These may be of interest;
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13206/shredder_001xat.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13206/shredder_007xat.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13206/shredder_008xat.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13206/shredder_009xat.jpg)
I've currently have a project working that involves the relocation of several miles of power line due to a highway widening project. The State has cleared and grubbed their new ROW . On the edge in our new ROW we sent manual crews in and cut the standing timber, leaving everything laying in the ROW. Then, these machines go in, they are equipped with rotating chipper type heads that shred the trunks, tops and stumps. The Contractor is running this rubber tire machine, a rubber track machine and a track excavator with a head on the end of the boom. When they are done everything is chipped up. Tree trunks, stumps below the ground and there is a carpet of chips in the ROW.
If that guy wants to ever sell that let me know because were looking for a 421 HX.Nice pics.
Those heads like that can eat up some wood thats for sure. I went to a logging show last year in hot springs AR and they were a big focus down there. They make those heads to attatch to everything.
I love how it says stay back 300 feet. I had my truck parked on a powerline ROW and the Axe was at least 400-500 feet down, and it still left a dent in my door from some flying debris.
Prentice bought out Hydro Axe. They paint them red now and they look
pretty sharp. They have a pretty neat video on their site.
Head looks to be a Fecon... I think that's same as on the Prentice
video demo. About 50k-60k hanging on the front.
We will see more of this kinda rig as the anti burning laws pop up
around the nation. Portable, and productive if you can stomach the cost.
Prentice sold the Hydroaxe operation to Cat. They were building Cat's forestry machines for them and are still going making both Prentice and Cat labeled machines. I understand they are going to keep the operations separate but you never know.
I am not sure who makes that chain flail head, but I know Hydroaxe has sold that head for some time. That Hydroaxe plant is sure capable of making the heads, but I'm not sure if they do.
I dont think that its a chain flail head thats on it. Its kind of like a tiller head for the garden. Flails are chains arent they?
Quote from: ScottAR on January 03, 2009, 02:58:13 AMPrentice bought out Hydro Axe. They paint them red now and they look pretty sharp. They have a pretty neat video on their site.
Here's a link to the video, if you have the bandwidth...
http://www.prenticeforestry.com/uploads/videos/Cat_SPT.mov
-N.
I thought Vermeer assembled CAT skidders?
Stonebroke
It's nearly impossible to keep up with who is making what these days, but some years ago Blount bought out the old Hydroaxe brand and plant near Owatonna, MN and started marketing under the Prentise brand that Blount also owned. Then about 3 years ago Prentise started making the Cat forestry machines at Owatonna under a joint venture and then a little over a year ago Cat bought out the plant and who knows what brands. Today they are still making both Prentise and Cat brands of machines there in that old but very modern and efficient plant. Supposedly the brands will still be marketed separately but who knows for how long. The plant now has a Cat sign out front.
The real interesting thing here in Minnesota is the long time dealer for Hydroaxe and Prentise is also the Minnesota dealership for Komatsu, not Cat. We will see how much longer that lasts. :D :D
So CAT owns Prentice?
Stonebroke
Quote from: stonebroke on January 03, 2009, 07:32:51 PM
So CAT owns Prentice?
Yes. Go to the Prentice web page and you will see the Cat name at the bottom of the page.
So we are going to end up with JD and CAT and tigercat and thats it?
Stonebroke
Didn't Prentice end up with the old ranger line of skidders. Are they going to phase those out too?
Stonebroke
I don't follow Prentice that close to know what products they have, but I have seen red skidders, forwarders, and feller buncher machines coming off that line in Owatonna fairly regularly. I think most of those machines are shipped south and I understand the Owatonna plant has been building some prototype machines for a potential sale in the EU, Baltic states, and/or Russia.
Apparently the Cat and Prentice are going to be kept as separate lines and I know the old Hydroaxe line, now Prentice has their own dealer network and parts distribution system down in South Carolina. So I would assume the Prentice line will keep that old Hydroaxe dealer network and apparently is doing well. So it may well end up being Cat, Prentice, TJ, and Tigercat unless some of these companies in the cut to length expand into skidders. They certainly could if them see enough demand.
For a while the cut to length machines were taking over around here for the pulp wood cutters in the north, but that has slowed somewhat with this new biomass demand. There are many larger operators that are going back, at least for some crews, to big grapple skidders so they can collect the tops at the landing.
In the hills and valleys in SE Minnesota the old and small cable skidder still rules.
I found this over on the website.
PARENT COMPANY
Caterpillar Forest Products
In November 2007, Caterpillar Inc. acquired Blount's Forestry Division, manufacturer of market-leading timber harvesting products under the Prentice, Hydro-Ax, CTR and Fabtek brand names for more than 50 years. Caterpillar recognized the value of the experienced workforce and the long history of high quality products. The acquisition supports Caterpillar's corporate objective to be a leading forestry equipment manufacturer.
Cat Forest Products markets the full line of Prentice products (which now includes the Hydro-Ax and Fabtek brands), as well as CTR products, through the Prentice and CTR dealer organization throughout North America.
For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company is also a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at cat.com
A number of years ago MichCon cleared an overgrown nat. gas pipleine right-of-way behing my house. It was my first exposure to a Hydro-Axe....they were using a brush hog type head on it.
After watching it for a little bit, it was pretty clear there was a DanG good reason to stay back 300'! :D
I had never seen anything in my life that could do that much destruction in so little time. :D :D
Ed