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For more than a decade, Holly and Stephen Ingham maintained four miles of trails on their North Carolina property with nothing but a pole saw and tractor.  The couple recently decided they wanted a more efficient means of preserving the area.  They researched several options before purchasing a JCB 270T from Company Wrench. Unmatched Safety As inexperienced operators, the Inghams were looking for the safest compact track loader on the market.  Two features set the 270T apart — its single boom design and side door entry.  According to JCB, the single boom adds 60% visibility compared to track loaders that have dual booms.  The side door entry gives operators safe, easy access to the cab.  Most track loaders require operators to enter or exit from the front of the cab by climbing over attachments or walking under unsupported booms. Versatile Attachments The Inghams consulted Company Wrench Sales Territory Manager Will Byrd when deciding on the proper attachments to pair with their 270T.  They determined a CID built swing boom cutter, 78” JCB general-purpose bucket, 78” CID brush grapple bucket, CID X-treme stump bucket, and CID three-point hitch adaptor were the best options for their property.  The Inghams chose the swing boom cutter because it tilts up to 90 degrees with 8’ horizontal reach and 16’ vertical reach.  This attachment’s reach and tilt functions allows the Inghams to cut areas that were previously inaccessible. After clearing overgrowth, the Inghams can use the general-purpose bucket, brush grapple bucket, and stump bucket to clean up the area.  The general-purpose bucket picks up piles of smaller branches and the brush grapple bucket moves larger logs.  The X-treme stump bucket can reach more than four feet underground to easily remove stumps and roots.  The three-point hitch adaptor allows the Inghams to use attachments normally reserved for their tractor on the 270T.  This means the Inghams can use their hydraulic log splitter on the 270T to cut firewood onsite.  Then they can quickly swap from the three-point adaptor to the general-purpose bucket to transport large piles of firewood across their property. Byrd personally delivered each piece of equipment and spent several hours showing the Inghams how to properly operate the 270T and its attachments.  On their first day with the 270T, the Inghams cleared brush and overgrown limbs from a large portion of trails in less than two hours with the swing boom cutter and general-purpose bucket.  This process previously took more than a day to complete.   Future Plans Once the Inghams become more comfortable with the 270T and its attachments, they plan to sell their tractor.  The 270T will be their go-to machine for grading their driveway, mowing pastures, and unloading supplies, in addition to servicing their trails. “It takes a lot to maintain our property, and my husband and I are not getting any younger,” Holly said.  “We decided to get the 270T now because we want to live here for the rest of our lives.  This equipment is going to make it much easier for us as we get older.” This story also appears in Construction Equipment Guide. Read More

Cranes and wrecking balls are things of the past in a world where safety and precision reign supreme. Thanks to three unique advantages, high reach excavators have taken up the mantle as the go-to machine for demolition projects of all sizes. With over twenty years in the industry, you can trust the knowledgeable staff at Company Wrench to explain the three primary benefits of high reach excavators. 1. Fast Assembly Converted high reach excavators engineered by C.W. Machine Worx can be assembled in two hours without assistance from additional equipment. These converted high reach excavators also only require one operator to attach their fronts. The operator can align the converted excavator’s stub front with the high reach front directly from the shipping truck. Once aligned, hydraulic pins from the modular joint attach the stub front to the high reach front, and the machine is ready to operate. “We refer to our converted high reach excavators as ‘self-erecting machines’ because they put themselves together,” Company Wrench Fleet Product Support Trainer Ben Dowdy said. “They use custom counterweights that can be both removed and placed on the carrier by the excavator itself. Other pieces of equipment are usually required to assemble machines of this size, but not with our converted high reach excavators.” 2. Unmatched Precision High reach excavators use shears and demolition processors to make exact cuts when demolishing structures. These materials fall from the structure in a contained area, making high reach excavators the ideal machine for highly populated, dense areas. This level of control becomes even more significant when operators use a telescopic boom instead of a two or three-piece boom. With a simple press of a button, operators can raise or lower the telescopic boom to make precise cuts across multiple working ranges. Two and three-piece booms require operators to add or remove the boom sections to change working ranges. “The learning curve for an operator is much easier with a telescopic boom,” Dowdy said. “When using a telescopic boom, you only have to worry about your boom and stick functions, like with a standard excavator. Three-piece booms feature a jib or mid-link function that allows the stick to bend up or down. This function is independent of the boom and stick functions, so it adds another element to consider for operators. Ultimately, the decision between a telescopic boom and a three-piece boom comes down to preference and working ranges.” 3. Industry Specific Features CW Machine Worx offers the following high reach excavator conversions to make the life of a demolition contractor easier: Tilted Cab. The cab tilts up to 45 degrees for increased operator visibility and comfort. Cab Interference Systems. This keeps the attachment from contacting the machine by slowing hydraulics when the operator reaches an unsafe working angle. Interchangeable Fronts. Converted high reach excavators can use high reach fronts, long reach fronts, and standard fronts. This allows a single excavator to perform projects that normally require multiple machines. Company Wrench offers factory-built high reach excavators from Kobelco and converted high reach excavators from C.W. Machine Worx. For more information about the advantages of a high reach excavator, browse our equipment pages or call 1-866-262-4181. Read More