Warning about that old cutterhead from the Louisiana swamps

I picked up a used cutterhead from a job near Baton Rouge last month, thought I was saving $2,000 on a new one. After 3 hours of digging, the teeth started shearing off because the steel was rotted from years of acidic water. Has anyone else run into hidden damage on secondhand cutter gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandraflores1mo agoMost Upvoted

That "threw the money in the bayou" line from @sanchez.pat is hitting a little too close to home. My buddy Rick bought a used dredge from a guy near Lafayette, same deal with the hidden rot, and it basically fell apart in two hours flat. He spent more time patching it with JB Weld than he ever did digging.

sanchez.pat1mo ago

That $2000 "savings" is looking more like a $2000 donation to the swamp now, huh? Bet the teeth sheared off right when you hit something hard, just for the dramatic effect. Probably smelled like rotten eggs and regret when that acidic water finally gave up the ghost. Next time just throw the money in the bayou and skip the middleman.

diana_black1mo ago

I read somewhere those cheap pumps can't handle our hard water down here for more than a month.