ForConstructionPros.com

Article

  

Contractors' Choice

Bookmark PageBookmark Page Most Read Stories TodayMost Read Most Emailed Stories TodayMost Emailed + -
Updated: July 8th, 2008 05:26 PM GMT-05:00

Skid Steer Attachments Offer Endless Road of Options

Contractor's Choice

Bradco Cold Planer
Attachments such as this Bradco Cold Planer from Paladin Light Construction allow contractors to use one skid steer for multiple applications from pavement repair to more specialized tasks.
DC5500 compaction plate
Coneqtec/Universal’s DC5500 compaction plate fits on regular and mini-skid steers and helps compact soil so the pavement is less likely to crack and/or shift.
Vibratory roller
Vibratory rollers compact base materials and allow a skid steer to take the place of larger rollers, saving a contractor time and money. Bobcat offers two sizes in both a padded and smooth drum.
Slot cutter
Slot cutters, such as this one from Coneqtec/Universal, are often used in pavement repair and allow a contractor to make cuts and repairs without destorying the entire surface.

Kim Johnston
By Kim Johnston
Associate Editor

Slot cutters
A slot cutter is an attachment for pavement repair. Slot cutters basically have two uses. First, they can be used on roadways or parking lots to cut out only a section of the asphalt or concrete that needs repair, rather than having to tear up the entire area. A slot cutter is also useful when repairing cracks. If a crack is not wide enough to accept repair material it can be widened or deepened with a slot cutter and then filled with the repair material. This way the crack repair will hold better, Guthrie says.

A slot cutter is a toothed-wheel, similar to a saw blade. Coneqtec/Universal offers slot cutters that can cut 7 in., 9 in., or 12 in. deep, each with a 3-in. cutting width.

The SSG-7 and SSG-9 have 20 teeth on their wheels, and the SSG-12 has 24 teeth. With the two deeper cutters, the SSG-9 and SSG-12, the minimum hydraulic horsepower required is 45 - compared to the minimum of 35 for the SSG-7.

Although Guthrie points out that slot cutters don't have much to them - basically just a hydraulic motor run by the hydraulics of the skid steer and the toothed-wheel - he does say a contractor has two options with the hydraulic motors: direct-drive motors or planetary systems. A direct-drive motor delivers the rated power directly from the motor. Planetary motor systems use a smaller motor with an extra gear box and gears to help produce the rated power. Guthrie says the Coneqtec/Universal slot cutters, as well as all of its other attachments, use a direct-drive motor system.

Drop Hammer
A drop hammer attachment is an alternative to hydraulic breakers. It allows for fast concrete or asphalt demolition, creates less stress on the skid steer and operator, and results in a cleaner surface, according to Odegaard. These attachments work well for jobs that require demolition of large, flat concrete slabs that still need to be driven over.

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2009 Cygnus Business Media