ensure knives will mount flush. Remount new or sharpened knives with edges facing up.

If the cutting disk surface is not cleaned properly and knives are not mounted flush, the knives could crack when hardware is tightened.

The clearance between knives and wear plate should be approximately 0.04 inch at the closest point to the rotor shaft and 0.12 inch at the farthest point. They are tapered slightly to allow for movement as the disk bites into wood.

Ensure all locknuts are tightened properly. Turn the cutting disk with a long wooden stick to ensure it rotates freely.

Belt Adjustment

The chipper belt should deflect 3/8" under three pounds of pressure. If not, adjust as follows:

1. Remove belt guard.
2. Loosen engine bolts.
3. Tighten or loosen the nut until correct tension is achieved (see fig. 1).
4. Retighten engine bolts.
5. Check alignment of the clutch with the drive pulley using a straight edge. If necessary, correct alignment by moving the rotor pulley on the rotor shaft. Do not adjust by moving the clutch on the engine shaft.
6. Replace belt guard.

Belt Replacement

1. To replace the belt, follow the belt adjustment directions.
2. After loosening engine bolts, remove old belts and replace with new ones. Always replace both belts as a matched set.
3. Set belt tension and alignment according to instructions.

NOTE: Check and re-tighten belts after the initial break-in period (one hour of use).

Centrifugal Clutch Tech Tips

Clutch shoes and springs are normal wear items. Replace if performance decreases. The clutch is designed for rugged service, providing load-free starting and allowing slippage under excessive overloading to protect the engine. Clutch power is from engine RPMs; lower engagement speed and higher maintained engine speed increase torque transfer. Do not operate at less than full RPMs.

At engine start-up, the engine operates under no load until approximately 1950-2150 RPMs, when the centrifugal clutch engages. Proper rotor speed is 2200 RPM ± 200 RPM at full engine RPM.

Do not tamper with the engine's governor setting, as it controls maximum safe operating speed and protects the engine. Over-speeding is dangerous and can cause damage. Consult an authorized dealer for governor adjustments.

Understand operating conditions and avoid those that can overload or damage the machine. Do not chip material beyond recommendations; this can cause injury or damage.

Learn to recognize the sound of an overloaded machine. If jammed, stop the machine immediately. If the machine jams and the engine is not stopped, it can burn the belt or ruin the clutch. Clutch damage is costly and not covered by warranty. Immediately shut off the machine if it becomes jammed.

Storage

If the Wood chipper will not be used for more than 30 days, prepare it for storage:

1. Drain the fuel tank completely. Stale fuel can clog the carburetor.
2. Start the engine and let it run until it stops to ensure no fuel remains in the carburetor.
3. Drain the oil from the engine while warm. Refill with recommended fresh oil.
4. Allow the engine to cool. Remove the spark plug and put 60 ml of SAE-30 engine oil into the cylinder. Pull the starter rope slowly to distribute oil. Replace the spark plug.

Remove the spark plug and drain all oil from the cylinder before attempting to start the unit after storage.

5. Clean the outside of the Wood chipper and keep air vents clear of obstructions with clean cloths.

Do not use strong detergents or petroleum-based cleaners on plastic parts.

6. Store the wood chipper upright in a clean, dry, well-ventilated building.

Do not store the wood chipper with fuel in a non-ventilated area where fumes could reach ignition sources.

Use only approved fuel containers.

Troubleshooting

Engine Fails to Start

Engine Runs Erratically

Engine Overheats

Chipping action seems too slow, cutting disk stalls, or no material is discharged when engine is running

The belt frays or rolls over the pulley

When chipping, branch seems to vibrate and move about excessively with unusual noise

Chipper Knives are hitting the wear plate

The machine's wheels track left or right while being towed