You don’t always need to go big to get the job done. Whether you are working in a confined space, tackling tricky terrain or on a sensitive site, this month’s Buyer’s Guide brings you the latest on small-scale equipment for woodland management.
We have split 2024's guide into two parts. You can read Part II here.
PRICE TURFCARE
VENTRAC
THE latest attachments launched by Ventrac are the KM100 Rock Bucket with Grapple and the KM300 Log Grapple. When mounted on the 4520 tractor, they create an agile, powerful and surface-friendly mobile unit for woodland management on estates and golf courses, in parks, and municipalities.
The KM100 Rock Bucket with Grapple can transport anything from whole logs to loose debris. It will sift large rocks from dirt and surrounding material. The independent top grapples effectively trap odd-shaped materials, grasping the load with multiple clamping points for transport.
The KM300 Log Grapple is a highly manoeuvrable way to transport whole logs. This time-saving capability means less log-cutting and fewer trips in and out of a work area. The log grapple allows users to place logs directly into a chipper or the back of a trailer with ease. In addition, the Log Grapple can secure whole logs, clusters of large branches, and material sized for the wood chipper.
These new additions complement the recently revised KC220 Stump Grinder, which makes quick work of unwanted stumps and roots. Heavy-duty replaceable carbide cutting teeth on a large 56 cm (22”) diameter rotor remove large or small stumps.
The light footprint and manoeuvrability of the Ventrac, with its central pivot and oscillating frame, allow the machine to access woodland areas that larger machines cannot reach.
The HQ682 Tough Cut deck attachment has been specifically designed for knocking down heavy brush. Able to work on slopes of up to 30 degrees, it can take down saplings up to 2.54 cm (1”) in diameter and makes short work out of overgrown thickets. It has three cutting heights: 76 mm, 92 mm and 108 mm.
And finally, the ET202 Turbine blower makes quick work of any clean-up job; it’s designed to move large volumes of air and is much quieter than conventional debris blowers. The powerful front discharge nozzle can be hydraulically rotated through 360 degrees from the operator’s seat, and a front bumper protects the nozzle from damage.
www.priceturfcare.com
BOBCAT
M AND R SERIES
THE Bobcat compact track loader range comprises two series of machines – the M-Series and the R-Series.
The M-Series comprises the smaller T450 (2,961 kg) and T590 (3,664 kg) models, combining excellent stability and traction with a robust build for maximum reliability. Key features of the T450 and T590 include their advanced attachment capability, compact dimensions and low ground pressure.
The R-Series range comprises the larger T66 (4,296 kg), T76 (5,051 kg) and T86 (5,643 kg) models, providing Bobcat’s most capable compact track loaders with unparalleled operator comfort and performance. As well as the superior working environment for the operator, the T66, T76 and T86 offer high tipping loads and best-in-class dump heights.
The T86 R-Series compact track loader is the most powerful compact loader ever built by Bobcat, providing even more versatility as both a tool carrier and a workhorse. The T86 uses a well-proven Stage V compliant 3.4 l Bobcat engine – producing 78 kW (105 hp) at 2,600 rpm.
www.bobcat.com
FARMA
FARMA Classic in sizes 6–8 tonnes are lumber trailers made to give you as a user the best overall economy, and to create a sustainable overall solution – year after year. Through a new design and a reinforced crane podium, the trailers can now be equipped with longer cranes.
Farma T6 can be equipped with cranes from C 3.8 up to the impressive C 5.0 X-CEL that lifts 560 kg on full reach. The Farma trailers T7 and T8 have also received the same remake and are now available with cranes up to C5.3 on the T7 and the C 6.3 crane on the T8.
Farma is a family-owned brand where the trailer was originally designed by the founder, Leif Fors. Leif’s greatest passion in life was to spend his time in his forest. To guarantee an understanding of the needs of its customers, all of its forest engineers own and manage their own forest, and all of Farma’s products are tested on the family estate.
With Farma you can rely on a business partner that delivers a complete solution for our customers.
www.forsmw.com/en
DEVELON
DX160HT-7K 17
DEVELON has launched the new DX160HT-7K 17-tonne high track crawler model, powered by the D34 four-cylinder Stage V diesel engine providing 86 kW (115 hp) of power at 2,000 rpm. The new DX160HT-7K model is designed to meet the needs of customers requiring a combination of higher ground clearance, a reinforced track frame and a strong traction system with reinforced upper rollers for work in harsh environments and on projects where larger travelling distances are involved.
Replacing the previous DX160HT-7 model, the new machine incorporates many improvements that enhance safety and convenience both for the operator and for working on site, together with a better operator experience, particularly from a maintenance point of view. The main improvements on the new DX160HT-7K model include:
• Better maintenance access
• Safer access to the upper structure
• Better rear visibility
• Better right-side visibility
• New dashboard with tablet design, offering faster response
For more, visit the website: https://eu.develon-ce.com/en
STIHL
HTA 150
STIHL has launched a new professional battery-powered pole pruner, offering greater cordless performance than ever before. The HTA 150 belongs to the AP System, offering professional foresters and arborists maximum efficiency with lightweight operability and unrivalled power.
The HTA 150 offers an incredibly high power output of 1.4 kW, the same at the petrol-powered HT 135 pole pruner and 0.3 kW higher than the battery-powered HTA 135. Elite performance is guaranteed with a powerful and low-maintenance EC motor that allows for cutting through large branches with ease in forestry and arboriculture applications.
READ MORE OF OUR BUYER'S GUIDES HERE
At 196 cm, the HTA 150 offers a short, fixed-length shaft which is ideal for thinning work in young stands, and its magnesium gearbox means it’s lightweight and easy to manoeuvre into the desired position for precision. Additionally, the design of the sprocket cover is optimised to promote efficient ejection of shavings for further productivity.
www.stihl.co.uk
TREADLIGHT
WINCHES
BATTERY-POWERED chainsaws have been making significant inroads into the chainsaw market for a number of years and now it is the turn of the battery-powered capstan winch.
Portable, battery-powered capstan winches are the perfect machines for undertaking small-scale forestry work. They are both low cost and low impact, which are often key requirements.
The advantages of battery-powered capstan winches over their petrol-powered cousins are numerous. They are quiet in operation, meaning you have a better awareness of your surroundings, which makes them safer to operate. They produce zero emissions which is better for the environment and healthier for the operator.
They also eliminate the potential for spills and other hazards while refuelling.
So what are the disadvantages? Well, not many. The battery-powered winches are every bit as powerful as the petrol equivalent. Yes, you have to recharge, but the capacity of the lithium batteries is generous.
There are currently two battery-powered capstan winches available.
The PWC3000-Li was the first portable battery capstan winch on the UK market. It is manufactured by the Portable Winch Company in Canada. Its lithium battery-powered electric motor can generate 1,000 kg of straight-line pull and it weighs only 12 kg.
The EDER 1200 Battery is brand-new to the UK market and is manufactured by the EDER company in Germany. EDER has combined its versatile EDER 1200 winch with a Stihl battery-powered motor. This combination generates 1,200 kg of straight-line pull, and it weighs 12 kg without the battery. It has a built-in brake and automatic throttle. The AP batteries from Stihl are lightweight 36 V lithium-ion batteries that are compatible with the STIHL AP System of cordless tools, including hedge trimmers, chainsaws, grass trimmers, pole pruners, leaf blowers and lawn mowers.
For more information, contact Treadlight Forestry on 01824 538638 or email contact@treadlightforestry.co.uk
www.treadlightforestry.co.uk
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