LGP Eddie

I don't know if you have seen the Wacker Neuson ET20 VDS, but this would be one way around it without any mods. Other than that, yes modify the frame and don't spare the metal as any weight you add is all doing good down low. My own Kubota is incredible on side slopes, being widened, low ground pressure and a big winch in the frame all adding weight down low. [ame] [/ame] Eddie.

Just looking myself at present and shortlist started at Kubota U27-4 and Volvo Ecr25d, as I wanted reduced tail, but would tick any additional counterweight box which always adds a little. Kubota is total quality, extremely sought after and almost a no brainer purchase. However, sitting in the Volvo at 6' 4" and best described as fat, it was surprising how not only have they achieved a cab that is what some 5 toners have in terms of room, but a real set of track pedals that put many full size machines to shame. The Volvo also has the added benefit that two dual acting auxiliary circuits controlled by rollers on the joysticks are available from the factory, making for easy grab installation with excellent control. I'm going to get both on demo, but first impression and available spec, the Volvo is edging it. Kubota KX61 is totally bombproof, but always horrendously lively when trying to track carefully. Volvo Ec27 can be had with all the auxiliary pipework which is handy. If you're heading in the woods, the Yanmar has incredible ground clearance, and again great pipework options. Nothing wrong with Doosan, but price should reflect it'll be no Kubota come resale time. Eddie.

Hope you filled your boots, the blades will touch up with the grinder! Eddie.

Thanks, it's great when people see the images of what it was like before! An awful lot of thought has gone into this, as I've been and studied what others are using and hopefully raised the bar a bit with my own take on the attachments plus a few other mods. Liebherr and John Craig have put serious time into getting this just right, and the grapple saw really has pushed even John Craig pretty hard to get just right. I would have left the grapple saw with it, but this show was really for Liebherr to demonstrate the standard they can achieve refurbishing a used machine. It's home very shortly and the aim is to video it in action whilst looking A1, so hopefully it'll be worth sharing. After that it'll be available for work. Eddie.

Well spotted! Basically for absolute maximum height and reach, I can remove the actual Engcon Tiltrotator unit and go directly with the top quick hitch into the bottom position. This gives a worthwhile gain in forward reach and cutting height, with the bonus that 900kg of weight has been removed to counteract this. All this can be achieved without leaving the seat via the Engcon Ec-Oil connection system. To give some idea, the machine will handle around 1 tonne at full reach in the shear over the side in the configuration you see there, and more in the grapple saw. It's really a lot more compact than it would at first seem, and folds down superbly for transport, but once unfolded and cab set at a comfortable height, its some bit of kit and seriously quick too! Eddie.

Just a few images of the Liebherr which is making it's way back from it's final modifications by John Craig via a couple of shows. It's pictured here this week at the Hillhead Show Buxton. It's been away for final mods to the Engcon and Grapple Saw, plus a decent chunk of counterweight that I couldn't resist having a bit of fun with!:thumb up: Really looking forward to getting it back now, and doing a video whilst it's still very shiny! A few people around in the pics that give some scale. Eddie.

Worth asking I have something that would have sorted that with a bit of reasonable access. The working room would be ok. Eddie.

What's the access like into the garden, and is there much working room? Eddie.

Fuchs is simply brilliant, absolutely no reason for any mess or waste when greasing, higher pressure and pumps more each stroke. I actually run two with different grades for the Kubota and another for bits and pieces on the Liebherr that aren't on the autolube. A lot depends on how much grease you use and do you have a local stockist. Eddie.

Here's a video of the G coupler plenty swear by now. I use the Fuchs system myself. [ame] [/ame] Eddie.

If you want a third hand whilst greasing simply and cheaply, a lot of great reviews from guys using the 'G Coupler' connector on their ordinary grease gun setups. I went over to the Fuchs 'Reiner' system and never a greasy hand or wasted spot of grease since. Not the cheapest cartridges, but they hold more and you never waste any so that pulls a bit back. These come with top quality hose and connector that never seemingly needs holding on. Eddie.

That little trick machine would need to be a good earner, heading for 50k full spec I believe, but yes ultra versatile and a lot of job satisfaction I bet. A write up on one in this months Earthmovers magazine. The Hydradig is limited to 3.5tonne to hopefully keep it to attachments only not haulage, but expect to see tri axle low loaders with 13 tonne tracked machines or loaded dump trailers behind them, from the "it's ok around here" brigade. Eddie.

No it's a labour of love getting this one perfect as it's got quite a few never been done before things hanging off the end, and fair play to John Craig he's put serious work in to get it perfect. The machine was actually up in Scotland for a final modification which just happened to be around show time, so John took the opportunity to have it on the stand. No way a grapple saw should be working on a show stand in that environment with people standing next to it, and the other guys operating one on site should have known an awful lot better than that! Next job on it's return is a professional promotional film of it's capabilities, and the search is on at present for a suitable site to film on. Hard to find a site to showcase it that will be ok with the messing about that filming will require, so it looks likely someone will be getting a chunk of work done at absolute minimal cost if they are accommodating. Hopefully after that a Demo Day for interested parties. I'm really looking forward to it coming home in around a weeks time now, and being totally ready for action! Eddie.

It's been a mad few weeks, with a visit to what is possibly an event beyond words, the Bauma Machinery show in Munich, and then a couple of days at Scotplant where the Liebherr made an appearance on the JCC Engcon Stand. Bauma was a real eye opener, and I got the first opportunity to run up the steps of the much anticipated JCB Hydradig. It really is some concept this machine, and it will certainly change all manufacturers thinking for wheeled excavators going forward. Did I rate it? Yes it was certainly on another level from present JCB offerings and just the cab environment alone was worthy of much praise. I'm off to try one Thursday, so I'll see what it actually performs like in the flesh. This really caught my eye as I've been waiting for this to land from Engcon having seen the prototype last year. Basically Engcon have made the Integral Gripper into a separate unit that can be removed easily when required to save weight or reduce size when in confined trenches, but it has brought with it some added benefits. The connection point is similar to their current EC-Oil system, so there is now nothing stopping anyone coming up with attachments to fit directly onto here and have two double acting circuits plus probably electrics to power them. What these attachments could be is really down to the users applications, but the one Engcon have showcased first is a cable brush. Not really for guys on here, just look at the mounting point being ideal for other toys! [ame] [/ame] Eddie.

Personally I'd give an excavator with a decent rotating grab setup a go for a few days? Plenty of guys have gone this route and found it an extremely cost effective piece of kit to have about. Your crane budget would pretty much get you going with one and with nothing being special build the excavator will lose very little money. Obviously I'm totally biased to excavators but they really can do some work for little money, and even a nice 1.5 tonne machine setup can move serious pieces of timber. Eddie.

Absolutely no issues for me around here, and I'd say we're blessed with some top guys with such a broad range of kit that are totally trustworthy in terms of simply coming in to do their special bit and go again. I do an awful lot of my work on this basis, just hired to do some special aspect and then gone again, part of the reason none of my kit is ever sign written. Eddie.

Just putting the feelers out in the usual places as i have an fairly urgent need for a Fixed Tooth Mulching Head to fit either a 16 or 20 tonne excavator, the carriers available are 160 Volvo or 320 CAT. Walking leg would be preferable. I will be operating it myself so I'd like to think it's in fairly safe hands. Thanks. Eddie.

Absolutely nothing to worry about in the 5 tonne class Kubota range that's for certain, and the 8 tonne version is simply a marmite case, some love them others not? A U55 in L spec would give you the twin dual acting proportional circuits you require for the grab nicely operated on the levers, and air con. If you don't mind a bit of tail the Kx57-4 in L version is the ultimate pocket rocket, and I'd have no hesitation in buying another. Loads of good kit about now in this size from a range of manufacturers and plenty of deals to be had. Eddie.

We were only talking Tilt Bucket, not Tiltrotator!! Pretty much everything is dual piped on the auxiliary these days, and a Tilt Bucket really isn't a huge investment that will pay back from the second you begin to use it, in many small ways that add up to real savings fast. Scandinavia is easily 5 years plus ahead still, but the UK is catching up very fast! Eddie.

It wasn't intended to be, but the fact it's hopefully heading north this week to John Craig for a finishing touch, may actually make it available should John wish to have it on his stand there. Eddie.

Hopefully this works! Just a quick clip of the Hultdins Grapple Saw running under the Engcon on the Liebherr. To say this has been a challenge for John Craig would be an understatement, but it's hopefully cracked now and I can look forward to hose free unrestricted operation going forward. This setup is unique in that it has a Twin Engcon Ec-Oil setup, that allows me to change it from Horizontal processing/handling to Vertical felling position without leaving the cab. I'm looking forward to getting it shaken down and out to work now. It's set with the bar feed a little slow, and the short 90cm bar whilst we are just playing with it here. [ame] [/ame] Eddie.

I believe Geith have done a bit of work on this after feedback through Highland Hammers on the smaller buckets, and the larger versions pipework you see on the Volvo was the best setup I've seen yet in terms of routing. It even came with flow reducing valves incorporated as standard, which makes it a two minute task to dial the speed in to your own preference. I wouldn't expect the small buckets to come with this, but they are easily added just by the quick release fittings if the buckets are a bit lively! A nice model for smaller machines is the genuine CAT Bucket, which are particularly well finished off. Eddie.

Here's a friends two Geith items on his 1.5 and 3 tonne Kubota's and they look deep enough profile as it is to me? Eddie.

You get that Tilt Bucket and paint your own! Single ram is plenty on a 3 tonne, I suppose it's the usual case of get what you pay for, but plenty to choose from. Nothing really to look out for apart from asking if any of the pivots have replaceable bushes, as obviously this can make keeping everything in top condition a lot easier and cheaper. Eddie.

Just come onto Mascus, what a line up of what is without question one of the best machines you could choose for arb/forestry work if you can move it about. These are Bombproof! Kubota KX161-3 Chelmsford, Essex, UK Mini excavators < 7t (Mini diggers), Year of manufacture: 2008 - Mascus UK Eddie.