Looking for sickle bar mower recommendation for Kubota BX2670

[gbin]

I’m seeking recommendations for a sickle bar mower I can use with my subcompact tractor. I’m involved in an ongoing – probably endless – battle against an invasive exotic weed (Phragmites) growing along the edges of ponds on my property, and after extensively looking and asking around for some mechanized way of cutting the stuff, I’m convinced a sickle bar mower is the way to go. The big question is, does any company make one in a size that my small tractor could make use of? Hopefully somebody here can show me that the answer to that question is “Yes!”

Here are the particulars for my tractor to help folks figure out whether a sickle bar mower they’re aware of would be suitable to recommend:

tractor: Kubota BX2670
engine: 25.5 hp
PTO: 19.5 hp
rear PTO: 540 rpm
3-pt. hitch: Category 1
lift capacity at 24” behind pin: 680 lb

For the ecologically minded, don’t worry, I know that the ponds need vegetated edges for stability. I’m doing my best to encourage the growth of cattails and other native plants at the same time I’m trying to beat back the problem plant.

Thanks in advance – and a lot! – for any thoughtful advice you can offer on this topic!

Gerry

 

[cerlawson]

Good luck. I've used two of those old time mowers. They were from larger tractors and used by me on a larger tractor (than the BX). They required me to add rear hydraulics to raise and lower the cutter with a hydraulic cylinder mounted there. That was in addition to the three point lift. I found mine at a farm. Even so, they hung a lot of weight on the side and caused stability problems. Highway roadside mowers are similar and, if you check, you will see they have one large tank mounted opposite the mower to help maintain stability.
To make it lighter you can shorten the cutters. However,there is one heck of a lot of stuff off to the side of the tractor's center of gravity. For mowing pond edges, with the slope usually toward the pond, you likely will run into stability problems for that small machine. I have a BX and would not consider it. Instead look at towing a self powered, on wheels mower off to the side even with your belly mower still on to provide a lower overall center of gravity. I think you can find such mowers already on the market, with suitable hitch arrangement. If not buy a used mower and make your own.

 

[gbin]

I appreciate the reply, cer, but an off-center tow-behind mower would end up in a pond, I think, and I fear it would pull the tractor in with it. Unless such mowers are able to run on the surface of a body of water?...

(FYI: My ponds mostly have flat banks, and in a few places only gently sloped edges. Not like working steep ditches. Added by edit: And I don't presently have a belly mower or any other kind of mower on my tractor; all I have is a front loader and front snowblower, per season.)

Looks to me like a *small(ish)* sickle bar mower is the tool for the job. Assuming one such exists, of course.

Keeping my eye on the prize by keeping my thread on topic...

Gerry

 

[JohnnyFbomb]

A 4 footer should work for sure. I'm going to try a 6 footer on my B7100 when she's up and running.

http://tractortoolsdirect.com/showroom/sickle-bar-hay-mowers/

 

[coachgeo]

do they make something like these that run verticle for trimming hedges? My whole road has 6' tall and larger hedges on each side that I will have to trim better than am now to fit my LMTV based offroad RV thru. Not that I really care if it gets too scratched... it is an "offroad" RV.

If not a verticle sickle mower then might just start going to Yard sells and pic up over time a dozen or more elec. hedge trimmers and Temporary mount them on side of RV plugged to gen. set. Put it in low gear and let it crawl from one end to the other. Crawl on this one though is not as low as my previous old 404 Unimog so might have to do this with the tractor to crawl slower. Maybe make a 3pt lift for my Genset and a wood frame that sits to one side of tractor that holds the dozen elec. trimmers staggered across the tall triangular frame?

 

[sheepfarmer]

do they make something like these that run verticle for trimming hedges? My whole road has 6' tall and larger hedges on each side that I will have to trim better than am now to fit my LMTV based offroad RV thru. Not that I really care if it gets too scratched... it is an "offroad" RV.

If not a verticle sickle mower then might just start going to Yard sells and pic up over time a dozen or more elec. hedge trimmers and Temporary mount them on side of RV plugged to gen. set. Put it in low gear and let it crawl from one end to the other. Crawl on this one though is not as low as my previous old 404 Unimog so might have to do this with the tractor to crawl slower. Maybe make a 3pt lift for my Genset and a wood frame that sits to one side of tractor that holds the dozen elec. trimmers staggered across the tall triangular frame?

Geez Coach, brings to mind one of those horror movies

 

[coachgeo]

Geez Coach, brings to mind one of those horror movies

welll maybe I can add hydraulics to the LMTV and put Zombie Muncher.... ah I mean snowblower on the front and the Sickle on the sides?

Presto... all set for Zombie Apocalypse.

 

[gbin]

Johnny, that's exactly the kind of recommendation I'm looking for - thanks a lot! On the same website as the mechanical-lift sickle bar mower you linked is one that uses a subcompact tractor's hydraulics: http://tractortoolsdirect.com/showroom/x59-subcompact-sickle-bar-mower-with-hydraulic-lift-by-dcm/ I think that might very well be what I'll end up buying!

Coach, most of the sickle bar mowers I've looked at can be run in the vertical position, including the one pointed to by Johnny, which even emphasizes that it has the "Ability to cut in the vertical position for trimming hedges and trails."

So, are there any more recommendations on topic out there (thanks again, Johnny!), or have I already lost this thread to the impending Zombie Apocalypse?...

Gerry

 

[sheepfarmer]

To get slightly back on track, I bought my flail mower from Tractor Tools Direct, and found them great to deal with, answered questions, and shipped to my Kubota dealer so it could be delivered with my tractor. Happy with the Caroni flail.

 

[bucktail]

How much pondshore are you dealing with here? Would a Jari or other walk behind sickle mower work?

 

[gbin]

I appreciate the endorsement of the company involved in Johnny's recommendation, too, Sheep! This is all pretty new to me, so y'all's firsthand knowledge and experience is very welcome!

Gerry

 

[JohnnyFbomb]

do they make something like these that run verticle for trimming hedges?

They do not run vertical. I'm probably going to modify mine with a hydraulic pump to run off the tractors system. I want to clamp it to the FEL so it can move up and down with it. It will be able to rotate 180* depending on position of FEL.

Just another project I have no time for.

Edit: the video in the link says they can run vertically. WOW!

 

[gbin]

How much pondshore are you dealing with here? Would a Jari or other walk behind sickle mower work?

Sorry I missed your post, buck. That's one of the problems when talking with people via an internet forum, I guess.

I have two ponds that are each about 2 1/2 acres in size, and also quite a bit of marsh edge. And the dang Phragmites is threatening to take over all of it. I've been using a walk-behind trimmer mower to deal with it so far, but it takes a lot of muscle to get close enough to cut the weeds without running the machine right into the water. I didn't know walk-behind sickle mowers existed; now that you've mentioned them I'll look into them (thanks!), but I really like the idea of mechanizing as much as I can, as I've a lot of property to care for and I'm not getting any younger.

Gerry

 

[cerlawson]

If you have that $3,400 for the cycle bar thing, well fine. As to losing the towed mower in the pond, maybe hire it done.

Anyhow, take a look here.

http://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/field-brush-mowers/tow-behind/

 

[cerlawson]

While you are at it look at this on for trhe three point.

http://www.drpower.com/power-equipm...t-fence-line-trimmer-pro-xl-speedhead-new.axd

 

[gbin]

At this point I'm just looking for something that will do the job I need it to do, cer. Figuring out how to pay for it will be the next step - and then figuring out how to convince my wife to let me buy it will be the step after that.

As for the job needing to be done, I guess I haven't been clear enough. When I say that these weeds grow on the edges of my ponds, I mean they grow in a thick strip beginning on the shore near the water's edge and ending in the water a bit past the water's edge. (Like cattails, but worse.) Anything that rides on wheels along its farthest edge won't work because those wheels would be trying to ride on the surface of the water. And I can't image how much a machine that can do that would cost.

Gerry

 

[bucktail]

Would something like:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/grd/5710143787.html

still be too heavy? There would be some fabricating to make it work, and most of them had wooden pitman arms that aren't made anymore, so there would probably be woodworking involved as well. Simplicity and Case Ingersoll had sickle mowers for their garden tractors that might be adaptable and lighter if you can find one of those.

 

[cerlawson]

It's always interesting to me on these types of WEB sites that the lack of a complete description of the problem at the beginning results in a lot of wasted comments and such.

Any muskrats there that eat this stuff?

Also, how muddy is the bottom? Can you walk there with boots on and not sink in a bunch?

As to vehicle that can travel there, perhaps a skid-steer on tracks, but otherwise a very long reach arm from a shore tractor really is difficult, but I bettcha a good mechanic could some up with something.

My thought now is a hand held scythe and you with boots on is a sure bet. To hold you up some, on the cut down stuff, go ahead and make yourself a set of marsh skies. They work great on vegetation, but stick to mud. I made some years ago for duck hunting in marshes. Where otherwise you might sink up to your crotch or deeper, you will walk on water. No kidding. If you are interested I can explain.

 

[D2Cat]

There are short sickle bar mower that will work on small tractors. In fact, I remember seeing on (and almost buying it) in about 1980 that Kubota made!

If you can't find one that will not overpower your tractor you might be able to use one with three point hook up, yet it has trailer wheels. If you find one or fabricate one you can make it longer because the weight is being pulled by the tractor not carried.

You also mentioned, "I***8217;m doing my best to encourage the growth of cattails." Anyone who wants cattails in a pond doesn't really want a pond! They will destroy a pond. The only way to eliminate them without spraying them is to cut them off below the water level and they will smother. You may have to cut them more then once also.

They do make swamp boats with sickle bar mowers on them. They ride on the edge of the water clipping the cattails.

Here's how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwrbacju080

Here's the old fashioned way. You can make one similar to this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMMA9M1xdwc

 

[jd0140]

I have seen something that may possibly work for you it's cutthat.com