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If you've test driven the PT425/1430/1445 models, I'm interested in what you thought of each one.

CBO has been telling them for many, many years what they are doing is unsustainable.

Concrete is porous even though it doesn't look like it.

It's been dry in middle TN for maybe 4-6 weeks. Had one hard rain the other night, and the creek bed is still dry. If it's as dry there as here, I can't imagine starting any brush pile fires right now.

A thorough cleaning can do wonders to get rid of odors. I own a commercial carpet cleaner. There can be a heck of a lot of odor trapped in a carpet.

In this situation, the question is whether the top union guy is either really smart or really lucky. It doesn't seem like the best timing to strike for higher wages when a recession might just be around the corner.

The chemicals from making meth will penetrate interior surfaces, and there's no safe way to get them out, to my knowledge. They can also contaminate septic systems, too. But the OP is talking about smell from basic lack of hygiene, I hope.

It's one thing to play poker with your own money when it comes supporting your own family, but it's something else to play poker with thousands of other people's livelihoods, especially when they don't have deep pockets to absorb the loss.

I'm not sure there was even an hour on my new L2501 when it was delivered. 8 hours???? Dyno testing???? IMO, you're lucky if a dealer even checks the fluids before delivery.

My Mom worked with other families whose ancestors are buried in a rural cemetery to jointly fund a cemetery care fund that depended on CD interest to pay for the mowing. The current administrator had no choice but to eat into the principal to continue to pay for mowing.

What floor and ceiling materials do you have? Drywall on the walls? Anything else left in the room that would have absorbed odors?

Which brings up another question of whether to pay what some places are asking for 25 and 35hp cabs, when you were able to buy this 48hp model for $29,500.

You just need a two seater power trac equipped with a cab plus a/c and heat.

The kick in the teeth is that these prices were self inflicted by years of overspending and money supply creation. Last night, I was wondering if there would be a way to convert USD into some other currency that is more stable and still be able to pay my bills with the other currency?

Maybe that Mercedes isn't so bad in costs after all?

Trex could be the cheapest long term solution since we don't know what the future cost of PT will be. We are in a situation similar to the late 1970s when it made sense to buy today before the price could go up further tomorrow.

I had a boss who I suspect was yaking on his cell phone instead of paying attention to his driving. He ran into the guardrail in the middle of the interstate in his Mercedes. Destroyed guardrail. He wasn't hurt. Mercedes was repaired and kept going. From what I understand, everything...

I agree that the OP should look at whether the tractors he is considering have ECM with a bunch of sensors that can go haywire or mechanical injection.

It used to be that there came a point when car repairs exceeded the resale value of the vehicle and they got scrapped. Now that new car prices are so high and used cars are so high mileage, I find myself willing to spend more to repair the cars we already have. The used cars I see for sale...

In the past, I'd have said 35hp will run a 6' cutter where 25hp is pretty much limited to 5' and pretty much stopped there. With DPF now a consideration, you're still free to run a 25hp engine without having to worry about DPF. If you lug an engine with DPF instead of running it at say...

What kinds of work are you planning on doing and what kind of terrain (flat, hilly) are you dealing with?

Just a few trail fundraising stories. Could be you with some rebranding and a new approach to your messaging to prospective donors. https://www.americantrails.org/resources/unique-trail-funding-solutions https://www.parksfoundationkalamazoo.com/parks-projects/...

She is sleeping a heck of a lot better with the face mask. They still have to do a sleep study in order for her insurance company to buy the CPAP which she is renting out of her pocket at the moment.

My SIL just got told she had undiagnosed sleep apnea. They also told her she was down to 65% heart function because she wasn't getting enough oxygen in her sleep for years. She is now on a sleep apnea machine. I just mention this FWIW, hoping no one else finds themself in a similar situation.

It is important to look at this from the perspective of the person or group you're trying to raise money from. People want to know how their money is going to be used before they give. They also want to know that their giving is actually doing something useful. In your case, I think the...

I suppose you need the biggest tractor seat you can find and then I hope your arms are long enough to reach around the dog to steer.

The boy scouts in my area of middle TN do a lot of trail work, and have done some serious projects to earn their Eagle badges. The average guy is probably thinking he spent $2000 for a mower and $150 for his weed wacker so why should he help someone with $50k of trail equipment to maintain...

^depends. For smaller trees, I dig around the roots and then push them over with the bucket. The top of the tree can be used as a lever against the root system. But there comes a size where that is not safe because the tree could fall over on you. And there could be widowmakers that could...

The great thing about computer spreadsheets is you can build a budget spanning several years and then use them to show how different spending and investment patterns can either cost someone or put them ahead 5-10 years from now. It can take the appeal right out of buying that shiny new car...

Where do you sit?

The words winch and recovery have been used here so many times I can't find the thread that was posted here within the last six months. It linked to a YT video discussing a recovery accident where a truck was stuck in the mud, and the driver was killed when part of the hitch flew into the...

Most of the flail mowers I've seen for tractors use belts for final drive of the mower shaft even though there is a PTO shaft from the tractor and a gearbox on the flail. Ventracs and Steiners, both expensive slope mowers in the USA, use belt drives for their mowers. I am also curious how a...

"Boundary Road Trails is free and open to the public for all seasons of silent sports - cross country skiing, snow shoeing, fat tire biking, mountain biking, hiking. Bring your furry friend - we're dog friendly!" Boundary Rd Trails I'd say that people stop reading right after "Boundary Road...

I may not be understanding this, but I'm getting the sense that the reason for not quitting is having access to a place to hike, ski, and let the dogs run. But it has become too expensive? I'd say people have no clue how many hours or how much cost is involved. If you want to ask for...

This is the tank cap from my T5C. The dipstick extends about 3 inches from the bottom of the thread (pic 1). Positioning the square beginning with the thread when screwed into the tank gives you picture 2. Picture 3 shows the number of exposed threads when the dipstick is fully screwed into...

Lookin good for their age. They made the headlight cowling out of plastic that breaks, but at least they used real metal mesh for the radiator grill. IMO, I suspect 40 year Kubotas will be faded to something much more hideous.

Part of the problem is the finance textbooks tend to be written from a mathematics perspective instead of a practical, real world view. The math part turns students off when they actually find the real world stuff interesting. The key, IMO, is to talk about the real world issues and then...

It would be a bit of a trip for me to buy it. My concern would be riding through 4-6' tall briars to cut them with the deck mounted below the operator's station and how effective that style of deck would be cutting that much volume of vegetation.

They couldn't save it fast enough when home prices were jumping at the rate they jumped during 2020 -2022. It wasn't just one local real estate market. It was nationally, and the explanation for that is primarily low interest rate policy at the hands of the FR (who blamed price inflation on...

Varies by state, but most equipment liens are filed according to the owner's name and then the collateral description should describe the equipment subject to the lien.

I don't know if it was cheap or not at the time, but the farmland around Nashville got bought up by real estate developers back in the 1980s. There used to be farmland further out in the communities 30-45 minutes away, and much of it is now covered in subdivisions. Some things went seriously...

Although I have a lot of respect for Yanmar, I have never understood how they could have ever chosen green paint.

Although my initial thought is that a recession would bring things back in line a bit, my fear is the Fed will react by pumping even more liquidity, making things worse.

My TSC PHD has a set screw. In my opinion, it is important to have a set screw or a snap ring in place given the number of shear bolts I've broken. When the shear bolt breaks, that set screw or snap ring is supposed to keep the PTO shaft from sliding off and then flopping around everywhere at...

First the fireplace. Then the sofa. Then the bed.

I knew a guy who actually kept his John Deere spotless and waxed like it was a car.

I think the odds are pretty good that it will freeze sometime in the 20+ years you own your T574.

It might be appropriate to mention that car jack stands vary widely in stability. If Torvy has to go out and buy really good ones, that's money he could have put towards having this job done for him. Probably one of the most important things is to do this job on a level concrete floor where...

I own one of these. Amazon.com My concerns are that the lifting pad is relatively small in comparison to the axle on a tractor and the metal on metal contact could slide if the lifting surface is uneven or not level. However, it would trust it more than a plain hydraulic jack without any...

If you are thinking about lifting your T574 with a hydraulic jack, I'd suggest think about how you intend to block it up so there no chance of it falling. I wouldn't trust a normal car safety jack for this. House movers typically use 6"x6"x4' oak stacked in 4 rows overlapping each other that's...

Most of the goat feeders and fencing I've seen could be described as hacked together. You built something that actually looks good. While revisiting the issue of whether to get goats to clean up some hillside brush here, there were a couple of different people who said goats are grazers and...

There are various log weight estimators you could use like this one: Log Weight Calculator at WOODWEB

Always got to consider corrosion.

If it took someone a day to prepare each state return, filing in 9 might yet be manageable, but 38....

Is there a way to piggyback with the other partners insofar as tax return compliance is concerned? It wouldn't seem very efficient for each partner to have to find their own tax professionals to deal with returns in 38 states.

I'd rather deal with one than three unless there was some very good reason to have three. For one thing, the amount of business for one professional would presumably be more so they'd have more incentive to value your client relationship. CPAs in my experience are more efficient at tax return...

Could be time to switch tax professionals, too.

Money would go further if the g hadn't devalued it by spending so much on counterproductive things and then overruling freedom of economic choice by regulations and legislation. Then the average guy thinks he's getting something when they pass these things instead of realizing who eroded the...

About a 5 hour drive, but that's an attractive price.

Haven't called Fecon dealer yet. I'm not so sure I want to operate a machine I'm not used to operating on this slope. If walk behind rolls over, at least I won't be riding in it. The grillo dealer told me the clutch in the tractor g110 won't handle more power. The BCS 853 possibly could...

The Predator owners manual states not to use the engine on a surface that is tilted 15 degrees or more. Bummer. Maybe a Kohler or another brand of engine could be used to increase the HP?

The idea of taking half bites with the flail mower has been suggested a couple of times. Now I'm thinking that means doubling my steps to operate the mower since I'd be cutting with only 1/2 of the full width of the mower. Is it possible to replace the 13hp Honda with say a 22 hp Predator...

Wouldn't be good if the extension slipped off mid-hillside. If you were to tap or weld a nut to the inside of the tubing, it could be easily unbolted when you want to mow. Then you aren't fiddling trying to loosen or install the nuts. or weld the threaded end to the tube and put the nut on...

Thank you, Jens. Your attention to detail is magnificent.

How much further does the pedal need to be extended? The OEM pedal is perforated for slip resistance so you could insert a couple of bolts through the perforations to bolt on an extension. For example maybe a section of 2x3 tubing could be bolted to the face of the pedal. You could...

That brings up another question. Would you suggest buying the utility grapple or buying the hoe attachment and using it for both purposes?

History | Rapid Technic GmbH So these guys put a 25hp V twin gas engine with the output shaft in line with the axle but use a sophisticated hydraulic drive system that allows for a true zero turning radius while having a center of gravity even lower than the "normal" 2 wheel tractor...

This Brielmaier flail mower would do it. https://motsir.ee/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Brielmaier-brochure-US-8-pages.pdf

My experience with glyphosphate is it would brown the leaves, but the kudzu kept coming back. I recently switched to a combination of aminopyralid (Milestone, Chaparral, and OpenSight) + tricclopry (Brushtox) and surfactant. The kudzu that I have sprayed with this combination doesn't seem to...

I'd bet your Mom wouldn't want to sell to anyone else if she only knew you were interested. If her property gets listed for sale, then you are competing against anybody and everybody. Your Mom probably cares more for you than whatever money she might get from selling her property. I don't...

I installed air admittance valves on my house to avoid putting any holes in the metal roof. No problems. One thing you should consider is that most roofers will use some kind of silicone roof boot + sealant to seal around any vent stacks on your roof. I don't know what the life expectancy...

I had seen some of these walk behind mowers before, but that's extreme. I've seen a couple of different people who say that the farmers in the Alps don't have any brush because they need every part of their land producing hay to feed their animals during the winter.

With the increasing cost of herbicides and needing to spray kudzu in some places where it is safer to reach it on foot, I put this electric sprayer together last year. I waited to post anything until I felt like it was actually useful. The pump is just a $20 pump from Amazon powered by a 20v...

a) ending up with two homes on two acres could be hard to resell later unless your neighborhood is such that you could subdivide your 2 acres into two tracts and the resulting two properties would be appealing and more valuable to buyers in your market. However, you don't want to spend money...

I suspect the problem with tracks is having cleats running in the same direction as the slope so the pads are essentially free to slide down the slope? Jacking up a very heavy compact track loader to put a track back on while on the side of a hill could be quite dangerous. One thing that...

Ha. My dog is so frail at this point that it takes a lot out of her just to go to the vet's office. One of the most valuable sources of information is to ask PT owners about their experience with these machines. Going in prepared with a better understanding would probably make for a better...

Now you have me wondering how the PT design fares in hillside stability comparison to a compact track loader like a Kubota SVL-97 when used with a front rotary cutter? The Kubota is outside of my budget to buy, but can be rented for $1850 a week plus delivery. However, I'm not too keen on...

Thank you for explaining it to me.

But stick around folks to find out how fast downhill we can go.

And just like that, ruined the seriousness of the whole thread with potty talk

They make adult diapers.

I need to stick close to the house these days due to having a senior dog who needs help getting up to go out to potty.

Something to consider is whether the property you want to buy really fits your situation. If something comes on the market that really suits you and you know you're going to be able to enjoy it for the rest of your life, it would be less painful to ride through any downward prices that might or...

Earth Tools lists their prices on their website. Generally, tracks for 2 wheel tractors are about $1,600. Could be some other costs involved, too. Wheel Accessories - Earth Tools So the 2 wheel tractor is say $4,300, tracks are $1,600, and a cart is say $400, that's $6,300 versus the $2,400...

Looks like it would be harder to sell L2502s for $25-30k if you can get a T474 for $23,900 at 0 percent financing. The Murfreesboro TYM dealer's website says the 2515 financing is good through Oct. 31st.

A good buyer's agent can be of considerable help. I'd be leery however because the recent slow down in real estate transactions means some realtors are hungry and might push towards a purchase that they shouldn't. If you sign a contract with a buyer's agent that happens to be an exclusive...

That same dealer is advertising a T474 for $23,900 at 0 percent financing as well. The T474 sync shuttle is advertised in Tennessee for $25,800.

Thank you for taking the time to explain why a PT has more stability. I was thinking a PT would be more stable due to being lower to the ground than a normal farm tractor, but your explanation helps me understand there's more to it.

Although the hydro is appealing for its ability to change speeds on the fly and I doubt that the power loss is really that much, I can't say if paying double to get the hydro is worth it or not. I think it comes down to whether the .8 mph speed of the mechanical gear tractor is a slow enough...

I have a landscape rake for the full size tractor, but years ago I needed to get some rocks up in the yard. I bought three or four cheap garden rakes at one of the box stores, welded them to a cross bar, and then fabricated a bracket to use behind a small garden tractor. The full size...

So far as I know Daileys is the only US source for Bittante. Making a note here that I think the Orec America walk behind track flail mower is the only one with a brush push bar. And there is also what looks to be a debris screen to protect the operator. I thought about adding a push bar...

If you go to a shelter, all the good planning and ideas may just fade into insignificance if you happen across the right dog.

One thing that limits the usefulness of this machine and others that are similar is that it/they are dedicated to one purpose. In this case, it's a tracked wheelbarrow. Orec America appears to use a similar track drive on one machine that's a trackbarrow, another machine that's a tracked flail...

Thank you for the additional perspective. The BCS 779 is the only hydro I see for sale new at a current list of $7,504. IMO, it would be much better for tailoring ground speed to both ground and vegetation conditions, but is quite a bit more than the used Grillo 110 under consideration at...

I would pick based on how the dog responds to you and not worry too much about life expectancy or shedding. Life expectancy can be unpredictable. I don't think any dog of ours ever made it to 20 years. You must take excellent care of yours. As for shedding, a good vacuum cleaner works...

A mixture of dishwashing soap and water will also kill wasps, not instantly like gas, but it will kill them. We have some orange wasps that built nests in the house attic near our deck. I've been using a sprayer bottle to kill them.

I can't really speak to the quality personally except to say at least Cub is putting Kohler and Kawasaki engines on them, and their price point looks competitive.

Some years ago, we had an area that was kudzu infested, but couldn't mow it because of not knowing what was under the layers of kudzu. We fenced it off with electric fence and put a pair of goats in there. They did a very effective job of clearing it, and the area has stayed more kudzu free...

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but there are utility trailers with wheels powered by the PTO of some particular models of 2 wheel tractors. Driven-wheel Utility Trailers - Earth Tools They have to have a PTO sync'd to the drive.

I'm guessing the current 1445 has a DPF emissions system?

That's on topic as far as I'm concerned. That idea has crossed my mind. I have seen some front flail mowers advertised to fit some front mowers like Kubota, Grasshopper, and maybe others.

I see your point. Why spend $5500 or whatever and still not get the job done versus renting a machine that will do it.

Do you have the gas or diesel 1430? And what is your personal opinion of its hill climbing ability? Do you feel stable on slopes with it other than lacking auto brake? What are the best use cases for the 1430 in your opinion?

My arms are pretty tired this morning from pushing down on the handlebars to lift the cutter. Not seeing any Grillos/BCS for sale in Middle TN other than a couple at the dealers. Least expensive option so far is a used 110 plus new 28" Bittante flail for $5500. I've heard of the Berta...

Not being able to reach the pedals would be a problem unless you were to somehow extend the pedal, but I don't think you'd want to do that if you can find something else that works. If the pedals had to be extended, I suspect it might be possible to cut the pedal off and weld on an...

10-15 years because I was uncomfortable getting on the slope with my tractor and didn't want anyone else on it, either. Some of the briars are 1/2 thick. There are some trees that will have to be chainsawed, and some 1" saplings. I decided to cut some of the kudzu infested slope today with...

Middle Tennessee. The factory is about 5 hours from me.

The CH20 gas engine in my Terramite will burn about 5 gallons of gas in an afternoon. The 22hp diesel in my Yanmar 226d will run for a couple of days on 5 gallons, and significantly outwork the gas engine in the process. I asked the salesperson at PT why they didn't offer a small diesel...

So what's your estimate of whether a flail will be able to cut this overgrown briar patch in a single pass? What I am finding with the Bachtold rotary cutter is that it only severs it at the base, and then the entire pile of brush falls onto the mower uncut. That isn't working for me. The...

Putting off renting for a bit. I need the weather to turn cold so I don't run into any snakes. Had a rattlesnake in my yard when I was mowing the yard about 6 weeks ago. The presence of rattlesnakes is also something that weighs in favor of a ride on machine. Otherwise, I would only use a...

Cub cadet makes a 42 inch ZTR with Kawasaki engine. Ultima Series™ ZT - Zero-Turn Mowers | Cub Cadet US Its the ZT1 42 FAB. They also make a 42 inch model with a Kohler engine.

The Grillo 110 is the model I've been pricing because its less expensive than the BCS models. The specs say .8 mph in first gear. The pricing of the mowers seems steep. $2280 for a 26" Berta flail mower. The Woodmax FM-54 is $2374 for a full size tractor. I"m not sure if I should be...

Hi scootr, I have charged dead batteries with it overnight. I switched over from my big chargers because this one doesn't cook my batteries. The product description says: "Charge dead batteries - Charges batteries as low as 1-volt. Or use the all-new force mode that allows you to take...

I have one of these Noco Genius chargers. It would take overnight, but I think it would recharge that battery. Amazon.com

PT 1445 with the brush mower lists for $38,440. While desirable, it isn't inexpensive. I've read that one TBN member upgraded the wheel motors on his PT425 and possibly the factory is now doing this. I see a top speed of 8 mph listed. Is there a way of further upgrading the wheel motors on...

Apart from the possibility of losing traction, do you feel like your 1445 ever runs short of hill climbing power when also cutting tall brush?

Briefly spoke with PT sales about mowing 5 acres of 6' brush on a 18 degree slope although I suspect it's steeper in places. Sounded like the sales person recommended the PT1430 over the PT425. "Bigger wheel motors, beefier machine, if on the fence between sizes, get the bigger one." Then I...

IMPO, it's messed up when the union strikes for higher wages because inflation has eaten up their purchasing power, and then B, whose overspending had much to do with causing the inflation, is welcomed when he comes to show his support?

If there is any award for building the most sturdy ammo toolbox mount, I think you just won it.

The little Ryobi used to be something like $69. They will put them on sale when the weather turns to cold and nobody wants a pressure washer. Beats going back and forth to the rental center unless you need to rent a beast of a pressure washer. Or you can get a nicer one if you need more...

Stucco needs mesh for it to mechanically bond to the wall. When the mesh fails, the stucco no longer has anything to hold onto. 27 in. x 96 in. 2.5 Metal Lath Galvanized 4113145 - The Home Depot A stucco contractor will probably tear off the iffy section, remove the failing mesh, put down new...

My guess is the wire mesh has rusted through due to water penetration under the window. When the wire mesh fails, the stucco doesn't have the support it needs and that is why it cracked. One possible explanation for seeing fiberglas insulation is that there is a hole in the sheating under...

There is an interesting guy on YT going by America meets Switzerland. In one of his videos (farming the Alps #8), he talks about the difficulty and risk of mowing hay on mountain sides. They use the Aebi 4 wheel slope mowers where conditions permit, but at the steepest portions of the...

These have been less than $99 on Black Friday. Works pretty well for such a small machine. RYOBI 1800 PSI 1.2 GPM Cold Water Corded Electric Pressure Washer RY141802 - The Home Depot I have a gas unit that is still in the box. The Ryobi is so convenient to use I haven't even bothered...

I would prefer Rustoleum.

Thank you very much for the additional perspective. My experience with my Gravely is that the 30 inch deck will cut straight into the brush pile and then forward motion stops. One of mine has 4.80-8 tires. Between the weight of the front deck, the forward length of the deck relative to...

Giving the whole walking tractor thing more thought. Commercial lawn mowers went through a phase when they were walk behinds. Then someone got smarter and decided that a tow behind sulky would mean less work. Then someone else saw the shortcomings of sulkies and came up with the stand on...

2008-2010, hardly anybody wanted to buy. 2020-20__?, insane market. When will it revert to normal?

I'd suggest that simply putting your name and return address on the envelope informs them that you're next door. Maybe they'll respond to you simply because you are their neighbor. They can't respond to a letter you never send.

Offering to buy the neighbor's property is different because you aren't going through the list of every landowner in the state soliciting them to sell their property for some ridiculous price. What these land sales people are doing is blanket marketing hoping to find a sucker like an elderly...

Trees will stick out of either end anyway. Why bother?

We have plenty of tractors in the USA that are 25-48hp HST 4x4s diesels from every brand you can think of that are functionally similarly designed traditional tractors, but why doesn't someone make one designed like the TTR4400?

Very nice. I like it.

No idea. I would like to see a 4x4 articulated slope mowing tractor with a front grail mower that isn't hydraulic driven. Joel said Grillo makes one they don't import into the USA, but it's about $40k.

Had a chat with Joel today. BCS 852, debris screen, PTO coupler, 26" Berta flail and shipping is hovering around $8,000. I'm starting to think the weeds don't look so bad.

I bought four 5/16 x2 bolts this morning for something like .88. The clerk asked if I wanted the receipt. I said, "sure, I want to be able to see that I was able to buy four bolts for .88 ten years from now when they are $88.00."

I don't understand people who have loud mufflers. Continued exposure to these noise levels will permanently wreck the guy's own hearing.

Hard to say how to respond because none of us know first hand what person you really have on your hands. Sounds like you aren't sure, yourself. Maybe bending a little to try to stay on good terms isn't such a bad idea for now until it becomes clearer how to handle things.

That is awesome. Could you run a front mount rotary cutter or flail mower on either the T394 or T474?

Riding beats walking, especially if its a long distance uphill.

Presumably a new warranty means the dealer is going to fix anything major for the first few years that isn't the fault of the owner. But I think the OP needs to price shop among dealers and brands, first.

I have another section of similar 20 degree hillside, but not as large an area, presently covered in kudzu. I'm guessing the kudzu vines will wrap around the flail more so than they would wrap around a rotary cutter?

That seems high because you can get a T474HC for $33,100 here. You can compare advertised prices by looking here. Tractors For Sale - 26 Listings | www.oneidaequipment.com

Do you think the flail would chop up these briars enough on the first forward pass that I could avoid having to run into the pile and reverse back out, and then run into the pile again? If I could offset the handlebars and cut these briars by constantly moving forward, that would speed things...

For reference, I was quoted $29,000 for a new TYM T394 cab with HST about two months ago. It had been sitting on the dealers lot long enough he was starting to have to pay interest and wanted it sold. And this member posted he recently bought a new 4820ch for $29,500...

Pet ER clinics are not shy about taking advantage of anxious pet owners by charging outrageous fees. One tried to charge my daughter $2,000 to treat a cat with a urinary block at 2am on a Saturday. We took the cat to my vet at 8am and the bill was $75.

Which brand of flail and cutting width would you suggest?

There is no denying that the Ventrac looks awesome. But back to the price levels mere mortals can afford, should I be looking at BCS 753 or Grillo 110 and also rotary cutter versus flail for taking down these briars?

Once we start talking about new Steiner/Ventrac prices, might as well be talking about the Power Trac PT1430, too. T12 Class IMPO, the PT425 and the PT1430 should have Yanmar or Kubota diesels for the prices they are asking.

Flail Mower They import the Bittante. I don't know anything about this brand myself as to whether its reliable and if parts are readily available.

They don't seem to travel quickly, especially compared to UTV speeds, which can get pretty fast. So that is worth considering, too.

Some rat and mice poison is still toxic to dogs.

I think the Grillo would have better resale value because of its recognition as a tillage 2 wheel tractor not limited to flail mowing like the Orec. I suspect using a sulky to cross mow on my hillside would be a no-go because the sulky would tend to drift down the hill?

The Orec video sums up a lot of the content others have posted about using a track barrow. The yardmax is limited to R and 3 forward gears instead of the two range on the Orec. The Orec also uses a Honda where Yardmax has a Briggs. Yardmax has a version with sides that can be removed. I...

What did you think? Useful?

Sometimes a second vet opinion will spot something another vet missed. Not a fan of pet ERs if they can be avoided. Your wife could try baking some chicken breasts and cutting one up for him into bite sizes. That should appeal to his appetite unless something is really messing with his...

Maybe they'll be willing to make a deal along around December-January when hardly anyone wants to buy a mower.

Power and conformity are the key words.

I thought about the hydraulic dump version which has 1100 lb capacity vs 660 lbs for the normal wheelbarrow one that has a manual dump lever + cylinder assist. I think the simpler version would be enough for me, but I could see someone getting the hydraulic dump if they plan on moving a lot of...

It has independent brakes levers to control each track. The YT videos show it turning pretty easily like a mini skid steer as well as climbing over modest obstacles that would be a pain to push a normal wheelbarrow over. I haven't seen other attachments for it besides the snow plow. I only...

A few more thoughts came to mind. In the case of something like the Grillo, the tractor itself is most likely designed around a certain width for tillage and with a certain HP in mind. The Grillo salesman recommended a 28" flail as matching well to the available HP in part because a wider...

^Driving uphill into a pile of brush trying not to get impaled in the process. You can see how the 20 or 22" inch wheels would be better than 4.80x8 wheels used on the Gravely. I have an older David Bradley that uses car size tires that will roll over a lot of stuff, but it doesn't have a...

No child left behind fundamentally changed local education , too. One of the local math teachers who continues to teach past his normal retirement age was told he couldn't make up his own test for his math class. It was just the monthly test to see how his students were coming along, not the...

Your analogy of wrestling a raccoon merits some kind of TBN award. I tend not to use the Gravely because it is not just difficult to wrestle, but practically impossible to wrestle in my experience. Mine got stuck when a wheel dropped into a groundhog hole. It was very difficult to get it...

Makes me wonder if that one coupler could be bad? You could buy a matched set of couplers and see if it clears up the problem. Maybe worth mentioning that it's important to clean them when they aren't pressurized before disconnecting or connecting to avoid getting dirt in the system.

Adorama and/or B & H photo video are pretty good about stocking authentic memory cards. My wife's employer bought a bunch of promotional USB sticks with their name on them to give away. Those things probably ending up hurting them because every one I tried ended up with corrupted files.

Dropped my wife off outside the terminal at BNA Nashville a couple of days ago. She brought up the days when it was easy to park and I could walk inside with her to the gate. No ids. No checkpoints. No hassle. Cars were lined up bumper to bumper to bumper just to drop off and pick up...

At the rate things have been going, this year's $3,800 ZTR will be $6-8k.

I guess that's why I bought evolution.

That's the top of the line model. My dealer said they got something like 3 units. People buy them faster than they can get them.

I haven't used a portable band saw to even know how well they work with or without a stand.

Any thoughts on this powered track barrow? I've watched a number of videos where people seem to like them for being able to move a few hundred pounds of rock or firewood over terrain that would be inaccessible to a tractor. I've got an area where I will be clearing out some smaller trees...

Not sure if this is what you mean, but this? https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/simple-slope-mower.469552/page-2#post-6608136

I apologize for being so slow to catch on.

Better seats make a difference. Bar tread tires can make a difference on hillsides.

I don't live in snow removal climate, but am curious about this. I thought the tractor you bought has a DPF that needs to be run 1800 to PTO speed to keep it hot enough to avoid regen cycles. So despite this, the muffler can still clog in cold temperature use?

Do you already have a mower to get by with so you can take your time looking for what you really want?

Basic ZTR $3,800 has swivel front wheels. Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 50 Zero-Turn Mower | Cub Cadet US It's difficult to hold them straight on a hillside. These have a 15 degree slope rating. The fixed front wheels on the ZTS take care of that issue and that's why they have a 20 degree slope...

I live on middle TN hillside farm with 18 degree slope in one area (haven't measured others). Cub Cadet ZTS1 50" rider Kohler engine $5099 no ROPS Cub Cadet Ultima ZTS1 50 Zero-Turn Mower | Cub Cadet US Cub Cadet Pro Z 60" commercial series, ROPS, Kawasaki engine, upgraded pumps $15,539...

The description at HF along with their video says it also does vertical. I have no idea how accurate it is.

For those of us who are not so industrious https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-portable-band-saw-benchtop-stand-59640.html?_br_psugg_q=bandsaw+stand I saw this a few months ago. Wondered if it would be more handy than the typical 4x6 floor bandsaw?

Most buyers don't want turf tires on this kind of tractor. R4s won't tear things up like R1 ag bar tires do, but still provide reasonable traction.

The Grillo dealer seems pretty confident that the Grillo/flail will cut this briar patch, but said it will be slow. Haven't heard from the Orec rep, but I suspect they'll say the same thing. Trouble is, I know from experience that cutting brush with a walk behind on a hillside is a hard...

Not having seen a PT425 in person, I appreciate all the information I can get. Thank you very much. The thing about an overgrown patch of briars is there will always be plenty of ones growing extra long to reach out and stick me no matter what I do.

Trees will flip flop on anyone.

When two companies merge, it can be difficult to predict where things will end up. Logically, it would be more efficient if they produce tractors with the most similar components, but allow for upscaling at minimal cost. The most obvious is sharing the 48hp engine among the T474 and T494...

It wouldn't be too hard or expensive to weld on a push bar to the top of the tree puller frame. That would help keep the trees from landing on the tractor hood or your head.

This week's ad. I bought a L2501HST in March, 2022 for $22,000. I don't know what the price of the T474H was then. But when Hersheyfarm posted he was quoted $26,500 for the L2502 and I saw that the T474H was $25,800, it really struck home how much more tractor TYM is offering for...

^storage is absolutely worth mentioning. For me it's never just the chainsaw, but it's also carrying gas, oil, sharpener, chain, gloves, and helmet with face shield and ear protection. Smokeydog made a chainsaw carrier to fit the bottom of the FEL mount that also will carry his fuel and chains.

The other thing to watch for is that the trailer itself doesn't drop when the weight of the tractor shifts onto it. I don't have a picture handy to post this second, but my ramps have legs so this doesn't happen. I've seen a few car trailers that have extendable legs on them, too, for this...

Avoiding the turbo means one less thing to fail, esp. if you don't actually need it. I haven't a clue about your car trailer question other than to say I suspect it also matters whether you will be towing on hills and have brakes on the trailer. It also matters if you have sturdy ramps because...

What are your reasons for probably driving over them from the uphill side? If you drove over them from the uphill side, do you think you could back up the hill to reposition yourself to drive down over another section or do you think you'd be fully committed to having to drive all the way...

Harry Potter is a mix of creative imagination, good vs. evil. IMO, well done.

Why not put a receiver tube on the rear hitch and then use something like this? https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/trailers-towing/hitch-cargo-carriers/atv-cargo-carrier-67623.html

I'd have to check the maps, but I'd guess 5 acres of hillside with about 18 degree slope that varies. What I'm finding besides the Bachtold and Gravely I already own are: (1) DR 15.5 hp brush mower about $2,700; (2) Grillo/BCS with brush or flail mowers around $6,300; (3) Orec Cyclone around...

If the factory is using quality components and has good control over assembly, that will reduce break downs and warranty issues. However, finding a reputable independent repair service if something does happen to fail in my area was not so easy in my personal experience. Perhaps it would...

I recently experienced the difficulty of getting a Mahindra tractor repaired. Once the warranty is up, it looks like owners would be on their own finding someone reliable to work on their tractors. These aren't like lawn mowers where only basic skills will get by or where the problems are so...

Maybe it's possible, but how is buying a TYM tractor through a Mahindra dealer going to be cheaper than buying it from a TYM dealer? That inherently looks like one more layer of markup when TYM sells it to Mahindra and then Mahindra sells it to their dealership.

"If it can push it over, it can cut it." That's the question I have. My experience so far is the walk behinds I've tried so far can't really push over these kinds of briar thickets like I posted in #3 or climb over them. They can run into them and nibble at them by going back and forth...

FWIW, Power Trac has an enthusiastic owner group on TBN, but their new factory warranty is one year parts only. They do not have a dealer network to sell or service their equipment. Their machine is based around hydraulic pumps, motors, cylinders and hoses which are user serviceable...