LGP Eddie

I haven't even got a copy myself now. I'm calling the Editor to get a few magazines and see if he will part with a digital copy. I'll let you know what I can get. Eddie.

Nice Two Piece Boom Kubota and Selector Grab, is it yours? Please Please, get some guarding on that front window! We are getting so close now to a real bad accident in the Industry caused by all the Grabs and Tree Shears going onto Excavators with no guarding, and sadly it will take such an event to bring the full weight to bear to enforce it. I know of one very lucky and one sadly not so lucky this last season. Eddie.

The Tree Brothers are literally just up the road from there with Towed and Tracked chippers. Seriously good lads who will work with you I'm certain. 07704498952 Matt or Dan. Eddie.

It's been a while since I posted up thoughts on 3 point linkage skidding winches, with much valuable input provided on what was good or not. It was for a project I had in mind that was a little different to the norm, and it finally had it's first shakedown today. Basically I wanted the ability to carry a decent size skidding winch not only on front and rear linkages of a Tractor, but also on the Kubota?? The simple fact is the Kubota will go where a Tractor won't even look at, usually without a mark, and has the ability of reaching up/down/around obstacles. I've basically had it all custom made by John Craig at JccEngcon, having done all the homework myself. I eventually chose a 6.5 tonne Tajfun from Kilworth, and Andy has been a brilliant help with the project. It's a fantastic unit with the unusual feature of dual PTO inputs, 540 standard plus 1000 reversed for Front linkages. I went full spec of powered upper pulley and radio remote, and two minutes today showed it was the right way to go. Greg's face was a picture when the rope started coming out at him! Basically to fit the Kubota a mounting has been made that has a Hydraulic Motor powered PTO, and the whole thing runs through my EC-Oil system including the electrics, so I can actually fit this in around 20 seconds from the cab when required then switch back to whatever attachment is required next. When not required on the machine it's a simple job to remove for Tractor use. There's just the Radio Remote to charge tonight, and it's all sorted hopefully, but working perfectly with the standard wander lead this afternoon. If anyone has a requirement for some winching where a Tractor simply won't go, or wants no impact, plus the ability to work over fences, down slopes etc, then let me know! Hopefully I'll get a video of it in action. Eddie.

I'll probably have enough numbers to fill a full day I'd imagine this time around, so count me in please. Eddie.

Near Junction 12? What size Volvo and was the small machine a yellow Komatsu? Eddie.

I've not seen it done afterwards, but there is machine I've seen with this as standard and it won't come to me? I have an old 3 tonne JCB in my mind? I'll ask John Craig his thoughts on this subject, as if anyone will know how to best prevent it he will. Eddie.

Thanks for all the replies so far and the PM's, this place is such a great resource. It's clear it's not going to be an easy task and I really need an Excavator base to eliminate the need to prove anchor points etc. It's a pretty odd application and will be a real showcase for someone if I can get the job. I'm certain there's one lurking out there somewhere that would like a couple of weeks holiday from the woods and they will get well looked after for their efforts. I'd like to see some pictures of the Doosan setup, that sounds handy? Eddie.

Just a thought, but how about getting the Idlers fitted with the rim of a sprocket to help keep a grip either end? Sprockets are cheap enough, and not a big job for a decent fabricator? You could fit guides, but it would need to be something sacrificial like nylon blocks to prevent them damaging the track. Eddie.

I'm looking for someone with a top notch Excavator based Skyline setup for an unusual project I'm pricing. Ideally 20 tonne plus base unit, as the main factor is the fully suspended load it can handle safely. This will be a very strict job in terms of safety etc and the need to keep downtime to minimum, hence wanting someone running a really nice tidy unit. The project will hopefully be mid summer, which will hopefully be a quieter time of interest for someone to bring one out of the woods for. The project is in North Staffordshire, but obviously such a unit is going to be from further afield, and should be around two weeks duration. Any recommendations/contacts much appreciated. Eddie.

Looking good Stephen, I bet you don't regret the decision to go with an Excavator to assist with projects? Just a few images of the Kubota out of Mulching clothes and now doing a bit of extraction on a thinning job. It makes the job easy, providing an obstacle free route for the Tracked Dumper, and loading it far quicker than it can utilising it's own crane. The Tracked Dumper really does work on the little and often principle, but if conditions allow it can still shift a worthwhile load with minimal impact. Eddie.

Forgot to add the last post was spot on with the 'Twin Blade'! Graveyard shift for Volvo EC20C | Construction Digger Blog | The Construction Index Eddie.

Simple fact on hard digging with a mini, the maximum breakout you can extract from it is forcing the boom down as hard as she'll have it within reason with the dipper extended and then crowding the bucket to scrape the teeth into the material. The blade being at the rear extends the pivot point of the machine considerably as it's trying to lift itself, hence extracting the maximum. Test it yourself? Blade out in front on a hard surface, apply downward pressure and you'll lift the machine up easily, spin around and now try to lift it with the blade at the rear. This will make it cough and some models with long blades simply won't lift? This is what keeps them bucket teeth tips forced down into the material, and utilising just the action of the powerful crowd ram, you're giving all it's got to whatever the hard obstacle is in the trench. Most assume wedge themselves in with the blade and pull at it, but the dipper is long and won't produce anywhere near as much force as the rough arsed method someone told me about above! If the going is really rough, generally it ends up a combination of the two methods to first loosen material and then dig it out. Eddie.

This is obviously an interesting thread for myself, and I'd say most are on the right lines. My own take on the Blade debate is there really isn't any right or wrong, you simply place it where is best for the specific task in hand. If someone pinned me down to a specific answer then the Blade should be at the front with the Travel motors at the rear wherever possible? The main factors are Safety, it is intuitive to push or pull the levers in the direction you wish to travel, but also should that bit of roundwood you are moving come crashing through the front window and pin against the levers, it will actually reverse you off, not drive you onto it. There have been some really serious accidents caused this way. Travel motors should always be to the rear with idlers at front wherever possible when tracking the machine, you get less track wear this way. However real world! Blade to the front when working on slopes to level yourself up a little, and also when digging on surfaces that may drag you towards the trench. If the blade cuts in during such instances, always reverse the machine a little when lifting the blade, or you will flip an ugly clod of material over every time. Blade to the rear when trenching if possible, it gives you better down the hole vision, and by sighting a reference point on the blade against a marked line or point in the distance it will help you keep straight when moving for the next pull. Blade to the rear will give you maximum downward force for digging hard ground also. Just one tip to try with the blade, if you wish to put a camber on a track or even just get an angle on the bucket, put the blade in front and raise the machine a decent distance off the ground. It's quite handy the amount of camber you can form this way. With regard to surface damage, the biggest mistake is the Train Drivers as I call them! 10 Acre field and 100 times up and down the same track marks! Simply stagger your track marks wherever possible over usually 3 runs, and keep tracking any little windrows back in to keep thing level. If you need to turn with no damage, the multiple turn is the best way given room to allow it. Just track and turn very gently at the same time in long runs, and don't allow the machine to turn at all whilst standing. I have to take my machine on a Premiership football team training pitch and complete these manoeuvres with the LGP pads, and trust me it can be done with great care, but one slip and the turf will roll up like a carpet! Lifting yourself around when turning is always a good policy, I think it's easier on everything really and shows you care. If conditions require it, any simple form of ply boards, matting, brash etc can help, but if you know it's top of the tracks time, use 3 or 4 sleepers to walk the machine around on. It's surprising how little effort this takes with practice to pick up the sleeper with the bucket and slew it around to place in front of yourself to move forward, and this will keep you safe and afloat in some trick going. All I can say is I've been in the seat now over 25 years, and every day is a School Day! You learn best from being around other Operators and taking note how they do things, but there is one simple fact, you can only learn in the Seat! Eddie.

The Two Piece Boom is fantastic in this work, allowing me to tuck in and under without doing damage to the surrounding trees. This place has been tight at times, and combined with the offset boom it's surprising just where you can get. How's the Neuson? I think they are about to really take off in the UK, having now established themselves firmly at Stafford with a new HQ, plus a few more dealers about. They look quality kit, not short of metal with plenty of auxiliary pipework available for attachments. I'll try to get a few images of the finish possible with the FAE, the client here wanted to reseed an area, so I simply spent a little extra time on it, then waited for a reasonable frost to track it in with the Kubota. He was made up, as there's nothing to do to it but put seed on it now! I like the Doosan, it should be a great setup when finished. I hear that the Seppi is very popular up north, who's the dealer? Eddie.

Just a few of the Mulching job I'm on at present with the Kubota. This is my second FAE head now and with the tweaks it's now got, it's proving to be a great bit of kit. The Kubota comes into it's own on this work to be honest. Eddie.

Here you go Stephen if you want maximum productivity and arm geometry try one of these! It isn't actually a stunt!! Hitachi manufacture them now as a rescue excavator for natural disasters or specialist demolition. [ame] [/ame] The more you look at Mecalac kit, we need a good UK dealer, they could be attractive at present with the Euro fairly weak. Eddie.

Purchase price, Rubber Tracks and who's backing it up are jumping out at me Stephen? Certainly a fantastic Niche machine I'm certain if you have a specific application? Eddie.

I've seen his setup on a low loader, plus witnessed these being demo'd in Sweden. They are awesome bits of kit, and they suit towing a bolster trailer very well as they have very powerful motors plus a high travel speed. The geometry of the arm is something else, plus the lift capacity is well in excess of a traditional excavator. Mecalac do a fantastic range of tremendously versatile machines, but sadly the price is the thing most people never look beyond in the UK? They had a good following on the Rail where the rates can provide the returns, but unless it's specialist it will be hard to get it above standard kit rate. I wouldn't know if they even have a UK Dealer now? Eddie.

Excavator and Grab makes the job easy, and I park some kit at a friends who does Firewood. When the Kubota comes in he's all smiles, as I simply can't track past the mess they get it in with a Kramer loader. Even a 5 tonner can do a pretty fair job of it to be honest. Size depends on what else you can utilise it for to be honest, no point in a 20 tonner about just to stack a bit of timber. Eddie.

Yes That's John (Roboplant) from the CE Forum. Top bloke, good friend and a convert to the Engcon now despite being an initial Steelwrist customer. John was running a 7 tonne JCB before he came and had a visit to a wetland clearance site I was undertaking and had the opportunity to play in his own time with an LGP Tiltrotator setup. One look at his Hitachi will show you he soon got a taste for it! John has carved a great niche in his area with the Tree Shear, but actually takes it all the way through now to an end product with the Mus-Max Biomass Chipper setup he's purchased. John has more than done his bit in the woods, and used to run a winching gang with a Muir Hill setup back in the day. John and myself are the friendliest of rivals, and well known for the banter between our different choice of manufacturers and attachments. What people don't see if the help and support we give each other freely off such Forums, and I hold John in highest regard. Eddie.

I had a quick Google who may do them your way and came up with this firm? Sarum Hardwood Structures: Timber bridges, boardwalks and hardwood mats Eddie.

Just try to hire 3 Timber Bog Mats they will carry that with absolutely no issues. You need the 150mm thick versions as these aren't crazy heavy and you will get 3 to site ok on a long enough Ifor Trailer behind a Landy. They skid easily like a sledge to get them down a site if you can't get the trailer to the crossing point. They come in 5 metre by 1 metre and usually hire at £5 per week. If you have a reasonably local supplier they can do the mats in a vast range of sizes and 6 metre long if you need it. You'll not damage them, and nobody will want to have them away either! Eddie.

What's the span? Eddie

Having been a look at nothing else, break me in two and would say Ifor Williams, like a stick of rock, I had a real shock a couple of weeks ago! A friend has bought a Bateson Plant trailer for a 2.5 tonne mini, and I hired the machine plus trailer for a couple of days. I will not be looking for another Ifor anytime soon! The difference in towing was unbelievable! None of the usual Ifor rattle going on, the trailer was brilliantly balanced and considerable thought had bee put into making it a perfect width for plant without being excessive like other manufacturers. Everything about it from bucket rest, lashing rings to ramp steady instead of prop stands was excellent, but the real shock was the price? Well under what I'd got it valued at? Well worth a look and they do a huge range of trailers, that I'd dismissed with my Ifor snobbery before. Brian James are beautiful trailers, but I suspect at a price to match that doesn't always reflect in resale like it does with an Ifor. Eddie.