Sickle Bar Front mount sickle bar?

[Reg]

Just thinking that it would make more sense to clear certain areas that way. Cut stuff down before you run over it. I seem to spend more time in reverse with my brush hog, just so I don't put a tractor tire on something I don't want to. I am just thinking, and it's probably more effort then its worth. Just bouncing the idea around.

That is why they mount on the rear and cut to the side, typically the right side.
Of course, you have to start somewhere and the first run does knock stuff down, but with a bit of planning you can probably cut that as your last run back, by which time it has probably sprung back up again.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that they fold up vertically for transport, so you can get them through gates & such.

 

[bdw593]

There is a thread on here with the title vineyard pruner that is a front mounted sickle bar... Saw it today when I was browsing around... Looks like a sickle bar mower mounted on a universal mounting plate... Check it out.

 

[Maknwine]

I actually fabbed and welded up the SS QA plate myself. I have been dreaming of one of these pruners for years as pruning acreage in grape vines will wear out a decent pair of shoulders. After spring, my hand grip is deadly.

We'll see how it works. I've tested over a few vines but the work starts .

 

[BandDcabinet]

I am wondering if such a thing exists: front mounted sickle bar mower, operated by a mid mount PTO... Anyone ever see or hear of anything like this, for any tractor?

Expensive but interesting to consider

 

[flusher]

Just thinking that it would make more sense to clear certain areas that way. Cut stuff down before you run over it. I seem to spend more time in reverse with my brush hog, just so I don't put a tractor tire on something I don't want to. I am just thinking, and it's probably more effort then its worth. Just bouncing the idea around.

Sicklebar mowers are really for haymaking and mowing grass along highway ditches. Rather than spending time on rigging up a sicklebar on your FEL, I'd look into doing that with a 6-8 foot flail mower. You could mow just about anything with that flail.

 

[HughsHawCreek]

I Saw an advertisement for a front mounted sickle mower made by a Canadian company. I can't remember the name and I can't find where I read about it. It looks like it would work well for mowing under high tensile wire fences.

Tim Hughs

 

[boggen]

i do not remember the names, but when i was running "demo" of "farming simulator 2012" game, i am not sure if it was extra stuff you had to download or if already loaded with basic game. but there was a good amount of different front mounted stuff for tractors. a lot of it was for hay fields if memory serves. and would windrow (put cuttings into a pile) as they went through the fields. if memory serves looking up the company names brought back websites that showed actual equipment out there, just not really marketed as much in the US, or is marketed to smaller nich markets that i do not know about.

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac the company makes a tractor where all implements are on the front of the tractor. (basically moved the 3pt hitch from rear to the front of tractor, in idea)

 

[bcp]

Trackless Vehicles Ltd. - Sickle Bar Mower and Under Guard Rail Mowers

2 Head Vine Trimmer

 

[LouieJunior]

I recently purchased the Samurai cutter -- haven't had a chance to put it to much use yet as it is winter. The cost was $1,300.
I do not plan to mow with it, rather to cut high, overhanging growth around fields and along my trails. Also some hard to navigate ditches and burms. I had third function hydraulics for my grapple which are not used when the bucket is on, so my hook-up was simple.

 

[ghenges]

Just thinking that it would make more sense to clear certain areas that way. Cut stuff down before you run over it. I seem to spend more time in reverse with my brush hog, just so I don't put a tractor tire on something I don't want to. I am just thinking, and it's probably more effort then its worth. Just bouncing the idea around.

Mounting a sickle bar to cut directly out in front would present a problem, most sickle bar mowers have trip protection in case an obstacle is encountered.

A side mount sickle bar makes a lot of sense when one wants to cut hay and pull a tedder simultaneously.

A side mount sickle bar found favor with municipal road maintenance departments because of the increased visibility and improved maneuverability.

I run a side mount mower and cut some fairly rough stuff at times. To give you an idea, I replaced over 50 sickle sections just last season.

I always thought it would be nice to be able to move the sickle bar laterally. That way mowing a fence line or around obstacles would be a much easier chore.

 

[appleannie]

I don't know but I am looking for the same thing. I need a sickle bar mower that cuts dircectly in front of the tractor for mowing between apple trees. It could cut dirctly behind also.

 

[appleannie]

I am tryiing to take hay between the apple tree rows and a mower that cuts 7 feet to the side misses the middle section of the row. The tractor cannot go really close to the trees to cut the middle. Does anyone have a small swather that would work?

 

[dieselscout80]

Mounting a sickle bar to cut directly out in front would present a problem, most sickle bar mowers have trip protection in case an obstacle is encountered.

A side mount sickle bar makes a lot of sense when one wants to cut hay and pull a tedder simultaneously.

A side mount sickle bar found favor with municipal road maintenance departments because of the increased visibility and improved maneuverability.

I run a side mount mower and cut some fairly rough stuff at times. To give you an idea, I replaced over 50 sickle sections just last season.
View attachment 302326
I always thought it would be nice to be able to move the sickle bar laterally. That way mowing a fence line or around obstacles would be a much easier chore.

Do you have a pic of how your mower is attached your tractor's PTO?

 

[Xfaxman]

Just thinking that it would make more sense to clear certain areas that way. Cut stuff down before you run over it. I seem to spend more time in reverse with my brush hog, just so I don't put a tractor tire on something I don't want to. I am just thinking, and it's probably more effort then its worth. Just bouncing the idea around.

Why not go "whole hog" and put a brush hog on the front? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/280432-thinking-about-trying.html

 

[Reg]

Just thinking that it would make more sense to clear certain areas that way. Cut stuff down before you run over it. I seem to spend more time in reverse with my brush hog, just so I don't put a tractor tire on something I don't want to. I am just thinking, and it's probably more effort then its worth. Just bouncing the idea around.

I got flamed for even SUGGESTING that in a thread that someone had started because he had got stuck while mowing a seriously wet area.
His position was that it wasn't his "fault" that he had driven into what was basically a bog.
My position was that he needed to know his land before driving into low spots, he could/should have used a sickle bar on the LOW side (almost always the right side) if he wanted to explore while mowing - that would have revealed the BOG before he got into it with a rotary cutter.

I got crap for my "holier than thou" attitude.
"Everyone gets stuck eventually", etc.
Oh well, I still don't have a sickle bar but if anyone wants to sell me a 7ft one for cheap I can find CA$H quickly, especially if it is for FREE.

 

[nc redneck]

Do a search for Quick Attach Front End Hydraulic Sickle Mower

 

[ironwood]

I too am looking to either build or find a front mount sickle bar for small areas around my property that I want the option of baling or loose haying in the future. The rear style are TOO wide when you include the tractor width. The ares include and orchard, a gas line right of way, and a few little nooks......I even would use it to clear off the ragweed off my tater patch (did that today with standard three point version). i have two old Ford 501's and I will likely try my hand cutting one up and driving it hydraulically from the front loader arms....that way i can lift it up and away near hazards.

I just found a little two wheel three point tedder that will help with the small scale haying.......

 

[Fluid]

Keep in mind a sickle bar is not a brush hog. They’re made to cut grass.
Anything is possible with enough money and know-how. But, I would guess that someone has tried it before, and there’s a reason you don’t see front mounted brush cutters for tractors. I don’t know what that reason is since you can get them on skid steers. Personally, I don't think a sickle bar on the front would be all that useful.

Gravely tractors has made front mounted brush cutters for years both two wheel and four wheel tractors, granted they are not as big as a compact tractor but they get the job done. They made front mounted sickle mowers for their two wheel tractors for over 50 years.

 

[Fluid]

The only ones I know of look similar to this although they won't fit a 4 wheel tractor. I'd sure like to have one though.

Gravely has made those for many years.

 

[Sodo]

I'd like to have a sickle bar cutter that attaches below the FEL bucket. Anyone who's wanted one off these can see how it's useful. If the sickle is belt-operated, seems easy to use the 2500rpm front PTO.

Would be great to have a hydraulic left/right shift so a 7 foot cutter can shift around trees/bushes. :thumbsup: