Serious question, do you guys prefer a 12-inch or 16-inch cutterhead for tight river work?

I had to pick between a 12-inch and a 16-inch for a job on the Snake River last month, went with the 12 for maneuverability, but it took us an extra two days to move the same material.

3 comments

3 Comments

quinnm776d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, the classic 'time versus torque' debate. I've been there, staring at the gear like it's a multiple choice test where both answers are wrong. You save your back with the smaller rig, but then you pay for it with an extra weekend of your life.

emmaking6d ago

Ugh, that's the worst kind of choice.

rileyprice6d ago

How much extra material did you end up moving on those two days? Was it a consistent flow or just a few stubborn sections that really slowed you down? Trying to picture if the 12-inch just couldn't keep up with the volume, or if it was more about getting into the tricky spots.