if you had £5-6k for a ride on?

[Warren1]

If its anything like the kazz danarm I use which is fan assisted it helps optimise collection , certainly worked when I mowed near the sleeve of my jacket , which I left on lawn !.

[Ty Korrigan]

Morning,

I've been doing grass here since 2003 but sold the client list off when I moved to Rennes.

We have been touting again for grass work around Rennes and 2 weeks ago bought a demonstrator Wolf A80K Pro to add to our Honda Hydostratic Pro walk behind.

The difference we have is ALL French clients require their grass to be removed and generally have prissy boring gardens whilst the Brits would tolerate cut and drop as they are generally second homes.

I'd collect only around the immediate area of the house and even then it would be tipped on site.

To transport and remove the grass requires us to use our tipper and small plant trailer, quite an extra investment but one we already had.

As you'll still require a decent walk behind it is this I'd look at getting first.

For years I used this on huge lawns often with a small 'big bag' that takes 3 mower sacks.

The advantage is that I can get the small mower etc in the kangoo van and take grass away in the trailer.

Around here, we estimate our grass cutting with a walk behind at 28euros p/h with the Wolf ride on at 37.50 per hour.

Trouble you'll find is that when grass cutting for Brits it is difficult to charge a decent rate as there are so many impoverished ex-pats doing the same at silly prices.

I get told frequently that 15-20euros is the 'going' rate...

Every-one knows a 'Dix Euros Dave' and many work on the black.

Just ask on Anglo-misinfo...hhh!

Something to consider is a micro tractor on grass tyres with a cutting deck underneath.

This you could use for larger lawns (cut and drop) and also for field topping, rotavating (change wheels) and even dragging logs out.

Just a thought...

Best of luck with it!

[wrsni]

BX2200 with fan assisted collector is looking nice too, not sure on the benefits of the fan assisted bit?????

 

Well fan assist is an absolute necessity for a side discharge deck to act as a collector. Main benefit is more air flow than could ever be generated by blades on their own allowing the use of a "clam-shell" collector which will both hold more grass and sit closer to the machine. A side discharge deck will also be best deck for use in the wet when you don't have to collect as the deck itself is as close to unblockable as you'll get.

 

Drawbacks compared to a good rear discharge machine are extra complication, quite clumsy at one side of the machine and if it DOES block, a nightmare to free up again as fan and everything will need cleared out. Rear discharge can be cleared in a couple of minutes, even less on a Kubota if all the flaps in the chute are working properly.

 

Ever consider a compact tractor with flail collector, flail is becoming increasingly popular for many reasons. Stretching your budget a bit I know but you could start off with a cheaper tractor and upgrade it as time wore on.

Edited May 1, 2013 by wrsni

[Justme]

I use a G18 to do about 2 acres of camp site.

 

As long as its not to long (IE been left far to long between cuts) and wet it works fine. It has the high tip & has had no problems with it.

[wrsni]

I use a G18 to do about 2 acres of camp site.

 

As long as its not to long (IE been left far to long between cuts) and wet it works fine. It has the high tip & has had no problems with it.

 

G18 became the G21, not a lot of differences between them either I believe.

[gensetsteve]

toro 325 I think, had them for years 6ft deck with recycler. 25hp diesel 1 acre 20 mins no grass to collect very little left behind if you dont allow it to grow too long.

[normandylumberjack]

Well fan assist is an absolute necessity for a side discharge deck to act as a collector. Main benefit is more air flow than could ever be generated by blades on their own allowing the use of a "clam-shell" collector which will both hold more grass and sit closer to the machine. A side discharge deck will also be best deck for use in the wet when you don't have to collect as the deck itself is as close to unblockable as you'll get.

 

Drawbacks compared to a good rear discharge machine are extra complication, quite clumsy at one side of the machine and if it DOES block, a nightmare to free up again as fan and everything will need cleared out. Rear discharge can be cleared in a couple of minutes, even less on a Kubota if all the flaps in the chute are working properly.

 

Ever consider a compact tractor with flail collector, flail is becoming increasingly popular for many reasons. Stretching your budget a bit I know but you could start off with a cheaper tractor and upgrade it as time wore on.

 

How do they fair with wet grass? not cutting in the rain but say early morning with heavy dew, or if it has rained recently.