Friday, 16 February 2024 07:55

A solution to forestry's woes

Written by  Mark Daniel
Picursa’s backhoe loadermounted mulchers may be the answer to slash issues faced by the forestry sector. Picursa’s backhoe loadermounted mulchers may be the answer to slash issues faced by the forestry sector.

Forestry is never far from the news, not least because of the damage attributed to slash washing downstream during storms.

The industry, even the smaller players, have come to realise that reduction or removal is the best course of action. This had led to many contractors choosing to use excavator or backhoe loader-mounted mulchers to deal with the problem.

Agriline, already well known in the agricultural chipping and mulching arena, has introduced a range of forestry-spec machines, built by Picursa, based in Zaragoza NE Spain.

The Retro Boxing Range is designed for all types of excavator or backhoe loaders in the 8 to 20 tonne sectors, offering the ability to shred or mulch branches, small trees, stumps, and general felling debris.

At the heart of the machine, carbide-tipped, fixed teeth offer strength and durability, while their helical positioning on the 440mm overall diameter rotor help ensure a fine chop and even distribution across the underlying terrain.

It is equipped with a 75mm diameter rotor shaft and an integral fixed piston pump. Heads are available in 600mm to 1500mm working widths, weighing in at 520 to 780kg and utilising 12 to 28 hammers.

The Retro Tekken Mulcher range is the bigger sibling, offered in 1200 to 1800mm working widths, weighing in at 1100 to 1500kg and designed for machines in the 18 to 30 tonne sectors.

It is equipped with a 300mm rotor, running on a 90mm shaft, delivering a 540mm overall diameter, the hardware includes 28 to 44 carbide-tipped, fixed teeth.

Like the smaller machine, height control is achieved with heavy-duty adjustable skids, flying debris protection is undertaken by chain guards and discharge is controlled by a manually adjusted hinged hood.

Offering equipment for those not using tracked machines, the Tekken tractor-mounted version is designed for prime movers between 160 and 320hp. Said to be the most popular model in New Zealand, with many examples working countywide, the machine features a 300mm rotor configuration, carried on a 100mm rotor shaft. Offered in 2000, 2200 and 2400mm working widths, the machine is fitted as standard with a wear-resistant Hardox steel body liner and double row safety chains.

Standard equipment includes over-run clutches on the main gearbox and a hydraulically adjusted discharge hood. Options include hydraulic pusher bars, auto-level gearboxes, hydraulic raker bars and hydraulic clutches.

www.agriline.co.nz

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