Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Reportable_Segment Operation	Dec. 31, 2011 Operation	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	Feb. 03, 2006 Defined_Benefit_Plan
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of principal reporting segments				3
Outstanding forward exchange contracts related to sales	$ 2,409,000			$ 2,409,000
Goodwill, Balance at the beginning of the period				31,751,000	34,073,000	35,207,000	31,648,000
Goodwill percentage of total assets	8.00%			8.00%
Number of operations				1	2
Goodwill impairment	656,000	1,900,000		656,000	1,898,000	0
Intangible assets		5,500,000			5,500,000
Intangibles wrote off			224,000
Number of defined benefit pension plans								2
Period for payment for supplemental retirement benefit				14 years 6 months
Book value of capitalized software	1,092,000	1,320,000		1,092,000	1,320,000
Option term (years)				10 years
Options
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Award vesting period (years)				5 years
Accrued liabilities and Other long-term liabilities
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Supplemental retirement benefit liability	115,000	184,000		115,000	184,000		115,000
Software Development
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Software depreciation depreciation				676,000	822,000	749,000
Software Development | Low
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful Lives				2 years
Software Development | High
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful Lives				7 years
Gradall | Trade Names
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets	3,600,000			3,600,000			3,600,000
Bush Hog | Trade Names
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets	1,900,000			1,900,000			1,900,000
Trademarks
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Intangible assets	5,500,000			5,500,000			5,500,000
Hourly Employees’ Pension Plan
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Former employees				334
Current employees				134
Employees’ Retirement Plan
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Former employees				242
Current employees				88
Schwarze
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill, Balance at the beginning of the period							6,800,000
Rivard
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill, Balance at the beginning of the period							11,800,000
Sales
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Prior period reclassification of revenue and cost of sales				15,300,000	15,600,000	14,000,000
Cost of Sales
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Prior period reclassification of revenue and cost of sales				(15,300,000)	(15,600,000)	(14,000,000)
Other income (expense)
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Foreign currency transaction gains				(476,000)	816,000	265,000
Selling, General and Administrative expenses
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising expense				6,353,000	6,441,000	5,135,000
Product development and engineering costs				5,686,000	6,017,000	5,774,000
Scenario, Forecast
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Unrealized gain of contracts				$ (88,000)