Historically, the methods for removing the muck after shaft sinking have been tedious and manual. Cactus grab systems are slow and require specific rock sizes to work adequately. Other mucker systems are often unreliable, requiring frequent boom repairs that halt production.
The VSM-14 includes a 14-foot extension boom, with the entire extension at one constant thickness to minimize the potential for boom failures; this greater boom reliability reduces boom repairs, rebuilds, and replacements for much lower overall maintenance costs. The ½ cubic yard bucket size reduces the weight of the jaws (as compared to competitor models), while still maintaining capacity and production cycles. Additional design features include:
- Self-cleaning design that ensures rocks clean out at the end of the main cylinder
- Centre tubes made with specialty materials for greater durability
- Replaceable bushings and grease fitting for ease of maintenance (all pins are inspected and NDT)
- Heavy-duty shock absorbers for the bucket cylinders for increased reliability
In field tests, the VSM-14 has been shown to provide the lowest cost per ton with the highest MTBF as compared to competitor mucker models.
| Length |
16.52 m |
54 ft. 2 in. |
| Boom extension |
4.27 m |
14 ft. |
| Width |
1.54 m |
5 ft. |
| Depth |
0.96 m |
3 ft. 2 in. |
| Extension |
1,632 kg |
3,600 lbs. |
| Cage |
2,585 kg |
5,700 lbs. |
| Boom |
4,400 kg |
9,700 lbs. |
| Total weight |
8,619 kg |
19,000 lbs. |
HP hose with JIC fitting
¾ yard bucket (larger bucket than standard ½ yard)