User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 4:18:14 PM EDT
[#1]
...yeah...you think you have it bad!...it takes me 45 minutes to cut my yard!....thats IF I weed eat! ....yup think I'll move out on a farm.......NOT!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 4:25:44 PM EDT
[#2]
don't remind me! it took me 45 minutes at my last house with a lawnboy 22".
aaarrrrgggghhhhh! thank goodness my wife helps out. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 4:30:17 PM EDT
[#3]
....my wife couldn't even tell you where the lawn mower is!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 4:43:42 PM EDT
[#4]
I feel your pain Campy, mines half done and it is pouring down here. If I don't get it done soon I'll have to bail it.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 4:47:34 PM EDT
[#5]
Time for a new Kubota...
 I can mow grass on mine at about 20 mph.. What took 4 hours now takes 40 minutes.. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 4:49:18 PM EDT
[#6]
Ya need to get some cattle.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 5:02:30 PM EDT
[#7]
thinman...i'll rake...you bale! your green machine would look right at home in my yard!
the neighboring farmer went past with his $70,000 hesten 'big' square bale machine. i stared at it longingly as he pulled it up the road to the north field... rain is supposed to move in tonight...crap! if you could find a window to lay it down in, this year was great for good hay! too bad everyone layed it down right before 3 days of rain every stinkin' time! lots of lost leaf from the tedders. i remember the summer of 2000. i was down as much as i was running...trying to keep up with the dam grass. this year has been another hard one on equipment. mo-co's are breaking down from the thick, wet grass, green choppers are plugging, tractors are sliding off hills in the wet, fields that no one could put a tire in the entire summer due to soft, wet conditions. it's almost september and i saw a 8n-9n sunk up to its' axles the other day! dang! coltshorty, i need that speed! wide is good, but fast is better!!!! currently, my puny girlie machines cut at 5 to 7 mph. when i used my neighbor's polaris atv and a 6' haban tow-behind rig i was sailing along with the wind in my hair! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 5:18:12 PM EDT
[#8]
Sounds like a good item for bullet fest. I'll aim right for the yellow deere nameplate!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 5:50:04 PM EDT
[#9]
Two hours at least every week..Hell it takes $8.00 to mow the damn thing..Winter's coming..Jeep you got yer duck hole ready???
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 5:57:57 PM EDT
[#10]
Campy,
Tractor + Bush Hog = get it down with real quick! If my dad didn't have one he wouldn't be cutting his grass on his 4 acres. He's got the yard around the house that he uses the riding lawn mower for, but every thing else gets bush hogged! I think he paid something like $1,800 for an old '52 Ford tractor. I think he paid more for the bush hog than he did for the tractor, but he has never had one problem with the tractor at all, except for the time I ran it under a guy wire and ripped the exhaust pipe off that stuck up above the front end.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 6:32:41 PM EDT
[#11]
Campy -
You'd be surprised how fast a herd of sheep (roughly 16-25) can cut down several acres of grass. You will never have to mow again. Cattle and sheep would be best though as the cattle cut the grass down to about 2-3 inches and the sheep move in along behind and clean up the next 1-2 inches. Think of the cattle as the big John Deer tractor mowers and the sheep as your handheld grass shears.  If I remember correctly, about 5 years ago, when we started our sheep herd (Katahdin), it took them about 1-2 weeks to mow down about 20+ acres of farmland. They left the taller weeds but moved in along and between them to get the good stuff! Made our job quite a bit easier. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 7:10:37 PM EDT
[#12]
Yeah, but the leave alot of land mines behind.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/24/2004 8:18:33 PM EDT
[#13]
45 mins !!!!!!!! I wish ...... Takes me a good two hours with a 48 inch deck, and thats in 4th gear ! and thats only countiing the part thats fenced and no weed whacker time But I can shoot a 50 cal off my back porch
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 3:26:46 AM EDT
[#14]
...oh yeah!.... I can shoot a pesky golfer off mine 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 3:34:20 AM EDT
[#15]
I feel your pain, Bob! I've been keeping up with 2.5 acres using nothing more than a tiny little Craftsman 14hp with a 38" deck. It's all about dedication! Next year (maybe) I'll fork over some cash and buy a real mower. Not before I get either an UZI or an HK sear pack though....
Priorities, ya know......
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 4:06:01 AM EDT
[#16]
sweep, i have a 53 hp allis-chalmers d17 tractor and a rotary brush cutter. i do 13 acres with it.
the 'yard' as it were, gets tender, loving care only an idjut from the city would give it. i 'am' that idjut. gus...you damned straight! guns before mowers! heheh! have 11 john deere lawn and garden tractors, but i need faster equipment. garden tractors only move along at 8 mph max. those zero-turns and the more modern comercial equipment can cut at 15mph and throw grass 40' out the chute. one of my neighbors just bought a $28,000 toro, diesel, 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steer, cab, air, tilt, stereo, tinted glass, power everything, air seat, front mount rig. very wide and very fast! let's see...pmds minigun...or...a lawnmower???? |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 4:53:19 AM EDT
[#17]
Need help  Do it for the children 
|
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 5:28:41 AM EDT
[#18]
I have 5.75 acres. it takes me all weekend and a case of bud to get it done. mmk
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:29:30 AM EDT
[#19]
Me too....... but then the cops come back. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:42:26 AM EDT
[#20]
Campy, ever tried the Deere Commercial ZTR's?
Man, I thought my newest 52" walk-behind was a machine...Demo-ed a ZTR and even though I can't really justify one this year...I see one in my future! Fast, comfortable, and easy to operate. (did I mention fast?) 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:51:08 AM EDT
[#21]
Glad I have only 2 acres to deal with. We are on the side of a hill, so there is a slight incline plus the ground is very uneven. Glad I bought a Cub with shaft drive. 2206, 20 hp and 48" deck. Yeah they are owned by MTD and every one says they're crap but ours has been trouble-free, with hundreds of hours on it. All I do is run full synthetic lubes on it and change it when required. Which reminds me, I should clean the deck since I can't see it for the dead grass covering it!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 7:21:12 AM EDT
[#22]
I suggest campy get 1/2 million rabbits and 15 cases of 5.45x39. Not only quick grass cutting but fun to boot.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 9:05:47 AM EDT
[#23]
I'm not sure if I'm bragging or sulking here... I have 1500 square feet of lawn and just shy of a 1,000 square foot house.
 My lawn takes me 15 minutes with a craftsman pusher and that's if I run over it twice to mulch instead of bagging. 25 minutes if I weed eat. Course when I put a house on my 70 acres in the next year or two, I'll be needing some livestock to keep things leveled. Sly |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 10:43:19 AM EDT
[#24]
adena, yes...i've been looking at everything. sticker shock has turned into sticker trauma!!!
i'm considering a diesel. i'm old fashioned (that's polite way of saying i'm set in my ways) and i'm really having a difficult time moving away from a conventional tractor. a zero-turn will not save me any time...i have wide open spaces and a tighter turning radius (most new tractors can mow/cut around a 36" diameter obstacle) will not really do anything for me, the dealers all tell me to stay away from a tiller-steer z-t due to the terrain...too hilly for the tractive abilities and higher center of gravity. the commercial front-mounts (steiner and x-mark) seem to fit the bill pretty well...and the john deere comm. series is sweet...but has a higher center of gravity. this afternoon, i'll be in tha cursed showroom...again. they always put the pars dept. right where a fella has got to stare at shiney new machines!! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 12:29:04 PM EDT
[#25]
Gang up a dozen or so reel type mowers, strapped up to the back of ye ol' S-10 and you could cut at 50mph...........IF the ol' girl is having a good day !
Then buy the mini-gun 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 12:59:07 PM EDT
[#26]
triangle, if the s10 had traction i would give that some thought.
i might try a small (48" or so) tow-behind to speed thimgs up. i'm leary of them though due to the extra burden they place upon a small garden tractor. regardless of the paint job, i don't think any of the homeowner grade machines are built well enough to stand the strain of dragging another 250-400 pounds behind it. matt, those sheep are looking damn good!! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 1:03:41 PM EDT
[#27]
Ok, now you're scaring me Bob.... 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 1:12:07 PM EDT
[#28]
If I could only teach one to cook! |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 1:43:14 PM EDT
[#29]
  is durable proven performer can mow up to 14-1/2 acres per hour and trim less than an 18 degree circle around trees. The three independent rear discharge cutting units quickly raise or lower on the fly. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 3:11:10 PM EDT
[#30]
Dare I ask how much? |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 5:15:09 PM EDT
[#31]
trs, that toro is what the neighbor bought...minus the side arm mowers.
trust me, that is no mower for our steep hillsides...as my city guy neighbor is finding out! the small tires also limit tractive effort. climbing and turning in tall, wet grass taxes the operator's abilities. that rig is more of a greenskeeper's machine that a farm tool. and it's sad...cause that baby can be loaded up like a mercedes-benz! you should see the tiny little turbo on it...just an awesome device! matt, trust me...for what that machine ran, with bat-wing mowers, air and a good cd system, you could buy a herd of fancy sheep, fence your acreage and build a shearing room!!! figure $30k and up. maintainance and operating cost are fairly high on the toro's. to replace the hydraulic pto clutch is $1200. an out fit near town leased 5 of them for mowing factory sites with...contract mowing. he gives them mixed marks and he's a guy i would trust. well, $51 later, the john deere is back in one piece. my wife and i finished everything except the neighbor's side of the line fence behind us. i should just ask the guy if he is gonna brush hog it, pasture it or what. ever since clyde died back in december, his old farm has been in legal limbo. no one is maintaining anything back there. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 5:18:49 PM EDT
[#32]
It poured again here today, AAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:02:07 PM EDT
[#33]
  He got this one then. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:05:46 PM EDT
[#34]
Hills, Campy? I got your hills covered!
  
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:26:19 PM EDT
[#35]
Here are a couple other choices for you.
  Hey, the come with cup holders. Eh, I mean beer holders. A/c and a sound system. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 6:47:21 PM EDT
[#36]
Bob, I looked at a 60"ZTR, 20 HP Kubota Diesel this spring. Seller tried to up the price and I told him to take a hike. However, even at the rip-off price of $5500 it was a good deal.
Buy used, save mucho cash! My OLD (60's) Cub Low Boy 60" does pretty good, just needs an engine OH. Cost me about 5-600 for parts and machine shop service. Hate to spend that on 40 YO $2000 tractor but I may have to. Thing just keeps plugging along..... |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 9:24:54 PM EDT
[#37]
Gawd-damn! I've been mowing commercial properties for longer than I care to admit and those machines are freakin' INSANE!! Have mercy! I feel like an idiot working on 2 and 3 man crews with stuff between 36" and 72" (5-6 man crews on the biggest of industrial parks).
Here I am now trying to scratch out a living on over-fertilized, over-watered residential properties in the 2-3 acre range and you all show me mowers that would could mow the whole freakin' development in a couple hours time. Argh! Damn you! Damn you all!Hmm, time to write up a new business plan to take to the banker-man... (air conditioning and stereo...ARGH!) 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 9:48:15 PM EDT
[#38]
Look on ebay if you want to find a used commercial lawn mower.........
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 10:23:14 PM EDT
[#39]
Gotta admit MM, a 60" ZTR Kubota, 20 hp diesel is a good price at $5500. I'm assuming used, and even though I've had great experience with Kawasaki, Kohler, and Honda engines, a commercial quality mower with a diesel is the way to go. Like Campy said : "Sticker shock turned into sticker trauma!" Too true. Why I stayed low scale and bought a 17hp V-twin Kaw Cub Cadet Commercial walker. $2500 cash out the door and I can mow darn near anything with it, medium small to large. My 1 to 1.5 acre resi's are the best money maker I've got going. By the time a ZTR guy unloads, I'm half done. I don't do "quanity mowing" much anymore, I sell on a high grade res level with all the trim and b.s.. There are worse ways to earn a living. I call my own hours, sub stuff out, and sell designs/installs from time to time. I don't really mind the walking, it's kinda like a daily dose of abuse. Once you're accomstomed to the torture it's just another day, but like I said, I see a ZTR in my future. Far better than a walk-behind, more comfortable and efficient than a tractor and fast! |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/25/2004 11:09:13 PM EDT
[#40]
Problem is that rabbits are like tribbles... 1/2 million quickly becomes 4 million... That's alot of shooting... 'CampyBob's Bunny Ranch' vs 'Bulletfest'... Hmm... |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/26/2004 3:36:17 AM EDT
[#41]
no WAY am i risking my ass on a hydraulic failure!!!!
those hillside mowers are neat! that john deere...i wonder what it costs? my dealer stocks tons of machines, but not that one. i agree, adena. those industrial sites aren't the money makers they used to be. for a young man, a walk behind with velky is an option. for major acreage though, i still say you got to fly hard and fast! many, many years ago...my brother and i had a lawn mowing service. this was back in the 1960's...before there was such a thing as lawn care services. we managed to save enough money to put ourselves thru college by cutting 50+ yards with a pair of 22" push mowers and two 1-gallon gas cans. now...i see mowers for sale that cost MORE than what my 4 years of undergraduate education cost me!!!!! holy cow! $30k+ to cut grass???!!!???!!! no rain up this way...yet!...thinman. the humidity has been high though. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/26/2004 5:09:28 AM EDT
[#42]
I've been recommended a Dixon ZTR, but I guess the dork factor has kept me from buying one. My tractor i sjust too big, but my little riders just take too long. I think I need some illegal 'groundskeepers' like the horsemen around me have
 I keep thinking the rain will stop, but until then, I feel your pain. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/26/2004 6:54:21 AM EDT
[#43]
Here you go Campy. Keep that yard looking like a fairway.
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2487929052&category=50073 |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/26/2004 9:56:47 AM EDT
[#44]
The 15 cases of 5.45 should make a dent in that 4 million..... for a while at least. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 8/26/2004 11:14:28 AM EDT
[#45]
15 acres at home with a kubota B6200 and bush hog. takes most of a day with field grass.
they have 3 or 4 of the Toros at work. heard they cost $40,000ea.. i do see them broken a lot at the groundskeeper's shop (understand it's the hydraulics that break) the grass cutting contract here is $3million/year so they keep a hyd. guy on the payroll. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/26/2004 12:34:08 PM EDT
[#46]
they have 3 or 4 of the Toros at work. heard they cost $40,000ea..
jmo, i can believe the price. the neighbor said $28k was for a base model of his machine. he added a cd sound system. the heater is a nice touch and the air conditioning would be sweet! i do see them broken a lot at the groundskeeper's shop (understand it's the hydraulics that break) one busted hose and that bicycle-wheeled machine is in deep doo doo. i would be concerned about side-slipping, anyway. the toros do no seem to be the logical choice for hills...just my amatuer opinion. the grass cutting contract here is $3million/year so they keep a hyd. guy on the payroll. wow!!! 3 mil to cut grass. who'lda thunk it? i'm in the wrong line of work! |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
