The DR Brush Hog...
Full Name:
Sycamore Slough
Forums:
AKA 'Walk-Behind Field and Brush Mower'.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=dr+brush+hog&t=hk&iax=images&ia=images
I got one second-hand a while back. Still running pretty well. If you look at those images, the model I run has the big knobby rubber tires, not the bike-wheel style.
Not really for mowing the average lawn; I have stuff for that. But if you want to run over thick brush and small trees, a great item. They make other attachments to connect onto the wheeled power unit -- snow-blower, fine mower deck, grader blade. Customer service is pretty good. Generac (the large generator corporation) bought out DR a while back, but they still support their old stuff for parts.
Though I was looking at 2nd-hand 'Billy Goat' brand, those kept getting sold pretty quick from the tool-rental shoppes before I could get the $$ together.
I've only had to replace the main belt, and an oil filter / oil change -- maybe 30-40 bucks. Not really unexpected.
Standard maintenance, actually.
Whatever, if you're looking to reclaim overgrown yard areas or make Bike trails through the woods, a good machine.
Expect to use more fuel in comparison to the average suburban mower.
Every acre of brush, trees, high grass takes a couple Liters of fuel.
Though it's pretty darn sturdy, and can whack Russian Olive brush down to pulp - so really worth the Fuel.
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: aray
(No subject)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
T-posts at thirty foot
T-posts at thirty foot intervals, laid out like a grid in the barren areas of the property.
Prevents helicopters from landing
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
I have an old (2002) one that
I have an old (2002) one that I bought new and use a dozen or so times a year - still works great.
A new one'd be nice, though...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Been running over brush at
Been running over brush at fields' edge today, plus some Amber waves of grain.
Only goes 4" high and then the bagger comes out for the compost.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: waterburyguy
I worked at Country Home
I worked at Country Home Products for about six years. Great product, great company.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
Never used a DR, but spent a
Never used a DR, but spent a couple of hundred hours behind the original, the Bachtold.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Not familiar with Bachtold
Not familiar with Bachtold brand machinery, but thanks for the tip. The "Gravely" machines are Grandpa - Style brush-cutters and multi-use farm machines in the same family. Change implements with a few wrenches, same belt.
When I see Gravely items for sale on the Craiglist, they are old and not quite running, but worth quite a lot...
Originally I was going for "Billy Goat" machine from Home Despot rental outlet (they sell off old stuff pretty cheap) but the DR turned out to be a better Deal. Mine actually has a 17 HP Kawasaki V-Twin motor, which runs pretty well and is a better build compared to Briggs stuff.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Probably the best Deal I've
Probably the best Deal I've gotten from Home Despot rental shoppe was the Makita chainsaw (actually a Dolmar made in Germany).
I can't really advise anyone to purchase a chainsaw from such a place, knowing that they have been abused and / or beat up.
Maybe I have a few thousand hours of chainsaw use and maintenance behind me, and have some insight as to 'wear & tear' indicators.
Perhaps that saw showed really no signs of continuous logger abuse, just weekend warrior stuff.
Have a Stihl MS-362 which is similar in CC's and torque, even the same 20" bar and chain. Really a nice practical chainsaw for what I do.
And I bought the Stihl Brand-New, with the worthless warranty. Still runs great; an excellent product. Have not needed the 90-day warranty in the three years + I've been running it. Well built machine.
Nonetheless, the Dolmar 2nd - hand was about half the price of the new Stihl MS-362, or even a bit less.
Dolmar performs just about as well, and the air-cleaning capabilities are better engineered.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
** `UPDATE` **
** `UPDATE` **
The other day DR Hog got a flat. Probably from running over an old fence post with nails ? It was buried in brush so couldn't be avoided.
They are a weird size of tire, and a pair are on order from some outfit in Minnesota.
Meanwhile my local Tire Shoppe put in a tube and installed it for $20. Of course I had to take the wheel off the machine -- three nuts and a jack.
Originally tubeless tires factory-injected with "Slime" or some other sealant. The new ones are $50 each w/ free shipping. Same Carlisle brand with a very knobby tread, like on snow-blower tires.
So the Hog was down for a couple of days. There's still a lot of tread on the old 4-ply tires, and now I'll have a pair of Brand-new ones. At least now I know that a cheap tube can be used for repair.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ausonius
Spent many an hour behind a
Spent many an hour behind a Gravely at my grandfathers in my youth. It had an attachable seat so it wasn't all bad.