Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_QL1zDM3sk (8 min)
Mike from Rippa USA Sales says up front that this one may be controversial, but it needs to be said. Many people who buy a mini skid steer are homeowners with a few acres or landscapers who are new to heavy equipment, and one attachment in particular worries him: the drum forestry mulcher.
THE CONCERN
- Mulcher heads are great tools, especially drum mulchers. The problem is the setup on a mini skid steer.
- A full size skid steer sold for forestry work comes with a special forestry cab: protective bars over the window and a heavy poly door, which is often a few thousand dollar upgrade.
- A mini skid steer is an open operator station. Wood chips and debris are thrown out of the top of the mulcher at high speed, and they are not tiny particles.
- Mike's view is that the thin face shields some attachments are sold with only protect against dust, not against a piece of wood moving at highway speeds.
- He looked at building a protective canopy for the operator. It would look rough, cost roughly $950 in his estimate, and would mean drilling into the loader arm, which the manufacturer would not want to sign off on.
MIKE'S ADVICE
- If you only need to do forestry mulching once or occasionally, rent a purpose built machine for the day instead of putting yourself at risk.
- Do not have family members stand in front of the machine to film you. Use a tripod. Nobody should be in front of the machine or in the working radius.
- Watch forestry mulching videos from professionals to see how much debris these machines throw.
- Wear proper protection and think hard about the operator station before you buy any attachment that throws material.
This is Mike's personal opinion based on his experience, shared to help buyers make a safe decision. Always follow the manufacturer's guidance for any attachment and your machine.
Questions about which attachments suit your machine? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.
