DIY rough cut mower

[janzbro]

Just been looking on line and a few (mainly crazy rednecks) people have modified ordinary lawnmowers into something that can rough cut long grass/weeds. Basically involves cutting off the front over hang of the mower exposing the blade so it cut the grass rather than it being pushed flat and some bigger wheels to give it more clearance.

Seems like and interest idea I might attempt but have any keen modifiers done anything like this and what results did you have.

In the USA they seem to call them brush cutters or hogs, trail cutters or hogs, weed eaters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw0dtgw6SRA

here is an example on instructables Turn old Walmart Briggs mower into beastly trail mower

some armour may be advised when using!

[Sarico]

Wow that's cool. Is like having a brush cutter on wheels.

[Bigmallly]

It would be handy for Allotment sites to have something similar that new plot holders could borrow but apart from that I can't see anyone letting their own grass grow that high.

[Nicos]

Ooooo...I like the look of that!
Just been looking at the other videos!...I love the idea of converting and inventing stuff like that!
Simple but practical idea!
Thanks for sharing.....going to show that to my OH....might give him an idea!

[Nicos]

It would be handy for Allotment sites to have something similar that new plot holders could borrow but apart from that I can't see anyone letting their own grass grow that high.

We have a small field at the back of the house...if it rains a lot in the summer, the sit on mower we borrow can't cope with wet grass....nor , when it grows due to lack of cutting, can it cope with the long grass.
I was just thinking it might be easier to gave a couple of larger wheels to pop on the front for occasions like that!

[adyd777]

Free

It would be handy for Allotment sites to have something similar that new plot holders could borrow but apart from that I can't see anyone letting their own grass grow that high.

We're lucky I suppose we get the use of a rotorvator , strummer,etc free of charge it's all in with the rent

[janzbro]

it will at least give a few extra inches of clearance, that is the problem with our ride on mower, 5 inch or above and it just clogs up, that why I was looking because we have 3/4 of an acre with no animals to graze.
If you look at photos of rough cut mowers, its the same principle of open blade at front to cut the grass rather then it being pushed over by the front of the mower deck.

Most of the ones Ive seen are side ejectors, our broken mower (deck has sheared where front wheel attaches) has rear eject so will need a bit of modification as it will be spewing out cuttings all over your legs, might cut the bottom out of the collection basket to help direct it downwards.

PS nicos if you look on utube there is a guy in a wood cutting 3 to 4 foot undergrowth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9FTsuJCyMs but I would advise using more PPE than a pair of gloves like him

[ESBkevin]

One of the issues is safety. If you remove the steel entrance/front there is the possibility of the machine ejecting missiles from the front (say if you ran over a branch hidden in the grass). You can hire larger walk behind mowers, I once used one that had chains instead of solid blades (wedge blades on the ends) and it would tackle small shrubs and undergrowth with ease. It was self propelled too and had a 24" cut.

Small areas are best strimmed. A finger bar mower is best for tackling really long grass.