The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Scrumble The Goose on April 07, 2015, 08:44:06 am
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Hi all
I need to buy a new grass cutter, and want to figure out my options...
I have a tractor & topper, a push mower and an old Westwood ride on mower. I use a combination to get the effect I want. The problem is that the Westwood has come to the end of its 35 year life, whilst mechanically the mower is OK, its electrics are shot, it needs new brake pads (the brakes don't work....) its generally tired and so on. If someone had the time, it make a good mower.
Before I jump right in and buy a replacement ride on, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to an alternative ? I have a budget of around £2500, and should get another £400 for the Westwood with all its attachments, so nearly £3K in the pot.
I would prefer to buy new with an extended warranty & service package, or decent quality if second hand & I do the servicing.
I mow about 7 acres, mostly on a gentle hill side, and in an orchard. So reasonable manoeuvrability is important.
Cheers
STG
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I presume the Westwood does not cut all of the 7 acres. How long is the grass you want to cut?
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I've long debated similar problems. Tractor and topper id fien on the fileds but the agri tyres would relly cut up the 'lawns'.. and there's about 2.5 acres+ of that - really tedious with a husqvarna ride-on.. the front deck makes it nice for all the trees around but it hasn;t got awe-inspiring speed. A mid-deck couldn't get under all the trees/shrubs and the cost of a finishing mower behind the quadbike is silly for what you get.
the best option if I ever find it would be a cheap towed array behid the quad for the bulk cuting and then finish off with the ride-on. Or when you look at decent wide cut ride-ons it's worth lookign at cheapo tracos with grass tyres and a tractor towed finshing mower (or array)
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You already have a tractor..so adding a finishing mower could be the way to go, very fast and good finish. As above if you don't already have grass tyres on the tractor consider fitting some, though ive found well worn agricultural tyres are kind enough to the ground so long as its not too wet.
Youd probably have enough change to buy a decent little ride on / out front mower for all the awkward bits.
Perhaps sell the topper too and have even more money in the pot as the finishing mower might do your larger areas too on a higher setting ?
Thinking out of the box....fence the larger areas and charge for sheep grazing ...beats paying for diesel/petrol (and all that time) ?
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I must apologise for my really bad typos above. Excuse (apart from fingers running away with my head) is that the sun was shining on the screen at the time...Oh, and that I'm really bad at typing..
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Graze don't mow! Much cheaper
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Hi all
Thanks for the replies.
Sheep aren't an option, we've tried that.
I'm going for a ride on, but am pondering which model.
Cheers
STG
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Scrumble,
Im interested in what went wrong with sheep grazing for you, as I am wrestling with that option too. Ive already done this in the past and had issues ranging from: too many, not took away when I asked, took away too soon, not paid...what were yours ?
cheers
stu
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A large rotary out-front would be perfect. Ransome are bombproof
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A large rotary out-front would be perfect. Ransome are bombproof
not sure about bombproof.. certainly cost a bomb...
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i have a 1982 model with 15000 hours on it and i can hand on heart say in 15 years it has never let me down. Its not pretty anymore, the handbrake doesn't work and i have had to weld the engagement arm twice.It has a 5ft deck, it cuts very rough stuff and will also do a very nice lawn finish. I have had all sorts of mowers and i would never have anything other than an out front what ever the manufacturer.