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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: david beazley on June 22, 2014, 09:59:52 AM
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Does anyone use a self propelled mower on a cable mounted to a center pole to autonomosly cut grass circles?
Do they work or are they more trouble than they are worth? Any pictures of rigs that work?
Thanks!
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I believe that Perry Rose posted about such a setup (I think he had two mowers coupled together) but that may have been on a different forum. Perry is a member here and may respond or you could send him a private message.
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I got this trick from an old timer using a self propelled mower to cut a circle. First make up a wire harness attached to the front and back of the mower deck. Then cut 3 stakes from rebar. Next get a quart paint can. Get 70' of string strong enough to hold the mower. Place the can at the center of the circle after manually cutting the grass at the center. Drive the rebar stakes around the can. attach the string to a stake, then wind the string around the can and stakes in the opposite direction of mower travel. Attach the string to the harness and launch the mower wnwinding the string as it runs. Most mowers run long enough to cut the circle in one tank. Be sure to check the oil every run. Is it worth it? Try cutting a circle in the south Florida sun then tell me.
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My dad did this a couple of times. Neighbors called the cops for a run away mower LOL no charges were filed. Couple of points, don't leave it unattended, if it flips approach with extreme caution, check field for box turtles and golf balls, don't leave it unattended.
Takes me 20 minutes to cut an 85' radius with my 48" John Deer rider so, I've never tried it myself.
MM
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If you can use a riding mower and tow a roller instead -- do it. The best thing we ever did for the grass circle at our RC club was to roll it when the soil is moist -- we went from not being able to take a Skyray off without nosing over to being able to do smooth takeoffs with just about anything (even 1/2-A, if you scalp the grass a bit).
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There may be a photo of my arrangement. I use one to mow my lawn and one on each side to mow the r/c field and 150 foot diameter circle. Gets it done quickly. The rods are attached to the bar in front of the rear fender and at the back using 3/8 eye bolts bent to accept the rods. One eye bolt bolted to the push mower deck and another linked into it and bolted to the two rods. One mower can be backed up but two cannot. I've had one capsize and I waited a few seconds for it to run out of gas and stop before righting it. It can be dangerous. They don't call me lefty for nothing.
The New England Stunt Team uses the cable and push mower to mow their field in Wrentham, Ma. Too much stuff to set up for my taste.
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Darwin Uladahl used the drum and self propelled mower to mow the circle this year. David Trible uses a push mower. I have mowed the circle with a big rider zero turn. But, last Saturday after mowing and loading the mower up, after I got home it would not start.
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The Eugene Oregon Prop Spinners use/used a regular self-propelled mower on a tether to automatically mow each grass circle at the site they used for the NW CL Regionals. Check www.flyinglines.org (http://www.flyinglines.org) If the details aren't there, contact John Thompson, a member here at Stunthanger. D>K Steve
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New England Stunt Team mows its Wrentham, MA location using such setup. I just got the keys to the shed and instructions on how to set it up. I will try to video the operation and post it here when it's my turn to prep the circle. We've been using this setup for close to 20 years now. We're on lawnmower #3, I think but the setup still works like a charm.
"Laziness is mother of all invention" LL~