Freak Tragic bushhogging incident killed a local farmer

[Bird]

I don't think I ever recall anything coming out from the front of my cutter

I never had anything do any damage, but when I first bought the Bush Hog Squealer, I used it once before I made my own guards, first with belting material and then with chains. And while using it that one time, I hit a limb or stick about the size of my arm that shot out forward under the tractor and went probably 50' out in front of me before it fell to the ground. That convinced me to build guards for both front and back. If that big old stick had hit a tire, no telling where it would have gone.

 

[N80]

or did it come out the back and rebound off of something?

jb

I thought about a ricochet too. To do so it would have to have had really high initial velocity to maintain enough energy to penetrate the brain stem, which for the most part requires penetration of the skull. Although, at a low enough angle it could come up through the foramen magnum (hole in which the spinal cord comes out of the skull).

Any way you slice it, strange stuff.

I also can't figure why I have never been hit by anything, ever. Although, if you look at the design of the JD LX-6 there is a thick metal lip that extends out from the front of the mower, right at the lower edge of the mower. The chains hang down from this point. It sticks out considerably past the cowling and blade tips:

I never thought about it, but this may truly be a life saving feature. Or it may not. Who knows?

 

[N80]

And while using it that one time, I hit a limb or stick about the size of my arm that shot out forward under the tractor and went probably 50' out in front of me

Yes, and I have seen stuff shoot out from under the front of mine but it usually out to the sides and pretty low to the ground. Never straight up at me though.

 

[dmccarty]

The front of my MX6 has a rubber shield which has surprised me how well it has held up. Eventually I bought the chain guards for the rear of the cutter when people started moving onto our road. Before no one was out there but me. But once people were living out there I put on the chains to be safe.

I have had stuff fly out the back but it has to be pretty heavy to get past the chains. This is almost always when I am cutting down saplings. Large stuff has flow out underneath the tractor quite a ways but it has always been low to the ground.

Now I have had small particles bounce up and hit me. I make sure I wear eye protection when mowing just for this reason. Its hard to believe that something bounced and hit him with enough force to kill. Too dang you to be dead that is for sure. Feel sorry for his family.

Later,
Dan

 

[tallyho8]

On my new Howse 6' rotary cutter, the bracket in front that holds the chains entends down lower than the blades. The very first time I used it, I ran over a short stump that I have been running over a long time with my old rotary cutter without hitting it. The bracket on the Howse hit the stump and bent back letting the blade hit the chains. The blade cut off about 6 chain links and sent them flying like missles but luckily they remained close to the ground and missed my tires.

 

[Ridgewalker]

What a bummer...

I am now very interested in adding a chain guard to the front of my brush hog. Anyone got a source or do you just make your own?

 

[tallyho8]

Many rotary cutter manufacturers such as Howse make the chains available as an option or aftermarket.

But, of course, remember that he was using chain guards when the accident occured.

 

[LRH]

I never thought about it, but this may truly be a life saving feature. Or it may not. Who knows?

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This is and has for others been just that; a lifesaver...........
When I purchased my Bush Hog Squealer, I looked/called around for a dealer who ordered the chains and/or shields as wholegoods when cutter was ordered, and all had deleted them during the order for the credit. Some were willing to order them, but with a high freight charge, and one dealer stated that they were not available as wholegoods, but only as service parts; piece by piece they (chains w/brackets, hardware) cost as much as the entire cuter does. BH offers the front rubber shield and the rear metal band as standard equipment, with chains at front or rear, or both as options, but allows the dealer to delete for credit if desired. Good for a low initial price quote, not good for safety on a light duty cutter that is most likely to be used in a populated area.

My condolences go out to the family and friends of the gentleman mentioned by the OP.

 

[BigD23]

Last summer I added a 3/8" Lexan (polycarbonate) shield to the rear of my NH TN65. I was getting pinged frequently while brush cutting. Since I added the shield, it's already full of pot marks. It also helps catch the dirt from the rototiller, harley rake & snowblower.

Next summer I intend to make another shield that wraps forward around the seat to protect me from tree branches. Polycarbonate can be bent on right angles at room temperature with a metal brake.

The steel bars simply clamp the sheet to the ROPS using U bars with no tractor modifications.

The steel top in the middle picture is 1/4" steel plate. I smashed the instrument panel with a branch falling out of a tree while in the woods.

Total cost was less than a single ambulance ride.

That's a good idea......Would be worth it just to see how many times I'm get "pinged" and didn't know it was happening.....Gonna look for some plexiglass.

Don

 

[Ryan03]

I had a peice of an old dried out tree limb about 1 inch in diameter and 5 inches long shoot out the front of the brush hog through the rubber flap, and nearly take off part of my left foot 2 years ago while brush hogging on my father in laws old Ford 600 . I heard the brush hog hit something, and then felt a hard swat on the side of my foot.It all happened so fast, I was in to much pain to step on the clutch to stop the tractor, luckily I had the presence of mind to shut the key off and let the tractor coast to a stop. When I looked down at my foot, my leather Red Wing work boot had a tear about 6 inches long where the soul meets the leather, and I could see my blood soaked sock through the boot. I stayed on the tractor and called for my wife, who had heard the crash of the brush hog and the tractor stop, and had already come out on the deck to look out back to check on me. When we removed my boot, my foot had a huge gash on the side of the arch, and my little toe was broken, and its nail had been comepletely torn off. I have made a complete recovery, but will never forget the lesson I learned that day. That old 600 jusd had floor boards hanging off the side of the trans , kinda in outer space, which left my feet totaly exposed to whatever came flying out of the front of the brush hog. From now on, I only brush hog with my Farm Trac, since it like most modern day tractors has an enclosed foot area {fenders and floor boards fit flush with each other}, and I don't brush hog when nobody is around any more.