home built ditch mower??

jenkinsph · Aug 24, 2011

Don87 said:
You need a setup like a backhoe. Using the pushmower idea, you only need small square tubing to hold it, and very little counterweight(if any).

Good point and I have lots of square tubing to work with. If it wasn't for the new fence on the property line I would use a sickle bar cutter on each side of the ditch.

o2batsea · Aug 24, 2011

I hate mowing ditches mainly because every time I do it reminds me what a chump job they did on the road into my place. They fall away at 45 degrees.
Anyway, my usual MO is to use the push mower and weedwhacker in combo.
My other technique is Roundup. This works pretty well, if you don't mind brown.
My imagineering solution is to put several string trimmer heads on a bar. This would keep the assembly light weight, so that rocks won't get kicked out. Haven't acted on this scheme yet cuz I don't mind brown too much.

Don87 · Aug 25, 2011

jenkinsph said:
Good point and I have lots of square tubing to work with. If it wasn't for the new fence on the property line I would use a sickle bar cutter on each side of the ditch.

Be sure to start a build thread if you decide to tackle it.

o2batsea had a good idea also : string type trimmer. Then one could use a 2 cycle engine, and never worry about the angle.

LBrown59 · Aug 25, 2011

countrybumpkin said:
. I remember seeing some mowers on the net that were built using what appeared to be a mower deck and were belt driven, but have been unable to locate them anymore, anyone seen these before or have a link to them ?

Don87 said:
I saw a you tube video of someone attaching a pushmower to their FEL for that purpose.

Wolfy said:
I have a old barn foundation at my place, parts of it I could not mow since the sides were so steep. I got tired of thinking about it and went to a yard sale. When I saw a cheap push mower there for $30, I found a solution. I bought the mower, brought it home, and took off the wheels. Then I bolted it to wood frame. The frame has 2 long "forks" that slide into my tractor bucket. And I also ratchet strap it as well. On mowing day, I start the push mower, then keep it running by tying the handle down with a wire. Then I lift the bucket over the weeds, and lower it. (I do all this in low gear, at idle) On some areas, I roll the bucket back to match the slope, then back up the tractor, while lowering the bucket. Make sure you have a heavy weight on the 3pt. On bad hills, it helps to lower the weight to the ground. I can't say it is easy, but it does work, I can get the weeds maybe 3-4" above ground level. The only other way to do it would be a string trimmer, but thats why we have tractors

LBrown59 said:
1*A friend had given me a Box store push mower .
Last fall I took it to a small engine shop who fixed it for 25 or 45 dollars and it runs and starts great.
2*I bolted the mower to a 5 or six foot pallet so i can pick up the pallet with my bucket forks .
This gives me about a 9 to 11 foot reach out from the front of the front wheels of the tractor.
3*I ratchet strap the pallet to the loader bucket .
4*I use a bungee strap for this.
5*I do the same thing.
6*I use the BX23 BH.
7*Beats a srting trimmer all to pieces.