Nothing political meant by that, so don’t send this to the Tavern.
I built on the side of the mountain so that I wouldn’t have to mow grass. I hydroseeded Love grass so that I wouldn’t have a traditional grass to not mow. Well, foiled again. The love grass, the stickers, the saplings, the poke weed are overwhelming the paths and making pleasant walks impossible. The weed eater, even with the metal blade, cannot cut through this.
So I’m in the market for some kind of brush cutter, but don’t know that much about the options and styles and brands and prices. Any guidance? Thanks.
Replies
I'm not totally clear on your situation, but I live in pretty rugged terrain where grass and blackberries and thistles and Scotch broom flourish. I bought a DR brush and field mower about 3 years ago (the biggest one) and it's like a self-propelled brush hog and will do everything they say it will do and more. Good customer service, too.
It's a little on the spendy side but worth every penny IMO.
Some people would bitch even if they were hung with a new rope.
Is that the one I see in commercials or infomercials? You described the terrain accurate enough. What's that thing run?
If the wife increases your tool allowance a bit.....
http://www.ammbusher.com
...and have fun.
John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
http://www.lazarobuilders.com
$2 grand plus but you may locate a used one. The smaller ones are a little less and they're actually pretty good, too. I just have a lot of area to cover and a lot of it is inaccessable or unsafe for a tractor. Some people would bitch even if they were hung with a new rope.
http://www.countryhomeproducts.com:80/twonavbar.asp?dept%5Fid=200&mode=models&sf=fabcomparison1%2Ehtml&mscsid=883KM78TFELN8GPUT7AF68VRL6MK594A
$1500 for the 9hp manual start
$2000 for the 11hp elec start
Three tools come to mind,
Napalm
A Daisy cutter
Agent Orange (this is totally safe, just ask the Pentagon)
Four, a D-9
no thanx neccessary
TLayers
Onions
Have
Layers,
Carpenters
Have
Layers
Which raises a fourth option...
you could come here and cut it with your sharp wit! Ha ha ha
Another thought occured to me...some equipment rental yards have these mowers available. You might persue that option and, at least, see if the machine I'm recommending works for your situation.
Yea, you got the right website. The machine I've got is 12.5 hp (an earlier version) and I can't say enough about it. It's safe, easy to use, with real ass-kicking power.I've cut 7 foot tall canary grass in the rain, mowed through salal and blackberries littered with downed tree limbs on a 30 % slope...it's one of those purchases I've made that seemed a bit over-the-top at the time ("you paid how much for a friggin' lawnmower?") but I've never regretted it.
Some people would bitch even if they were hung with a new rope.
Edited 5/14/2002 8:43:00 AM ET by Notchman
Thank you. That's a big help.
get yourself some livestock and let them graze it down.
Maybe I could domesticate the bears...or turn them into grazers...
Just saw this post. For those mower prices quoted, you can get a used fixer 5Ton dozer. My JD 440 rips'em right out now, only need to "mow" once every 2 years.
Would that be a 6-way or fixed blade? If'n I'm gonna do it, gonna do it right!
Can't find a lawn service with the equipment for hire. Current recommendations are to check out the rental shops. I really, really don't want something else around I can't fix.
I looked at the DR about 6 years ago.. decided to get the Gravely 12 hp Pro instead..
it has power reverse so you can get out of some bad places.. also.. the gravely takes about twenty implements.. i got the 30" brush cutter and the rotary plow..
the brush cutter is 3/8" and i've cut down 2" saplings with it.. watch out.. gravely has a cult followingMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks for the suggestion, Mike. I looked them up. Didn't see the roll-cage option, and on the 30% grade areas I just might need that.
These days I'm leaning toward a goat. 'Course the bears would love that.
Cloud.. my 12hp came with turf tires and i bought the tractor tires to go with the brushcutter & plow.. you can also get dual wheels that extend teh wheelbase out to about 4'......
however, the only problem i've ever had was dropping it into a gully so it bottomed out and the wheels spin for no traction..... but a couple of well placed stones has always gotten me out..
stability was never an issue including brush cutting willows sidehill around our pond..
the center of gravity is extremely low.... the only problem i forsee is if it ever quits.. that's where it will stay.. cause you are not going to push it home...
i'd post a pic. here, but propero thinks i'm maxed out , even though i deleted a lot of pics... i'll post some in the tools section of QT... maybe some of the DR guys have pics too...
http://curve.phpwebhosting.com/~luka/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=tools&Number=1609&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=6&o=0&fpart=&vc=&PHPSESSID=
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 6/1/2002 8:11:51 AM ET by Mike Smith
Edited 6/1/2002 8:19:19 AM ET by Mike Smith
Can you really buy a used dozer for a couple of thousand bucks where you are? Around here you can't touch anything that runs for less than 10 grand.
God knows I sure would like to have one. Of course, then I'd need a trailer. And a bigger dump truck to pull it with..........
And probably a new Wife.
.
Here's the epilogue.
I couldn't find ANYONE with one who'd do the work, or a landscape company that would tackle the site. Did find a brush cutter at a rental company--Billy Goat brand 11 hp. Got it this morning, wrestled it up and down the mountain for 2.5 hours, and took it back for the half-day charge of $60, including the trailer to haul it. Not bad, except for being a bear to work on the 30% grades. I'm sure wiped out for the day!
Boss:
Very late reply, didn't see the original till now.
Seattle area you can still get "fixers" in machinery if you watch - the pros need the latest and best for productivity 'cause even 'junk' plastic houses here sell for 350K, plus most the DIYs here are to lazy or don't have the heritage to to tackle repairing big stuff, most just hack computers apparently. Internal Company web classified adds also cover Whicita, Kansas, which has some really good buys that I've seen, but that's too far from either of us.
Saw a Case 580 running & non-leaking hydraulics for under 5 grand last month, even had good tires. Wife "strenuously" objected to any more big machinery.
People here will "deliver" -eg. drive to my house and leave - running cars with good battery and 4 good tires for $100 with the title. It usually costs to have someone haul it off otherwise, and this state has an emissions test, usually costs more to "fix" than car is worth, so people givem away.
Definition of dozer fixers.
Bought my 5ton JD440 diesel front loader for $1.7k 12 years ago with frozen final drives. Probably $80 worth of parts and 80 hours of own labor, but beats joggin or watching jocks play ball. Cat D2 30 years ago cost $1200, too long ago to compare to anything.
Bought another 440 with cracked transmission housing for 3.5K, eveything else OK. $5 worth of nickel welding rod and 40 hours own labor.
PS: unlike central IL, "fixer" houses are unobtainable here, the land under (say 8000 sq ft) is still worth over $100K here in any decent area, new "growth management" rules mean that if you can find 2 together, you can tear'em down, cut down every tree and shrub, and put up 6 in their place and sell'em $350k each!. Parts of the country still do have too much money, stock market not withstanding.
OH: PPS, trailer is old mobile home axles with surplus 737 nose wheel tires (rated 9600# at 225 mph each) built for about $300, dump truck is '65 GMC cab on 73 chassis.