Sickle Bar Mower question

[HawkinsHollow]

I was just wondering if old school PTO driven sickle bar mowers cut in the folded up position. Found a good looking one for $400 and I was thinking if they cut in the up position it would be a good way to keep the sides of my overgrown woods road cleared.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I don't know for sure, I own one but I never looked into it if it work at that position, from what I read online it would function but I can with certainty say if it dose the sharp angle would put lots of stress on the mechanical drive, Its not design to be operated that way. A sickle bar mower can cut very small branches, the size of a pinky but anything bigger then that you start breaking knifes and after a few times you will notice pretty quickly it's a expensive method. My suggestion is buy a pole saw or edge trimmer.

 

[gstrom99]

I agree with Rock. Even if it would work upright, these mowers were designed to cut grass/weeds, not brush or limbs.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Thank you gentlemen. Probably not a good idea then.

 

[JDW 1]

My IH 1300 has been used for exactly what you are talking about. If the small trees will fit between the guards they are history. Green trees don't bother the sections. Rocks and woven wire fence are a different story. The section are easy to replace. It works great around ponds and tree lines, plus road banks. Wouldn't be without it. It requires little horsepower and doesn't throw material or kick up the dust.I also have a frontier SB3108 double action. I would not use it for this, I mow fields with it

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have a 7' First Choice sickle bar I run on my L3010. I use it just like JDW1 for roadside mowing. In some places I run it w/o ground contact. Small trees especially green are not a problem just slow down for them.
Here is a picture mowing along the top of an old roadside stone wall with the bar completely off the ground. Have been doing this for over 20 years with the same mower and tractor.

gg

 

[Rockbadchild]

My IH 1300 has been used for exactly what you are talking about. If the small trees will fit between the guards they are history. Green trees don't bother the sections. Rocks and woven wire fence are a different story. The section are easy to replace. It works great around ponds and tree lines, plus road banks. Wouldn't be without it. It requires little horsepower and doesn't throw material or kick up the dust.I also have a frontier SB3108 double action. I would not use it for this, I mow fields with it

to be clear you are using it in the folded (vertically) tu cut along the tree line ?

 

[JDW 1]

Just be sure you get one with a belt driven wobble box and not one with a pitman arm. The wobble box will cut from 45 degrees below horizontal to 90 degrees above. When trimming at 90 degrees, cut material will sometimes fall and gather at the wobble box.