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Tried a different cutterhead angle on a job in Savannah last week
I've been running this 12-inch dredge for about 5 years now and always kept the cutterhead at 45 degrees. On a channel maintenance job near the Savannah River last Tuesday, I dropped it down to 30 degrees on a hunch. The material came up way cleaner with almost no re-suspension, and I finished the section about 2 hours faster than my usual pace. Has anyone else messed with cutterhead angles on mixed sand and clay bottoms?
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wren6524mo ago
Totally agree, @the_gavin. 30 degrees is the sweet spot on mixed bottoms, less wear too.
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the_gavin4mo ago
Did you notice any change in how the cutterhead wore down after running it at 30 degrees for a full day? I've heard that shallower angles can put more stress on the teeth on mixed clay bottoms, but I've never tried it myself. Also, what was the swing speed like compared to your normal 45 degree setup? I'm curious if you had to slow down or speed up to keep that cleaner cut. That 2 hour time save is wild though, makes me want to test it on my next sand and clay job up in Charleston.
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