Cutting a lot of rough grass

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Cutting a lot of rough grass
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 16 10:37 pm Post subject: Cutting a lot of rough grass

Things are growing and I really must buy some sort of mower. My knowledge of the infernal combustion engine is limited to putting petrol in them and cursing. Can anyone give me any useful advice?

There are two acres of very rough grass/nettles/brambles, which is rutted, bumpy and full of someone else junk. I do not need a lawnmowner. It is not a lawn! I can't get someone in, it's too full of bits and pieces and I can't get rid of the junk, as it's not mine.

Last edited by wellington womble on Fri Apr 22, 16 9:23 am; edited 1 time in total

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 16 11:27 pm Post subject:
Does anyone sell DR trimmers in the U.K.? That would be just the ticket https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zofwo-CXGWw Edit: Ha! They have a chainsaw type blade for the thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwB_W4_venE

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15985

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 6:34 am Post subject:

I haven't seen them Slim, but I haven't been looking particularly. An alternative might be a petrol driven brush cutter rather like a large strimmer. You can get various heads for them including 3 point and brush saw. There was an ideal head with chains on, but they have been banned by HSE unfortunately after a fatality that most in the trade think was caused by unsafe working, not the machine.

WW, you may find a garden machinery supplier or even agricultural supplier may be able to help you.

Whatever you use, you will have to be very careful about the junk about the place as you will damage any mower/head on it or damage the junk, or throw small pieces quite a way with the machine, so work on your own with nobody anywhere near you.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 8:56 am Post subject:

Slim wrote:

Does anyone sell DR trimmers in the U.K.? That would be just the ticket

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zofwo-CXGWw

Edit: Ha! They have a chainsaw type blade for the thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwB_W4_venE

Yes,i`ve seen similar advertised,have to remember where.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 12:28 pm Post subject:

I'm looking for a ride on solution. Or it will take me the rest of my life....

The local agricultural place has mid deck ride in lawn mowers. For lawns. With stripes. They won't cut it (har har).

I'm thinking a tow behind solution will work best. I'm not sure quite behind what, though. I've finalled convinced the local place that I don't want stripes and they have found a compact iseki tractor and topper for six thousand, which seems expensive. I'm vaguely wondering if I'd do better with a quad or even one of the fairly-defunct vehicles hanging around the place. There is an old Disco out there which does go, if you jump it.

I just want to get on with cutting the weeds. I loathe buying vehicles. It does need to be drivable, though. There's no getting away from it.

(I have been out and picked most of the small bits. The big bits are mostly vehicles and things on pallets. They're in the way and they're a pain, but it won't be too hard to mow round providing you are not being paid by the hour. I am gradually getting sorting them out)

Last edited by wellington womble on Fri Apr 22, 16 9:24 am; edited 1 time in total

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 1:48 pm Post subject:

I understand the need for removal of the weeds, and I understand the need for a machine, but with 2 acres to do I would hit the spray button, however much I wouldn't like it, that would be my initial route. Alternative is to pay someone to come and do the job for you. I have at home a machine that I used for cutting overgrown grass which looks like the old 'atco' scythe; mine did all sorts with different attachments from ploughing and cultivating to cutting grass. Regrettably its engine is no more, but you could advertise for someone with such a machine in a paper shop or where-ever and see what happens-just an idea.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 2:30 pm Post subject:
I would go for a couple of Alpacas, personally.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 2:36 pm Post subject:
Vote Goat!

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 2:47 pm Post subject:
You can get height adjustable toppers that have their own petrol engine, tp be towed behind a vehicle. I'd be terrified of running over unseen junk and firing shrapnel in all directions. Also they catch fire. Um, so I hear.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 2:52 pm Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

You can get height adjustable toppers that have their own petrol engine, tp be towed behind a vehicle. I'd be terrified of running over unseen junk and firing shrapnel in all directions. Also they catch fire. Um, so I hear.

So can we count on your vote for the Wellington Womble Should Buy a Goat Party on polling day?

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 3:02 pm Post subject:
I think it's a fantastic idea. You could get angoras. For the wool. Why haven't we thought of this before?

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 3:49 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

So can we count on your vote for the Wellington Womble Should Buy a Goat Party on polling day?

Don't ask me, I'm still tracking down platypus eggs...

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 4:04 pm Post subject:
Invite the local scouts to camp there - in return for a bit of work - maybe a small donation. Mind, when we did such things, there wasn't H+S and what with chopping trees down being more fun than chopping brambles - we probably did more harm than good.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 5:13 pm Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

They catch fire!? Oh bugger. I thought I'd finally found a solution. Im less concerned about stuff. Even I can't run over a dumper truck by mistake, and I've been picking up the small stuff. What's the best thing to tow them with, though?

I am NOT having a goat. Mohair makes me sneeze, and is horrible to knit with. Also, they escape (always) and eat your garden. And they smell. Alpacas, maybe. It would seem cheaper than selling a kidney to get the mower. And the fibre is nice to knit with. It will still need tidying up and all the edges and corners sorting out. I don't think you can just post them into the bramble patch and wait for them to eat their way out again. Same goes for scouts. Anyway, they'd all fight over the brush cutter.

I'm not sure how spraying would help. At the moment I have rough grass,nettles docks and brambles. If I sprayed I would just get brambles and nettles and other weeds back, unless I mowed it. So I'd still need a mower that could cope with tough stuff and the wobbly terrain. And I'd have to buy a sprayer to tow behind.

So what's the smallest, most reliable thing that can tow a topper? The kind that doesn't catch fire. Or involve selling a kidney.

I'd love to get someone in to do it. I really would. But they'll just do the middle and ignore all the fiddly bits. Or I'll get rid of (say) the dumper truck and won't be able to get anyone in to mow for a fortnight, and the brambles will explode and take over the vegetable patch. Again. I've only just finished evicting them from the greenhouse. Or it's raining so they won't come at all.

Last edited by wellington womble on Fri Apr 22, 16 9:26 am; edited 1 time in total

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 16 8:41 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

There was an ideal head with chains on, but they have been banned by HSE unfortunately after a fatality that most in the trade think was caused by unsafe working, not the machine...

I don't see how they can dictate what a chap does or does not use on his own land, so they'll have banned the sale of them, but if you can find them there is nothing to stop you using them (and if you find them, grab one for me

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