Attach2 Equipment Multi Grab bucket attachment
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Tim Dittmar finds the Multi Grab bucket is one of those rare attachments that performs far better than anticipated.
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Multi Grab for multi jobs
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With a fear of earthquake-prone buildings sweeping the country, a lot of older structures are meeting the business end of large excavators as they are being demolished to reduce the risk of collapse should the earth decide to move from beneath them.
Metro Earthworks Ltd from the Wellington region specialises in all aspects of earthmoving and also undertakes demolition work. Currently it has a few buildings lined up in the Masterton area and required a robust attachment for the jobs. After initially purchasing a Multi Grab bucket from Attach2 Equipment for its smaller eight-tonne excavator, Metro Earthworks was so impressed with the performance of the bucket that it has recently bought a larger one for a newly-purchased 20-tonne excavator.
The Multi Grab bucket was fitted to a hired Kobelco SK235 excavator (as the new digger is not yet delivered), working on a site in Masterton demolishing an old brick building. The brick structure had been previously strengthened inside and out and now consists of two concrete structures, with the brick walls sandwiched in between.
When I arrived on site, I was expecting to see the Multi Grab bucket being used to load out the demolished material but, to my surprise, the bucket was comfortably tearing into the reinforced concrete pillars supporting the old structure. At the controls was Carl McGee, who was skilfully breaking down the wobbling structure piece by piece.
Metro's MG08 bucket is suited for excavators between 18 and 24 tonnes and has the option of a rotator, allowing full 360-degree rotation of the grab bucket. Operator McGee says, "We chose the standard bucket for maximum breakout force as the demolition work we undertake requires more power and the extra height of the rotator reduces the crowd force of the digger".
Attach2 Equipment is a division of HG Group Ltd, located in Masterton. It builds and imports a wide range of attachments. Included in this range are the Multi Grab buckets and Rotating Rock Grabs. These are suitable for 3 to 50-tonne excavators and feature large pins and bushes for the hydraulic cylinder and grab to prevent premature wear, Hardox steel is utilised around the edges of the bucket to provide a very strong wear resistant surface. Check valves are fitted to the hydraulic ram to ensure the load is not dropped should a hose burst.
McGee uses the Multi Grab to break down the concrete pillars, by grabbing the pillars in the bucket and twisting the bucket back and forth it pulverises the concrete and the pillars are soon disintegrating between the jaws.
Project manager Thomas Towler tells me that they are very pleased with the versatility of the bucket, as "…it is ideal for these conditions and has been used on site for everything from processing the scrap steel to breaking up the concrete structure".
Seeing McGee carefully break down the remains of the building is like watching a hawke pick the good bits out of some fresh road kill- strong but precise.
With McGee stopping for a cuppa, I got a chance to try out the new bucket. It certainly looks the part with plenty of huge overlapping strengthening plates and thick edges giving a chunky appearance to the 1430kg bucket. Large teeth are fitted to both the jaw and the bucket to ensure a decent grip is applied to the load. I grabbed at some reinforced concrete; the jaw bites down hard and holds firm while I pull it free. There is over two metres between the teeth when the jaw is fully open, allowing large objects to be grasped, the curved jaw further assists in retaining the load.
Though the Multi Grab is built for handling large heavy items, I could still easily locate and grasp small bits of copper pipe and steel from out of the rubble. Due to the good design and shape of this attachment it is ideal for handling all sorts of materials big and small.
Keep an eye out as Attach2 Equipment will soon be offering a whole new range of attachments.
For more information contact Attach2, ph 0800 872 254 or visit attach2.co.nz, or Metro Earthworks, ph 04 566 4444 or visit metroearthworks.co.nz.
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