Ditch/Hillside Trimmer project
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Most of the motors on string trimmers now are running above 12v and I don't want to get into a lot of complicated step up/down type electronics.
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Tim, this may give you some ideas. It runs off the battery. Just make a 6 foot arm for it.
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Thanks but that is way heavier than I want to try to put on an arm that needs to be made out of easily accessible materials.
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Looking at round tube aluminum initially, better side to side and up/down strength. I did consider square tube and may still have to give it a go, but I had the round aluminum on hand.
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Tim, Here's a good idea. Attach your push mower side by side with your tractor parallel to each a few feet away and cut the swale.
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My ditch is too uneven with some "voids" that won't allow that type of solution.
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I thought I've seen a MTF member with a sickle bar attachment on the rear PTO.
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Most sicklebars won't depress steep enough for my banks. Pretty sure they are about 60° and most sickle bar mowers can do only 45° depressed. Plus, I just want to see if I can make this. I have the three actuators already, the relays and switches as well.
I am toying with an idea along those lines myself. I have several thousand feet of creek and road bank to cut on my property that are weed eater terrain, but I do have a rather large Husquvarna 235R actually brush cutter I am now using.
My idea that I keep bouncing around in my head would use part of a walk behind string trimmer,
www.searspartsdirect.com
DR Power has a mower that uses about the same mow ball head, and they both take large string, so it should last for a while.
Mount that on the end of a boom, sort of like an excavator boom with a hydraulic motor for power to turn the trimmer.
Probably a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the mow ball angle.
Another cylinder to extend the stick.
And a third cylinder to raise and lower the boom.
Given how much the creek bank drops and how far out the toe of that slope is, I am looking for about 12 feet of reach, and able to mow 8 or 10 feet up or down from where the tractor is running.
I know it will not be cheap, but if I can eliminate 20 hours of weed eater work every week or two, it will be worth it.
Given how far I am trying to reach, I am leaning toward 2x2 square tubing with a 1/4" wall thickness for the boom.
The Mahindra tractor my son bought this summer would be a perfect base vehicle to mount it on, heavy enough to lay it out there 12 feet without getting tipsy sideways.
My idea that I keep bouncing around in my head would use part of a walk behind string trimmer,
High-Wheel Trimmer Spindle Assembly 180333 parts | Sears PartsDirect
High-Wheel Trimmer Spindle Assembly 180333 parts - manufacturer-approved parts for a proper fit every time! We also have installation guides, diagrams and manuals to help you along the way!
www.searspartsdirect.com
DR Power has a mower that uses about the same mow ball head, and they both take large string, so it should last for a while.
Mount that on the end of a boom, sort of like an excavator boom with a hydraulic motor for power to turn the trimmer.
Probably a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the mow ball angle.
Another cylinder to extend the stick.
And a third cylinder to raise and lower the boom.
Given how much the creek bank drops and how far out the toe of that slope is, I am looking for about 12 feet of reach, and able to mow 8 or 10 feet up or down from where the tractor is running.
I know it will not be cheap, but if I can eliminate 20 hours of weed eater work every week or two, it will be worth it.
Given how far I am trying to reach, I am leaning toward 2x2 square tubing with a 1/4" wall thickness for the boom.
The Mahindra tractor my son bought this summer would be a perfect base vehicle to mount it on, heavy enough to lay it out there 12 feet without getting tipsy sideways.
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I saw one that was very heavy duty like that in another thread somewhere. If I run across it I will PM it to you. But this build is to use as much off the shelf materials as I can get by with. I could weld up a "custom" arm pretty quick but looking to provide plans and parts list so that others can do a light weight trimmer like this without much need of specialized equipment.I am toying with an idea along those lines myself. I have several thousand feet of creek and road bank to cut on my property that are weed eater terrain, but I do have a rather large Husquvarna 235R actually brush cutter I am now using.
My idea that I keep bouncing around in my head would use part of a walk behind string trimmer,
High-Wheel Trimmer Spindle Assembly 180333 parts | Sears PartsDirect
High-Wheel Trimmer Spindle Assembly 180333 parts - manufacturer-approved parts for a proper fit every time! We also have installation guides, diagrams and manuals to help you along the way!
DR Power has a mower that uses about the same mow ball head, and they both take large string, so it should last for a while.
Mount that on the end of a boom, sort of like an excavator boom with a hydraulic motor for power to turn the trimmer.
Probably a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the mow ball angle.
Another cylinder to extend the stick.
And a third cylinder to raise and lower the boom.
Given how much the creek bank drops and how far out the toe of that slope is, I am looking for about 12 feet of reach, and able to mow 8 or 10 feet up or down from where the tractor is running.
I know it will not be cheap, but if I can eliminate 20 hours of weed eater work every week or two, it will be worth it.
Given how far I am trying to reach, I am leaning toward 2x2 square tubing with a 1/4" wall thickness for the boom.
The Mahindra tractor my son bought this summer would be a perfect base vehicle to mount it on, heavy enough to lay it out there 12 feet without getting tipsy sideways.
I have the arm drawn up in AutoCAD and the cylinder lengths are about worked out.
I am trying to locate a hydraulic motor that can give me the rotational speed I need that I can afford.
I have checked out a couple of those push string trimmers, but they all have about a 6 HP motor that spins the mow ball at 3500 to 4000 RPM.
That much power at that speed, not a cheap hydraulic motor.
I would almost mount the motor at the end of the boom, but that is a lot of weight to hang out there 12 feet and I see engine oil being a problem with the angles the motor will probably see.
I am trying to locate a hydraulic motor that can give me the rotational speed I need that I can afford.
I have checked out a couple of those push string trimmers, but they all have about a 6 HP motor that spins the mow ball at 3500 to 4000 RPM.
That much power at that speed, not a cheap hydraulic motor.
I would almost mount the motor at the end of the boom, but that is a lot of weight to hang out there 12 feet and I see engine oil being a problem with the angles the motor will probably see.
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I prefer to prototype build to see what will/won't work. I won't be running it along the ditch, I will mow down and back up the opposite side is the plan so that I can see any obstacles in it's path.
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You would think the county or town would cut that. Doesn't the road right-a-way cover it?
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