I just mowed with a DR® Trimmer/Mower. Ask me anything!

[CottonBear]

Holy cow! This is one amazing piece of machinery. You can cut down brush and small trees (with the heavy duty trimmer string no less!) in addition to mowing. I did cut down a fiberglass horse pasture fence post by mistake. Oops! I've got to learn my cutting radius. You can do some serious damage if you're not paying attention!

DR® Trimmer/Mower Commercial - 6.75 HP model:


I can also add the Beaver Blade. It has a chainsaw edge for extra cutting power!


The very cool bulb planting attachment was also ordered:

[shoelace414]

1. do you hate the earth?

:)

[CottonBear]

3. No. I LOVE the earth!

I use this DR trimer/mower at the horse farm where my horse lives.

You have to keep the grass off off the electric fence so that the charge will not be interrupted. I do hate the invasive, non-native privet (evergreen shrub) which is endemic and blocks out native woodland species. I attacked the privet with the DR.

[mongo]

2. Are you one of those people that get paid for talking about

products on message boards/chat rooms?

[CottonBear]

5. No. Purely a postive review by a satisfied consumer!

This DR is really expensive but worth the cost if you have acres of property (like a farm or ranch) and need a heavy duty machine.

[sui generis]

4. I trimmed my bush last weekend

I wonder what the beaver blade is for? :shrug:

[CottonBear]

6. LOL! That was my first thought when I saw the blade's name!

Ouch! I wouldn't cut my personal bush with that!

Edit: There is a road off of I-85 in Atlanta called Beaver Ruin Road! :eyes:

[MuseRider]

7. I WANT one of those

so badly for the areas my brush hog won't go. I have never priced one but would guess they are pricey. So it is worth it huh? I may have to break down and get one. It would be so good around the ponds and in the horse pasture where the hog won't fit.

That chainsaw edge, how well does it work and how close to the ground does it cut? I ask so the baler won't get screwed up in haying season.

[CottonBear]

9. It is great for those areas. Ours isn't self-propelled.

Too much back and forth for that. It is an excellent mower too!

We haven't tried out the beaver blade yet. I suspect you could take down a 4" tree with it! I'm not sure how it attaches. The string head might come off first.

The string head has 3 or 4 height levels and there are medium to very heavy duty, twisted strings.

There are cultivator attachments too!

Our model is listed at $836.10 plus the cost of accessories.

link to the model shown:
http://www.drpower.com/TwoStepModelDetail.aspx?Name=TRMCommercial675HP&p1Name=TrimmerMower2Step&Chap=TRMModels&BC=0%3aHome%7c2%3aDRPowerHome%7c3%3aTrimmerMower2Step&LinkType=3

link to all models:
http://www.drpower.com/TwoStepModels.aspx?Name=TrimmerMower2Step&Chap=TRMModels&SiteEntryMode=0&BC=0%3aHome%7c2%3aDRPowerHome%7c3%3aTrimmerMower2Step&LinkType=3

[CottonBear]

10. I did get hay string stuck in the trimmer head

but it was easy to get out.

Caution: Always unplug the spark plug BEFORE doing any maintenance!

[CottonBear]

11. The mow ball support is recommended for use with the blade.

link:
http://www.drpower.com/TwoStepModelDetail.aspx?Name=TRMAluminumMowBall&p1Name=TrimmerMower2Step&Chap=TRMAccessories&BC=0%3aHome%7c2%3aDRPowerHome%7c3%3aTrimmerMower2Step&LinkType=3

I don't know if we got one of these with our blade. You can tilt the machine up and down to cut higher or lower or to go over something that you don't want to cut. Oh yeah, you can angle the wheels so that you can cut more to one side! Good for under fences but WATCH OUT for the fence posts! I already took out one!


http://www.drpower.com/TwoStepModelDetail.aspx?Name=TRMBeaverBlade&p1Name=TrimmerMower2Step&Chap=TRMModels&BC=0%3aHome%7c2%3aDRPowerHome%7c3%3aTrimmerMower2Step&LinkType=3
Beaver Blade® Attachment
Easily cut brush and saplings up to 3” thick! The DR® TRIMMER/MOWER equipped with the BEAVER BLADE® will transform your machine into an amazing brush cutter on wheels--capable of cutting tough berry canes, brush, even hardwood trees up to 3 inches in diameter.
The BEAVER BLADE’s patented circular chainsaw chain-in-groove design allows the chain to absorb some of the sudden shocks and stresses that can easily shatter a fixed-tooth brush blade, because the chain slips slightly in the groove when it hits obstacles. The weight of the machine is supported by the wheels, so there's far less chance for the blade to twist, bind, or kick back.

[MuseRider]

15. Thank you for all the info.

That is pretty pricey but it looks like it could do the jobs that one needs with a farm and a lot easier to use around the tight spots than a tractor. LOL, I took out part of my fence with my harrow the first time I hooked it on the back of my tractor. Looks like something we will need once we get moved out there. I am going to bookmark this for future reference.

[CottonBear]

19. You're welcome!

Happy trails to you and your horses! :) :) :)

My friend (who bred my horse and owns the farm) once took out an entire wooden fence with her horse trailer at the Holsteiner Approvals!

[MuseRider]

20. That is a scream!

People watch for me when I am driving my horse trailer. I can't seem to back it up properly. 35 feet of uncontrollable trailer, it is a scary thing to behold. They usually try to leave a place for me to pull through or they all run over to direct me and laugh. I will never learn.

[CottonBear]

22. Oh! My friend NEVER backs up.

She won't park the rig unless she can pull forward. LOL!

[BOSSHOG]

8. Nice Machine Cotton Bear

I could use that in the south end of my property. I need to get mowing today. Needs to dry out just a lil bit more. The weather here has been incredibly accomodating for getting out in the garden.

[CottonBear]

12. Thanks! I belongs to the farm but I am the designated operator!

When I get my own farm, I'm getting one of these! There are many models. The one I use is electric starting but not self-propelled. If you do a lot of back and forth you don't need that. Those big wheels roll really easy!

It is great gardening weather here too! I'm on a work break now, so I can't enjoy the outdoors until tonight when I go to feed my Cotton filly! I've got to plant my daylilies tonight!

[Tummler]

13. Nice!

Thanks for the links and info. I'm in the market for a new mowing/trimming solution, and that looks mighty tempting.

[CottonBear]

14. DR is great. Get the model that suits your needs.

There is a wide rangle of HP, features and prices.

http://www.drpower.com/TwoStepModels.aspx?Name=TrimmerMower2Step&Chap=TRMModels&SiteEntryMode=0&BC=0%3aHome%7c2%3aDRPowerHome%7c3%3aTrimmerMower2Step&LinkType=3

edit: electric starting is great. There is also manual starter on the mower/trimmer in case the electric starter doesn't work.

[Tummler]

21. Thanks again

I would definitely want the electric-starting option, no matter which model I get. I've put up with finicky, manual-start mowers my whole life, and I'm ready to kick 'em to the curb.

Not sure if I need the self-propelled model, especially in light of the added expense. My property includes a typical "lawn" portion (where the self-propulsion might be useful) as well as a bunch of irregular, scrubby, hilly, rocky areas with grass and weeds that tend to get out of control. Ideally this machine will handle both types of land with a minimum of re-configuration.

The various attachments for use with the Power Take-Off system also look great.

To help me make up my mind, I ordered the free videotape and catalog:
http://www.drpower.com/twoStepInquiry.aspx?Name=TrimmerMower2Step

[CottonBear]

24. Cool! I love free videos of power equipment.

One can always dream! The DR rolls really easily. I suppose you have to shift into reverse to go backward with the self-propelled model.

[CottonBear]

18. You're welcome!

:)

[Atlas Mugged]

16. I have the Cub Cadet version of that

Something like 17hp - very powerful. Is the Beaver Blade specifically designed for the DR Trimmer or will it fit other makes? I desperately need to take down a shitload of Osier Dogwood, wild roses and other woodies before the field gets to the young woodland stage.

[CottonBear]

17. Yep, it's just for the DR.

A cheap solution is a double-sided brush/swing blade like the ones that survey crews use. They have long wooden handles. I've seen surveyors take out 6" diameter oak trees with one of these bad boys!

I cut down a ton of woodies with just the trimmer string. I haven't even tried the extra heavy-duty, twisted blue trimmer string yet! I took out 1" diameter woodies with the orange string.

What fun! :)

[Blue-Jay]

23. May I please borrow it for an afternoon?

:D

[CottonBear]

25. Sure! Just chug on down to Georgia!

I see from your profile that you like "Blues, Beer, Books" and that you're a musician. I live in Athens, GA, home of UGA, a great music scene, super local bookstores and great bars that serve fine beer.

Come on down and sit a spell!