COMPACT TOOL – Tool Carrier Trio
Roots are the anchors of plants. They burrow through the ground to gather water and inorganic nutrients, grabbing and wedging through the soil for permanent stability. When it comes to removing or managing sturdy root structures on a construction or landscape site, a root cutter attachment for a compact tool carrier (CTC) may be the ideal tool for working around these tough organic pillars. A root cutter is just one of the many unique attachment options available on CTCs.
A root cutter for a CTC is a unique attachment, similar to a large circular saw. A series of teeth are mounted to a rotating wheel. As the wheel rotates, the teeth cleanly cut through dirt and the root structure. The attachment can cut roots up to a maximum depth of 14 in. — the depth required by many municipalities. The width of the cut depends on the type of cutting teeth, which vary in width from 2.5 to 3.5 in. wide. When the root cutter attachment is used properly, it will help protect the existing infrastructure and enhance the survivability of a tree. Typically, the root cutter attachment will require 13 gpm of hydraulic flow, at a rate that matches most CTCs on the market. Customers can anticipate investing between $5,000 and $6,000 on a root cutter attachment, including the cutter setup.
Along with a root cutter, give your bucket a set of jaws and it can do twice as much work. The clamshell design of a combination bucket adds even more versatility to a CTC by adding a metal mouth that opens, closes and bites. The combination bucket itself acts like a standard bucket then doubles as a dozer and as a grapple. When used as a bucket, the combination bucket digs, carries, loads and dumps material. However, the combination bucket differs from an ordinary bucket when it comes to dumping material. The combination bucket’s clamshell design can open, releasing the material without having to tip the bucket, which means that material can be dumped with accuracy.
Like other buckets, the bottom of the combination bucket can be used to level material. However, the combination bucket also performs the related task of dozing. Opening the clamshell and using the backplate allows the operator to use the combination bucket to move and grade material. The clamshell also makes it possible to use the combination bucket as a grapple — grabbing broken concrete, brush or other hard-to-handle materials.
To pick and place awkward and heavy material on the job (from demolition debris to trunks of trees), a contractor needs the dexterity of a mechanical hand fitted with iron fingers. When it comes to accomplishing such nimble and arduous tasks, a CTC makes a great machine for digging, hauling, planting and building. Attach this tool carrier with a grapple rake and give landscape contractors, arborists and construction crews an iron appendage to grab material, lift it securely and place it with accuracy and safety.
CTC owners looking for a grapple rake should look for a unit designed with two heavy-duty cylinders and clamping force up to approximately 3,000 lbs.
They should also ensure that the tines are made from AR400 steel, which is four times harder than regular steel. Grapple rake attachments are designed to be easy to operate, offering a clear line of sight for the operator and good mobility around the project site. Its compact design allows operators to fit through gates and narrow access openings to pick up materials. Most units are around 35 to 44 in. wide, approximately 270 to 350 lbs and have a price range of $2,000 to $3,000.
