Generator Help with cutting pond dam

[trook]

I need something to help me cut grass on the inside portion of a 5 acre pond dam. My first thought is some type of sickle mower. However, the ones I have seen are quite expensive.

Can ya'll give me some suggestions for the best attachment to handle this chore? If I have the right attachment, I imagine I will use it every 2 weeks or so. As always, price is a consideration, but I don't a piece of junk either.

I will be using a JD 4320 with 40 pto hp.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TripleR]

I don't know of anything cheap and safe unless you can run across a good cycle bar mower and even then it is going to depend on your tractor. We mow ours with our M8540 and Woods DS1260 pull type rotary cutter, but we had our ponds built with the dams at less of an angle than many.

I agree, if you don't have the right setup, leave it alone as it is not worth getting hurt.

 

[trook]

The angle will not be a problem as far as safety is concerned. I figured with a sickle (or whatever implement you recommend), I can stay on the top flat part and just lower the sickle toward the water to cut that portion.

 

[trook]

The last thing I want to do is use a string trimmer, or as we call them down here, a weed-eater.

 

[TripleR]

The angle will not be a problem as far as safety is concerned. I figured with a sickle (or whatever implement you recommend), I can stay on the top flat part and just lower the sickle toward the water to cut that portion.

Then a good used sickle bar mower should work. We have used them in the past and they worked well.

They make self powered off-set finish mowers for ATV's that work well for this, but they are fairly expensive.

We have an 8 acre pond that doesn't have a really long dam and I have used my L5030 and Land Pride cutter to just back down to the waters edge. With the HST, this does not take a long time. I also do this on some of our smaller ponds that are much steeper.

I know our ponds and there are no drop offs, so I feel safe doing this.

 

[TripleR]

The last thing I want to do is use a string trimmer, or as we call them down here, a weed-eater.

I know what you mean. We use to use a wheeled string trimmer that cut about a two foot path, but that is a lot of walking. We also had a self propelled sickle bar cutter that worked really well as long as we had kids to pilot them. I can't walk worth a darn, so I use tractors.

I use to see a guy on the way to work who had attached two push mowers to an out rigger.

 

[8404]

this is what i use to cut along the waters edge on ponds and levies.I use the standard bush hog to cut the backsides of the levy. Im sorry these darn things arnt cheep so it wont be what your looking for.

 

[SandburRanch]

Weeping willows planted the length of the dam will stabilize the soil that gophers are trying to disrupt and you won't have to mow it.

 

[beenthere]

Around here, weeping willows will shade out the grass and then erosion will occur. Don't think that is what one wants on a dam slope but it may be different where the OP is located.

That size tractor should take a long bar sickle mower and do quite well.
I'd rig one to hook easily and quickly to the iMatch for doing the chore often so it looks mown all the time.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

You need a 9 foot sickle bar with a belt drive. You can find them used for around $1000 on up. Beware you don't buy a junkpile. You can easily spend 200-300 just getting one fixed up (not counting labor).

 

[Ford tractor]

this is what i use to cut along the waters edge on ponds and levies.I use the standard bush hog to cut the backsides of the levy. Im sorry these darn things arnt cheep so it wont be what your looking for.

Used from a county shop would be much cheaper than new.

 

[eepete]

I use a 6' sickle mower. I was overly frugal at the time of purchase, and should have got an 8' or 9' (like Kyle suggests). What I forgot is that you'll want you tires to be 2 feet in from the edge of the dam when trimming the sides or the dam or the sides of the pond. So with some offset to the mower, I can cut about 4.5 feet of the edge. It's enough to keep things under control, but every year I have to clip some things back by hand.

Also, if I had bought a 8-9 foot cutter, I could run it vertically to keep the edges of the hay fields cut back. I can do that now, but, I miss a little at the top and a little at the bottom. You can see by the picture, two more feet would be great.

Like all purchase decisions, trading up would be very expensive so I'll live and learn, and cut by hand each year for as long as I can.

We added more dirt and made the back side (non water side) of one of our dams such that we could back up the dam to mow it.

I know the sickle is expensive, but it's a great tool and matches the 4x20 series very well. Used might save you some money. Good luck with finding your solution.

Pete

 

[trook]

eepete,

Thanks for the advise. Actually, I am very envoius of your setup. I would LOVE to have a 4520 cab.....but that is another story. Can you tell me what kind of sickle you have and about what it would cost me new/used?

 

[Sackett2]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/186297-extendable-flail-mower.html

I dont think he has any left, but maybe in the future... call and ask- i believe the price was about 3500