LGP Eddie

Depth helps to grab a bit of extra reach, angle makes it easier to crowd the head vertical closer in. Eddie.

So many options now where do you start? Quite simply what do you want from a Shear? Do you want it to cut and 100% Hold for safety, or are you happy to have a small percentage of material get away from you? What do you intend to cut and where are you mainly cutting? Sounds daft but if you’re on clearance work you’ll literally want everything off at the bottom end of, for Farm type work a lot is trimming or topping. How much much manipulation do you want? You can have a fixed Shear that will do an awful lot, especially if you’re just hitting everything at the bottom, but there’s a huge choice of ways to give more angle of tilt of even 360 rotation. Collector? Do you do a lot of small material you wish to gather together for easier handling after, and reduce the need to slew, drop and return from every tiny piece. Weight? Load chart legal or simply does it feel ok and crack on, everyone will have an opinion on how different machine/shear combination will feel when operated. Price/parts? At the basic end you literally shouldn’t have to pay a huge amount to get some serious productivity and literally no parts should be required. Go to the top end, simply eye watering price and if the rotate shits itself, seriously long faces all round! Dealer? You happy enough for it to land on a Pallet, have someone to pipe it and do the essential pressure test to get it dialled in 100% or do you want the full service of a site install. Training/Guarding, only joking what’s that all about, crack on and post your biggest cut up on Instagram, but extra marks for door/front and top window open!? Here’s my own personal list: Cut and Drop only, you’ll never beat the Exac-One cutting unit, it’ll go way over rated capacity with absolute ease, great manipulation and can process stuff brilliantly in the right hands. TMK, I really rate them, so many options including the automatic collector, and you can get rams to properly suit the pressures you have. Essential these are setup on the machine with a Pressure tester. Hans Habbig, expensive, top quality, average in terms of cut capacity, but fantastic in terms of safe hold. Intermercato, the T-Cut have really moved these on, you can now cut either side of the blade, they give a large grab area and are absolutely bombproof build even if you may need to carry spare blade bolts. I sell these and guys love them, but I don’t own one as my work is more specific. Westtech, the ‘C’ series Westtech are hugely expensive for a reason, they’re top quality, will cut anything you can get in them, but you’ll pay if you break it! These are ones I’ve used enough to comment or own/sell, there’s so many more but the dark horse is 100% the Terra Tech. If you want in at the bottom biggest cut for you cash, I don’t think you’ll beat them. I’d say they combine Exac-One type cut where you’ll pinch a bit more than capacity easily and should hold as well as a Westtech. So many out there, if it works for you that’s all that matters. Demo/Hire to buy your shortlist of prospective Shears. Ask lots of questions about Rotators if fitted and Warranty of them. Do yourself a favour, budget for a bit of guarding, ( Yes I 100% agree that most decent Ag/Forestry fabricators can do a better job than factory Excavator items, don’t get hung up on it being tested, at least sit yourself behind something properly constructed than nothing) and keep the door shut, you’ll only bend one once and it’ll cost a lot! Eddie.

First job is to ask JCB how much to upgrade what pipework you’ve currently got to a 5cx Wastemaster type setup. Basically this gives you a two way auxiliary circuit that is operable in conjunction with the extending dipper for attachments like the Jaw Bucket, Tilt Bucket and in this case a Shear. You can see the extra pipework here and how it sits extended and retracted. There’s also an image of a 5cx with the twin auxiliary circuits that will run a full rotating grab setup or the like in conjunction with the extender. If you watch the short video at around 1.20 is what you’re trying to achieve basically, in this case running a Jaw Bucket. Handy if you set it up properly, as good power and reach available. Eddie.

You would need to let me know what controls you currently have? Sticks or Servos, Foot pedal or Roller for Extending Dipper? Eddie.

Various options are available depending on your application. I specialise in high compliance or short window of time applications as that’s where this machine comes into its own. Minimum hire refers to the fact I’m prepared to turn the machine out for single day hires, where it’s use under possessions or closures can have huge benefits over simply trying to flood a job with men. This was a single day under a road closure and Powerlines being dropped. In and out, Hans Habbig Shear, Grapple Saw under the Engcon and last step cuts by hand. All laid out for following Biomass Chipper guys. Gives some idea of what it can achieve in a short window. Before After Eddie.

Big Feller Repowered, back doing it’s thing. Available nationwide, no minimum hire. Eddie 4583F93D-8837-4ACA-BEC0-B07C6A874D11.MP4 E89694DF-389B-47D1-9EDE-9D74413549BF.MP4

Oh really? So why was I able to give guys Matthew Johnson’s contact details to buy it direct before Ross from Sandhill Plant beat everyone to it? 2k change actually! Eddie.

Shaun Gratton is now on board with Rototilt covering the North of England and Wales. He's very experienced in this end of the market from running his own full Komatsu setups, and is assembling somewhat of an in house dream team in terms of installation and backup for Rototilt UK at present. With Molson now supplying SMP units directly in a 'one stop shop' format and Kinshoffer with some superb looking next generation NOX units launched at Bauma, it's going to be a real battle on the Tiltrotator front this year. Plantworx show is coming soon, that's going to be the place to buy. Shaun Gratton 07779 332167 Eddie.

Where you based? Eddie.

The Kx030-4 is what I recommend to guys calling me for solutions in this class. Rototilt R1 is the only thing to put on the end of it in my opinion, it has this class sewn up and the option of a removable gripper. The Takeuchi TB225 is the other main contender and makes for easy legal towing with a good range of attachments. Both these machines will command top prices used guaranteed if looked after. Eddie.

I always say Kubota Kx161-3, brilliant in its day and a few days before Christmas on one confirmed they’re just as current and capable now. Steel tracks if you can drop on one. It’s a lot to do with what budget you have to spend, and what’s about at the time. Eddie.

Can’t say I didn’t give you a heads up. Dealer snapped it up, now on Mascus. https://www.mascus.co.uk/construction/used-mini-diggers-excavators-7/kubota-u-48-4/0ish0dxd.html Eddie.

This might loosen it!? Eddie.

I’d just opt for a bolt on top bracket, as in the sizes you’re talking it’s really not going to be huge money to have a few made up to fit the various machines you’ll be thinking of using. I can source them for you if you’re stuck around £120-£170. Loose pins slightly more. Things can be shared using different hole sizes and ‘dog bone’ pins to reduce the size and keep the Dipper arm central, mainly working for the 13 tonne and 20 tonne class, as they’re almost standard at 65 and 80 mm pins. In the 5, 6 and 8 tonne class you’ll vary from 40 to 60 mm and because many quick hitches simply won’t have the ability to cope with multiple pin centres due to their size, you’ll need an accurate fit. This is a typical 13/20 tonne multi pickup top, you’ll see the ‘dog bone’ pin fitted for when using it on 65mm pins. Almost all 13 and 20 tonne hitches are what’s called multiple centre and will cope with a fair range of difference to pick up attachments from other brands. Eddie.

It's their type of road construction that has a very wide drainage ditches, often in the central reservation that suits this type of machine. Long transport distances need to be covered, but once on site they can use the telescope to grade like a long reach machine. The Tracked carrier they do is a different proposition and I've actually looked at these myself for certain applications. Eddie.

Fairly simple because it’s wank, just look at the clumsy thing, you’d need 10 acre to turn it around! Eddie.

I believe it’s all Parker Hydraulics, mini Joysticks and a real trick setup. Absolute fingertip stuff, effortless. However if you’re a bit bored just get out for a stroll and do it all Radio Remote, and if it’s lunchtime just knock a sandwich up whilst you’re at it!? Eddie.

I was lucky enough to have a go on one out in Sweden, nothing I’ve ever used comes close to the feel and precision of the hydraulics in them. Absolute powerhouse of a thing. To get as good as this guy could take more than a few shifts! Eddie.

Just a couple more images of that U48 Kubota and Engcon setup. He looks after his kit, and is actually going to a new Kobelco SK75 setup with Fixed Boom and Engcon, as interestingly he says he can’t remember the last time he used offset once the Engcon was fitted. Eddie.

Because that’s the nature of the game with a Backhoe, Versatility is what they’re about. Back in the day we’d be tramping about with that and the essential Hydraulic Breaker, you’d be amazed how much utilisation the Breakers would get, Backhoe’s are great carriers for them. Not forgetting all the 25ltr diesel drums that would be slipped into the Buckets carried in the front too, so you could last a few days. Looking great Stephen, you know you’re now going to be everyone’s mate local now, with “can you just nip up on the weekend” ? Eddie.

Somewhere in the middle the two will eventually meet! High speed Rubber Tracks! Eddie.

Here you go Stephen, set of duals on it and forget the tracks altogether! Eddie.

Can’t argue there, I’m a KX57 man all day long, but some like and need that reduced tail. Big J territory machine! Eddie.

I know it’s not the correct route, but this is an exceptional machine that’s coming up from the very best of homes for a genuine reason and I’m certain it’s a setup that quite a few here could make full use of. The main point is this has a Full Control System on the Engcon so will run a Grab correctly with the ability to Tilt/Rotate and Grab at the same time with no changeover required. Kubota U48-4 2017 with only 780hrs. Engcon Ec05 with SVAB Controls He has an absolute field full of attachments and the possibility of switching it to Steel Tracks if required. He’s looking around 35k. DM me. Eddie.