Rotary Cutter New Bush Hog Chain guard necessary???

[allen in texas]

Buy a flail instead




(running away)

 

[foggy1111]

I just finished brush hogging some heavy brush with a cutter that really wasnt made for the task. It did the job very well....and after looking at the blades yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to see how little wear and how few nicks were in the blades....as I have run over several rocks, stumps and lots of brush up to 3 inch diameter and more. NOW....if you would care to run side by side over my land with your flail mower???? Perhaps we could have a little durability test.

OH....and my 5' cutter cost $550. brand spank'in new....so I am not too scared to run it through some heavy brush. Cost on that flail??? (grin)

 

[allen in texas]

That's why I ran away...

 

[have_blue]

I'm on my 3rd brush hog. First 2 (Woods) had rubber guards front and metal skirts in the rear. Since I have mown my land dozens of times and hit nothing other than an occasional ant nest, I have deemed my land "safe". My current brush hog (Bush Hog) had no guards, and it will stay that way until someone throws a railroad spike across my fence and it kills me. Then I'll add guards for sure.

Kidding aside, if you know your land and there's no metal, sticks, and rocks, you're safe. If not, either walk the land and pick everything up, or add guards.

 

[Normanc]

Thanks for the advise and photos. You make a good point on ensuring the chains are positioned out of reach of the blade. I am currently building the rear deflector out of 4" x 3/16" plate steel but I plan on going with chains on the front to allow the brush to enter easier.

 

[Soundguy]

sure.. that's what i have time to do.. walk my entire acerage -EVERY- time I mow.. vs making a set of guards for 15$ and an hour of work.. then never worrying about it again..

lets see.. hmm.. close.. but no.. I'll take the 1-time, 1hr work.. vs the couple hours work , every time. to walk my pasture before I mow

I have no way of knowing if someone drives by and tossed something on my land.. or a dog brings a bone over.. or a rock surfaces.. or a limb drops from a tree.... the guard is the surefire safe bet.. better than walking.. you can walk and miss something...

soundguy

Kidding aside, if you know your land and there's no metal, sticks, and rocks, you're safe. If not, either walk the land and pick everything up, or add guards.

 

[Redbug]

Also, I always wear safety glasses. It's just too risky even with a guard or chains in place. Twisting around looking in back and not having eye protection...

 

[foggy1111]

Good advice on the safety glasses. I have just finished most of my rough and ready bush hogging for the year....having cleaned up several acres of "buck brush" and some trails full of woody trash. I am amazed at the stuff that can be shredded with a cutter and the finished results.

There is a HUGE difference if you cutting mostly grass or light brush areas vs cutting woody brush....and another big difference if the land is level vs rough....and another big difference if lots of rocks and stumps and unknown trash items can be "experienced". In heavy brush...if and WHEN you shred a stump or a rock....stuff comes flying outta that cutter in any and every direction possible....front, rear, and sides....and in this situation any guard is better than no guard.

I read a good piece of advice on this forum about operating in brush....and that is to keep the loader bucket just a few inches off the ground to doze over the brush and find stumps and rocks and obstructions before the cutter finds 'em. As the poster stated....if the tractor starts "climbing" the brush, you likely have too much to shred and need to back away for a narrower swath. It pretty much worked that way for me.

OH....and on those front chains I have.....I never once had any problems with anything hanging up on the chains or even gave the chains a thought while brush hogging. And all my chains remain attached...just as welded.

 

[have_blue]

sure.. that's what i have time to do.. walk my entire acerage -EVERY- time I mow..

If you don't know your land, I strongly advise a guard. I also advise not walking behind your brush hog while you mow, or sharpening the blade while it's spinning.


Like I said, walk the land and pick up trash (my choice) OR use a guard. I guess you missed the "Or".

 

[Soundguy]

walking the lans is not a replacement for the guard...


you can walk the land and while getting on your mower.. a limb can fall.. or some errant teenager can toss his ill-gotten beer bottle on your property.. then WHAM.. you get hit int he back with wood or glass shards.

"but doctor.. I did walk my property just before I mowed!.. that means I didn't need a guard!!!"

it's not an 'or' situation...

soundguy

Like I said, walk the land and pick up trash (my choice) OR use a guard. I guess you missed the "Or".