The Best Digger Attachments to use on a Quarry

digging grab

Have you got construction work on a quarry site to complete, but not sure what digger attachments would be best? This week, we bring you our Masterhitch guide to key plant accessories. All of the attachments needed can be supplied by us. We are leading digger bucket manufacturers and our team will be happy to assist.

What would you expect to see at a Quarry?

A quarry is an open site full of stone, and other construction materials that can be excavated. It is typically filled with limestone, sand, slate and gravel for construction companies to remove with the assistance of plant equipment. 

Individuals have been quarrying since the 14th century. Quarrying was very popular with Egyptians, and they would have built the great pyramids using limestone and rocks. In the early days, homemade tools such as chisels and hammers would have been used to extract the rocks, whereas today companies will use bespoke digger attachments and construction machinery to speed up the process.

Rippers

Ripper - Digger Attachment

One of the most popular digger attachments seen on a quarry site are rippers. Also known as a ripper tooth, this excavator attachment will be incredibly beneficial to any company looking to extract rock at a quarry.

Due to the unique hook shape of the attachment, it can easily break up rocks to release them. They are also very useful for a lot of demolition work, as well as any hard materials that can’t be broken up with a bucket.

Our Masterhitch rippers can be made to fit the following machines:

  • 8 Tonne
  • 15 Tonne
  • 22 Tonne
  • 36 Tonne
  • 49 Tonne

The versatile ripper attachment can also be equipped to deal with breaking up tarmac, loosening troublesome tree stumps from the ground, as well as digging foundations for a trench.

Digging Grab

Digging Grab

The Masterhitch Digging Grab, also known as a clamshell grab, is another attachment we would recommend using. The digging grab is made up of two buckets, that can be purchased with or without teeth. Fitted with hydraulic rotation, it will allow operators to work in hard to reach places, or areas with restricted access.

This digger attachment is ideal for trench digging, landscaping, and picking up large rocks and other materials. The digging grab is also an essential plant accessory to have if you need to carry out any heavy duty digging.

Here at Masterhitch, the digging grab is available to fit 15 and 20 tonne machines, but if you require a size out of the standard stocked sizes then contact us today.

Hydra Grapples

Excavator attachments - Hydra Grapple

The Hydra Grapples made at Masterhitch come in three different sizes as standard:

  • 13 tonne 
  • 21 tonne
  • 30 ton machines

Despite the hydra grapple being made from such a simple, yet heavy duty design, it can have a mighty impact on any construction or demolition site. It is created from strong and durable British Standard Steel, to increase the strength and longevity of the attachment. It is great for forestry projects, site clearance and picking up any materials found at a quarry.

Digger Breaker

Mini Excavator - Digger Breaker

Our number one choice of digger attachments is the Digger Breaker. Any operator using our Masterhitch Digger Breaker will benefit from superior performance, efficiency and high durability as well as having a low impact on the environment.

A digger breaker will break apart rocks on any quarry with ease. Here at Masterhitch, we have made our digger breakers to fit machines ranging from 1 to 80 tonnes. 

Operators using a digger breaker will benefit from:

  • A powerful and robust attachment, that will be suitable for even the toughest of projects
  • Construction machinery will still be in a very good condition as the digger breaker will take most of the force

If you want to find out anything else about our digger breakers, read our previous blog post.

Which Machines are Typically Used on a Quarry Site

If you’re working on a quarry site, you will need to ensure you have the correct machinery for the job. Typically, dumper trucks are required for safely transporting material from one site to another. In this case we would recommend opting for a larger dumper truck such as a Hydrema 912E.

Excavators also make the perfect partner to any dumper truck. With the correct digger attachments, the operator will be able to place rocks directly into the dumper truck. When operating on a quarry, we would highly recommend customers use tracked excavators. Whether the digger is equipped with roadliner pads or steel tracks the operator will be able to manoeuvre over rocky or uneven terrain with ease.

A Komatsu PC490 LC-10, a large tracked excavator, would have enough power to move over any surface. Weighing over 48,000kg, the PC490 will be ideal for bigger projects, especially on quarries.

About BuyADigger

Having the correct construction machinery is just as important as the right digger attachments and buckets. We would highly recommend buying used plant equipment from our sister company BuyADigger. With a range of used machinery including:

  • Rollers
  • Site Dumpers & Dump Trucks
  • Excavators
  • Telehandlers
  • Backhoe Loaders

All of the machinery is purchased from new by the H.E. Group, and is on average only 3 years old. Therefore, you will be guaranteed machines in excellent condition, low hours and great prices. 

Here at Masterhitch we will also make any bespoke digger attachments for BuyADigger’s customers, should they request any of a standard size, or to meet their specifications. 

About H.E. SERVICES (Plant Hire) Ltd

Another sister company we work directly with are H.E. SERVICES (Plant Hire) Ltd. If you aren’t looking to buy plant machinery at present, but are looking to hire for a couple of days, speak to the sales team at H.E. SERVICES. 

H.E. SERVICES also operate on a 3 year policy, and will replace the fleet to ensure the best machines are available for customers. If you choose to hire from one of their 10 UK based depots, you will receive fully serviced machines, plus 24 hour service for account customers. If you are based overseas, delivery is also available should it be required for any plant accessories.

About Masterhitch Europe Ltd

Here at Masterhitch, we stock a range of standard fit sizes for all of our digger attachments and buckets, but we can always accommodate sizes outside of this to meet your requirements. If you need any other plant accessories that we haven’t already mentioned, get in contact with us today. We would be more than happy to give you a quote. Call us on 01634 290022 or enquire via our website.