what have you mowed today? - Machine Underground -Tractor & Commercial Equipment Discussion Forum

LoneCowboy · 05-22-2008, 11:00 AM

Besides of course grass/weeds/small trees, there are the always interesting things you hit while mowing (bushhogging if you will)

The worst thing I ever hit was a hog panel on my dual spindle 8' mower. Totally wrapped itself around both spindles and that wire is thick, you couldn't cut it. Took over an hour to get it all unwound.

The coolest thing I ever hit was a water meter. Yes, really the big cast iron cover wasn't set to grade ( about 6" up) and I destroyed that big cover and the iron piece that extends down into the meter itself.

Yesterday I got a garden hose. Someobody left a hose all wound up (I suppose it was, I didn't find it til too late). Not much left of the old garden hose after getting chopped up by the rotary cutter.

My rule is if I can't see it, and it's not marked it's not my fault. If I could see it and hit it then it's my fault.

what have you hit today?

Machine

Edster · 05-22-2008, 11:09 AM

The worst thing I ever hit was the dogs basket ball. Not with a mower but with a snowblower. THing got wedged behind the impellers, took me almost an hour to get it out.

During hay season we always get a turkey or two. Ya don't feel them with the mower. But when you're tedding ya feel them big time.

Mickey · 05-22-2008, 11:40 AM

This yr we've been bombarded with pine cones. I'm too lazy to pick them up prior to mowing. We have 3 large pine trees out back and they are loaded.

So far nothing more serious but there is still time. Later this yr it will be apples on the ground. Instant applesauce.

jbrumberg · 05-23-2008, 08:39 AM

I have returned cinder blocks (previous owner

) back to cinders (very loud), reshaped some barbecue grill parts (metal art), and pulverized a complete cow femur that one of my dogs had brought home (very loud and destroyed my RC's blades in the process

). The most exciting thing I ever mowed was a yellow jacket wasp nest. They were rather agitated and aggressive after I stirred them up

. There are times when you wish that you had a higher gear range on your tractor. Luckily I was wearing some heavy clothing- I only got stung a couple of times. Jay

GreenWannabe · 05-25-2008, 10:44 AM

Wow, Jay, you win the prize!

I was just taking a swig of coffee while I was reading your post. Wound up spewing coffee over my computer and

at the same time!

Fred

Underdog · 05-25-2008, 07:36 PM

Found
An old flat - with some heavy substance still in it - 55 gallon steel drum.
An old fire hose, the heavy material type.
Totally took my tractor down, was a pain to get out. Later i put the hose in a brush pile and it went up like gasoline. If i had known i would have saved it for fire starter material.

SkunkWerX · 05-26-2008, 07:26 AM

While Bush Hogging I hit a Tee Post. Yanked it out by the roots. It spun around under the deck, probably for no more than 2 seconds, but, it felt like it was 2 minutes from where i was sitting. The metal on metal sound made my back molars hurt. Result was a Tee Post pretzel.

Jay's story reminds me of a friend, who had purchased a home that had a handful of fruit trees out back. The place had gone into disrepair but he chiupped away at the rennovation, slowly cleaned it up, including the 2+ acres of lawn.

Well, bees love rotten fruit left on the ground and the prior owners had evidently left rotten fruit on the ground for years.

He was mowing out back, made his turn at the property line to head back to the other end. he looked ahead of him, and couldn't figure out what that big dark cloud was hovering about 4 feet off the ground?? Was his motor smoking? Was it a miniature rain cloud? Ball lightning? No, it was the swarm of bees who emerged from their hole in the ground, under the apples trees, after he had made a mowing pass right over their hole!!

As he approach the cloud, he realized what they were, as the first "fighters" reached him. buzzing him as if to to say "Target acquired".
By his account, he "did a donut" in the backyard while performing a 180 degree turn, slammed the throttle to FULL ON, and didn't stop or look back until he had mowed a cartoon-style path of grass around the side of the house and out across the yet-to-be-mowed front yard and down his driveway toward his mailbox.

He looked at the path later on and it had looked like a Mad-man had had gone on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride through his yard.

He waited for a cool fall evening to exact his revenge.
He had reconned the hole in the ground which he described as "Big enough to put your fist inisde". One gallon of gasoline (he wasn't messing around) and a road flare later it was all over. The flames shot up into the air at least 20 feet, liek a "Big Bee Blow Torch".
Don't worry, he only singed his arm hair up to his elbow as he laughed that "mad scientist laugh" as the flames shot skyward.

jbrumberg · 05-26-2008, 12:12 PM

I love pyrotechnics

. There is a PC way to do in a ground nest: Place a clear plastic bowl securely over the nest hole at night and the wasps will congregate under the bowl. It appears that if they can see the sun they will not try to burrow/dig under the bowl for an exit. I prefer accelerants- much quicker and much more exciting. Jay

PaulChristenson · 05-26-2008, 07:38 PM

I hit an ant hill...or should I say ANT MOUND!!!...

SkunkWerX · 05-26-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrumberg

I love pyrotechnics

. There is a PC way to do in a ground nest: Place a clear plastic bowl securely over the nest hole at night and the wasps will congregate under the bowl. It appears that if they can see the sun they will not try to burrow/dig under the bowl for an exit. I prefer accelerants- much quicker and much more exciting. Jay

Jay, the other effective, but no so accelerant related method, is to get a 5 gallon bucket. Put some ice and cold water in it. Add your favorite Bug Juice, stirred not shaken.
I happen to like Malathion for bees. At night, when they are all in the hole, pour the concoction into the hole. The cold/ice water stops them in their tracks, just like it was a cold night, then the Bug Juice makes 'em take the "eternal dirt-nap".

No glorious fireballs, no Bangs or POWs. But it does effectively kill 100% of them.

I like the fireballs myself. Like little fun mushroom clouds.