Orec tracked flail vs Grillo wheeled flail vs ride on

[MossRoad]

Wow!

 

[2manyrocks]

It was certainly a WOW when I saw how they were able to mulch standing trees right down to the ground in less than a minute. This machine can clear patches of growth in a matter of minutes that it would take me a week to clear with a chainsaw, tractor and grapple, but they are able to mulch it on the spot instead of me having to move the debris somewhere else.

 

[Jens767]

Hi again 2manyrocks

Thank you very much for your update

It’s always nice when someone takes the time to share the result of a long and interesting thread, like you have done here. It’s also much more useful to other members, who might at some point have a similar job at hand, and it’s also a little reward to the many members who have contributed with their posts and ideas.

I feel confident that you made a very wise decision by getting a contractor to do your initial job, and comparing the two photos, one can only be impressed with the result. - Well done! Some jobs are simply too tough for small and light equipment, and are better done with some heavy machinery, like in your case.

You of course have many options regarding how to best keep the vegetation down over the coming years. If I remember correctly, you only need a solution for this one plot, and if that is the case, I find it difficult to justify any of the solutions mentioned. Talking about $25,000 is in my budget a lot of money, and even half of that for a used mower that will only be used once or twice a year, is hard to justify I think. Have you considered letting your contractor come once or twice a year to mulch the plot? From now on he can probably clean your plot in half the time needed for the initial job, and for a fraction of the money you will spend on your own mower.


Best regards

Jens

 

[2manyrocks]

Now that the heavy brush is cut, the contractor could probably cut the entire hillside in less time than his 4 hour minimum.

I have three other threads open discussing slope mower options. One involves buying a used Kubota F3680 with 2200 hours from a dealer asking $8,900. Another involves buying a new Power Trac PT1445 and brush cutter mower that would be about $39,500 delivered. Another discusses remote controlled slope mowers, but the entry price is about $35,000 for just an air cooled gas powered finish type mower with a cutting width of 48 or so inches.

It is difficult to justify spending that much on any of these just to keep the hillside weeds cut.

 

[MossRoad]

Now that the heavy brush is cut, the contractor could probably cut the entire hillside in less time than his 4 hour minimum.

I have three other threads open discussing slope mower options. One involves buying a used Kubota F3680 with 2200 hours from a dealer asking $8,900. Another involves buying a new Power Trac PT1445 and brush cutter mower that would be about $39,500 delivered. Another discusses remote controlled slope mowers, but the entry price is about $35,000 for just an air cooled gas powered finish type mower with a cutting width of 48 or so inches.

It is difficult to justify spending that much on any of these just to keep the hillside weeds cut.

I agree. $39,500 buys an awful lot of someone else doing it instead, plus no equipment to maintain.

One of the nice things about the PowerTrac, though, is that is does so much more than just slope mowing.

 

[2manyrocks]

One thing that appeals to me is there is still no DPF on the PT1445 which tempts me to buy one while I can, but $39,500 is still a lot of money on top of what I already spent on a L2501 and used MX5200. If I had this to do over, I might should have just bought one PT1445 instead of the L2501 + MX5200. I made some poor decisions already.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

As smooth as that looks can you use your MX now and just go up and down the slope?

 

[2manyrocks]

My mixed up answer is I don't know for sure and have reservations because this used to be cut by an operator who had a larger dual wheel New Holland tractor. My MX has single loader style tires. There is a steeper area near the bottom where the operator of the forestry mulcher rode the slope to the bottom, and he has a lot more experience operating on slopes than me.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

It sounds like the picture doesn't do it justice then. I would not enjoy being a passenger on a heavy equipment ride like that...

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

Goats?