How much time to Brushhog 10 acres?

[09Ram]

I have to brushhog 10 acres this coming weekend. It is a perfect 10 acre square with only one small loafing shed and about 10 trees on the entire deal, No stumps or rocks and the weeds are about knee to thigh high. I have a L3830 and a 6 ft brushhog and I want to run it about as quick as I can and get a decent cut. Just wondering how much time I should have in this?

 

[TripleR]

From a professional mower on another forum:
"Width of cut in inches (Not including over-lap) X MPH, divide by 100 so, 48" mower with reasonable amount of overlap, let's say 40", 4mph, you may get as much as 1.6 acres per hour."

 

[09Ram]

From a professional mower on another forum:
"Width of cut in inches (Not including over-lap) X MPH, divide by 100 so, 48" mower with reasonable amount of overlap, let's say 40", 4mph, you may get as much as 1.6 acres per hour."

Looks like with about 68" of actual cut I should be able to make 2.72 in the same hour at the same MPH. I cut an estimated 4 to 5 acres last Thursday and the hour meter showed 2.2 hours for that but it was extremely thick and I had to mow it slower than I would have liked...

 

[Eric McCarthy]

This aint a race, there is no need to get in a hurry bush hogging. Things get wrecked and torn up to quick when your in a rush. Slow down take your time get it done right the first time with minimal damage to your tractor and hog.

 

[09Ram]

This aint a race, there is no need to get in a hurry bush hogging. Things get wrecked and torn up to quick when your in a rush. Slow down take your time get it done right the first time with minimal damage to your tractor and hog.

Being as the land is fairly smooth and has no obstructions I was hoping to knock it out in less than 5 hours because I also have another 6 acres to do the same day fairly close to that location... All in all 16 acres to cut in one day...

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Not possible, not 16 acres with a 6 foot hog. Assuiming your cutt an acre an hour your looking at 16 hours straight mowing. You have to get there, get unloaded get started. Oh did you want to eat lunch or grab something to drink? Not to mention pack up then head out to the next job.

 

[09Ram]

Not possible, not 16 acres with a 6 foot hog. Assuiming your cutt an acre an hour your looking at 16 hours straight mowing. You have to get there, get unloaded get started. Oh did you want to eat lunch or grab something to drink? Not to mention pack up then head out to the next job.

Eric- I cut a minimum of 4 acres ( I project closer to 5) the other day and it took me 2.2 hours. This stuff was high and thick. With that as a gauge I should be able to cut 16 short to medium in a 8-10 hour day. The tractor will be unloaded at 7 AM and will be mowing immediately. I don't eat much when I am working and I carry a drink on the tractor. The other 6 acres is less than 5 minutes driving the tractor from one field to another.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Good Luck!

 

[jteague]

Sounds like a fun day. In really thick stuff(chest to head-high), I get about 1.1 acres /hr ... which can almost be doubled if it's low and smooth.

I do a lot of good thinking while on the tractor.

 

[Bulldog]

I think 2 acres / hr can be achieved fairly easy but the main thing is to be safe and have fun. Quality tractoring is very relaxing.

 

[Tx Jim]

From a professional mower on another forum:
"Width of cut in inches (Not including over-lap) X MPH, divide by 100 so, 48" mower with reasonable amount of overlap, let's say 40", 4mph, you may get as much as 1.6 acres per hour."

I was taught a formula yrs back that's similar to the one you posted.

Width(in ft) X MPH divided by 10 = what acres can be covered in 1 hr. This allows for breaks such as getting a drink & relieving one's self. Try this formula as it will get very close.

 

[skeets]

There's a lot a variables here,,, When you start, what your having for lunch are you there by your self, and how much beer do you have,, simple when the beer is done so are you,, simple

 

[Benhameen]

Ive never heard of either of those formulas,thanks for posting.

If you don't mind me asking, do you charge by the hour or by the acre?

I mowed 5 acres a couple weeks ago. It hadn't been mowed in 3 yrs, so it was really thick with honey suckle and Russian olives. Not to mention the 50 trees with limbs hanging down. I bid it to low but he wants me to come back in the fall to keep it mowed down. I told him it cost him more next time. It took me 7 hrs, a bit longer than I thought.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I charge about 100 bucks an acre, it works out for me...

 

[Bulldog]

I try to get $50 hr for my L3000 and $100 hr for my M9000. In addition, if it's close to home I want a 2 hr min. but if I have to haul it my time starts when I leave my house.

 

[09Ram]

It took me almost exactly 5 hours to hog the 10 and 3 to do the 6 so 16 acres took me 8 hours. This was steady mowing at 5.5 MPH. I started at 6:30 AM and finished almost exactly at 2:30 PM. I bid it low to get the work. My rate has been $55 hr but work is slow coming...

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Don't sell yourself short and cut your own throat either. A low bid to win the work just means you were the cheapest person to get it done. Cheap aint always right.

I met with a customer last week to price out regrading her driveway. It was 12 feet wide by 200 feet long going uphill on a good 15% grade. I told her I could fix it and get it right for $500. She told me her redular guy does it for a 100 bucks a pop. Come to find out every damn time it rains she has to have it regraded and with the storms here lately she's already spent the 500 getting it done this far.

There is no way in hell I'm giving away work and doing it for 100 bucks!

 

[ssls6]

I have to brushhog 10 acres this coming weekend. It is a perfect 10 acre square with only one small loafing shed and about 10 trees on the entire deal, No stumps or rocks and the weeds are about knee to thigh high. I have a L3830 and a 6 ft brushhog and I want to run it about as quick as I can and get a decent cut. Just wondering how much time I should have in this?

depending on speed, 1/2 to 3/4 of a day.

 

[09Ram]

depending on speed, 1/2 to 3/4 of a day.

At 5.5 MPH it took me 5 hours to do the 10 acres... Thanks

 

[rednecklimo85]

I'm sure you know the dangers but we had a local guy brush hogging his own field, hit a rock or stump going to fast, and got thrown off and run over... was not a pretty sight, found his head, body, and tractor all in different directions.