Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
Anyone have one of these? DR Field mower
DR Field & Brush mower
- Thread starter Ledgemere Farm
- Start date
EastTexFrank
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2003
- Messages
- 1,423
- Location
- East Texas, USA
- Tractor
- Kubota Grand L4740, B2400 and F2680
There's been quite a bit of discussion on the DR and other field mowers. Do a "SEARCH" and it should turn up the information you need.
I've had one for years, one of the older versions without pneumatic tires and a reverse gear. It still works very well for cutting around the lake at the farm but they are a lot harder work to use than the advertising would have you believe. That shows them mowing down 1" saplings and that it WILL do. What it doesn't show is that you have to wade and stumble through all the trash it leaves behind while tripping over the 2" high stobs it leaves sticking up. That's where the hard work comes in. For grass and weeds in small, hard to get to areas, it works as well as anything else and better than most but if the area is larger and overgrown with saplings be prepared for a workout.
It's no substitute for a CUT and a bush hog.
I've had one for years, one of the older versions without pneumatic tires and a reverse gear. It still works very well for cutting around the lake at the farm but they are a lot harder work to use than the advertising would have you believe. That shows them mowing down 1" saplings and that it WILL do. What it doesn't show is that you have to wade and stumble through all the trash it leaves behind while tripping over the 2" high stobs it leaves sticking up. That's where the hard work comes in. For grass and weeds in small, hard to get to areas, it works as well as anything else and better than most but if the area is larger and overgrown with saplings be prepared for a workout.
It's no substitute for a CUT and a bush hog.
OHB
New member
I bought a DR F&B Mower in March 2001. I also bought the 46" grass attachment. The grass attachment worked for one year then gave nothing but trouble. I ditched it last summer for my Troy-Bilt lawn tractor. The F&B mower has worked as advertised. I use it to cut around the back of my property when it gets too thick for the T-B. The DR (8hp) will cut waist high thick grass with no problem. The going is a little slow but not too much so. I'd buy the F&B mower again but not the grass attachment. In all fairness I must say the grass attachment has been completely redesigned since I bought mine and may be a better add-on now. DR's are a little pricey but the F&B mower is worth it if you have a relatively small lot as I do (5 acres) that occasionally gets overgrown in spots. Hope this helps.
OP
Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
I only need to clean an area maybe 100' x 200' once/season. I have to haul my lawn mower there anyway, so loading a DR into the trailer isn't a problem. Buying a BIGGER truck and trailer AND a bush-hog to bring my CUT over there doesn't seem feasible. I think the DR is the only viable option. Thanks.
fractal
Gold Member
Have you thought of a walk behind string trimmer? Sounds like it has already been cleared so all you are doing is cutting weeds and grass.. I bought mine from sears, it has a 4hp motor and it does a durned good job at plowing through weeds too high to run the lawn mower without having to worry about rough terain and rocks. It is a lot less expensive than a DR field and brush mower.
OP
Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
That may not be a bad idea! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Alan L.
Elite Member
I'll second fractal. If there is no brush in there, the wheel trimmer will do a great job.
OP
Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
There is definitely brush, but the DR trimmer has a Beaver Blade option.
Bird
Epic Contributor
I had the Beaver Blade for my DR trimmer/mower and it really does take down some good sized saplings in a hurry. The regular string is .130 and I also tried their heavier .150; either works on some pretty tough stuff and I couldn't tell enough difference to amount to anything. Of course that was on the biggest (6 hp) machine they had when I bought mine.