This Industrial Tree Trimming Vehicle Is a Spinning Device of Destruction

      OMC

      The realm of highly specialized, single-purpose vehicles is vast and intriguing. However, I must admit, I was surprised that the orchard industry, of all things, has produced a machine that appears utterly menacing. This device, known as the Hedgehog, is a tree trimming vehicle equipped with enormous rotating arms that spin up to eight large blades, rotating to cut at nearly every angle and height. If you're not in the cabin (or situated miles away) while it’s in operation, uh, good luck?

      Manufactured by the Orchard Machinery Corporation (OMC), they humorously noted on Instagram that it would also be adept at dispatching zombies. Powered by a 4.5-liter Cummins twin-turbo diesel engine generating 200 horsepower, the OMC Hedgehog spans 8.5 feet in width and can reach heights of up to 12 feet, depending on the model. That’s just in a stationary position, though. At its maximum hedge-fighting elevation, the Hedgehog 3048 can exceed 53 feet 7 inches. Additionally, it has two articulating arms that each feature three 48-inch spinning blades functioning as fingers. The 3036 model incorporates smaller 36-inch blades, but has eight of them and all are affixed to a single-arm boom.

      The cabin offers a contrasting experience. Featuring climate control, an air ride seat, a tilted steering wheel, ergonomic controls, and a color LCD driver information panel, the interior feels remarkably serene for a piece of heavy machinery. However, the fully-enclosed cabin also boasts a steel roof and half-inch thick laminated safety glass, as safety is crucial with those swinging blades that can slice a minimum of 11 feet on either side. Trees can be quite sizable, after all.

      Moreover, with the shark mouth paint job and its overall over-the-top design, I suspect the Hedgehog name is at least somewhat inspired by the A10 Warthog.

      For arborists and farmers, the Hedgehog provides an effective means of cutting through the leafy chaos. The arm(s) can be adjusted for precise cuts, such as the A-cut, V-cut, skirt & hedge, taper top, taper skirt, or combinations thereof. Thus, it’s not merely about carelessly assaulting whatever is nearby unless...

      Since its founding in 1961, OMC's initial products were hydraulic tree shakers used for harvesting prunes. Over the years, the company has continued to develop shakers along with a variety of other high-performance harvesting equipment. Adding an element of fun to demanding farming tasks, OMC’s products have names as intense as the machines themselves, including Shockwave, Aftershock, Hedgehog, Brush Hog, and E-limb-inator. You definitely wouldn’t want to end up within the reach of that last one’s 8.25-foot-wide dual-motor hammer mill unless your final wish is to be composted.

      In any case, witnessing this heavy-duty apparatus in action inspires awe and the occasional exclamation of “Holy hell!” Or is it just me? I just know that next time I’m driving through rural areas and gazing at orchards, I’ll offer a small prayer of gratitude to OMC for not being the target of its machines built for harvest but ready for an apocalypse. Nevertheless, I’ll be aware of where to find my steadfast mechanical companion when an extraterrestrial invasion occurs.