I saw an old film on youtube from the 50's of a Ford tractor with a hedge clipper type mower on it. It is located at about 4:20 minutes into the video on youtube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZOgbAk01Ug Does anyone know if this type of "mower" is still made today? I don't know what to call it or I would google search it. The reason I am looking for something like this is I would like to trim weeds around a pond but I don't want to get too close with my tractor in case I accidentally lost control and slid into the water. This would let me safely mow from six feet away from the edge.
Thanks for any info anyone has on what this is called and if they still make / use them anymore
I can't access the video from my location, but it sounds like you're talking about a sickle bar mower. Here's a link from everything attachments, although they are made by a number of companies.
If it has a pitman arm (reciprocating bar) often wood, instead of the v-belt, going to the inner end of the cutter bar, it will not operate at much of an angle from horizontal.
Getting old. Sold the ranch. Sold the tractors. Moved back to the city.
Correct. It's a sicklebar mower. And, yes, they are definitely manufactured these days. They cost $3-6K new depending on the size. The one in the video probably has a 6 or 7 foot mowing bar. You can find used ones that have been refurbished in the $1-2K range. Used sicklebars show up all the time on eBay and Craigslist in the $300-1000 range. These low cost mowers generally have to be repaired (new sickle sections, rock guards, hold-down clips, drive belts). For mowing around your pond, you definitely need a belt-driven sicklebar that has the capability to lower the cutting bar at an angle less than zero degrees ( horizontal).
My Massey Ferguson 31 sicklebar is a typical belt driven mower.
I bought it at auction about 6 years ago for $650. Spent about $250 in replacement parts.
