Machine Heads Video: Talking Battle Ax Drum Mulchers with Tryg Waterhouse of Loftness

Editor’s Note: This Machine Heads video is part three in a four-part video series on drum mulching attachments for skid steers and track loaders. MH editor Wayne Greyson discusses these gnarly brush cutters with experts like Caterpillar, ASV and Loftness. Here are parts one and two. Both have great insights on buying, operating and maintaining a drum mulching implement.

Track loaders are an American favorite. This versatile attachment taker boasts low ground pressure, easy transportability and a large power vs. small size ratio. A big part of the allure is a compact track loader’s adaptability. Like its wheeled skid steer cousin, CTLs can power hundreds of hydraulic and non-hydraulic attachments from brooms to buckets, working in industries as diverse as grading to tree farming. New markets continue to emerge. Brush cutting, for example, has become an important expansion application for compact track loaders. There have been big dedicated tracked brush cutting machines from brands like Rayco and Fecon for decades, but CTL and attachment makers finally got the idea that they could morph a smaller track loader to handle similarly tough brush hog work at a lower price point (like $100K vs. $300K).

When it comes to picking a vegetation management attachment, many different types of categories, styles and heads are available on the market today. Buying decisions need to be based on applications (project sizes, brush types, etc.), operating costs (fuel and consumable knife or blade costs) and maintenance requirements (time and replacement parts). In particular, drum-style mulching heads have emerged as the ultimate brush cutting tool for CTLs in 2024.

Drum-style mulching head attachments are designed for heavy-duty brush shredding applications such as land clearing for fire breaks, real estate development and right-of-ways maintenance. Units often come in common sizes such as 60, 66, 72, 76 and 90 in. widths and can utilize 33 to 60+ gpm of aux flow at up to 6,000 psi. Important considerations when selecting a drum-style mulching head are the brand, cutting teeth and rotor options, but there’s a lot more. I found this out when I sat down with Tryg Waterhouse, director of sales with brush cutting attachment expert Loftness.

We discussed everything you need to know about drum mulchers for compact track loaders — along with Loftness’ Battle Ax drum mulchers. Set apart from other mulchers thanks to their depth gauge and two-stage cutting chamber design, the Battle Ax allows for the use of long-lasting carbide teeth with more fully processed material. Dig into all of this in the video above. Then below, find all the latest news from awesome attachment provider Loftness.

Wayne Greyson is the Machine Heads editor for Compact Equipment.

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