fried1765
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2015
- Messages
- 10,089
- Tractor
- Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, 8N Ford, Gravely 12 HP "Professional", 48" SCAG Liberty
Good stuff Rustyiron, but maybe some background and context would be useful here. I have 2 main uses
Cutting high brush and digging out rocks. So a SS would Hebb helpful, but less ideal than a mini ex.
Almost all my brush cutting falls into 2 categories: pond banks (steep) and field edges (branches). Skid steer not useful here.
While breaking my back cutting field edge branches 5-25 off the ground with a pole saw, I realized I needed a cutter with an arm that can reach up high and grind-off branches.
I also do 2 different customers annual large cuttings around streams and ponds. These are good paying jobs. However, I have to stand in canals or on pond banks to cut them with weed whacker and saw blade for weeks to complete them. The pond has a flat-top berm which a mini ex could be driven on. With properly weighted smaller mulcher head, I could sit in cab and cut pond on one side and canal on the other. I could also sit on dry ground and reach over swampy land with dipper stick. This would cut my weed whacking task down by 80-90% and allow me to keep the contract well into my older years.
Rocks:I cut about 250 acres of hay fields. Some fields have significant rocks and a few stumps which are deadly expensive to hay cutter. Removing them lowers risk of damage and injury.
There are other uses. I still build an occasional construction project where a foundation or footings are needed.
I have seen some KX161 and U45 models that are fairly affordable, but the KH28L was really clean and cheap. However, if the aux circuit doesnt have any GPM, whats the sense in buying it.
Also, I have a 200HP Massey Ferguson 7495 I could mount a front mulching mower on, but I don’t really have a lot of brush in open space to cut. Its mostly field edges.
It must be horribly time consuming/tiring doing the work in those pix manually!