Riding mowers - Page 5

Worth1 · August 8, 2017

One place I lived I used a self propelled big rear wheeled walk behind to mow about 3/4 of an acre maybe more.
Worth

oakley · August 8, 2017

Sounds a bit like my old DR Bush Hog. Bought in '98. It was a big purchase for us back
then. Though not a mower...just a bush hog for thick field growth.

It has never been serviced. We have changed the belt a couple times, oil, spark plugs.
Sharpened the blade.
It was all we used for years. Good Briggs engine. Made in Vermont and still at it.
http://blog.drpower.com/a-piece-of-d...d-brush-mower/

We still use it every weekend to carve out the big brush and takes care of borders and
paths we keep clear up on the top 40. No adjustable deck. It would take two days to do
what the Husqvarna does in an hour. But nothings will take care of the field brush like
this thing. I like to keep most of the farm wild with a double wide 6' path running thru
it. Miss a season and it goes back to a lumpy ankle busting hayfield. No 'flatlander'
here, so it takes care of the slopes.

The two are a necessary pair for this tundra. Never have we seeded, Fert, or watered.

Spartanburg123 · August 9, 2017

I bought this today- a John Deere Z345R. Financed directly through Deere- 48 months at 4.9%, but I'm going to pay this off much sooner. I did quite a bit of research on many other brands. I have a flat lawn, no rocks or roots, so I don't need an $8000 Gravely or Scag with a fabricated deck- this one should do very well for me. I've been pushing my lawn for 25 years, in the SC heat, and quite frankly I'm ready for a little enjoyment out in the yard. Trimming all of the holly bushes is bad enough.

Spartanburg123 · August 9, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by oakley

Sounds a bit like my old DR Bush Hog. Bought in '98. It was a big purchase for us back
then. Though not a mower...just a bush hog for thick field growth.

It has never been serviced. We have changed the belt a couple times, oil, spark plugs.
Sharpened the blade.
It was all we used for years. Good Briggs engine. Made in Vermont and still at it.
http://blog.drpower.com/a-piece-of-d...d-brush-mower/

We still use it every weekend to carve out the big brush and takes care of borders and
paths we keep clear up on the top 40. No adjustable deck. It would take two days to do
what the Husqvarna does in an hour. But nothings will take care of the field brush like
this thing. I like to keep most of the farm wild with a double wide 6' path running thru
it. Miss a season and it goes back to a lumpy ankle busting hayfield. No 'flatlander'
here, so it takes care of the slopes.

The two are a necessary pair for this tundra. Never have we seeded, Fert, or watered.

Oakley- your land is just beautiful!!!

The DR trimmer/mowers- I remember the commercials for those! They have gotten so many good reviews over the years. Handmade in Vermont, yes- you could find ads for these even in Popular Science! Glad it's working well for you. Many times oldies are goodies. And you just can't beat a good Briggs and Stratton motor, period. (Yes Honda and Kawasaki are great too).

My Foot Smells · August 9, 2017

Never seen a dr brush mower w bicycle wheel. The one I operated had small tractor tire tread pneumatic wheels w a lock for positive traction. I musta plugged those tires 100 times running it through the briars and buck brush. Well made machine.

Father'sDaughter · August 10, 2017

You really do need to match the machine to the tasks your need it to do. There have been a lot of great suggestion here, and once you set your priorities, they will hopefully guide your decision.

For example, we only have about 1/2 an acre of lawn that needs mowing, but we are surrounded by hundreds of oak trees. That means a bazillion leaves that need to be picked up (multiple times) every fall. While any mower/lawn tractor could handle the mowing, it was the fall leaf pick up that was the biggest challenge. It used to eat up a full weekend day every week during the fall.

After a lot of research, our solution was a used Walker mower that does mow as quickly as any zero turn, and can also vacuum up and shred a yard full of leaves in no time. What used to take two of us a full day, can now be done by one person in about an hour and a half.

After a lot of hunting, my husband was able to pick up a used one in decent shape for cheap (compared to about $10k for a new one). He was able to run it for about four years while we saved up for a new engine, and now that the engine has been swapped out, it should be good to go for many more years.

Rockporter · August 10, 2017

Nice looking machine Spartanburg! Sounds like you got a good deal too.

Spartanburg123 · August 10, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockporter

Nice looking machine Spartanburg! Sounds like you got a good deal too.

Thanks Rock! They had a 12 month 0% interest. But then it went up to 19.2%. Ouch.

This one is a safer plan. And yes, I matched the machine to what I really needed. This is a lower end JD with a 22 horse V-twin Briggs motor. It should do very well on my Zoisia grass.

AlittleSalt · August 10, 2017

They make mowers you can ride on? How do you hitch the team?

Wow, 19.2% does bite. I have gotten to the point to where if my banker won't okay it - then I don't need it. I am tired of high interest rates. I still have two high interest credit cards to pay off. It seems like it's taking forever. I learned the hard way.

August 9, 2017	#65
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	Never seen a dr brush mower w bicycle wheel. The one I operated had small tractor tire tread pneumatic wheels w a lock for positive traction. I musta plugged those tires 100 times running it through the briars and buck brush. Well made machine. Last edited by My Foot Smells; August 9, 2017 at 11:38 PM.

August 10, 2017	#67
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Nice looking machine Spartanburg! Sounds like you got a good deal too. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

August 8, 2017	#61
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	One place I lived I used a self propelled big rear wheeled walk behind to mow about 3/4 of an acre maybe more. Worth

August 10, 2017	#66
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	You really do need to match the machine to the tasks your need it to do. There have been a lot of great suggestion here, and once you set your priorities, they will hopefully guide your decision. For example, we only have about 1/2 an acre of lawn that needs mowing, but we are surrounded by hundreds of oak trees. That means a bazillion leaves that need to be picked up (multiple times) every fall. While any mower/lawn tractor could handle the mowing, it was the fall leaf pick up that was the biggest challenge. It used to eat up a full weekend day every week during the fall. After a lot of research, our solution was a used Walker mower that does mow as quickly as any zero turn, and can also vacuum up and shred a yard full of leaves in no time. What used to take two of us a full day, can now be done by one person in about an hour and a half. After a lot of hunting, my husband was able to pick up a used one in decent shape for cheap (compared to about $10k for a new one). He was able to run it for about four years while we saved up for a new engine, and now that the engine has been swapped out, it should be good to go for many more years.

August 10, 2017	#69
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	They make mowers you can ride on? How do you hitch the team? Wow, 19.2% does bite. I have gotten to the point to where if my banker won't okay it - then I don't need it. I am tired of high interest rates. I still have two high interest credit cards to pay off. It seems like it's taking forever. I learned the hard way.