Switched to a different cutterhead tooth and saw 30% more production in a week

I run a 12-inch dredge on the Mississippi near Baton Rouge, and for months I was fighting slow progress in mixed sand and clay. A buddy from a job in Texas told me to try a wide-chisel tooth instead of the standard point style I had been using. After swapping them out last Tuesday, I cut through clay sections twice as fast and my pump load stayed steady. By Friday, I had moved 30% more material than the same week the month before. The only downside is they wear a bit faster on pure sand, so I keep a spare set handy. Has anyone else tried changing tooth geometry for different sediment types?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia3851d ago

Huh, 30 per cent from just teeth sounds like a fluke to me.

the_patricia1d ago

A 30 percent jump in a single week from just changing teeth? That almost sounds too good to be true. I've swapped bits on my own rig plenty of times but never saw a swing anywhere near that big. Maybe I need to borrow your buddy's phone number.