Sickle Bar General questions about Sickle Bars

[/pine]

I am looking for something to cut the weeds etc. from the shoulders and ditch side of my gravel road...and a sickle bar type mower seems like it would be just the ticket...

...I've never operated the 3ph type (only a walk behind) and I've never seen one in operation so I'm totaly ignorant about their use...so I have several questions...

I am assuming there is not a huge power requirement and that my B1700 will be able to handle a 7' bar... (14 PTO HP) ??

Do most bars cut in the upright position? i.e., for trimming bushes and weeds etc. that brush the sides of vehicles ?

Do most bars angle below horizontal? i.e., for cutting sloping ditch banks?

If they are not all "belt driven" what are the other types?...do they not all have pitman arms?

Is there one type or another that would suit my needs better than another?

other than belts and teeth/blades what else are general maintenance issues ?

I have one prospect that I have not seen yet but is a MF 7' that they are asking $300 for...was last used 3 weeks ago...

Thanks in advance for any answers or pictures that will help educate me on their operation and use...

 

[hawkeye08]

This surprises me. I know you know how to search on this forum. There have been many threads on this.

Yes, your tractor will handle a 7 ft fine as far as power, need to be careful about the weight on some that hang way back.

Yes, some will operate vertical all the way down to below level. Others will not. If I have my terms right, the pitman arm units will only run near level (and tend to break the pitman arm when attempting to run other than level, maybe 30* up or down). I think the others are called wobble box. There are other names of course.

Here is a good thread that has some good feedback. Good luck.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/168214-sickle-advice-rookie.html

 

[/pine]

Thanks for the link...I did try searching but I should have expanded my keywords...

 

[flusher]

I am looking for something to cut the weeds etc. from the shoulders and ditch side of my gravel road...and a sickle bar type mower seems like it would be just the ticket...

...I've never operated the 3ph type (only a walk behind) and I've never seen one in operation so I'm totaly ignorant about their use...so I have several questions...

I am assuming there is not a huge power requirement and that my B1700 will be able to handle a 7' bar... (14 PTO HP) ??

Do most bars cut in the upright position? i.e., for trimming bushes and weeds etc. that brush the sides of vehicles ?

Do most bars angle below horizontal? i.e., for cutting sloping ditch banks?

If they are not all "belt driven" what are the other types?...do they not all have pitman arms?

Is there one type or another that would suit my needs better than another?

other than belts and teeth/blades what else are general maintenance issues ?

I have one prospect that I have not seen yet but is a MF 7' that they are asking $300 for...was last used 3 weeks ago...

Thanks in advance for any answers or pictures that will help educate me on their operation and use...

My 1951 Farmall Super A is about the same size as your B1700 and handles a 7-ft mid-mount sicklebar fine. Caltrans, the highway dept, used it to mow the grass in highway ditches, etc.

Belt-driven sicklebars can mow above and below horizontal. Older sicklebars driven with pitman sticks are not as versatile.

The triangular sickle sections (the movable part of the cutter) are relatively inexpensive ($1 per section--they are 3" wide so my 7-ft cutter bar takes 28 sections). The sections nowadays are generally attached with bolts and lock nuts instead of rivets. The other part of the cutter assembly, the rock guards carrying the ledger plates, are more expensive ($5-6 each).

 

[/pine]

...and handles a 7-ft mid-mount sicklebar fine...

Thanks that's interesting...I never even considered a mid mount...

I'm going to run some "wanted" ads in the local papers and see what turns up...I really don't want to spend more than about $500 for the amount of time I will be using it...I have been getting by for decades with hand held string trimmers and weed wackers...
...I don't mind buying one that would require some repairs or reconditioning...
I'm already thinking about being able to utilize my third rear remote on a raise/lower cylinder adaptation...

 

[o2batsea]

A 500 buck sickle mower is going to be a pile of rubbish. No doubt you will spend at least as much again making it usable. Who knows maybe you'll get lucky and find the Golden Mower from Heaven...good luck with that.

 

[/pine]

A 500 buck sickle mower is going to be a pile of rubbish. No doubt you will spend at least as much again making it usable. Who knows maybe you'll get lucky and find the Golden Mower from Heaven...good luck with that.

I already have a prospect that was cutting hay 3 weeks ago (so I doubt that it's a pile of rubbish) that is $300...

I surely do not expect to find anything in pristine condition for what I want to spend but like I always say..."seek and ye shall find"...Around here there are a lot of old farms and orchards etc.that are no longer working...I'm sure I can find a bar to suit my needs within my budget...I'm in no rush...

 

[E/S]

I really prefer mid-mount, a lot less leverage on the tractor if you hock something.

E/S

 

[steve08]

A 500 buck sickle mower is going to be a pile of rubbish. No doubt you will spend at least as much again making it usable. Who knows maybe you'll get lucky and find the Golden Mower from Heaven...good luck with that.

Picked up a pretty nice JD Sickle mower the other day for $75.00

 

[Gordon Gould]

I use a 7' unit to cut along my road. They work great especially for banks and ditches.
You have to be very careful though and make sure you lift it over the big rocks, stumps and other junk hidden in the brush. But teeth and cutters are easy to replace.
You may have to travel very slow with your 17 hp on a 7' bar. Depends on how thick the roadside greenery is. I have 30 hp and have to slow way down for real thick golden rod mixed with grass. You can run it vertical but I find it a little unnerving with that thing running just behind my right shoulder, neck and head. Also there is lots of vibration when ever it is not resting on the ground.