Looking for a cheap option to cut around a pond

[Atchuuu]

Need to cut around a pond and can't get too close with the tractor because I don't want to slid into the water on one part of the pond and on the other side it is too wet to get close to the waters edge. So I need a offset cutter of some type.

What is a good, cheap, option? I was actually thinking of creating a boom and installing a regular gas mower on the end. I could control height with the FEL but would not be able to control the angle.

 

[4570Man]

Aside from hiring a flunky with a weed wacker I like the mower on a pole idea. I think the really cheap approach would be a gas push mower suspended on all 4 corners from a 4x4 post. Just let the mower wheels work as intended and use the wheels to mostly pull it along.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I use a 9 ft sickle mower.

 

[spitter]

Roundup

 

[bdog]

I mow as close as I can to my pond with normal equipment and then do the up close with a push mower.

I actually had to buy a push mower just for this as I didn’t own one. I guess it depends on how big your pond is and how often you mow it. Mine I can do the push mower part in less than 30 minutes and I keep it short.

Aside from that you either need a batwing mower significantly wider than your tractor or a mower head on an excavator. I have an excavator but didn’t want to spend the thousands on the mower head for this one task.

 

[ch47dpilot]

One word, Goats:thumbsup:

 

[rbtjr]

I mow the edge near the water on the dam and another steep area by backing the 3PH rotary mower down to the water's edge. In our situation that keeps the tractor away from the water and on dry land. Needless to say, I go slowly and am very careful. Since our rotary mower is 6' wide, I cut the edge in swaths about 5' wide.

 

[RjCorazza]

I backup my 7’ finish mower to a stream bank, but it it very time consuming. I looked at several implement types, and found sickle bar mowers and offset verge type flails to be the most promising.
Neither are cheap.

 

[farm boy00]

Another option is to chain your riding lawn mower from the front and back to your tractor and drive each along the pond. Riders are usually pretty light and use your big tractor to guide the rider

 

[Turbys_1700]

Look on Craigslist for a 9 foot sickle mower. I just pulled up over 50 in my area. A decent one will cost you $500 to $1500. Cheapest easiest option out there.