Excavator brush cutter is very resourceful in the field of clearing and moving brush, grasses, shrubs stumps, weeds, and overgrowth.
Over the years, excavators have proven to be reliable machinery in most economic activities ranging from construction, farming, and forestry to landscaping.
This is achieved through the selection of the right tools and attachments that make it easier to perform desired tasks and save on time as well as finances.
Excavator brush cutters can bring down trees of up to 10’’ in diameter.
What Is Excavator Brush Cutter?
Excavator Brush Cutter is a deck-like tool fitted with spinning blades that are mounted on an excavator for clearing dense brush, shrub, and thick overgrowth.
They are useful in the maintenance of ditches, ponds, hillsides, and other areas that are difficult to reach.
Different manufacturers have improved the designs and specifications of this attachment to give optimal results.
The available lightweight attachments are versatile and can be used for domestic purposes in homestead and farm clearing as well as commercial reasons in larger jobs.
They are a much safer option for the users and the surrounding as they are designed to direct debris downward.
The cut material is not thrown in all directions as some models are designed to throw debris at an angle of 90 degrees only while other models have openings below the deck that are movable to control the direction of debris discharge.
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Models Of Excavator Brush Cutters
Different types of jobs require suitable attachments for a desirable outcome. This is capable through proper selection of such attachments as the brush cutters.
Two models of these are available in the market which are rotary and horizontal.
Horizontal excavator brush cutters
They are made of a steel drum with blades attached to it.
They have three types namely fixed, flail and ax blade.
The flail mowers are an excellent choice in thicker trees, the removal of stumps and vegetation in hard-to-reach areas. They cut the fastest and produce a good quality mulch material. They have more benefits compared to the rotary type.
These include safety as they do not throw brush in all directions.
The fixed tooth cutters have blades attached to the outside of the drum and are a good choice for cutting levels below the ground.
Ax blade cutters have sharpened knives capable of cutting grass, weeds, and brush with thick diameters. These blades need regular sharpening for optimal results.
Rotary excavator brush cutters
Their blades rotate parallel to the ground. They are easy to build thus their cheap prices as compared to the horizontal model. They are best in clearing dense brush and saplings.
Some brands have reversible blades that work for a long time without the need of sharpening or replacing.
Some also have tri swing blades that cut down vegetation to the ground while others have two. The blades are driven by a mortar therefore, the cutter can be used in both directions.
There are also brands with two or three blades depending on the aim of the manufacturing companies.
Advantages Of Excavator Brush Cutter
They can navigate through tight spaces to selectively remove vegetation with minimal disturbance on those that do not require cutting down.
This makes it possible to create spacing between trees which helps reduce risks of fire spreading. They also make it easy to eliminate unwanted vegetation growing between structures.
They are customizable and available in different sizes depending on their area of application as well as size of the machine.
Their specifications give the user a clear understanding of the model required for the available host machine.
They are applicable in areas that are hard to reach such as beds, ditches and water areas. They are also useful in undulated ground where the surface is slanted and where the excavator may not reach as it can stretch the arm to these points.
Saves on time and money in large jobs as the machine is powerful and can operate over a large area in quit a short time.
The use of different machines is also eliminated as one machine can be fitted with different attachments to do a variety of tasks. They are therefore proven economical and reliable.
They are safe to use as the operator is protected by the cabin. In the case of flail mowers, the cut material is not thrown in all directions thus safe to operate in areas with occupants and buildings.
The teeth are also designed to reduce flying debris by deflecting most of the material downwards.
More Advantages Of Brush Cutters :
They produce high quality mulch when a reliable choice of the attachment is put to use. The flail mowers are an excellent choice in such applications.
The openings under the deck can be moved allowing the operator control the direction to dispose the cut debris. This eliminates the need for extra hauling and controls risk of throwing debris to unwanted directions.
They can cut thick overgrowths and trees of a larger diameter compared to the traditional mowers. Some manufacturers have come up with models that can cut trees with diameter of up to 10 inches all the way to the ground.
They can be used in marshes and soft ground as the crawlers can navigate such areas without exerting much pressure as in the case of wheels and tracks.
How To Choose The Right Excavator Brush Cutter
Cutting operations, may it be domestic or commercial require careful selection of tools and attachments. In the market today, a variety of these tools and attachments have been made available by the numerous numbers of manufacturing companies making different brands of such.
These tools and attachment are almost similar in design but have different specifications that require the users to weigh their options on the model and brand to obtain.
The following are some guidelines to assist one in selecting the right attachment for their machine :
Operating weight of the machine :
The operating weight of the excavator is important in order to determine whether it can carry the cutter to full end stretch while at work.
With this you will know what cutter you will need to acquire for the available type and size of the machine.
Target operations :
The nature of debris to be cleared contribute a lot to knowing the right cutter since different types cut different type of vegetation.
Rotary model works best on thick brushes and overgrowth while the flail mowers are best I vegetation with thicker diameters such as trees.
It also helps avoid damage to the machine as you will consider the model and size that will effectively have the job done.
The auxiliary flow and pressure of the excavator :
This information may be obtained from user manuals or the machine’s websites.
Depending on the arrangement of the pumps by the manufacturer, different machines will react differently with the installation of this attachment, you therefore need to select an attachment that matches the machines auxiliary flow.
Compatibility :
It is important to match a machine with the right model of this attachment. Depending on the manufacturer, various models have specs that dictate the type of machine suitable.
Safety requirements :
You will definitely need to obtain an attachment that is safe to work with. These attachments may need application in areas that have buildings or other objects which may damage. There would be occupants as well. Models and brands that do not throw debris in all directions are a reasonable choice.
Manufacturer specifications :
The information on the attachments specs is available in websites and user manuals. This will help the customer obtain the attachment that meets their expectations.
It will also help them understand how the machine works and choose a machine that works best in the intended application area without doubt.
The more adequate and clearer the information is, the easier it gets in choosing the right attachment.
Maintenance Of A Brush Cutter :
Proper care and maintenance of this attachment is crucial in ensuring durability as well as reliability of the tool.
Regular maintenance of this attachment reduces damages to the attachment as well as the machine, risk of accidents, extra costs, stoppage time and a desirable output is maintained.
Several small jobs are done prior to, during and after the use of the attachment. This section will help us understand most of those things we need to do in maintaining our attachment.
- This attachment should be chosen on the basis of the job to be done. The right attachment is required for the right job.
- The size of the brush to be cleared will dictate the size of the job. This will help reduce the risks of damaging the attachment if it’s applied for a purpose not intended for. It should match the manufacturer’s recommendations and customer reviews.
Inspection of the Area of Application
- The area should be carefully inspected especially if it’s being worked on for the first time. This is because some areas have objects buried on the ground which would adversely damage the tools raising a need for replacement.
- Careless operations may also lead to deadly accidents if proper inspection is assumed.
- Inspect the attachment and tools. After some time of operations, it is important the tools such as the blades be checked especially when working on rocky areas or working on heavy thickets. The deck and drive assembly should also be checked for any stress areas and cracks.
- The drive assembly should be fully oiled and greased according to the schedule. All the nuts and bolts should be properly tightened at all times.
- Frequent starting and stopping of the blades as well as switching the direction of the blade should be avoided. Such continuous alterations may reduce the lifespan of the motor.
Extra Tips on Brush Cutter Maintenance :
- Clearing the deck of extra overbuild of the cut material is crucial. This should be done especially around the motor area as it facilitates proper cooling of the attachment.
- The hydraulic flow range of the excavator as well as the cutter itself should be checked. The operator should work within the safe operating range.
- If an attachment is not designed to operate under high flow, pressuring it would cause permanent damages and work hazards created as the blades would be turning at a speed faster than the recommended.
- Cleaning the hydraulic connections before mounting the attachment of debris reduces the risk of introducing dirt to the hydraulic system.
- In case dirt and debris get into the hydraulic system, the host machine as well as the attachment would develop internal problems and this would adversely affect the performance of the machine and the cutter.
- Bolts and nuts should be regularly checked before starting the operations for breakages and loosening.
- The attachment works under high vibrations and stress and this would cause some breakages or the fitting tools would get loose.
Maintenance Of Blades
- The loosened nuts and bolts should be tightened and the broken ones immediately replaced. This should be done each time the operator wants to run the machine.
- Keeping the cutting blades in good condition is one of the most important tasks to consider. Sharpening the knives in some models such as the ax blade cutters helps optimize the results. It will also reduce stress on various parts of the attachment especially when dealing with thick brush.
- Replacing the damaged teeth is necessary to maintain the quality performance of the mulching head.
- The operator should avoid pushing the attachment excessively to areas where it continuously gets stuck. In case of such bogging, unnecessary heat is generated and this would be a start to a series of problems.
- The operator should also ensure that the machine and the attachment are not put under extreme stress by trying to cut too much brush.
- The attachment should also not be forced so hard into thick vegetation as such would lead to damage.
Conclusion
Proper care is therefore paramount if you will need your host machine as well as the attachment to give you good results entirely for a long time.
