SnowRidge
Elite Member
Having managed to acquire some property with steep, overgrown roadsides that couldn't be simply or safely bush hogged, and was far too extensive to hand clear in the 90+ heat, I reluctantly came to the conclusion that I needed a boom mower. My first choice was something that would fit on my Branson's TPH, but the breath taking prices convinced me to look toward Tazewell, however reluctantly. A trip north for the acquisition resulted in one boom mower, a considerably lighter wallet, and all the usual paperwork that accompanies most PT-425 implements, one lonely receipt. PT didn't even supply dust caps for the two hydraulic hoses that couldn't be connected together. 
The current production boom mowers are a little different than those shown on the PT web site. The motor's apparent case drain line is plumbed directly back into one of the PTO hoses right at the motor. There are no extra lines running back to the PT, as it appears to show on the web site. The mower is boomed to the right instead of the left, as is shown on the web site.
PT has virtually no description of the boom mower on their web site, and the only person there that seems have any knowledge of the product is, of course, Terry. The sales team is "unfamiliar" with the product. I was shocked.
Exactly what the company had in mind when they designed the thing is open to question. While it has a single blade, like a finish mower, it is very thick, more like a brush cutter blade. In fact, it will cut saplings to at least one inch diameter. If I had to characterize it, I would call it a mini brush mower on a boom. Whether that is good or bad depends on your point of view, if there are bystanders or not, and how well armored you are as operator. More on that subject later.
The mower's blade measures 20.5 inches tip to tip, more than living up to the advertised size. The up and down travel of the boom arm is controlled by the quick attach lever. The deck itself is attached to the boom with two large bolts. It is free to swivel, although the bolts can be tightened enough to sort of keep it in one position. The mower is positioned for use by a combination of lift arm height and boom height and/or PT positioning. The quick attach angle must be corrected for boom height. Used this way, the raised boom pivot point functions in a manner similar to that of a knuckle boom mower, although it is far from an exact parallel.
More to follow.....
The current production boom mowers are a little different than those shown on the PT web site. The motor's apparent case drain line is plumbed directly back into one of the PTO hoses right at the motor. There are no extra lines running back to the PT, as it appears to show on the web site. The mower is boomed to the right instead of the left, as is shown on the web site.
PT has virtually no description of the boom mower on their web site, and the only person there that seems have any knowledge of the product is, of course, Terry. The sales team is "unfamiliar" with the product. I was shocked.
Exactly what the company had in mind when they designed the thing is open to question. While it has a single blade, like a finish mower, it is very thick, more like a brush cutter blade. In fact, it will cut saplings to at least one inch diameter. If I had to characterize it, I would call it a mini brush mower on a boom. Whether that is good or bad depends on your point of view, if there are bystanders or not, and how well armored you are as operator. More on that subject later.
The mower's blade measures 20.5 inches tip to tip, more than living up to the advertised size. The up and down travel of the boom arm is controlled by the quick attach lever. The deck itself is attached to the boom with two large bolts. It is free to swivel, although the bolts can be tightened enough to sort of keep it in one position. The mower is positioned for use by a combination of lift arm height and boom height and/or PT positioning. The quick attach angle must be corrected for boom height. Used this way, the raised boom pivot point functions in a manner similar to that of a knuckle boom mower, although it is far from an exact parallel.
More to follow.....
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