Cutting under fences - using 17-18 PTO hp?

[weedsportpete]

I've seen a couple of cutters that can work under fences, but they take more PTO hp than a sub-compact and/or are expensive.. has anyone seen anything that can run on 17 or 18 PTO hp for under $500?

Or should I be using a walk behind string trimmer? or heavy duty grass trimmer with a blade attachment? I'm thinking these options will take a lot of time.. if I can move at a walking speed with very little 'backup and do again' time, I can probably live with that for a while..

I've got about 1500 feet of fence now, and will have over 4000 feet by the end of next year..

Pete

 

[JimMc]

Do we need to research a side shift 52" rotary cutter?

 

[gws]

Swisher makes a Swisher Postmaster Trimmer that trims under fences. Its for ATV but could be pulled by a compact. No PTO power required. I couldnt find it on there web site but its listed on the northern site.
http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=757532&prmenbr=6970

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>Do we need to research a side shift 52" rotary cutter? </font color=blue>

Yup & it should weigh 1 pound & cost 1 dollar and etc. etc. etc.

Seriously though, If you could make an add on to a rotary cutter or finish mower that would duck under a rail fence & swing back at the posts for a good price it would sell well.

Probabely power it with a hydraulic motor, maybe you could do a custom gearbox on the mower that had a hyd pump built in for those of us that don't have rear remotes.

Available in fixed blade & string trim options.

Also, something that would be compatible with a MMM would be cool too (either mounted on the MMM or three point).

The key is that it can't cost thousands of dollars. Needs to be priced competatively with a weedwacker.

Do you guys need an engineer to do some side work? I'd be happy to do some design and TEST for you/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[hazmat]

Forgot to mention, for your next trick, solve the "bank mowing" problem.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.swisherinc.com/postmaster.html>Swisher Postmaster</A>

 

[Kodiak]

I'm currently looking for a cheap used walk behind string trimmer to use for next Rube Goldberg project. I am going to remove the wheels. The build a clamp or bolt on, breakaway mount off the right side of the bucket on the FEL. I beleive it will be more effeicient up front. And of course it will still be powered by its own engine. Anybody else think that this might be feasible?

 

[Ozarker]

I have been thinking along those same lines but would build around an electric trimmer rather than a gas trimmer. I have a Ryobi electric and it is better than any gas trimmer I have ever used, including a walk behind that I borrowed once just to see if I wanted to buy one.....I didn't.

I run it anyplace on my property with an inverter hooked up to the battery on my lawn tractor. An inverter mounted to my tractor would provide 110v AC anywhere I needed it.

 

[Ozarker]

How about an affordable and light swing arm mower?

Been thinking about this one for awhile. If you could mount an electric mower on the end of an arm that was controlled from the seat, one could mow under fences, along side hills and in ditch lines that would flip a tractor if you drove there.

A small self contained unit powered by the same type of elec/hydraulics used for chair lifts would make it usable on any type of tractor. Maybe even lawn tractors if it was light enough.

A replaceable head type system would make it so one could mount a finish mower or a small brush hog on the end depending on what needed cut.

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>I have a Ryobi electric and it is better than any gas trimmer I have ever used</font color=blue>

All I can say is that you obviously either haven't used a decent gas trimmer or you didn't know how to use it./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I've owned 3 gasoline and 3 electric ones (and have used several others) and the electric is just fine as long as you only have very light material (grass) to cut, but even then the gasoline ones are much faster and more powerful. However, I do like the sound of the electric better./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif And I'll admit that since my first one was a good electric that the first day or two I used my first gasoline one, I thought I'd made a mistake in buying it, but then I learned how to use it and found it was much better than the electric.