Attachments, Aussie Farms, Farm Machinery, Farming

Rata Equipment continues to impress QLD farmer

A Queensland farmer’s experience with the Rata Equipment Power Claw has been so positive that he has opted to buy a second unit to double its capabilities

There can hardly be a greater endorsement of an attachment than a farmer rushing out to buy another of the same thing.

For Queensland’s Russell Patton, who farms alongside his son, his experience with a Rata Equipment Power Claw has been so impactful to his operations that he decided one claw was not enough.

“Those Power Claws are the most fantastic bit of machinery – they are the farmer’s friend,” he says.

“I loved it so much that I bought another one.

“My son works on the farm with me and so we get into a machine each and we can do some work in a hurry.

“It’s actually fun to be on a machine working with them.”

Patton’s property is a 259 hectare (640 acre) block located between Toowoomba and Ipswich which he says was “heavily overgrown and very badly neglected” before he purchased it.

Tasked with clearing this land and making it usable, Patton initially contracted a bulldozer to get rid of some stumps and bigger trees before learning about the Power Claw.

With the grunt work of knocking out about 1,500 stumps having been completed by the bulldozer, Patton’s next move would have been to use a bucket to try and clear the debris – until the Power Claw came along.

“The buckets are alright for knocking stuff over, but once it’s over there is all the fiddling around to try and pick it up and put it in stacks, whereas the Power Claw just grabs hold of it,” he says.

“I reckon some of the logs that were left behind here were 1,200kg and I’ve just picked them up and put them on top of fire stacks.

“It just stacks into beautiful little neat stacks or big stacks, whatever you like, and then you can burn it off, which is fantastic.

“For picking up logs or fallen trees or any debris that’s on the ground, and for any sort of clearing that you want to do, they are amazing and they are strong.”

Because it is a Claw, it is able to secure items such as logs

Rata’s Power Claw is an attachment which, as Patton’s use shows, provides an alternative to a four-in-one bucket.

In addition to being compatible with skid steers, models exist that also suit tractors and telehandlers, ensuring all farmers can find the ideal unit to pair with their machinery.

The Power Claw’s clever design means farmers can also find uses and benefits in the field beyond what they were initially purchased for.

“They’re so much better than the stick rake for clearing undergrowth or lantana, or doing any of those jobs,” Patton says.

“I actually use it to grade around the fire stacks.

“I use that like a plough, I just tilt the teeth the right way and just go around it a couple of times – it’s just great, I’m telling you.”

Broadly speaking, Rata’s Power Claw is available in three different models.

There is the compact (which suits tractors between 25-45hp), the mid range (designed for 45-75hp tractors along with small loaders) plus the standard (which suits tractors about 75hp along with telehandlers and larger loaders).

Within the standard Power Claw range, multiple widths can be provided to further hone in on the perfect model for each use.

Paired with machines like skid steers, the Claw has excellent lift capacity

Units between 1.6m and 2.6m are available, with Patton’s 2.6m Power Claw being the largest offered.

The Power Claw’s tines are made from 16mm thick AR450 abrasion resistant steel to ensure maximum strength and durability, while the tines also interlock to provide excellent grip on any item being handled.

Heavy duty pins and bushes – with all pins being high tensile and 35mm diameter – are another example of the Power Claw’s toughness and its ability to handle the Australian conditions which it has been built for.

This translates into real-world benefits for users such as Patton, who speaks in glowing terms about the Power Claw’s performance on his skid steers.

“It’s just the power of them,” he says.

“I can’t speak highly enough of this machine. They’re strong and they’re just built tough.”

The Power Claw is also not the only Rata Equipment product which Patton owns, and it was only by chance that he even learned about it.

“I stumbled over it when I was looking for hay grabs and it looked interesting,” he says.

“I like my toys, so I thought I’d give it a try and I’m glad I did.”

Rata’s bale clamp can lift up to 2,100kg

Patton’s original search for a hay grab also led him to Rata Equipment, where he has secured another attachment he is happy with.

“The hay grab is made tough – I can’t break it,” he says.

“I ordered the hay grab and the Claw at the same time.

“The hay grab will pick up two 4×4 bales of hay and picks them both up together with no problems – and the Claw is even stronger.”

Rata’s bale grabs – also known as bale clamps – are designed to provide “the perfect balance of strength and care”.

It offers a 2,100kg lift capacity, and this toughness and durability is complemented by providing a grip that is firm, but gentle enough on the bales to ensure the plastic wrap is not damaged.

It is another product which shows the depth of Rata’s range in the attachments space, all of which are built for what Australian conditions require.

The bale clamp has soft hands to remain gentle while lifting bales

When the products are ticking the boxes and the customer service matches, it is little surprise farmers such as Patton are happy to have discovered Rata.

“They were good to deal with and I’ve had no issues with them,” Patton says.

“I’ve got nothing but praise for them and the machine is an absolute cracker.”

Rata’s full range can be viewed online at www.rataequipment.com and the company can be contacted on 1800 962 022.

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