Davinator
Silver Member
I've been enjoying reading your Challenges and your progress. Good looking property, especially after being mowed!
Good luck,
Good luck,
Can I cut this with a lawn tractor?
- Thread starter dablack
- Start date
Thanks every one. This weekend was the 2nd time to mow it and it went MUCH faster. There are still a bunch of sticks that need to be picked up but I have "found" most of the stumps and chopped them up with an axe I would take along for the ride. I would also clear low limbs with a machete that I had on my hip.
We are going to go up early tomorrow and have a 9am sunrise service (there is no way we could get the kids there before then).
We are going to go up early tomorrow and have a 9am sunrise service (there is no way we could get the kids there before then).
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LarryD
Veteran Member
Your property is looking like a very nice park, good job!
Carl_NH
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2002
- Messages
- 3,253
- Location
- Coastal NH
- Tractor
- 01 Kubota B21TLB, 2010 Ferris 52" ZTR, Cub Cadet 1811, Gravely Super8
Nice job Austin,
As others have said looks like a park now - keep up the good work - it will get easier the more you do.
Carl
As others have said looks like a park now - keep up the good work - it will get easier the more you do.
Carl
NativeSon
Veteran Member
The best thing I bought when I was mowing my pasture with a lawn tractor was a little utility trailer. When I would go out to mow I'd load it up with my tool box (I knew I'd need it eventually), ice chest with cold bottled water and maybe a beer or two for after the work was done to sit and admire my work, Gas can for re-fueling, and shotgun for the snakes that I'd scare up (hate to find a snake when I'm unarmed). Then I'd mow for 3-4 hours for 2 days......that was about all the fun I could stand. The mower got fairly beat up but it lasted over 4 years.
After I got my tractor it cut it down to about 3 hours total to get the whole thing finished. The big lesson is the bigger the tractor the more work you can get done faster, then move on to the next chore.
Good Luck and enjoy your place.
Charlie
After I got my tractor it cut it down to about 3 hours total to get the whole thing finished. The big lesson is the bigger the tractor the more work you can get done faster, then move on to the next chore.
Good Luck and enjoy your place.
Charlie
Thanks guys,
The sunrise service went off like a charm. Of course with the property being 45 minutes from where we are now and having four kids, we didn't get out there until 10am. The easter bunny had left about 70 eggs over 2 acres. Then we had our bible reading in the shade. After that came butterfly catching (caught about 25....they had nets), archery, frisbe, and croquet. We finally got out of there around 4pm and the kids were beat.
About the mowing. I have a spare set of blades with me at all times. They are the old worn out blades that my dad had on there but they are at least straight. There is a good spot near the tongue of the trailer to bend blades back into shape. That is my main problem. The blades get bent and that used to shut me down. Now I always have the tools to fix or just replace with me. I've noticed that after about 3 hours of run time, the mower starts to lose a little bit of power. I keep the oil changed with good synthetic but it is just getting worn out. Luckily, the mowing is easy now. The rough spots on the property that havent been mowed yet, just a couple of passes each time I'm out there so it is slowly getting better and mow getting cleaned up each time I'm out there.
Yes, I really need to start bringing a shot gun or at least a pistol. It is still a little cool for the nasty snakes but it won't be for long.
Austin
The sunrise service went off like a charm. Of course with the property being 45 minutes from where we are now and having four kids, we didn't get out there until 10am. The easter bunny had left about 70 eggs over 2 acres. Then we had our bible reading in the shade. After that came butterfly catching (caught about 25....they had nets), archery, frisbe, and croquet. We finally got out of there around 4pm and the kids were beat.
About the mowing. I have a spare set of blades with me at all times. They are the old worn out blades that my dad had on there but they are at least straight. There is a good spot near the tongue of the trailer to bend blades back into shape. That is my main problem. The blades get bent and that used to shut me down. Now I always have the tools to fix or just replace with me. I've noticed that after about 3 hours of run time, the mower starts to lose a little bit of power. I keep the oil changed with good synthetic but it is just getting worn out. Luckily, the mowing is easy now. The rough spots on the property that havent been mowed yet, just a couple of passes each time I'm out there so it is slowly getting better and mow getting cleaned up each time I'm out there.
Yes, I really need to start bringing a shot gun or at least a pistol. It is still a little cool for the nasty snakes but it won't be for long.
Austin
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CinderSchnauzer
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2006
- Messages
- 1,419
Well now that you have had a bit of experience with the Lawn Tractor concept, take a moment to sit down with a calculator and do the math between a 54" deck and whatever smaller size you are using.
Good luck with your acreage.
Good luck with your acreage.
Given a constant speed and assuming you use the complete width of the deck for each cut, the percent change in deck width is directly related to the time it takes to cut the given area.
So, if it takes me 10 hours to cut everything with a 38" deck, and a 54" deck is 42% larger, it will take me 7.04 hours to cut it with the larger deck.
These numbers would change if you assume you always have a 5" overlap with each cut. In this situation, with the larger deck the 5" overlap becomes smaller (relative to the deck width), so you are "wasting" less. The 38" deck becomes a 33" deck and the 54" deck becomes a 49" deck. So, 10 hours becomes 6.76 hours.
I could keep making this more and more complicated if you would like, but with out real data (overlap, speed, how much trees hurt me), I don't really know.
Austin
So, if it takes me 10 hours to cut everything with a 38" deck, and a 54" deck is 42% larger, it will take me 7.04 hours to cut it with the larger deck.
These numbers would change if you assume you always have a 5" overlap with each cut. In this situation, with the larger deck the 5" overlap becomes smaller (relative to the deck width), so you are "wasting" less. The 38" deck becomes a 33" deck and the 54" deck becomes a 49" deck. So, 10 hours becomes 6.76 hours.
I could keep making this more and more complicated if you would like, but with out real data (overlap, speed, how much trees hurt me), I don't really know.
Austin
CinderSchnauzer
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2006
- Messages
- 1,419
Regardless of fine tuning the math for all contingencies, it looks like you see my point. If you get a free mower that may change the mix, but if you have to buy - probably look for the largest you can find in your price range and save time.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
I notice you have the Wizard/MTD single speed transaxle with the variable multi speed pulley arrangement. I know quite a bit about rebuilding those transaxles. Or I did
I havent done it in a while, but I done it a bunch of times! Believe it or not, the transaxles are not filled with gear oil, as you would think but packed with bentonite grease. They can be rebuilt with new parts a lot cheaper than a new one, and it is a great learning experience.
The place is really looking great!
James K0UA
I havent done it in a while, but I done it a bunch of times! Believe it or not, the transaxles are not filled with gear oil, as you would think but packed with bentonite grease. They can be rebuilt with new parts a lot cheaper than a new one, and it is a great learning experience.The place is really looking great!
James K0UA