Magnum Mulcher

[DirtyWorks]

Well guys I've decide to sell my Bradco Magnum 165-5 mulcher but not sure where to post it on the net for the best exposure so I'm asking your advise. It has the double sided carbides and will go with the book, all hoses and fittings and also my custom knives and knive holders. Unit is less than one year old and has @ 450 hours. Also has some minor wear and scratches but we all know how that is in the woods.Have just replaced the belt and had it computer balanced. We need a swap shop on here! Reson for selling?...Found a better, faster head that I have been testing and helping to develop and can't afford both This would make someone a perfect starter head for the money! I would prefer not to sell it to someone very close to me cause I would hate to compete against it. and no i don't think we have Craigs list down here.

 

[MrJimi]

Try
Construction Equipment at Machinery Trader: Caterpillar, Komatsu, Case, John Deere, Volvo
or/and
Equipment Trader Magazine Online - Buy or Sell New and Used Heavy Equipment
Best of luck
Jim

 

[Gamma]

DirtyWorks,

Can you tell us what this new head is that you've been helping to test & develope?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Guess I should have said just privlidged (sp) to test. don't want to give myself any undeserved credit or take any away from the designer/fabricator.





Here are a few snapshots.
This head was not designed for looks but rather performance, simple maintenance, balance, and light weight.
As for the performance, well it has outperformed everything in its pricerange!

My personal likes-
The weight- only 1600lbs, Very comfortable and does not draw down the hydraulics when lifting and manuvering. Almost 800lbs lighter than my magnum. also relates to less stress on the loader arms, pins etc.

The atachment is angled much the same way as the timberax. This allows the atachment pins to be at an angle insteas of straight down when backdragging. I have had to weld extensions to my pins more than once due to the pins wearing down. It also keeps the hydraulic lines well protected in the QA area. Trust me this is a lot less to have to worry about!
The balance- this head is ultra smooth.
The cut- does not just beat the brush but actually cuts it.The knives can be resharpened. The head is designed so you can angle the rear plate almost perpendicular to the ground, trapping the debris and continuing to cut it instead of throwing it under the machine like a spear.
There was a reduction of almost 20 degrees in operating temperature of my machine when running this head. Almost no bogging or stalling, hydraulic motor had much better cooling being exposed so much. This feature alone could keep you mulching in the summer.
The visibility- excellent you can see everything, very exact
The seviceability- onlt two grease fittings, no transmission, direct drive, easily sourced resonably priced parts, nothing special order. Only 24 knives versus the many on the Magnum. This means teeth can be replaced for half the cost and in half the time. If one tooth hapens to contact something uncuttable(metal) etc,and breakes, you can easily replace the knife in the field without worry of affecting your balance. Was told knives would be @ $30 each. If you break a carbide hammer on others, you either run with it out of balance or replace the hammer for about $80

 

[DirtyWorks]

The metal "fins" on the drum act like drags on a chainsaw. Kinda like Gyro but do not encircle the drum. This allows for another set of teeth 180 degrees out, to double cut the tree in one rotation. The rotation is about 400 revolutions per second! thats 800 tiny shaving or bites per second!
The housing is designed so that when you are mulching the top of the gear box is flat horizontally. By using this as a visual refrence you can always know at a glance if you are angled too far to the front or back. Really helps to familiarize yourself and get the hang of it quicker.

Now, recomendations- only a few but hey if a man can choose.. I would like a hydraulic push bar instead of fixed or adjustable. Was told "No Problem" DONE
Possible full mesh screen across the front pusher bar. Expanded metal or something. Would not only protect the pump hoses better and not interfear with cooling, but would also protect your hydraulic hose hookups and your machine from sticks, limbs etc. No one else has this feature and let me tell you more than once I have had to quickly stop to avoid a stick or log from ripping my hoses when in the woods. I am a big fan of armor!

So what do you think?

 

[john_bud]

What's the story when dealing with rocks?

jb

 

[MrJimi]

Have you found any cars yet?

 

[Gamma]

So it's the Roto Ax by Forestry Mowing Innovations?

The new Roto Ax

So what is the price going to be on one of those heads? The FMI website just says "Promotional pricing for the new ROTO AX will be coming soon!"


Have you had any problems with the two bolts that hold each blade onto the mount shearing off when it strikes something?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Well the name is not 100% set in stone yet but yes that is the one. As far as rocks, there are none in S.Mississippi. At least not that I have found. A few bricks and concrete, and lots of old forgotten iron stuff though. The bolt shearing, this was one thing that was since been changed from the prototype already. For the averahe user the smaller bolts may be ok, but they have upgraded to a stronger bigger one, 1/2 inch i believe but not sure. The idea is to have the tooth break not the bolts. the teeth are inexpensive. The bolts on the magnum knife teeth were the same size, mainly because of the limited area for drilling and tapping. The area on the FMI tooth is a lot larger allowing a heavier duty bolt.

 

[DirtyWorks]

As for names, what do yall think? I was leaning toward 'White Tornado' or something. With a tornado symbol in green against a white unit. It would stand out! "Tasmanian Devil"? mechanical fire?

As for price, most likely under $20k !!! including the hydraulic push bar! There is also the possiblity of carbide teeth designed so that if the carbide were to break off upon contact with a rock or something, the tooth would still maintain a sharp metal cutting surface.

 

[snowboss]

Dirty works,

I am interested in more info on your Bradco Magnum if it's still available, I am in NY state [far enough away from ya? lol] I do not have a mulcher now and have been researching them for quit sometime . .to many models and features . . so here is my quick run down - I have approximately 120 acres of land that is mostly undergrowth [1-3 inch nasty thicket type trees] with a lot of dead tree [slash] on the ground -the customer is a development firm and the property is very heavily watched by the D.E.C. so erosion issues, ground area disturbance sizes, water drainage issues ....the list is endless are a priority concern. I'm of the belief that the only way to handle this is with a mulching program.
I have a Cat 248 model "A" [by default after the B series came out] 78 hp with 33gpm @ 4300 psi - 1. will this machine handle the magnum your selling. 2. the matierial left behind in your posted pics is nice, but, is that multiple extra passes to get there or is that standard debris. 3. what's this tool gonna run me and how do we move forward [e-mail is fine if you don't want to post that kind of info online] thanks for your time - anyone else thats wants to give free advise to a new mulcher please do. I'm looking at a brownbear, fecon, tushhog and the CAT factory tool, which I'm finding out is an FAE with CAT decals? thank you all, nice toys!!!!!!!!!

 

[snowboss]

Many might disagree with 4300 psi but thats a correct number the B and C series machines are tuned down to 4100 psi @ 33gpm - -I got in a agument on the phone with Bobcat guy a minute ago and decided to clear my name, lol

 

[QwikDraw]

Hi Snowboss,

What year is your Cat. I can't find a 248 on the website?

For a good finished product, especially with hardwoods it takes multiple passes. Magnum is an excellent head and I am sure Dirty took good care of it. 120 acres is a large parcel that would go along way in paying for the head and you may want to look in to a new 100 HP skid steer as the 78hp CAT may be lacking for such a large job.

Good luck.

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

Is it (248) track converted or still on wheels? I found the 248 specs (loftness site) to be 4200psi@33 gpm....248B 4060psi@33 gpm...lot of land for tires I would think tracks especially with the DEC watching-less ground pressure and less penetration of soil and sensitive areas.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Is it (248) track converted or still on wheels? I found the 248 specs (loftness site) to be 4200psi@33 gpm....248B 4060psi@33 gpm...lot of land for tires I would think tracks especially with the DEC watching-less ground pressure and less penetration of soil and sensitive areas.

Welome to TBN Boss! What part of NY?
At that pressure and gpm your pushing 71-72HHP A stock Asv with 100Hp is only 73HHP. Those numbers sound very good for a medium size machine. You would be able to mulch and keep up with anything in your weight class and price range. The material size of 1-3 inches would be no problem for almost any mulcher. The picture posted is after one forward pass and one backdrag pass. As a habit I almost always backdrag not so much to recut the material but to "smooth and spread" the chips. It gives me a better view of the finished product and assures a patern of uniformity. Some guys may have good luck looking behind them but it just seems natural for me to back up and give the whole job a good look. Yes the head is availible and NY is far enough that you would not have to worry about me taking your jobs A Pvt msg is on the way!
I do agree with Scott on the tracks for sensitive areas. VTS or at least rubber over the tires. Any more mulching ?'s just post. We're here to help!

 

[Jgraham]

How much are you asking for your magnum mulcher?

Thanks,

JG

 

[yellowdogsvc]

Welome to TBN Boss! What part of NY?
At that pressure and gpm your pushing 71-72HHP A stock Asv with 100Hp is only 73HHP. Those numbers sound very good for a medium size machine. You would be able to mulch and keep up with anything in your weight class and price range. The material size of 1-3 inches would be no problem for almost any mulcher. The picture posted is after one forward pass and one backdrag pass. As a habit I almost always backdrag not so much to recut the material but to "smooth and spread" the chips. It gives me a better view of the finished product and assures a patern of uniformity. Some guys may have good luck looking behind them but it just seems natural for me to back up and give the whole job a good look. Yes the head is availible and NY is far enough that you would not have to worry about me taking your jobs A Pvt msg is on the way!
I do agree with Scott on the tracks for sensitive areas. VTS or at least rubber over the tires. Any more mulching ?'s just post. We're here to help!

I do a lot of reverse mulching... i'm pretty compulsive about making it look good versus the "bomb went off" look that I see all over. I need a big mirror because my neck starts hurting!

 

[redprospector]

I do a lot of reverse mulching... i'm pretty compulsive about making it look good versus the "bomb went off" look that I see all over. I need a big mirror because my neck starts hurting!

One of those $99 back up cameras from Walmart works wonders for a sore neck. :laughing:

Andy