Thoughts or advise

[Plant 175]

Well boys and girls I got my flail mower hooked up last month and started to cut my switchgrass and then all of a sudden the 2601 totally shut off. I jumped off and looked and could not believe the bone headed mistake I made. I ran over some woven wire fencing I took off a fruit tree a year ago and forgot to pick it up and the switch grass grew through it and camouflage it.
I cut the part outside the mower off but it is wound around the inside of the mower. I have not used the tractor since but Tuesday is the day to untangle this mess. I guess put some blocks under the mower and crawl under it and start cutting the wire out small piece by small piece. I’m going to use a wire cutter. Here is a pic of my mess. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Your in for a lot of work!
Cut off wheel on a grinder?
Maybe Plasma cutter?

 

[ruger1980]

Invest in a heavy set of diagonal cutters with long handles for plenty of leverage and reach.

 

[mcfarmall]

I chopped up a box spring hidden in some tall grass the very first time I used my RCD 1884 rotary cutter. Good times!

 

[bird dogger]

Been in the same predicament with my rototiller while locating old buried barbed wire fencline! I agree with NIW..... thin cut off wheel got the majority off quick and easily. For the rest (sorry I don't have a pic of it) a stout wire hook on the end of a handle works well to pull loose the tightly entwined pieces.

Work smart and look for and undo the outer layers while working your way inward.

 

[Russell King]

I suggest you get the mower as high as possible and set it on some wood cribbing so it is at a comfortable work height. Then detach it from the tractor and roll it so it is easier to see the wires. Strap is to something so it doesn’t want to fall onto you.

Depending on how hard it is to remove the blades it might be worth the effort to remove some or all of the blades so you don’t have to worry about cutting your hands on them.

Then go to a fence supply or a tool store and get a set ok Knipex wire cutters for heavy wire. They may actually be small bolt cutters but they have compound leverage and can cut heavy wire much easier than normal cutting pliers.

I would try to cut it in several places around the mower “axle” so you are not having to pull it out very hard.

Good luck and be safe!