The new machines, the RT10 and RT12, can also be specified with “high flotation” tyres, and feature a trail wheel that increases stability and reduces breakover when loading and unloading or going over a curb.Ditch Witch is pitching the small machines as a rental item for homeowners and small contractors. The RT10 is powered by an 11hp (8.2-kilowatt) engine, and the manufacturer expects the engine’s size and lightness will make it ideal for these applications. Its bigger brother, the RT12, is designed for longer runs and has a 16hp engine equipped with an oil cooler, keeping the engine’s lifeblood at the right temperature even on the hottest days.Numerous options are available for both units, including a pin-on backfill blade which restores the trench after the product is installed. The company said the savings in time and labour – versus hand-filling the trench with a shovel – will quickly be realised when the customer uses the option for the first time.Another option, primarily for contractors, is the Roto Witch, an attachment that enables the operator to bore under sidewalks, driveways and other obstacles. Ditch With says no other trenchers in the RT10’s and RT12’s hp class offer this option.The company did not comment on when the machines would be available on the Australian market.
