just wondering if anyone has one. If so what brand and how do you like it
I Just did quick demo ( in dealers yard, no cutting) of 42" diamond mower (16 -21gpm) on Bobcat e45. I was surprised how heavy it felt and BC claims 20 gpm and it needed every ounce . Use an hydraulic to move machine and u could hear mower loose speed. Something did not add up
I’ve got an Eterra flail mower that I purchased from Skid Steer Solutions on my Bobcat E42. It’s a nice piece of equipment and works quite well for grass, weeds, light brush, and even small trees. That being said, it’s not the fastest way to clear ground. It is however convenient, especially in those areas not easily reachable with a tractor/brush hog combo or equivalent. Works well for ditch banks, pond banks, etc.
I have a diamond on a skid with the 20-25gpm setup. Works good, good waste reduction, built heavy duty, slow on anything over 3-4 inches. It will cut down a 6-10" but sounds like hell and takes a a few cuts. I have a older machine that is 18gpm and you feel the difference.
I’ve got the Eterra Typhoon on my T595 HiFlo and it’s a beast. Much faster and more robust than the excavator unit. They both have their places...the OP was specifically asking about excavator mowers.
I have a Rock Hound Mower on a Taki TB153FR. It is a flail type. I like it. Works well, even in tough, thick material. You need to have the GPM and PSI for them to pay for themselves.
I'm looking at purchasing a Cat 304e at work and getting a flail mower to do over guard rails and outfield fences plus keep the bordering woods under control in the parks I maintain. Going to be following this thread
Thanks for the replies
Yes I know but the 2 are usually made about the same by the same manufactures for both applications.
Yes, in my case they are both the same manufacturer (Eterra). However, the Typhoon for my CTL is a rotary cutter while the EX-30 for my mini is a flail mower. Different tools, different characteristics. In my opinion, and it’s only mine that a rotary style mower on an excavator, especially a mini is at least capable of imparting a lot more stress and wear and tear on your machine than a flail mower. The flail mower seems to impart minimal stress on the machine, even when cutting brush and smaller trees. The downside is that it is a slower solution than a rotary mower. I’m fortunate to have both and try to use the best tool for the job at hand. In both cases, a big thumbs up to both Eterra and Skid Steer Solutions. I’ve got lots of equipment and implements and the build quality of the Eterra stuff ranks up there as some of the best.
I've been doing a little research since I posted here and have some questions. I mentioned I'm looking at a Cat 304e and in addition to excavating I'll be using it to reclaim overgrown areas of the parks I maintain. This would be the perimeters of the parks where they meet the woods and reaching over fences and guard rails to cut back overgrowth. Probably looking at material 6 inches and less in diameter for the most part. Once they are cleared they'll be maintained regularly. I'm leaning toward the drum type brush head vs. rotary based on videos I've watched and the comments here seem to point that way too. There are two types I've seen, a hammer knife and fixed bolt on carbide cutters similar to a stump grinder. The bolt on cutter type is very impressive in shredding trees and heavy brush but I'm wondering how well it would work on grass after the clearing is done? Would the hammer knife be a better choice for grass and weeds?
I mounted a Gyrotrak drum cutter on my 304C CR. It worked great except that it was too heavy for the excavator to extend out. Sold it to a buddy who installed it on a 308E2 CR and it worked much better BUT when you move the machine the head slows down.
The issue I have with the Cats is they only run a single pump. So any multifunctioning is going to kill production.
Which mini has multiple pumps ?
All that I am aware of except for CAT.
Yep all except cat pretty much...i have a 304 and a kx080..tried brush mower...hated it....fae head and fail are awesome though....all mowers are pretty much too heavy for 304...you gotta to be close and not over the tracks....lighter the better....skid mowers have to be tough cause they get rammed into everything....mower on hoe is more precise....also pay very close attention to hyd temp...
Also keeping an eye on this thread. Looking to put a mower on my 6 ton hitachi. Most likely be flail. Still need to save a few $ to get one but getting close. Lots of work for it around here and not many guys have one. Pricey buggers.
I've been running cutterheads on my PC200 for over 23 years. I started with 170 hp powerpack on a flail head, then fixed tooth and finally moved to 300 hp with larger hydraulics. I will never be satisfied until I put 500+ hp to the head but then, I just like fast production. One job in the past had a dozen trees in excess of 48" diameter - it was a slow day with the old 170 and a thick mat of chips when I finished. I regularly take out anything in my path as required - 24"+ diameter trees are just a daily meal. For what I do, flails are useless and extremely high maintenance. Never ending cracks in the welds, safety issue with throwing broken teeth and not enough force transmitted to the wood. Fixed teeth provide more force & productivity, rarely throw tools/teeth and require a lot less maintenance. If you want production, you need to start at 5,000 psi as a minimum and preferably 60+ gpm. Anything less is painfully slow. If all you plan to do is grasses and light bushes, a rotary deck like my Davco 705 works well at 38 gpm and 3500 psi. I sold the Posi-trac but kept that one cutter. It would usually cut most lightweight stuff at nearly full ground speed. The problem with rotary cutters, besides throwing a lot of debris, is that only the outer peripheral area does the cutting - there is no action in the center - so if you can't just mow over it, things get slow again. The only way to get more production out of low flow systems is to get a variable displacement motor to maximize the torque. Dual motor drives also double the torque to the head but usually are not available on smaller, lightweight cutters/
I realized I never reported back on this thread. As I mentioned earlier I purchased a Cat304e excavator at work and equipped it with a Brush Hound 30EX flail head brush cutter. The brush head does everything I've asked but the machine isn't ideal for it. I can't raise the boom with the brush head running, there isn't enough pressure to do both. It only takes a second to release the thumb wheel for the brush head and the momentum of the drum keeps it spinning while I'm adjusting. I've learned to work around it. If my boom is much more than half extended I have to be careful how I move as it becomes very tippy, I have to be prepared to drop the boom in a seconds notice. The front blade does a lot to stabilize but most times I'm running parallel to my cut line and 90° to the tracks to save time and avoid tearing up the ground. I've had a few pucker moments but haven't gotten in trouble yet. I haven't looked into whether there's a heavier counterweight available, that would certainly help and I really wish there was a dedicated accessory pump on the machine. I don't know if other manufacturers offer that or not, it's something I didn't realize would be a problem. Regardless, I've learned to run the machine pretty well with its shortcomings and can make pretty good time knocking the brush back on the edges of the parks I maintain.
The Brush Hound is a quality cutter. Like I mentioned above, you picked the wrong machine for that type of work. If you don't have a thumb on your machine you can turn up the psi at the aux without issue, assuming you some adjustment left. If you have a thumb, by turning up the psi for the cutter you run the risk of your thumb not being able to give way against your bucket and breaking your thumb ram. GPM certainly helps as well, but psi is important to run these attachments effectively.
Dear KSSS I have the brush hound on my excavator and it works great. I have the brush hound ex30hd on a Tak TB370. I do have a question though, I am in need of replacing all of the knifes, I have the two outer J and the Center knife. When replacing them, do you recommend gettting them from Valley tool, or does anyone make a better one out there?? I am looking for more durable. You can't put hammers on mine or I would do that. We have a lot of Rocky Soil and it is doing a number on the blades.
Cat 309 Can have a dedicated attachment pump.
A Canadian company by the name Promac Manufacturing makes brush cutters. They are in Duncan BC and have US dealers. They build good stuff.
Welcome aboard Barb. That is some nice kit you have there. I don't know the answer to your question but hopefully somebody else will.
I have been using the ones from Valley, I am not aware of anything any better. the 370 is a great attachment platform.
Thinking of getting a virnig x30 brush cutter for my Hyundai 6 ton. This one is supposed to be very compatible with this siz unit. Question are you guys running guards on the front window of your mini for protection. Or shatter proof glass etc? Is this needed. I know on my skid steer I wouldn’t even think of running a cutter especially a drum mulcher without the bullet proof window. I’ve had stuff hit that would’ve killed me without it. Maybe on the mini x it’s better directed idk. Thanks
ANY type of clearing work: Lexan or similar polycarbonate will keep Darwin and his associated awards at bay. I still run regular glass on my excavators with outer mesh guarding because I have not found custom curved replacements in plastics. I ALWAYS wear safety glasses when operating brush cutters in the excavators. Wind up just 1 steel hook at the end of a long rope with a cutterhead and have it smash through the cab glass >> you will forever think about safety glass...and wonder how it missed any body parts? I've lost several windshields due to flying rocks & steel, mostly, but it has to make it through the cage to impact the glass. If I am behind Lexan or similar, I don't worry as much. I've seen some large chunks fly my way at times and bounce off of the Lexan. I've also considered some of the "bullet-proof" laminates that can be applied inside the glass to contain any shatter events. I have not been running the excavators enough to justify it right now so no personal experience with those products and how well that they work.
Tenfo thanks
Yes your correct it is directed better, although sometimes you turn and if you are not paying attention it will shoot back at you and the glass will shatter, and then what is your cost for that? Mine is a lot. I bought a Lexan shield that bolts on in front of my glass and it already has some scratches on it which means that the glass would have broken . You have to be very careful wiping the mud off or you will scratch it. Currently I take it off to do other work as it impedes my vision, and when I briefly put on the brush hound I don't put it back on and I am super careful, but still dangerous. I suppose one break in the glass and I will end up putting it on every time the brush hound is on. lol The Lexan is expensive but worth it in the long run.
Definitely makes sense
fyi I have the brush hound on the excavator tak tb370. I also have the lexan glass full time on my skid Steer Tak TL12R2 and that I am running an FAE Sonic head. I would never run the skid steer brush mulcher without the lexan. Although with that said, once again the lexan windshield you have to be really careful with running the wiper to not scratch it. I wish there was somewhere i could get the bullet proof glass on it. Does anyone know who makes one for the Tak TL12?
Be sure to purchase Lexan with the Marguard coating. Or other manufacturers' polycarbonate with scratch resistant coating. It won't yellow, haze and scratch like the basic stuff does. Best cleaned with a pressure washer first before a soft, saturated, long nap car wash sponge in order to minimize scratches.
thanks I will ask if my stuff has that coating. But good to know for future replacements
The good stuff lasts years and years on skidders and that's with wipers and branches rubbing on it constantly