I have also been considering a walk behind "something" as I am not sure what would be the best thing for my situation. I just bought a piece of property that has about 1/2 acre slope that I have yet to muster the "pucker factor" to try it with my tractor. Right now the slope has about 4 foot high weeds and I can see a few rocks sticking up out of the ground. What would I need to handle the slope, clear the rocks, and cut these high weeds?
Mowing walk behind flail mower
- Thread starter jaws
- Start date
I have been mowing brush and high weeds all summer. I started out with a commercial grade weed eater, then a DR trimmer/mower (string) powered by armstrong. I rented a Billy Goat by Outback, then I bought an older DR brush mower with one wheel drive. I rented a tractor with a brush hog (that made me real lazy). For your size piece of property my recommendation is, 1st tackle it with a weed eater, it will take most of a day but you will uncover the rocks and any stumps or other obstacles without killing any expensive equipment. If you have saplings or small trees a homeowner grade chain saw will take care of them. Be sure to remove all wood over 2 inches in diameter if you plan to use a walk behind mower. Once it is knocked down you will be able to assess how difficult it will be to to keep it that way. If it is real rough or over 20 degrees slope, the weed eater will be your best option. Slopes up to 45 degrees can be mowed by working up and down only, no side hill travel because the machine will tip over and roll down the hill. Without seeing your land it is hard to say which machine may work best for you. If you don't have a lot of rocks and can work around them a rotary or cicle bar mower will do very well and cost a lot less than a flail. A flail or a string machine are your only options if you have a lot of rocks or stumps and want to get done quickly. I frequently use the DR brush mower and then clean up around the obstacles with a weed eater.
The reason I mentioned the Orec is the dual hydrostatic drive. There is a rotary machine with dual hydrostatic drive. It is made under the Stanley brand and is also marketed by Home Depot with a larger engine. It is called The Beast. Dual hydrostatic drive allows you to control the speed of each wheel separately. On rough ground that will save you huge amounts of effort trying to keep the machine on a straignt path. Bumps and holes cause the drive wheels to turn a two wheeled machine off course. With dual drive the machine's power corrects the course instead of you having to muscle it back where you want it.
My DR only drives the left wheel, it is a real workout to mow even a half acre of flat ground. I recently put in seven real hard hours on a half acre of tall grass and thistles working around stumps from an old tree farm using the DR. The newer DR machines are better, with wider tires, articulating mower decks, more power and differential drive axles with optional locking of the differential for better tracking.
Another machine to consider if you have other machinery needs is a walk behind tractor. These two wheel tractors are available from many manufacturers and there are a wide variety of attachments available for mowing, tilling, hauling, snow removal, etc.
The reason I mentioned the Orec is the dual hydrostatic drive. There is a rotary machine with dual hydrostatic drive. It is made under the Stanley brand and is also marketed by Home Depot with a larger engine. It is called The Beast. Dual hydrostatic drive allows you to control the speed of each wheel separately. On rough ground that will save you huge amounts of effort trying to keep the machine on a straignt path. Bumps and holes cause the drive wheels to turn a two wheeled machine off course. With dual drive the machine's power corrects the course instead of you having to muscle it back where you want it.
My DR only drives the left wheel, it is a real workout to mow even a half acre of flat ground. I recently put in seven real hard hours on a half acre of tall grass and thistles working around stumps from an old tree farm using the DR. The newer DR machines are better, with wider tires, articulating mower decks, more power and differential drive axles with optional locking of the differential for better tracking.
Another machine to consider if you have other machinery needs is a walk behind tractor. These two wheel tractors are available from many manufacturers and there are a wide variety of attachments available for mowing, tilling, hauling, snow removal, etc.
I tried using my weedeater but those weeds ate the string up like it was....well string! I have thought about trying to find some really heavy duty weedeater string line and try again. But I would like to find a self propelled something that would pull me up and down the hill!
boggen
Elite Member
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- SSTT (Sideways Snake Tain Tractor) and STB (sideways train box) tractor, dirt harvester
that is a beast of a machine!
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this is what i am use to. ((google searched)) => self propelled brush hog. it can be a beast when ya get in a rut. but works.
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for mowing hill sides around the lake, my mom picked up a "push weedeater" looks kinda like a regular push lawnmower, but instead it is a weed-eater.
not self propelled, but boy, talk about large difference. that and it takes a much larger diameter string. she did not get option for the one with a blade option attachement. but it goes through pretty thick stuff. not 1" thick but almost. extremely light larger motor than shoulder strap weed eater. and easy to muscle back and forth without to much effort. well besides walking the hill sides.
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if you go with the old weed eater. that has a shoulder strap. and you wave it back and forth. go with a "straight shaft" vs one that has a slight bend in the shaft. the difference is, one with straight shaft most likely has a sold rod between engine and the head. while the one with a bend has a flex rod. between engine and head. the flex rod, just can not take the beating when it hits a large weeds and busts apart inside the shaft housing.
you can normally get a blade like a lawn mower blade or circular saw blade for weed-eaters that can do a descent job.
The best weed eater string is sold under the Oregon saw chain brand. It is square, has hard edges and an Aramid (tire cord) core. For me it lasts about four times longer than the round cheap stuff. Another option if you have a straight shaft weed eater is putting a brush cutting blade on it. Don't sucker for the ones you find marketed by the manufacturers, they are nearly worthless. Get on the internet and find the ones that look like power saw blades. Be sure to wear safety glasses when you use them, and don't hit any rocks.
Large Bear 13
New member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2011
- Messages
- 11
look here: Little Wonder Brush Cutter – Cut heavy brush and overgrown vegetation with ease.... Little wonder has come out with one. I have no experience but it looks like it's pretty good.
Hmmm. Looks like a hydrostatic drive version of the Billy Goat by Outback. It has the same limitation of standard differential drive, not dual drive like the Stanley Beast or the Orec flail. Looks like a good machine though.
Speaking of heavy duty string. Has anyone ever used the attachment that they advertised on TV that looked like to rigid plastic lines that are not on a spool? You have to replace the whole head and use line that snaps in.
Amazon.com: Max Power 1101PT PivoTrim Trimmer Head Uses .095-Inch Pre-Cut Trimmer Line: Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com: Max Power 1101PT PivoTrim Trimmer Head Uses .095-Inch Pre-Cut Trimmer Line: Patio, Lawn & Garden
cloudyeddie
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- Joined
- Dec 27, 2011
- Messages
- 1
Try Orec America's Walk behind flail mower: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqDc14tZTK8]AHRC662 - YouTube[/ame]
Does a great job and very easy to operate!
Does a great job and very easy to operate!
