Buying Advice need buying advice

[stray]

I don't think you will need the brush hog at all. I have taken down some rough stuff with the 48" finish mower. But at the same time the brush cutter will do a decent job finish mowing. In your case you just won’t need both. Save some money. Also don't let them talk you into the small bucket! Just go ahead and get the 10 cu one. If you get the mini hoe or the potato digger for sure you won't need the small one or the rock teeth. I believe that you would be better off spending your money on the potato digger than the small bucket. I have both buckets and I just don’t have any use for the small one.

 

[djh]

I was planning on getting the bar tires and not getting the finish mower, just the brush cutter. At times I will be cutting pretty tall and thick weeds.

 

[MuncyBob]

I have no doubt the brush cutter will handle those weeds....since my 48" finish mower did the job fairly well. I did experience the inner tire valve blow out on the left front tire as previously decribed in the posts due to accumulated clippings causing the valve to snap. Next tall weed cutting I'll take the time to reverse the wheels...should help(or maybe I'll just remove the valves and plug them, also previously described in the posts). I wish I had the brush hog(seems my wish list is growing!!)....have plenty of trails I could use it on and from what owners have said about it I think it will handle your job just fine.

 

[MossRoad]

Have you seen the videos of my brush cutter on the PT425 in action?

If not, click on the little animated PT icon in my signature. That will take you to my web site, where there are several brush hog videos(and a lot more of other stuff). They are in Windows Media Format, so most any PC running Windows Media player can play them. They take a few minutes to dowload over dial up.

The brush hog will cut anything that it can bend down and start nibbling on. This last weekend I cut everything up to 1.5" in diameter with ease and even got a few over 2" that were in soft soil and bent down easily. Gotta be careful, though. Stuff flies everywhere and can injure people and property.

 

[FOURTEEN]

"" Before operating it the first time, I reversed the direction of the stump grinder.... after reading past posts about that. The posts were right. It works great and throws the debris AWAY from the tractor. ""


/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif You really should have operated the Stump Grinder OEM just once before reversing it!! It is a truly memorable experience, to be caught in the center of a tornado of dirt, wood chips, rocks, and mud, and then have to spend the following hour removing that debris from the PT, your clothing, and YOU!!!! I won't mention the possible trip to the Emergency Room!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

See details at "PT-425 PROS & cons?? [Re: FOURTEEN] #443306 - 06/13/04 08:01 PM
con: Stump Grinder Rotation"

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[Phils]

Yeah, 14, using it OEM first would've made my appreciation of the change greater.... however, I have learned over the years to accept (or at least consider) good advice.

How I use the stump grinder: I get the spinning blade positioned about an inch or so below the level of the stump, then drive forward turning the steering wheel slightly back and forth to grind a path through the stump. I then back up and do it again, with the grinding action mostly happening during the forward motion of the machine. When it's level again, I lower the blade another inch and do it all over again. Worked great. Any tips from you long-time users?

Phil

 

[FOURTEEN]

"" drive forward ""

I have been positioning the blade on the far side of the stump, then moving it side to side while applying gentle backward pressure. The cut is about 3 or 4 inches deep. The teeth are coming downward in a chisel like action that splits the wood, and takes it off in long strips rather than sawdust.

I don't know that one method is better or faster than the other. It may be just a Columbus thing!!
The most important factor is that the blade is turning in the correct (reversed OEM) direction!!

It saves a lot of Stump Grinder use if the stump is cut as close to the ground as possible with the chainsaw before grinding!

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[Phils]

I'll try your way next time, 14. I'll conduct a thoroughly scientetic 'speriment: two stumps, two methods, measure time spent and report back. I'm all for a faster method. But it sure beats my old method --- wait 20 years for it to rot away.

Phil