Comments on: The DR Brush Mower http://www.coldclimategardening.com Hardy plants for hardy souls Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:24:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tim http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-78138 Tim Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:58:21 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-78138 My wife and I bought a DR brush mower (15HP model) to help us reclaim a 56-acre abandoned farm we bought in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in 2004. It was the best equipment purchase we made and we could not have cleared the overgrown brush, brambles, shrubs, and saplings that had taken over the 2-3 acres around the house (since restored and refurbished) without it. Rundy's cautions are all realistic, but with practice and a little care, you can use this machine to take down the heaviest brush on very difficult terrain. One big advantage is that it mulches everything it cuts down, so there's nothing to clean up -- the stuff just disappears. The biggest disadvantage is that the right-hand skid does tend to catch on roots and rocks when you put the machine in reverse. I am thinking of getting a machine shop to weld a bar between the end of the skid and the mower deck to stop this happening. As far as I can tell, that won't affect its operation and will still leave a large enough discharge space. In nearly 7 years of very heavy use, we've had no significant mechanical problems. We change the oil regularly, get it serviced once a year by the dealer, and have replaced the blade once and the battery once. DR doesn't make the 15HP model any more but I'm sure the newer models are just as good. My wife and I bought a DR brush mower (15HP model) to help us reclaim a 56-acre abandoned farm we bought in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in 2004. It was the best equipment purchase we made and we could not have cleared the overgrown brush, brambles, shrubs, and saplings that had taken over the 2-3 acres around the house (since restored and refurbished) without it. Rundy’s cautions are all realistic, but with practice and a little care, you can use this machine to take down the heaviest brush on very difficult terrain. One big advantage is that it mulches everything it cuts down, so there’s nothing to clean up — the stuff just disappears. The biggest disadvantage is that the right-hand skid does tend to catch on roots and rocks when you put the machine in reverse. I am thinking of getting a machine shop to weld a bar between the end of the skid and the mower deck to stop this happening. As far as I can tell, that won’t affect its operation and will still leave a large enough discharge space. In nearly 7 years of very heavy use, we’ve had no significant mechanical problems. We change the oil regularly, get it serviced once a year by the dealer, and have replaced the blade once and the battery once. DR doesn’t make the 15HP model any more but I’m sure the newer models are just as good.

]]> By: Rick Nudd http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-71864 Rick Nudd Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:49:51 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-71864 My experience with our DR field mower, model ATM isn't rosy. While we don't use the machine much, about 200 operating hours since it was new, I've had to: --weld the mower deck, --re-attached the mower deck to the chassis, as the mower separated--the two tubes broke off completely, --replace the spindle bearings, --weld the spindle bracket, --replace the clutch cable, My conclusion this is a light-duty homeowner mower, which is really intended to be parked in your garage. Rick Nudd My experience with our DR field mower, model ATM isn’t rosy.
While we don’t use the machine much, about 200 operating
hours since it was new, I’ve had to:
–weld the mower deck,
–re-attached the mower deck to the chassis, as the
mower separated–the two tubes broke off completely,
–replace the spindle bearings,
–weld the spindle bracket,
–replace the clutch cable,

My conclusion this is a light-duty homeowner mower,
which is really intended to be parked in your garage.

Rick Nudd

]]> By: Mike Carino http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-67914 Mike Carino Tue, 11 May 2010 05:20:14 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-67914 I have the 15hp commercial model and like you say the thing is a beast, but its very well built and I love it. I have the 15hp commercial model and like you say the thing is a beast, but its very well built and I love it.

]]> By: Flyboy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-67145 Flyboy Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:02:48 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-67145 After pushing a walk behind weed whip thru deer trails, meadows and my 15 acres of Minnesota woods for many years I finally bought a DR 12.5 HP Premier Brush Mower last fall after reading this essay. Thank goodness!!! Start it. Aim it. Hang on. Go. Normal four day job was done in less than two. I like this Premier cause it's smaller and lighter than the monster Rundy speaks of. Sometimes wish I'd gotten the big one, but at 60 years of age my wife says I made the right choice! After pushing a walk behind weed whip thru deer trails, meadows and my 15 acres of Minnesota woods for many years I finally bought a DR 12.5 HP Premier Brush Mower last fall after reading this essay. Thank goodness!!! Start it. Aim it. Hang on. Go. Normal four day job was done in less than two. I like this Premier cause it’s smaller and lighter than the monster Rundy speaks of. Sometimes wish I’d gotten the big one, but at 60 years of age my wife says I made the right choice!

]]> By: Chuck http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-64312 Chuck Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:01:28 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-64312 I used the smallest (220 lbs, 8.25 hp) fixed deck model to clear some overgrown fields in NH. Your description of the physical work involved is accurte, although this model does not have the variable power transmission. It never got seriously stuck, and went over ground far too uneven for our garden tractor. It did a great job on heavy grasses and brambles, but would not mulch small trees. Although it would cut up to 2 inch saplings it would often then hang up on the resulting stumps, and the steering work involved in avoiding rocks was no fun. I did not find it helpful in the woods making trails, as it is too long to maneuver safely between the bigger trees, and tends to haul one right into the branches of the trees that are too big to cut down. DR shows people mowing happily with safety glasses.... I now use safety glasses, a good logging helmet with a face screen, a heavy coat and pants, boots, and anti-vibration gloves. When stuff gets thrown out of the machine, which will happen when you tilt the blade housing up to maneuver or go after saplings, it becomes shrapnel, and 2 inch chuncks of tree can bounce right back at you. My advice is to go slow, as in 1st gear, unless you are on level ground, be careful, and quit when you are tired so you do not get sloppy. Its not as dangerous as using a chain saw, but it is nothing like a lawn mower. By the way the DR brush mower is, in my opinion, very solidly built, the company support is excellent... and their 6 month return warranty seems very generous (I have never had to use it). None of these things are true of some of the other lawn/gardening machine makers I have dealt with. But the gear from DR is, I suspect, rather specialized in application. My mover works very well on flat, rockfree ground, for example, but poorly on uneven slopes because of its length, narrow footprint, skid steering and weight. But it was cheaper to buy the DR and do it myself than rent one for 2 months, or hire someone with proper insurance, and now I have a pet monster hibernating in the shed. Hopefully next year I can motor over most of the ground I reclaimed in on my conventional 52" garden tractor, or a power drive push mower. Brush mowers are a last resort! I used the smallest (220 lbs, 8.25 hp) fixed deck model to clear some overgrown fields in NH. Your description of the physical work involved is accurte, although this model does not have the variable power transmission. It never got seriously stuck, and went over ground far too uneven for our garden tractor.
It did a great job on heavy grasses and brambles, but would not mulch small trees. Although it would cut up to 2 inch saplings it would often then hang up on the resulting stumps, and the steering work involved in avoiding rocks was no fun. I did not find it helpful in the woods making trails, as it is too long to maneuver safely between the bigger trees, and tends to haul one right into the branches of the trees that are too big to cut down. DR shows people mowing happily with safety glasses…. I now use safety glasses, a good logging helmet with a face screen, a heavy coat and pants, boots, and anti-vibration gloves. When stuff gets thrown out of the machine, which will happen when you tilt the blade housing up to maneuver or go after saplings, it becomes shrapnel, and 2 inch chuncks of tree can bounce right back at you. My advice is to go slow, as in 1st gear, unless you are on level ground, be careful, and quit when you are tired so you do not get sloppy. Its not as dangerous as using a chain saw, but it is nothing like a lawn mower.
By the way the DR brush mower is, in my opinion, very solidly built, the company support is excellent… and their 6 month return warranty seems very generous (I have never had to use it). None of these things are true of some of the other lawn/gardening machine makers I have dealt with. But the gear from DR is, I suspect, rather specialized in application. My mover works very well on flat, rockfree ground, for example, but poorly on uneven slopes because of its length, narrow footprint, skid steering and weight. But it was cheaper to buy the DR and do it myself than rent one for 2 months, or hire someone with proper insurance, and now I have a pet monster hibernating in the shed. Hopefully next year I can motor over most of the ground I reclaimed in on my conventional 52″ garden tractor, or a power drive push mower. Brush mowers are a last resort!

]]> By: Me http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-62081 Me Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:18:35 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-62081 The DR Brush mower desperately needs brake steering like some of the competitors have. The brake steering lets the machine do the work when turning and not the operator. I'm 6ft tall 200 lbs and it is by no means easy to steer this machine. Brake steering would allow the operator to slow down one wheel so that the machine will turn under its own power. I did some searches and saw that the Gravely products have been doing this for decades. I'm considering switching. The DR Brush mower desperately needs brake steering like some of the competitors have. The brake steering lets the machine do the work when turning and not the operator. I’m 6ft tall 200 lbs and it is by no means easy to steer this machine. Brake steering would allow the operator to slow down one wheel so that the machine will turn under its own power. I did some searches and saw that the Gravely products have been doing this for decades. I’m considering switching.

]]> By: Elaine Pike (alias Pikette) http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-59982 Elaine Pike (alias Pikette) Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:16:36 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-59982 This is my second attempt at renting brush mower. We have buildings on 5.91 acres (subdivided farm I grew up on in NE), but I can't afford to buy a brush mower right now. I wish I had a good old Champion mower (big, old, red thing from the 50's) that we used to use when we were kids. That thing would take care of the mixture of grasses, weeds, and, god forbid, the bind weed that got in there now. This rented mower will take care of it, but it is hard. It's not a Dr. Field, but what type of brush mower do you all think would do best on this bind weed? I am really going to wear out physically dealing with that stuff. We'll do our best to get it killed off in time, but in the mean time...... This is my second attempt at renting brush mower. We have buildings on 5.91 acres (subdivided farm I grew up on in NE), but I can’t afford to buy a brush mower right now. I wish I had a good old Champion mower (big, old, red thing from the 50′s) that we used to use when we were kids. That thing would take care of the mixture of grasses, weeds, and, god forbid, the bind weed that got in there now. This rented mower will take care of it, but it is hard. It’s not a Dr. Field, but what type of brush mower do you all think would do best on this bind weed? I am really going to wear out physically dealing with that stuff. We’ll do our best to get it killed off in time, but in the mean time……

]]> By: Mike http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-59310 Mike Sun, 17 May 2009 13:31:32 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-59310 I have the 17HP Commercial model. What I like about it is that it can go places where a tractor will fear to tread. Living in the middle of 12 acres in the forest, I use mine to keep property lines cleared, trails cut and the underbrush cleared out around the house. The power of the machine is awesome and not for the meek. When I first started using it it literally wore me out until I figured out how to just let it do the work while I hung on. I have even pushed it to its limits to see just what it will and will not do. I would advise against it, but taking down a 3" oak is not easy on the equipment nor the operator but it will definitely do it. I have the 17HP Commercial model. What I like about it is that it can go places where a tractor will fear to tread. Living in the middle of 12 acres in the forest, I use mine to keep property lines cleared, trails cut and the underbrush cleared out around the house.

The power of the machine is awesome and not for the meek. When I first started using it it literally wore me out until I figured out how to just let it do the work while I hung on. I have even pushed it to its limits to see just what it will and will not do. I would advise against it, but taking down a 3″ oak is not easy on the equipment nor the operator but it will definitely do it.

]]> By: John http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-56548 John Sun, 21 Dec 2008 03:47:01 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-56548 I have had the 15HP model for 3 seasons now to cut my small field (3 acres) Works great, but the rolling land has about done me in. I am now looking at the tow behind version for my ATV.. still better priced than a tractor and brush hog I have had the 15HP model for 3 seasons now to cut my small field (3 acres) Works great, but the rolling land has about done me in. I am now looking at the tow behind version for my ATV.. still better priced than a tractor and brush hog

]]> By: Adam http://www.coldclimategardening.com/essays/rundy/the-dr-brush-mower/comment-page-1/#comment-47701 Adam Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:15:13 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/the-dr-brush-mower/#comment-47701 I read and was entertained by your essays. I have a DR Mower 18 HP model. Yup you are right it is not meant for the "Grandma" on their commercial. I have 200 acres in the Adirondacks... trials on the property and 10 acres of fields. I have a tow brush cutter for the fields and use the DR to cut the field edges and trails. The machine is awsome a lot of power. It takes strength and endurance to run this machine. After you finish your results will be amazing. Buy an extra blade so you always have a sharp one ready to change. I bought the snow blower attachment too..... very good but it makes the machine too long. I read and was entertained by your essays. I have a DR Mower 18 HP model. Yup you are right it is not meant for the “Grandma” on their commercial. I have 200 acres in the Adirondacks… trials on the property and 10 acres of fields. I have a tow brush cutter for the fields and use the DR to cut the field edges and trails. The machine is awsome a lot of power. It takes strength and endurance to run this machine. After you finish your results will be amazing. Buy an extra blade so you always have a sharp one ready to change. I bought the snow blower attachment too….. very good but it makes the machine too long.

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