newbie seeking advice

[Bill Hoffman]

Also be aware that even with chain guards on the bush hog, it WILL throw stuff at you on the tractor. If I were going to do a great deal of mowing, I'd build a shield (expanded metal) to go between you and the mower.

I was hogging a small area that was loaded with poison ivy, picked a piece of old fence wire. The mower threw a glob of freshly pulped poison ivy through the safety chain guard, off the fender and up onto my face. (I was facing to the rear, mowing in reverse) Washed up, called doc who gave me a scrip for prednisone just in case.

Bill

 

[eblanks]

Bill

Thanks for the tip about poison ivy, most every time I visit the farm I get a little poison ivy and was worried that a mower would blow that stuff into the air and get on my skin or worse, into my lungs. Is there any good defense when mowing an area with poison ivy/oak.

 

[ChuckinNH]

As a side note..... If you have gotten poison ivy / oak on your skin, the best thing to do is to rinse thoroughly as soon as possible with the coldest water you can handle. The cold water closes your pores, and rinses the oil off your skin. My son learned that in Ranger training, and I haven't had a case of poison ivy since he told me........ used to be an annual event.

 

[Soundguy]

Soap is even better than water... water has a hard time removing oil.. however soap helps cut the oil pretty fast.

soundguy

 

[Bill Hoffman]

Try washing with Technu. It's a liquid soap stuff type that works really well
in reducing the inflamation of PI. In a pinch, wipe the area with gasoline , paint thinner, or alcohol, they are solvents for the urushiol, which is the oil that causes the inflamation.

It's a drastic solution, but sure beats 2 weeks of prednisone.

Consarn it!! Somebody find a good cash use for PI. We could all retire.

Bill

 

[randyvl]

rub it till till its almost bleeding, wash with chlorox.

kills it every time

 

[pennwalk]

On my little Yanmar 186D with the square 4 foot King Kutter I have noticed that it throws rocks back and to the left as I sit on the tractor so I keep the right side of the tractor towards the neighbors yards as I bush hog at the farm. If I see people in the yard I come back later. It is scary how far rocks will fly. You definitely don't want anybody around the tractor when you mow. As far as how fast you can mow I try to listen to the sound of the engine. It doesn't work as well if I have my earplugs in but the ear muffs I have (pro ears) add some of the outside sound back in and you can hear the engine pretty well.

Chris

 

[firefighter9208]

As far as poison ivy goes Technu is the way to go. They have a pre-exposure lotion that you put on before going out and then a rinse that you use afterward to remove the oils. One of the ingredients in the rinse is de-odorized mineral spirits. This stuff works!!! Believe me. It's kind of pricy though. A 2 ounce bottle is about $8.00 at the pharmacy. My mom found some guy on ebay that sells it and she bought me a 12 ounce bottle for something like $10.00 plus shipping. Poison Ivy Rash Treatment, Poison Oak Treatment and Sumac Rash Treatment

As far as bushhogging goes I go by the motto that my grandfather uses. If the tractor can ride it down the bushhog should cut it up. Of course the slip clutch on my bushhog was froze up and that cost me a driveshaft bushhoging privet last year. Nice pretty twist with a broken u-joint. I learned to make sure the slip clutch will slip before beginning.

Chris

 

[eblanks]

Thanks again for all the helpful advice, I have a follow up story and additional questions. I purchased a used bush hog and trailered it up to the farm this past weekend. After dealing with some tractor starting issues (loose ground wire) I got the hog hooked up and off the trailer, then went to hook up the pto shaft and - you guessed it - too long. I have an over run clutch on the pto from the tractor. And everything I have read indicates this is a necessity for operating a Bush Hog, so it stays. The PTO drive shaft to the bush hog has a slip clutch, which I understand is preferable so I would like to keep that as well. My question is, I have read that it is possible to cut a PTO shaft to reduce the length. Is this advisable? Is it a difficult process? I'll buy a new one if I have to but would rather use the one I already have. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Soundguy]

I've also found that taking a prophilactic does of an antihistamine also helps if i think I am going to be exposed to a skin iritant that also involves an alergic reaction.

soundguy

As far as poison ivy goes Technu is the way to go. They have a pre-exposure lotion that you put on before going out and then a rinse that you use afterward to remove the oils. One of the ingredients in the rinse is de-odorized mineral spirits. This stuff works!!! Believe me. It's kind of pricy though. A 2 ounce bottle is about $8.00 at the pharmacy. My mom found some guy on ebay that sells it and she bought me a 12 ounce bottle for something like $10.00 plus shipping. Poison Ivy Rash Treatment, Poison Oak Treatment and Sumac Rash Treatment

As far as bushhogging goes I go by the motto that my grandfather uses. If the tractor can ride it down the bushhog should cut it up. Of course the slip clutch on my bushhog was froze up and that cost me a driveshaft bushhoging privet last year. Nice pretty twist with a broken u-joint. I learned to make sure the slip clutch will slip before beginning.

Chris