Walk behind brush mowers

[rbstern]

Considering adding one to the equipment shed.

We have 60+ acres, mostly wooded. We enjoy creating more usable space in the woods, walking trails, sitting areas. Where possible, I brush hog with my Yanmar and an Andy 400 clipper, but there are a lot of places I simply can't go or maneuver the cutting deck into. I'm thinking a narrow, walk behind brush cutter would speed up the process of making new spaces and also keeping existing areas well tended.

Interested in hearing about others' experiences with these machines.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have a Bachtold brush mower and a 30" Gravely brush mower that were sold in the 1970s or 1980s. I have some sloped areas that are uncomfortable for me to cut with my tractor.

The best comparison I could offer about the experience of using a walk behind 30" brush mower compared to a 5 or 6 foot rotary cutter on a tractor would be the difference in speed and effort of cutting if you stopped using your riding mower and went back to using a 21" walk behind mower.

I see walk behind brush mowers listed for sale every so often here. They don't look like they've been used that much. I tend to suspect people buy them thinking they can use them in place of a tractor's rotary cutter and then find out they are still a lot of work. And new ones are expensive, IMO.

This could be a situation where you might want to rent one to try out before buying. Or look for a used unit that is being sold at an affordable price.

 

[ArlyA]

If your property is unlevel, they are designated as man killers. We don't like them for the 3" tall stem's they leave behind.

 

[Nikkorott]

I have a BCS 2 wheel tractor. It's very useful. You can get a bunch of different attachments for it besides a mower. The cost for the these attachments are similar as what I pay for my regular tractor. That stings a bit.

 

[Diggin It]

The one in my sig is this brand and style:

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Has a Robin Subaru 22HP V Twin and two Peerless hydro transmissions ... might be called wheel motors I guess.


It'll cut anything it can climb over, but many saplings are too stiff to bend over far enough and it will just climb them. Much of what I cleared was on various hills and slopes. It will DEFINITELY give you a workout.

I've cleared some pretty tough areas thick with blackberries and sumac. It just shreds them to nothing but mulch though it might take two passes.

Paid around $3K for it several years ago from HD, but am thinking about selling it.

 

[m7040]

I have a BCS 2 wheel tractor that can be used for brush cutting. Just changed the engine from the 30 year old Italian Acme engine to a new Kohler engine. There are a lot of attachments available from tilling , plowing, chipping brush and mowers

 

[Captain Dirty]

My Goldoni walk-behind has both a 48" sickle bar that will chew through anything that fits between the teeth, although rocks and old fencing does a job on the teeth, and a 24" rotary deck with a 3/8" thick blade that will cut anything it can push down. (See Diggin it's comment on saplings it can not push down.) The biggest problem is the low ground clearance on the tractor. In the woods I will often have the machine suspended from the attachment and the protective bar under the motor and the wheels just churning the duff on the forest floor. I then have to wrestle the machine to a position where the wheels have traction--no longer a workout I relish. I endorse 2manyrocks' comment to try before you buy.

 

[Ken45101]

20 years ago I bought a DR (walk behind) brushcutter. I was a beast, it would cut just about everything...I even hit a leaf covered concrete block and it won that battle.

It was a work out on rough terrain but newer models have steering which would help a lot. I used to use mine like you described, on trails too steep for a tractor. It followed deer trails. When I took it along for trail work on state forest trails it was a wonder! (Horse club with authorization to clear state trails.)

 

[ArlyA]

20 years ago I bought a DR (walk behind) brushcutter. I was a beast, it would cut just about everything...I even hit a leaf covered concrete block and it won that battle.

It was a work out on rough terrain but newer models have steering which would help a lot. I used to use mine like you described, on trails too steep for a tractor. It followed deer trails. When I took it along for trail work on state forest trails it was a wonder! (Horse club with authorization to clear state trails.)

Years ago DR was a different company. Today they are a marketing firm which builds machines to break or better yet, sit in your garage.

 

[Ken45101]

Years ago DR was a different company. Today they are a marketing firm which builds machines to break or better yet, sit in your garage.

honestly I don't know the quality of their current products but they sure appear to be aimed at the high priced yuppie market. IDK if the walk behind bush cutters are still well built or not.

I did see where they were bought out by Generac.