LGP Eddie

I have no issue with whatever tyres people run or why, but I'd rather hear practical experiences of how they perform/handle, than a veiled pop at people who decide to choose the Bf option. The Bf's have nothing to prove to anyone in my experience, and if others match or exceed them they are also very good tyres. Who give a toss if there's writing on the side or not when you're trying to drag your Ifor across a wet field? I was given the option of lettering in or out on my Bf Mud terrains. Eddie.

What is it with Coopers, don't people want to pay the extra to get Bf Goodrich? Each to their own I think? Eddie.

No need whatsoever for the CPCS card to operate a machine. That is the simple truth, the reality is far from it? Basically as with any machinery the worst case scenario is when it all goes badly wrong, and you plus the person engaging your services would be tasked in proving you had adequate training and were competent to operate the machine. How anyone wishes to do this is up to them? You could call upon person after person to vouch and provide evidence of previous work etc, until they were satisfied, or you could simply reach for your CPCS card with the correct category for the machine, job done? Anything in between is really all down to where you are working and what their policy is? Insurance may play a part in insisting that a particular type of training is held also. The other forms can be other mainstream schemes like NPORS or FMOC, but In House training from a reputable trainer is perfectly acceptable if the person engaging you is happy to accept that. Always get backed by a reputable training provider, as these will have to prove their competence to train plus evidence they undertook yours. Just out of interest the CPCS cartel stronghold has recently been broken with all major contractors agreeing to accept NPORS scheme cards on their sites as equal to CPCS. This should finally bring a little competition to the marketplace and end the conveyor belt of price hikes and changes to keep trainers in work. If you're going the whole hog I'd advise CPCS still, but nothing wrong with a decent training provider doing you in house at a huge cost saving. Eddie.

This has been covered quite a few times and there is pretty much a 50/50 split as to which way you do it? No Right or Wrong in my eyes, as some prefer the extra control available through the bucket circuit to be utilised for the rotate which can be fierce, and utilise the pedal for the grab. The more logical in my opinion is the grab on the bucket circuit, and to utilise a two way hammer/shear circuit for the rotate, but again just my preference. It's all pretty straightforward, you just need to ensure the Hammer circuit is in fact two way, or you could run into additional hassles. These will change the game a bit for a few, they are reasonably cheap adjustable flow valves that will allow setups to be fine tuned to give very precise control. from the reports they are very good and at the price worth a look? FLOW CONTROL VALVES WITHOUT CHECK As for rotate power, you should have no power issues whatsoever for what you're describing? Eddie.

Lee, i know exactly where you're coming from, it's just with a step back and rethink you could be into a nice KX161-3 for pretty much the same money, and she'll be almost ready to go? The kx161-3 is totally bombproof and would in reality perform just as well as the Hitachi you have on the average tree work. No issues whatsoever with the unit you have bought, and someone who has more applications demanding the parallel offset would be well happy to take it off you. You're spot on about targeting trustworthy local guys who simply don't want the hassle of opening accounts etc for a simple day or two's hire, but just watch the insurance side and everyone is clear who's paying what from the outset. The very best of luck with it all and you can always PM me if you want any advice. Eddie.

Being brutally honest Lee, I'd tell you to just take a little step back and have a realistic look at the carrier unit you have chosen? That is a very tidy example you have there, and no doubt the fact it has the zero swing is a big attraction for the type of applications you are talking about. However the parallel offset boom, really is quite specialist, and of absolutely no value in the environment you are considering targeting the machine at. This boom will give reduced reach and lift capacity, combined with an awkward dipper ram that will be vulnerable. Setting up of any auxiliary pipework properly is an expensive job, but having to configure around the parallel boom will make it even harder, plus if you really want to go the Mulcher route, that will involve even more pipework for the case drain. Straightforward advice is let her go, she's a tidy example and you'll not struggle to move it I'm certain? For a toe into this job you need to be thinking along the lines of the tidiest lowest houred Kubota KX161-3 or if you want the bigger one get a KX080-3 that you can afford? Others will advise their favoured manufacturers and I have plenty of other candidates myself, but I'll just add why the Kubota. Basically if you get the ones with the two double acting circuits, one of which is already proportional, then you are pretty much good to go? Adding a case drain is easy on them too especially on the KX080-3 where pretty much a factory looking install is possible at minimal cost. The Kubota's are very strong, well proven, popular with operators, very reliable, and have good residual value. For your attachments, try to skip all the Grapples and cut straight to the Selector Grab. Once tried people never look back, and this will immediately give the machine a real value to people on projects. Grapples are fine in some situations, but the comparison to being able to have a full range of movements plus rotate is night and day. The selector grab will get you straight up and running into the job. Stephen Blair is a perfect example on this thread of buying a well setup carrier then Selector Grab from the off, and look at the work he is achieving. Tree Shears are another subject altogether, and you'd need to tell me more of your applications for my opinion on them? Mulchers are another game altogether? Some just go down the converted Hedgecutter Flail head route, but to get into a full Mulching Setup is going to cost, and not something to be sending out just to anyone. Guarding is simple enough, it just depends on what degree you wish to take it? My own Kubota would come under pretty much bombproof with full guarding plus all the belly plates thickened and a Marguard Windscreen for the Mulcher or Harvesting Head. I'd suggest a very tidy cab frame with top guard and front screen could be easily achievable, and I know of a few companies who would be ideal for this. As for getting qualified, you really need to get yourself a CPCS card to operate the machine. Some may say other schemes but the CPCS is the one almost universally accepted, and I really can't see you being on Forestry Commission sites to require FMOC training. Cost of this will depend mostly on your previous experience. Plenty of training places to attend, we have a great one down in the Staffordshire Moorlands I can put you in touch with, but a day out to see my Kubota and try all the attachments you're thinking of may be just as valuable to add to your training. Obviously this is all just my opinion, but I do think you can save yourself an awful lot of time and hassle in machine preparation, by simply buying well, then having it go pretty much straight to work able to hopefully meet or exceed your clients expectations. Eddie.

I've asked the question, so hopefully we'll get a link. Eddie.

I'm certain you could get a very cost effective solution with a Farma crane? They do a huge range at a decent price and I would be confident they would get the job done. A TP isn't going to be needing a crane in the full scale biomass chipper league? Eddie.

This exact subject came up on the Construction Equipment Forum, and the guys there went for some cow mats working out at approx £30 each. From the look of it they were pretty flexible, easy to handle and hard wearing. The main consensus was they would last and last unlike the more traditional plywood route. There were some images of a 3 tonne Excavator working on a lawn and they seem to be working well? I can try and to find out exactly which supplier they were using if anyone is interested. Eddie.

Lee, are you going to operate this machine yourself, or offer it self drive also? Do you have any of the mentioned attachments already? Eddie.

It'll cope easily with something like Kesla Stroke Head with limited production, but for a decent Roller Head setup you need to be at least in the 13 tonne class really in my opinion. This is a real all rounder that will access difficult sites and get a huge amount of work done. The FAE Mulching head was 1.25m wide fixed tooth. Eddie.

No it never had a Harvesting Head on it , but was very capable with an FAE Mulcher. The winch is Superwinch H30p (biggest they did until recently), not fast, but extremely powerful.(13,000kg straight line pull) It's specced for recovery really but we found it brilliant for big windblow and the like. Plenty of cable on it approx 70metre of 19mm, but you'll know you've dragged it out! It never failed to return to the digger with whatever we hooked it to! The machine was totally spoilt in every way, serviced at half intervals, always genuine Kubota parts and Fuchs Planto oils. New Berco track chains had been fitted approx 300hrs prior to sale by MST tracks, and a few suspect rollers replaced, so undercarriage is perfect. I think the new owner had only done approx 30hrs on it all summer? There is all the buckets, Engcon Grading Bucket, Engcon Selector Grab and loads of bits and pieces with it. It filled the low loader with attachments when it went! Eddie.

Not me selling so I assume it's ok to post a link up, as I spotted it had gone up for sale today via Twitter. This was my original LGP Kubota, sold earlier this year by me but never even advertised, but the owner sadly never even put her to work. If anyone has a genuine interest and wants to know anything then just PM me and I can fill you in on any aspect better than anyone. I in all honesty should never have parted with it, but that's how it goes sometimes and the only way is supposed to be forwards. You'll not get a better 8 tonner! Plant Machinery, Construction Equipment, Excavators, Heavy Plant Sales - Sandhill Plant Eddie.

Looks really tidy, many congratulations, I'm certain it's going to be a very handy bit of kit. I can't make up my mind on the new Green theme though? Eddie.

I'd have said that for many on here in their applications they would require some form of Training Testing for a Tractor and Loader setup? It all really comes back down to the simple fact if it all goes wrong you're in the dock trying to prove that someone was competent to operate that bit of kit? Just an In House ticket is all that is required from a qualified and reputable trainer, as it them who will then have to prove their training competence? No need for any LANTRA, CPCS or whatever unless your insurance or possibly clients were to stipulate this? Yes I know it's just all covering your arse in most instances, but just because it's a Tractor or Agricultural doesn't mean it exempt from the obligation to keep people safe. Eddie.

I've found a few more, the fourth down with the red trailer is some sort of setup! Used a-mag machines - -> milling and spreading technology since 1966 Eddie.

A lot of focus on the Mogs off road ability? I'd say that beast would be in a different league come to pulling/powering attachments or road haulage? You could get some sort of chip box and chipper on that too! I think the Forklift mast cab setup needs the gas axe on it! Give us a call if you get your Mog's stuck I'll winch them out with the Kubota! Eddie.

I had to lie down when I saw this beauty! ESCHLBÖCK MAN Multifunctionstrac MFT wood chipper from Germany, sale, buy, price, FJ5531 That is some serious PTO power! Eddie.

Oh yes absolutely, they can work in approx 2 metres of water!! I was just meaning from a point of view of my own applications, where sometimes making virtually a mark isn't an option, and in conditions you'd perhaps be just struggling to walk across, the Menzi would undoubtedly get there with no issues, but would make a much greater impact. Horses for courses, but Menzi have something on the way which will remove this issue completely too. Eddie.

Tom Lomax of Exc@v8 Total Plant Solutions, he is a top guy and truly passionate about the Menzi concept. He's got a few out the door now, and they're finally starting to catch a lot of attention from prospective users. This one has been doing a lot of tree shearing and can do up to 18" stuff at an incredible rate. Eddie.

It's just a little over 10 tonnes in weight, with reach as much as a 20 tonner and has a lift capacity approaching a 30 tonne machine!! These are designed to handle and power big attachments, and I can vouch I've never seen anything like this on a Mulcher! In the right hands the terrain these can safely negotiate is unreal, but I did obviously pick up on the fact it wouldn't follow my Kubota far on a very wet site! Eddie.

It was asked how the 8 tonner gets moved so I took a quick photo this morning. Well I've probably got the Ultimate Arb Digger working for me this week! Those who watched the video of me on the Long reach and Mulcher setup recently will perhaps recognise the project, and I was really paving the way for this machine to do some of the trickier stuff. These machines are simply incredible, and the owner Sean is a top guy to deal with. It's running a huge FAE flail reserved for much larger machines, but the Menzi is designed to run and handle such attachments with ease. To hear it Mulching is unreal? Only running at 1850rpm on the engine, but the Mulcher simply never slows whatever the loading! Serious performance! These Menzi are ultra specialist, but boy can they get the job done! Eddie.

The brackets are for a proposed gripper to hold stuff you're cutting (still a prototype) and the blades made top notch Hardox, properly sharpened by an engineering company. The cylinders, are spot on for the job, not ridiculously slow, but boy does she cut for a little un! I put it on some 14" stuff and it just bit out every last piece it could grab from it! Like I say it's all a bit under wraps, well perhaps I've knackered that up a bit, but scope for any option wished for to be added at this stage really? Eddie.

It's still a prototype, but you may just see the very tips of the blades are left as square not sharpened, and allow just what you describe, to simply pinch stuff to move and stack. I was lifting the big piece over the fence in this way in the picture. It's got a great potential, and to be honest is a lot of cut for a small machine? One guy could seriously drop some stuff in a day with this and on clearance work the shear can get really flush to the floor. You could do a great job of the field margins for Silage trailers etc. Eddie.

Well, I called up a mates place today where he'd got a new bit of kit dropped off to demo and give his input? Shaun runs a lovely setup being a Komatsu PC27mr with an Engcon Tiltrotator setup, plus a large range of attachments, and this was a Tree shear being developed just for this size of machine which I know is a popular size with people on here? It's branded as Hurricane, and will I expect be the first of a range? I was mightily impressed by the shear, being very light in weight, good geometry, and extremely impressive cutting power. It provided just enough extra reach to be really useful, and was well within the machines capabilities. Obviously the Tiltrotator is the perfect match, allowing rotation plus angling to get maximum effect, but I assume this will eventually be available with rotation for standard machines. It handled anything you could put into it, with the occasional few nibbles required on 10" stuff, but real world 8" cutting capacity on a 3 tonne machine is pretty good going really? Seriously handy for a bit of trimming around field margins, but Shaun and myself had great fun doing a bit of lazy man's logging just to try her out. A nice bit of kit! If anyone was interested I can find out more? Eddie.