Vemeer Forestry Mulcher

yellowdogsvc · May 14, 2014

And it will work in part of Texas but in the hill Country, unless they are running carbide hammers, they will be changing teeth every day. Also, looking at the rubber bogies makes me think this machine is designed for softer ground or sandy type properties.

Don't get me wrong. There is work for high horsepower machines even on small jobs but the cost of moving them adds up and you undoubtedly need a smaller footprint support machine like a skid steer and some hand labor on the smaller tracts so that you can mulch without tearing everything down (oaks and other save trees).

I still want a high horsepower machine but the maintenance and moving it scares me. I can do a lot with a skid steer and 2 speed mulcher but it's slow and while things are a little slow for the bigger machines, I'm bidding against them regularly. Kind of funny to see a 300 hp barko bidding on 3 acres but it's becoming more and more common.

Off the subject but maybe Robbie knows? Did hydro ax go out of business when Blount spun off its forestry division to CAT? I see some good deals on use hydro ax machines as a starter machine for me but I also passed up on some used franklins because I didn't think getting parts would be easy. I don't see any hydro ax's after 2007.. ?

Robbie Hegwood · May 15, 2014

I am surprised they went with that track style as well. They are notoriously high maint. They could have used steel tracks with extra width for low ground pressure. But Vermeer techs have good working knowledge of the D-dent track system from Gyro's so that is probably where that came from. And Yellow you are right, not one machine can work all if Tx. I remember from being on site there you can drive 100 miles and so from hills to swamp to flat. You need one of each!

I do not know about Hydro-ax, seems I should. But I do know who does. ROWMEC, and they service them so I would not be afraid to buy one.

yellowdogsvc · May 15, 2014

I've been debating about going bigger in the mulching department, finding something else to do with my life, or getting a horizontal grinder so I can create a useable mulch.
I'm cutting trees with my skid steer mulcher that I never thought I would have.. 10-15" and sometimes bigger cedars. Not fun bit the 2 speed FAE running a few knives in the is doing it. I plan to post a few pics after I complete the little acre I'm on now. BIG trees as far as cedars go that's why I started looking at used bigger machines but I think a horizontal would fit my needs better. I can let the big goes go after the large-scale cedar mulching. That bores me. I like cleaning up after dozers, brush piles, and using the mulch for erosion projects. I'd rather not keep upgrading skids for almost the same performance.. unless I can get a 5000 psi 40 gpm mulching in a 9,000 lb machine (minus weight of head), I'll just stick with what I got but I keep thinking with all the mulching machines out there.. there is a need to reprocess material and as the drought gets worse, mulching for erosion (when rains return) or using mulch to cover barren areas is a real service and that stuff sells at $100/load for single grind or chips in a small trailer.

For now, I'd have to find someone to haul either a bigger mulcher or a small horizontal. I want lesser of the two for maintenace, too, so I'll probably be doing a lot of research... again!

But back to the Vermeer. I don't think all track is the way to go. Too many places that need mulching are rocky (think S. TX oil fields which is the largest play in the US right now) where you have a mix of sand/rock.

WestshoreConstruction · May 16, 2014

Vermeer does have a all steel track system for that machine too. It's too heavy and low on power to be competitive up here. They designed the Hyd system to run lower pressure with the idea it will be more reliable and last longer. I was invited to go run it and I refused there's better machines out there that have been around for a long time. Lamtrac, CMI, Bron, Primetech and yes Gyro trac. They all have they're place it just doesn't have a place in my shop.

tonyoz · May 16, 2014

A big congratulations to Vermeer for the first machine I have seen with the correct match of hydraulic pressure and flow to engine horse power.:thumbsup:
Now for the arse kick, D4 size track gear?:thumbdown: How stupid. A tractor that size should be on D6 size or bigger. Over the years there have been plenty of comments on this site and others about track failure on mulching tractors and all have the same common denominator, UNDER SIZE TRACK GROUPS.
No ROPS/FOPS!

. Won't get a start in Australia without it