John Deere’s Douglas Laufenberg Talks Brush Cutter Attachments for Mini Excavators

Mini excavators offer versatility with their long arms, making them suitable for various tasks from digging to placing heavy materials. They also excel in mowing and brush cutting, with attachments like rotary mowers, drum mulchers, flail mowers and saws. Each attachment has unique benefits for different tasks, affecting efficiency and cost. Choosing the right attachment is often based on material and desired cut, but there are many factors as you’ll see in our Q&A below. Rotary cutters, with heavy-duty blades, are good for clearing large areas of brush, while flail mowers, which use spinning blades, provide finer mulch and less flying debris. Drum mulchers, equipped with fixed teeth, handle thicker trees and produce fine mulch.

Ultimately, the right mower or mulcher attachment can significantly enhance a mini excavator’s productivity, making it a powerful tool for various landscaping and construction tasks. We learned all about this when we interviewed Douglas Laufenberg, manager of sales and marketing of compact construction equipment and attachments at John Deere. Enjoy our conversation below.

CE: Douglas, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to Compact Equipment. We’re big fans of the brand. First off, maybe we can briefly summarize your mower attachments for compact excavators. How many models do you currently have?

Laufenberg: John Deere currently offers two styles or types of cutter/vegetation management attachments for our compact excavator lineup. We offer two models of rotary cutters, including the RE40 and RE50, and two drum style cutters/mulchers, including the ME36 and ME50 models.

If you had to pick one big differentiator in your brush cutting/flail mower attachment product offerings, what would it be? A one-of-kind tooth configuration? A cool, unique hydraulic design? Easy maintenance? Pick something and briefly explain it. 

Our brush cutting attachments are tested in the toughest applications, ensuring they will get the job done and are durable enough to last. The ME36 and ME50 mulchers are equipped with knife-style cutting teeth on a split ring rotor. The spiral, double helix tool pattern and innovative tool shape allow for fast, efficient cutting for mulch up to 5-in. material.

Our RE40 and RE50 brush cutters feature three swinging blades mounted to a blade carrier and can fell and cut material up to 6 in. in diameter. A heavy-duty hinged debris shield retracts when the head is engaged with trees and brush, exposing the blades and allowing for aggressive cuts.

Also, the RE40 and RE50 brush cutters directionally beveled blades push material into the head of the cutter, creating fine debris for recycling. The blades are also reversible, so when the leading-edge wears, they can be unbolted and flipped over for a fresh cutting edge.

Mini excavators are making big waves on jobsites all over North America. Click here for the latest news on these machines and the companies that make them.

What are the major options for brush cutter attachments for mini excavators? Size, power, blades, drives, brands? What major decisions should buyers be concerned about when picking an excavator brush cutter?

Buyers should consider the flow requirements of the cutter/mulcher when looking to purchase an attachment to add to their fleet. It’s also important to consider what materials are going to be cut and what the finished cut will look like. Brush/rotary cutters cut down material and leave larger debris, while mulcher can process materials to a finer finish. In addition, it’s imperative that customers do not forget about added guarding that may be required to protect the operator in this application.

How much hydraulic power is needed to run a typical excavator brush cutter?

Every attachment and machine combination will differ, so it’s important to consult the product brochure and your dealer sales professional.

What advice would you give to a contractor looking to buy or rent or brush cutter?

For those interested in working with a brush cutter attachment, there are many opportunities to buy or rent your attachments. Before tackling a job, it is imperative to select the proper cutter for the job at hand. Typically, operators within the vegetation management industry find brush style cutters as a great tool to own due to their versatility, however, researching the full lineup beforehand is incredibly beneficial.

In addition, when choosing a cutter right for your desired application, be sure to consider the type of hydraulic system the cutter needs to operate properly. Selecting the right machine can make all the difference when operating in rugged and rough applications.

What operational advice is imperative when using a brush cutter attachment?

When identifying the most important aspects of operating a compact excavator with a cutter attachment, safety is the highest priority, as there are lots of possible hazards surrounding a jobsite. That’s why having the right machine protection package on your equipment is crucial.

For all operators, it’s also crucial to know your environment. If working in a condensed area, flying objects pose a threat to those in immediate surroundings. It is fundamental that you try to get all the material you are processing on the ground before cutting. The key to a successful brush cutting job is to ensure your machine brings all materials to surface level to help mitigate excess debris, as well as protect the undercarriage of your equipment.

Lastly, when operating on a rugged and overgrown jobsite, there are always associated risks, so being aware of your surroundings and focusing on the other operators around you can drastically improve operator and jobsite safety.

What applications and end-users are popular for brush cutters?

The ME36 and ME50 mulchers attachments are ideal for right-of-way maintenance and fire/fuel reduction, clearing standing or felled trees and brush along fencerows, roadsides, waterways and other hard-to-reach places. The RE40 and RE50 brush cutters are ideal for embankment and ditch management, over-fence brush management, rail right-of-way maintenance and otherwise difficult to reach areas.

Awesome info, Douglas. We really appreciate you taking the time to talk to compactequip.com. Anything else you like to add?

Thanks Keith. We always appreciate the opportunity For more info, visit www.deere.com.

Keith Gribbins is publisher Compact Equipment.