Davco vs Bradco Brush Cutter

parisq · Oct 3, 2009

Any help from those with experience with brush cutters. I need a good track loader brush cutter for my ASV-PT100 for personal use. I have a few acres of fairly heavy brush, some waist-high and light and some with 6 or 7 feet tall dense, woody, bushes that you can barely see through, let alone walk. But nothing with a base or trunk over 3-4". As I'm not a commercial user, I'd like to not spend more than I have to, particularly since once the areas are cleared, such heavy-duty use won't be needed again for area maintenance. I'm looking at either a Davco 6470 or a Bradco that will supposedly take out brush and small trees up to 4". The Bradco is almost half the cost of the Davco. I've read elsewhere on this forum (old posts) that the Davco had the show-stopping habit of winding material around the spindle. But, if a $15,000 machine will do that, how goes the Davco? Any thoughts?

QwikDraw · Oct 4, 2009

First question, what are you going to do with the area after mowing?

I have an ammbusher it works OK and would do what you need. The Davco would work equally as well or better but rotary mowers in that sized material leaves a chunky mess. If thatsnot OK then for what you describe it seems a mulch head would work best and give you the best finished product. You could rent one for a few days and not have to spend thousands for an attachment you would only use for 2 or 3 days.

Then again you could just hire me and I could do it for you

How about some pictures?

Eric H · Oct 4, 2009

I have a davco, don't use it much but it will do what you want. It is well built and can stand some abuse. The above post is correct it will not break it down fine, however if you work it down and let it sit and start to breakdown and then remow it, it will get it where you want it. Since this is your own property and its not a job for a customer it may work for you. You may cosider a fecon,rowmec,gyrotrac,dennis cimaf, fae ETC.ETC used mulching head. You might find a used one for the same money. My 02. I have no experience with a Bradco.

parisq · Oct 4, 2009

The field (estimated at 5 to 10 acres) is a pasture that is 50% overgrown. We graze three horses on it but I want to restore it, section it in two or three parcels with temporary fencing and replant with hay grasses. Then rotate every year or so.

Can't find a Magnum/Fecon type of mulcher to rent in my area (South-Central Massachusetts). This would be the best option as it would handle a larger wooded area with small trees that will be next year's project, but I'd still need a rotary cutter for maintenance. Do you place the Davco and Bradco cutters in the same league? The Davco is almost twice the price of the Bradco?

I'll take some photos over the next few days.

QwikDraw · Oct 4, 2009

For the money I am really happy with my Bradco brush cutter and it will handle material up to 4 inches. I would not want to cut 4 inch all day but occasionally is fine. It would be a perfect cutter for maintenance after you mulch the area. I want to say it was around $5.5k. I use it for small acreage field mowing too. BUT the Davco and Ammbusher are built much heavier and will last much longer, if you try to cut big material with the Bradco I don't think it will hold up...a perfect light brush and maintenance cutter.

We have at least 3 dealers in CT that rent mulchers @$400 a day but I know one will only rent to contractors, I'm not sure about the other. You would be responsible for damaged teeth @ $75 per.

I am in north central CT, right by the "notch"

parisq · Oct 4, 2009

I'll send some photos along of the type of brush I'm facing in the field. Your opinion will be a big help in determining what might or might not work. I don't mind spending extra time wearing down a few extra gnarly, thick trunked bushes if it'll save me five to seven grand from buying a heavier cutter--money I can maybe put in maybe a PTO mower for a tractor for yearly maintenance after the rough stuff is gone.

parisq · Oct 5, 2009

Here are some recent photos of the pasture I'm hoping to clear before the ground freezes. The shot with the horse gives you a macro view of a portion of the pasture. The left edge (treeline) is where some of the worse of the brush is. Everything between the treeline and horse is brush, up to 7' tall. A cornucopia of, among other goodies, pokeweed, grape vines and pricker bushes. The silver rule in the pictures is a 48" metal T-Square for perspective. Will a Bradco brush cutter handle this? Clearly a mulching head would. Thanks, guys.

yellowdogsvc · Oct 5, 2009

The davco will do a good job of knocking things down. You may want to run a brush hog or other rotary cutter over the field from time to time to rechop as the Davco will not cut very fine unless you are "chopping" down a larger tree (which can be dangerous).

The Davco is very low maintenance but has very short blades. The short blades chop but don't shred or recut well like a bushhog. If the brush is really thick or wet, the Davco will make short work of knocking it down.

GreatWhitehunter · Oct 5, 2009

Why don't you just hire Ted to do the cutting? He's got the equipment and experiance to do it right. Then just get yourself a woods brush bull for your tractor and maintain what was mowed. While it's fun to run equipment I'd just get a pro to do it right the first time.

Matt

QwikDraw · Oct 5, 2009

Matt, you have a good point...

The pictures don't show anything the Bradco could not handle with ease. If this was a job I was pricing I would use the Bradco or tractor/Bush Hog if it was over 6 or 7 acres. My Bush Hog is rated up to 3.5 inches. You may have to "work" the material a few times to get it where you want it, it would not be a one pass type of mowing.