I’m a new PT forum reader (… which I find incredibly useful BTW) and a want-to-be PT425 owner. Currently a Gravely Walk Behind (source of the PTOuser idea) and Kawasaki Prairie 650 owner but need more power. Had decided to emulate a neighbor and go the Steiner 430 route sharing attachments but ran across the PT WWW site and their mini hoe killed that plan. I’m planning trips to Tazwell (a little more than an hour from my in-law’s place) and a purchase this summer so I will trailer home the 425. That leaves deciding add-ons. Right now I’m thinking purchase a mini hoe and a mower but I need input from you guys. Haven’t ran across threads about my two questions. I’m comparing the mini hoe to PT’s auger to make pot holes needed to pour concrete footers to replace the deck on my house. I need to construct vertical columns 8’ on centers made of 8” block to hold up 4”x12” main support elements I’ll overlay with horizontal decking. I’m wondering how narrow a 3 foot deep, neat pothole can be dug with the mini hoe (‘x’ by ‘y’ dimensions)? 2nd question. I have a 30” rough cut blade on the Gravely and a 44” finish blade on a self powered Swisher mower that I pull behind the Prairie 650 but hope to sell all that to help fund the PT purchase. The mower question is a … can’t afford both a finish mower and a rough mower question. How well does the rough mover do finish cutting and how much rough can the 60” finish mower handle?
Help comparing PT add-ons
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pajoube
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Welcome to the forum. You right on track with your questions which we all have asked in the past concerning each of our needs. I have the finish mower but not the brush hog so will let others answer that question.
I would go with the mini hoe (which I have) for digging the holes. This does a great job and you will find many uses long after your deck is finished.
Your lucky to be so close to Tazewell which makes it easier to purchasae additional attachments as you need them.
Keep us informed on your visit.
PJ
I would go with the mini hoe (which I have) for digging the holes. This does a great job and you will find many uses long after your deck is finished.
Your lucky to be so close to Tazewell which makes it easier to purchasae additional attachments as you need them.
Keep us informed on your visit.
PJ
jfh28
Platinum Member
I have the brush hog and it gives you a ,well, rough cut. if you're looking to knock the grass down then it'll be fine. If you're looking for a manicured lawn look then you'll probably want the finish mower.
How clean a hole you can get with the hoe is going to be dependent on operator skill and type of soil. I've got rocky broken shale and low end operator skills....my holes tend to look ragged
But then I'm only going to fill them back up again so I don't really care how they look. I think you will find much more use for the mini hoe once you have it then you would with the auger.
Fill us in on your trip to Taz after you get to play down there.
Jack
How clean a hole you can get with the hoe is going to be dependent on operator skill and type of soil. I've got rocky broken shale and low end operator skills....my holes tend to look ragged
But then I'm only going to fill them back up again so I don't really care how they look. I think you will find much more use for the mini hoe once you have it then you would with the auger.Fill us in on your trip to Taz after you get to play down there.
Jack
MossRoad
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Welcome to TBN!
I don't have an auger or mini-hoe. If I had to choose one, I'd pick the mini-hoe, unless I was a fence installer. It will be more useful down the road once all post hole jobs are done.
I have both a 60" finish mower and a 48" brush cutter.
The finish mower will not do well on brush. I have bent a blade on the finish mower on a root ball that popped up after a 1" tree was knocked over.
The brush cutter will not do finish mowing. It will do field mowing, but not finish work.
I don't have an auger or mini-hoe. If I had to choose one, I'd pick the mini-hoe, unless I was a fence installer.
It will be more useful down the road once all post hole jobs are done.I have both a 60" finish mower and a 48" brush cutter.
The finish mower will not do well on brush. I have bent a blade on the finish mower on a root ball that popped up after a 1" tree was knocked over.
The brush cutter will not do finish mowing. It will do field mowing, but not finish work.
woodlandfarms
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I have heard mixed results of a PHD on a tractor. Unless you have flat land a tractor mounted auger can give you mixed results. But, on the PT the Back Hoe is a bit of a pain to operate. Either a modification or just lots of practice gets it going... I am going to mod my tractor when I see it again...
You did not mention a front bucket. That is just a have to have item... Nothing beats a $10K wheel barrow. (think about the grapple as well)
To the finish mower, This is to the group... Would it be possible to pick up some mower blades and swap them out on the PT? Like the Gator Blades or such? It may not be a perfect mower, but at least it would be better than using brush hog blade...
You did not mention a front bucket. That is just a have to have item... Nothing beats a $10K wheel barrow. (think about the grapple as well)
To the finish mower, This is to the group... Would it be possible to pick up some mower blades and swap them out on the PT? Like the Gator Blades or such? It may not be a perfect mower, but at least it would be better than using brush hog blade...
KentT
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I also vote for the minihoe -- then put an aftermarket thumb on it... It makes it an incredibly useful tool...
bbabineau
Silver Member
I’m wondering how narrow a 3 foot deep, neat pothole can be dug with the mini hoe
I have both the minihoe and a PHD with 6" and 12" augers. Hands down, if can have just one it should be the minihoe. You can dig a reasonable hole 3 foot deep that will be bucket width (12") and probably 24" long. I dug piers for a small bridge that were 2' x 6' and almost 4' deep.
I have both the minihoe and a PHD with 6" and 12" augers. Hands down, if can have just one it should be the minihoe. You can dig a reasonable hole 3 foot deep that will be bucket width (12") and probably 24" long. I dug piers for a small bridge that were 2' x 6' and almost 4' deep.
Rivco
Silver Member
woodlandfarms said:
I considered doing that with my 180 brush mower, but when I checked with keith at power trac he said it would not work because the motors are different on the finish mower and brush mower. The brush cutter motor turns at slower rpm's, so you would lose out on the tip speed needed with finish blades, and the finish blades have a different mounting pattern ( at least on the 180 45" mower ).
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Thanks fellows. All the feedback is really useful. I should have told everyone I have clay with not much in the way of rock for soil. What little rock I do find is a mix of sandstone and very easy to break shale. The grass I cut is long on weeds and short on grass and the lot size is 7 acres mostly trees shading West Virginia hill side. Bbabineau’s dimensional info was a huge help. I was hoping I could do 24”x24” at a depth of 3 feet for the pot holes. His experience with both auger and mini hoe is great purchasing feedback. Woodlandfarms question about a bucket is something I’ve been giving a lot of thought. I’m weighing purchasing a 4n1 and keeping the Swisher pull behind finish mower and delaying a PT rough cut attachment versus buying the 60 inch PT finish mower initially and no bucket. Right now the 4n1 with Swisher in tow is winning. Anyone tried a pull behind finish mower?? I don’t like the Swisher now but that’s because of the VERY poor ability to steer when towing with the ATV ... kind of like wrestling a steer by the hornes. I've been thinking about investing in tines for the 4n1 instead of woodlandfarms’ grappler suggestion. I figure commercially available bolt on tines will cost me about $400 and a few stretch straps later I can be carrying a lot of brush. KentT I’ve already priced a Bro-Tek thumb and its on my must buy list. Wish I was handy building thumbs like I've seen made by several folks on this list.
KentT
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When you mention "tines" for the 4-in-1 bucket, are you talking about an aftermarket toothbar? If not, could you describe those tines better, so we can understand?
Note that with a 4-in-1, you could readily have a toothbar mounted for digging, yet still have the rear part "blade" of the bucket still smooth for use in backblading. You'd open the bucket and put downpressure on this "blade" which forms the back of the bucket so that you could smooth things out. You can't readily do that with a normal bucket with a toothbar on it -- you have to backblade using either the rear, bottom corner of the bucket or the whole bottom of the bucket, neither of which work too well...
One caution though -- I think you'll find a 4-in-1 a poor substitute for a true grapple bucket if you're going to be dealing with a lot of brush. You can pick up a log with it, but it doesn't open far enough to grab much brush. If you have a lot of brush to deal with, I'd go for the grapple bucket instead. It already has teeth on it for use in digging, and it's about the same price as the 4-in-1....
Note that with a 4-in-1, you could readily have a toothbar mounted for digging, yet still have the rear part "blade" of the bucket still smooth for use in backblading. You'd open the bucket and put downpressure on this "blade" which forms the back of the bucket so that you could smooth things out. You can't readily do that with a normal bucket with a toothbar on it -- you have to backblade using either the rear, bottom corner of the bucket or the whole bottom of the bucket, neither of which work too well...
One caution though -- I think you'll find a 4-in-1 a poor substitute for a true grapple bucket if you're going to be dealing with a lot of brush. You can pick up a log with it, but it doesn't open far enough to grab much brush. If you have a lot of brush to deal with, I'd go for the grapple bucket instead. It already has teeth on it for use in digging, and it's about the same price as the 4-in-1....