Non-powered brush cutter?

[timrob]

Anybody know if there's a non-powered brush cutter that my ATV could pull? I was considering buying an Amish farm for hunting. It's trails are already cut, they just need to be cleaned up a couple times a year. The Amish use something that's horse drawn, so I was hoping there was something my ATV could pull. I didn't want to spend $1000 on a gas powered one.

 

[workhorse]

The Amish also know how to use whet stones to keep their tools sharp so it doesn't take as much effort to cut through things manually.

As for the rest of us schlubs, we can still tear through tall grass with the blade on backwards thanks to gas powered engines!

Sorry, that's probably not much help to you.

 

[aczlan]

you will probably need a self-powered trail mower (swisher makes one Swisher Mower & Machine Co.: Products: Trail Cutters) they generally have a 12-18 hp engine that spins the blades and they adjust to pull behind something or they can be offset to the side, TSC has them for 900-2000, they can be had used (craigslist) for 500-1500 in my area.


HTH

Aaron Z

 

[timrob]

Aczlan,
If the trail is only grass and weeds, no saplings or anything heavy, would you say I would probably still need a self-powered mower? I'm not looking for beauty, just so it's easier to walk through while hunting.

 

[LBrown59]

you will probably need a self-powered trail mower (swisher makes one Swisher Mower & Machine Co.: Products: Trail Cutters) they generally have a 12-18 hp engine that spins the blades and they adjust to pull behind something or they can be offset to the side, TSC has them for 900-2000, they can be had used (craigslist) for 500-1500 in my area.


HTH

Aaron Z

I'd rather have a 3 point hitch mounted push mower.

 

[aczlan]

Aczlan,
If the trail is only grass and weeds, no saplings or anything heavy, would you say I would probably still need a self-powered mower?

the mower has to get its power from somewhere, so (as I see it) there are two ways to have a tow behind ATV mower:

First: Ground powered, as far as I know there are two options: an older ground powered sickle bar mower, one of those might work, you would just need to remember that they are generally setup as offset mowers and that might not work too well on a trail.
or a towbehind gang of reel mowers (like this one: The Gang of Three ) however if I remember correctly reelmowers have problems with heavy stuff... they are better on grass so that might not work.

the biggest problem with using ground powered equipment is that when you hit a patch of heavy stuff it will clog, whereas with selfpowered equipment you can slow down and let it chew its way through it.

Second option: Selfpowered. for self powered equipment there are three options: first, store bought (ie: swisher). I dont know where you live but in minneapolis there is a 44" swisher on craigslist for $250 Swisher 44" Tow Behind Mower so there are out there, just keep an eye out and when one shows up, jump on it.

the second option is to make a gang of push mowers like this: Backyard blitz for mower man | NEWS.com.au (also a recent issue of the farm show magazine had a couple of good ones)
the advantage is that they are cheap, the disadvantage is that you then have 3-5 more engines to maintain.

the third option (which I am using to add 2' to the cut of a lawnmower) is to get a wide walkbehind mower (I have a Ariens 7/24 snowblower/mower which has a 30" mower deck on it, the snowblower comes off and a mower goes on) and make a hitch to tow it behind your ATV, I will take pix and post them next time I put the hitch on. it has cost me ~$250 so far including buying the snowblower last fall.

HTH

Aaron Z

 

[timrob]

The backyard blitz was awesome. I wonder how well it really works.

You gave me some good ideas. I really didn't know where to look before.

For your third option, pics would be great. I'm already going to spend a pretty penny on the land, $250 sounds about right.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

if you have an extra 8hp briggs engine i have a 48"motts hammer mower it needs an engine but everything else is in good shape all you have to do is figure out how to get it from my house to your's.i'm going to the scrap yard in about 2 weeks with a load of iron so if you are anyone else is interested let me know real soon.here's a picture of it.

 

[LBrown59]

The backyard blitz was awesome. I wonder how well it really works.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22332443-38198,00.html
He needs to get the push mowers up off the ground /then he'd have something.

 

[timrob]

The Gang of Three Looking at the picture, do you think the 3 mowers can rotate individually or the whole setup can only rotate at the hitch?
EDIT-Never mind, I looked at the tiny illustration and it's fixed.

TOMMYHPX4X4,
I'm in Michigan, so that's a little far. I'll have to take a look at Craig's list like Aaron Z. suggested.