Build your own mulcher

[mulcherguy]

I agree with you for all the same reasons. It is definitely more efficient to rip then to crosscut with relatively dull carbide teeth. I asked because there are so many sales guys out there claiming that the loader is more productive because of the cut the tree off 12 feet up and mulch down ability. My biggest reason for not selling loader style mulchers is the safety concern especially for novice operators. On the rare occasion that a tooth or holder breaks off in mid air the result could be deadly if it broke through the cab. Not a likely scenario but not something I was willing to risk. I have seen some skid steers set up with 1/4 inch lexan windows, no screen and operators happily rocking back and forth on a tree trunk 12 feet up. I tried to tell the owner he should upgrade his doors to 1/2 inch lexan but he told me it was impossible for a tooth to come toward he cab. The spray from the rotor made a clearly visible pattern up the front window.
On another note, that photo from Yellowdog is exactly what a mulching job should look like! Very nice result produced by an operator that clearly takes pride in his work!

 

[cat 297c]

Sounds like we all need to get together and start our own line of mulching equipment

 

[mulcherguy]

In all honesty I have planned all along to eventually get back into this business with a focus on compact mulchers designed by owner operators for owner operators.
Mass producing high powered machines that are purchased by large companies and operated by novice operators have to be built to survive poor maintenance and abuse.
I have been directly involved in the design of several popular large mulchers and never was able to build what I wanted, due to the mass production considerations of component cost and "idiot proofing" them.
Putting big power in a small chassis requires the operator to keep the rads clean, watch the temp gauges and change the oil when it is due. These are simple tasks that owner operators will do consistently.
Back in the early 2000's it was fairly easy to turn a profit with a mediocre mulcher. Now that there is plenty of competition it is becoming difficult for smaller mulching companies to turn a profit. If an O/O wants to stay busy full time he needs to have an edge (no pun intended!) over the competition. A more reliable more productive machine is the key to that edge. A machine that can do twice the work in one shift can charge 15% less and earn 35% more. Of course this only works if the operating costs remain constant.
I think there are now enough experienced mulcher contractors in the business to justify introducing a reliable high powered machine. Their experience has taught them that torque to the head is money in the bank come invoice day.
The biggest hurdle in design will be the latest emissions regulations. Since I wasn't selling them, I was able to use a 12 valve mechanical pump engine in mine. It has been 10 years since the first one and it is still mulching up a storm. I don't know if an electronic controlled, cooled EGR , Tier 3b engine will be as reliable? Any thoughts on that?

 

[DIRTROAD]

The biggest hurdle in design will be the latest emissions regulations. Since I wasn't selling them, I was able to use a 12 valve mechanical pump engine in mine. It has been 10 years since the first one and it is still mulching up a storm. I don't know if an electronic controlled, cooled EGR , Tier 3b engine will be as reliable? Any thoughts on that?

The mechanical engines are definitely superior to these new ones. I've been trying to tell people for years that these smaller high horsepower engines are worthless. Why would someone want to put a turbo on a small displacement block to make more horsepower when you could make the same power with half the effort from a larger displacement engine and then you would have the proper torque also.

If you retrofit an earlier machine could you get around the new emissions?
Then you would have to sell it as a refurbished "used" machine. Just an idea.

I would love to build my own mulcher!!

 

[yellowdogsvc]

On the rare occasion that a tooth or holder breaks off in mid air the result could be deadly if it broke through the cab. Not a likely scenario but not something I was willing to risk. I have seen some skid steers set up with 1/4 inch lexan windows, no screen and operators happily rocking back and forth on a tree trunk 12 feet up. I tried to tell the owner he should upgrade his doors to 1/2 inch lexan but he told me it was impossible for a tooth to come toward he cab. The spray from the rotor made a clearly visible pattern up the front window.
On another note, that photo from Yellowdog is exactly what a mulching job should look like! Very nice result produced by an operator that clearly takes pride in his work!

thanks for the compliment..
I used to mulch with 1/4" lexan. It was rated to 300 mph impact but I didn't trust it with the mulcher in the air. For wood debris, richochet rocks, etc., it was fine but I once got wrapped up in a barbed wire fence. A piece of hot metal hit the window with such force that literally burned a hole about 1/8" into the 1/4" thick lexan. The mower was about 4' off the ground. I have had my wiper ripped off from pieces of wood with the mower 5' off the ground so I prefer to mulch low to the ground.
When I ran a Tushhogg, I had multiple teeth rip from the tooth pockets and fly so far I never found them. That was scary but luckily I was in a field and the mower was on the ground.

There are a number of guys mulching with glass doors. I have talked to at least two. It's just a matter of time.

Here's a suggestion for guys building their own doors for a custom mulcher.. Lexan with peel away layers. Doesn't Nascar use something like that?

 

[fishfactor]

Here's a suggestion for guys building their own doors for a custom mulcher.. Lexan with peel away layers. Doesn't Nascar use something like that?

Our Bobcat dealer uses them on their rental machine, or at least did at one time. I would think that would get pretty expensive because most of the objects would have enough force to damage all of the layers.

We have a guy polish ours out every few months. He starts with 600 or so, then works up to 5000 grit, then finishes with a buffer and polishing compound. Looks like glass until we bang it up again.

 

[mulcherguy]

I'm pretty impressed with MR10 Marguard. It has lasted for many years on our machines. Except for a few gouges it is still like glass, no hazing or fine scratching at all. I cant be sure if it is the plexus we clean/treat it with or the MR10 itself, but it has been a very pleasant surprise. Up here in the Northern latitudes the sun is always on the horizon in the winter, so it is critical to have optimum clarity. The only reason I have ever changed it was for melted gouges caused by hot metal flying off barbed wire!

 

[F250DSLPWR]

Thank you for the feedback on the mulcher idea.

 

[DIRTROAD]

Here's that other video Rob. I hope I got the right one.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfwxxFBT90s]200hp Compact Forestry Mower mulching stumps and trees - YouTube[/ame]

 

[redprospector]

One question I would like to ask other contractors is what would you prefer:
A loader arm style or front mount compact track mulcher? My personal preference is the front mount....as long as it has enough power to mulch a tree lying on the ground.

I prefer the loader arms, probably because that's all I've ever ran. I think that grinding the tree off at 10 or 12 feet is probably a little quicker if your machine is under powered. Which is why I am really interested in this concept. I'd like to have a compact machine that was able to efficiently mulch a 6" or 7" tree laying on the ground.

Andy