Loftness Carbide Cutter 2

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey mulchers. I ran the new loftness carbide cutter today. Its called the C2. I was very open minded going into it as to make the fairest assesment as possible. Sharpening blades is wearing on my nerves and I need abit more cutting capacity. It cut pretty similar to my timberax with the ability to cut a 10-12" pine without abuseing it. The real major difference was the smoothness in which it did it. Wasn't as violent when cutting larger material as the timberax is.

The recovery time was almost instant. By the time you thought to look at the gauge it was back up to speed.

Loftnesses doesn't have doors, good-less things to break, bad-that head throws crap EVERYWHERE.

Much lighter than my timberax. It also left very acceptable mulch size. I have run the old style carbide cutter and incountered trees wrapping up in it and stalling it. The new one didn't clog up not once. The saleman ran it on my tractor and clogged it three times. It was his first time running it. I went easy on him. It actually ran very similar to my head and I was able to adjust immediatly.

I have another stick in the fire right now so as soon as that is squared away were going to see what we can work out.

I can see that head increasing my productivity and its precise enough to limit needing a helper all the time.

Robbie

 

[DirtyWorks]

Hey Robbie! Sounds like you may be joining the carbide crew. I guess there has been some real improvements in recovery time lately. I also noticed the ad for the new Generation 2 "G2" head in the tree & landscape trader-free mag @treetrader.com- loftness naming it a tree "shredder" as oposed to a "mulcher" ad also mentions the carbide planer teeth & optional cylinders on the pusher bar. Glad to hear some real world feedback.Which direction does it turn-like the ax or like back at you? You may need that plate I was suggesting

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

I too saw the ad for the planier teeth. I meant to ask him if he had seen any run but I forgot. I seriously doubt it though for this is the first ones my dealership has received. If I bought one I would like to run several planiers on the head with the standard teeth and compare.

The cylinders on the push bar might be useful, it would depend on the price to add them.

I was really impressed with the head overall. I had heard about it a few months back and they have really tried to step up there game. It worked!!

The only things I didn't care for were it throwing material at the tractor mainly the door and it throwing larger pieces of wood under the tractor to get caught in the tracks. I know that is part of the beast and just something I will have to get used to. My saleman said he installs the track drive motor guards on all mulching tractors he sells and would give me a good price on a set if I bought the head.

The head rotates the same as all other carbides. Forward I guess you'd call it. With the open front you can cut right up next to keeper trees and pull material out. That was pretty cool. Timberaxs are not good as this for there rotation direction and the rotator setback. That is where I use a helper and I'm beginning to have better uses for him. Yesterday and today it was hauling my trailer to be fixed.

Side note, it would be a good head to hire an operator to run. Good size as not to upset the tractor and the saleman was adament we backdrag into the dirt to show off. The carbides would take the abuse as where my timberax wouldn't. Plus the size and weight I'm not comfortable letting anyone run my tractor.

Robbie

 

[DirtyWorks]

Yea I know what you mean about getting close to keeper trees. It "sucks" the little stuff in and you learn quickly no to get too close to keepers. I was thinning a pine thicket and got a little too close on the first few. Oh well definately no evidence left.
Keep me up to speed on the track hose guard. better deal if you buy "extra" set?
FYI part # 0403-114 better , new, improved ,scratch resistant, lexan? from ASV $438.06 not sure yet if it will be worth it or not .
Standard lexan forestry pkg glass is @ $150

Part # 0403-355 is improved door trim. 5/8 instead of smaller 3/8? Dealer had to call for price cause it was not in his system yet-ONLY $11.80!!! Told him to order it today! hope this info helps, Chris

 

[QwikDraw]

Good to hear you like it Robbie. The FAE guys are making a big push here and are sending me a head to try...no strings attached, they are just looking for some feedback. I told I would be happy to test it out..

I do like the design of the new Carbide Cutter.

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Ted. Anytime you can be mulching and not putting wear on your teeth is a good thing. The original reasons I chose the timberax is fading fast and that new cutter is looking like it will fill the gap nicely. We'll work on that soon.

How's business been? Tomorrow night is my last here as maint. man. Next week we'll be mulching only. Alittle scary but it's in Gods hands and he knows what he's doing!!

I ran a gyro low flow on a RC-60 so the vermeer guy could get some feedback also. Cool little head but to expensive and the teeth sucked bigtime. My FIL ran it and it was his first time at mulching, he has driven mine with bucket and grapple just not mulcher. It appeared he had the hang of it and I left it with him. I checked on him two hours later and he was standing outside the tractor looking at the teeth. He destroyed 3/4 of the teeth. OOPS!! Better on the demo than mine. But If he could do that much damage in two hours it was not the head for us. I would like a 100 with forestry package and the C2 for him. Will see. I already have one to pay for!!!

Robbie

 

[QwikDraw]

Monday the FAE should be here...can't wait to try something new. I am starting to think the recovery time on the Fecon is too slow. Although we have the pulley set up to run a little slower with more tourque and it seems to pull through wood better than the Magnum and stall less. I just can't wait to do a side by side test to see how the two compare. Now if I could just get the Magnum back and a G2 here too...

Ted

 

[eagle2]

Monday the FAE should be here...can't wait to try something new. I am starting to think the recovery time on the Fecon is too slow. Although we have the pulley set up to run a little slower with more tourque and it seems to pull through wood better than the Magnum and stall less. I just can't wait to do a side by side test to see how the two compare. Now if I could just get the Magnum back and a G2 here too...

Ted

Did you ever get to compare the carbide cutter to the FAE?

 

[QwikDraw]

Nope, I have never tried the Loftness G2, I was at a Carbide Cutter (the old design)demo and wasn't to impressed. The new G2 looks much better.

I had a chance to try the FAE. See..

FAE Post