New "Fixed Wrist" muscle added to Waratah lineup
Forestry attachments manufacturer Waratah has always taken a leadership role in developing solutions that provide maximum productivity, the highest uptime, and the lowest daily operating costs. Waratah's all new HTH 624C HD version with the Fixed Wrist control option is the company's latest innovation for loggers seeking more.
The base platform for the new Fixed Wrist configuration is the new and completely redesigned HTH624 C recently launched by Waratah.
The new C design includes a wider body for improved hose routing, increased accessibility to components like motors and sensors, and improved geometry for holding the largest of trees. The main sawbox was also made larger for added cutting capacity and increased visibility for the operator.
The topping saw cutting capacity was also increased to a full 20 inches while utilizing the same chain oil reservoir as the main saw. Other changes include a relocated, guarded Diameter Linkage rod as well as a new Find End Photocell location for increased production while minimizing debris buildup.
Rob Agassiz, General Manager for Waratah Canada, explains: "The Fixed Wrist option now adds further punch to our already robust 624C head design. Increased handling control through a massive, fixed rotec, coupled to a monstrous transition upper structure, has provided added operator muscle for wood placement in a variety of applications.
"From helicopter and yarder shows to roadside or mill yard processing, this head has no equal," says Agassiz. "Huge rotate swing torque along with a tool tilt cylinder offering a tilt locking feature, the capabilities for turning, placing, and piling the heaviest of logs is endless."
Unlike some competitors' fixed concept heads which offer limited or no ability to float while processing--often causing those heads to fight the logs while feeding--Waratah is offering a unique approach to the fixed head concept, he says. "Our Fixed Wrist option from Waratah has not eliminated our standard tilt cylinder or its legendary floating ability. We have simply taken a proven concept in our floating danglers and added the ability for the operator to have added control with tremendous rotate torque for increased handling abilities of larger stems.
"Simple. yet powerful, and very effective" states Agassiz. "Our decking abilities with this option are amazing".
The HTH 624C Fixed Wrist configuration is available in two levels. The base package is supplied with a single motor fixed rotator, standard 624C drive motors and standard 624C delimb arms. The extreme package offers dual motors for the fixed rotator, larger drive motors taken from the HTH 626 Waratah head, as well as heavier, fabricated, hardwood-specific delimb arms.
"This Waratah fixed head option is really suitable for customers like JHL Harvesting (see main story) who are making the transition from equipment like stroke delimbers to Waratah heads," says Derek Graf, Regional Sales and Operator trainer for Waratah Canada.
"JHL had already done their research on the Waratah product, its reputation in terms of quality, high levels of support, and certainly its high resale value. But I believe they also made their decision based on performance, reliability, and the fact that the HTH 624C is really well suited to tough hardwood applications."
The last remaining question on the table for JHL Harvesting was really whether or not to go with the standard HTH 624C configuration, or the new Fixed Wrist offering. Waratah and JHL both agreed that the Fixed Wrist-configured 624C would provide increased control for decking the 37' ft lengths of hardwood most common on JHL's jobsites. The control provided by the fixed head option would allow the operators to extract the logs quickly from the unprocessed decks, utilizing the much increased swing torque now provided by this huge wrist. This has enabled JHL operators to easily turn and align the trees to the appropriate sorted piles at roadside.
