Bobcat’s latest forestry cutters are the top of the tree in attachments.
Of course, the best way for any manufacturer to showcase the benefits of its machinery is with a live demonstration, and these days companies are busy trying to entice new and potential customers to all manner of roadshows and dig days. Taking centre stage at just such a Bobcat event was a host of forestry attachments from what is now a considerable portfolio, together with a pair of tracked loaders, and two new units were proving to be a cut above the average.
The 1,000 acre Newborne Farm in Kent is the epitome of the county that has rightly earned the epithet the ‘Garden of England’. The owner of this substantial fruit growing and arable operation, Gary Twyman, is one of a class of agriculturalists who are tasked with maintaining this picturesque environment. Across his 150 acre apple orchard, older trees that have become less productive need to be periodically removed, and a telehandler had been previously utilised for the purpose. Not only has this been time-consuming but, with the process of burning the extracted timbers no longer deemed environmentally acceptable, he needed a more sustainable solution.
Enter two of the latest additions to Bobcat’s arsenal – the FRC150ST and FRC200HT high torque forestry cutters. A T590 Compact Tracked Loader, equipped with the (FRC150ST) 1.5 metre cutting wide unit, and a T770H armed with the larger, (FRC200HT) 2m cutting width version, were able demonstrating the age old virtue of having the right tool for the job – and in quick time into the bargain.
“With this solution, not only do you not need to burn the material but, because it cuts grind and mulches – and all within minutes – there’s no additional costs in taking it away and disposing of it,” explains Bobcat Attachments District Manager, Alistair Jones. “The material is broken down into a condition where it can be left in situ or buried, and that saves an enormous amount of time. Not only that but, at either 1.5 or 2m, our forestry cutters are narrow enough to get into spaces between trees, without damaging other vegetation.”
In addition, thanks to a variable front gate, end users can vary the finish of the mulched material, from either coarse to fine. The FRC150ST is designed for continuous work on bushes and trees 100 to 120mm in diameter, intermittent use for trees with a diameter from 150 to 200mm and occasional use on trees 220 to 260mm in diameter. It’s the 30 fixed long-life carbide teeth, combined with 3 rows of counter cutters, that make light work of land clearing, but there’s a host of other tasks for which it is suitable.
With the ability to take down a whole tree up to 30cm in diameter on the largest cutter, the performance of these relatively compact units is impressive, and there are a multitude of different applications, from site clearance for development, to wildlife and vegetation management, or invasive species control. What’s more, a mandatory Forestry Kit supplied for just these jobs means that the loader operator is ensconced behind an impact resistant front door, which must be installed in order to operate the forestry cutter, whilst hose lines are fully protected. Front and rear guards have also been added to protect the lights, and a level II FOPS (ISO 3449) cab protects the occupant from falling trees and objects.
The FRC200HT model cutting its way through the Kent countryside at the Bobcat Roadshow is actually one of two high torque units. Along with its smaller, 1.5m cutting width sibling, the FRC150HT, these attachments are compatible with the Bobcat T770H and T870H compact tracked loaders, S770H and S850H skid-steer loaders and the A770H all-wheel steer loader.
Compared to their predecessors in the Bobcat portfolio, both now benefit from a new variable torque motor, providing 40 per cent more power and several other performance improving updates. The latter include a new drum design, new routing for the hoses, a reduction in weight, and improved visibility.
Powered by the new M-BOOST high performance motor with variable torque, the 1.5 m drum on the FRC150HT forestry cutter is equipped with 30 fixed carbide teeth, whilst the drum on the FRC200HT has 36 cutting teeth. Other new features include five rows of counter cutters; a new adjustable push bar configuration; a new reinforced chain protection system at the back; a new HD belt cover; a new Forestry Applications Kit rear window; new adjustable skid shoes; an automatic drum brake system; an ACD Control system and a patented fixed knife rotor with tungsten carbide tips. All functions of the forestry cutters can be fingertip controlled from the seat without requiring the operator to remove their hand from the loader steering levers.
The forestry cutters are part of a comprehensive Bobcat range of attachments for forestry, estate management, amenity and landscaping work, which includes stump grinders, wood chippers, brushcutters, flail cutters, augers and tree transplanters.
