3-pt trimmer

[rmacan]

Does anyone make a 3-pt PTO driven trimmer that you can trim along a fence line with?
I've seen the ones that you push and that are powered by a small engine like a lawn mower. I
was looking for the same type thing (only mounted and driven from the tractor) with a offset cutter head that could be used like a Weed Wacker to trim grass away from fixed objects.
Thanks,
Bob

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I was wonding this myself. I have a ditch that's a real pain to keep mowed because my mower doesn't have quite enough overhang to reach out over it and it's too steep to drive down in it. So, I weed-wack it and/or spray it with Round-up once a month. I thought about a sickle bar mower, but a weed-wacker type rig would be better if I hit something hidden in the grass. Have you thought much about how to make one?

 

[WVBill]

I've seen state highways tractors with a rotary cutter on an articulated arm (sort of like on the end of a backhoe instead of a bucket). They were using it to trim situations just like you describe (steep hills and ditches). It was a pretty heavy duty thing though - probably more than you need to trim along your fence.

 

[cowboydoc]

Yep Bill's right they make a trimmer that goes on your three point. It's basically just like a weed wacker except the blade is probably 18" or so across. It has a hydraulic arm that can be raised and lowered. Nice setup but I know they are really expensive, about $4500. Never seen any cheap ones.

 

[rmacan]

Danny Y,
I suppose I could get a replacement cutter head for one of the large push type machines and rig up a mounting frame for the 3-pt and some kind of right angle drive from the PTO to power it. It will have to be offset from the tractor some so I don't knock the fence down. I didn't want anything as heavy duty as the state uses along the road. The idea is to mow the grass ONLY, and not cut down the fence posts! I will have to peruse the shelves at Tractor Supply and see what parts are readily available and what the cost would be. Plan "B" may be to fasten the push type trimmer to a platform mounted to the 3-pt or the FEL and just use the tractor for transport and positioning.
Bob

 

[mlmartin]

This isn't a three point mount, but I think it would do what you want For more details:

<http://www.thestgeorgeco.com/catalogue/Farm_Forestry/Forestry/forestry.html>

Matthew

 

[rmacan]

Mathew,
Thank's for the web site link. The number of speacilized machines that are around is amazing. One of the DR type, heavy duty line trimmers would work great for what I want to, which is trim the grass from under my post and 3-board fence. I borrowed one from a friend and it trims under the fence and around the posts fine, but I really didn't feel like pushing it for the several miles it would to take to trim around all the fence and cross fencing, thus the search for something that could be mounted on the tractor. I guess I'll try making an outrigger of some type that I can strap a standard mower type line trimmer to and position it far enough out from the tractor that the possiblity of hitting the fence with the tractor is reduced. I'll have to rig up some kind of kill switch to shutdown the trimmer engine from the tractor seat in case I need to do that in a hurry for some reason!

 

[DFB]

Bob,

Here is a link to a similar idea.WEEDEATER

WVBill, This place has the boom mount mowers you mention. Micro-Mower
Both front and rear mount too. /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

DFB

 

[rmacan]

DFB,
Thank you for the information! That's exactly the type of thing I had in mind!!! I was sure someone else must have this problem too and had probably already solved it since I'm new to farming (not that the little I do is real farming). Thanks a lot everyone for your suggestions and help.

Bob