On Mon, 2 May 2005 21:03:19 +0100, "Sumgod"
wrote:

Hiya,

I've got just over and acre of rough grassland (mid-Wales hillside stuff)
that I've been fighting for a couple or three years. Needless to say I'm not
winning!

The idea was to cut it a couple of times a year, emulating the management of
the surrounding farmland, e.g. the hay is cut and then it's then cropped by
cattle. A ride-on mower won't touch it, neither will a honda self-propelled.
So I resort to a petrol strimmer. Hell! So........leave it all to die down
over winter and then strim it all back. Which is better labour and effort
wise but I've defeated my initial intention!

Knowledgeable folk (!) say that I should get a power scythe of the Allen
type but cost benefit has me head scratching. £700/£800 to use twice a year?

Now I've got the chance to lay out about £300 for a 3 year old Alko Farmer
2-stroke powered scythe. Since I know absolutely nothing about such machines
or the Alko brand, does anyone have any experience or advice about this type
of machine?

If you have been, thanks for the help.

Regards - Tony

The old Allen will do the job and you'd probably get one free or dirt
cheap - that's because as Anthony has said they are pigs to use and
maintain - and no reverse so if you get stuck in a corner facing
downhill you've got a struggle to get out. There are professional
modern versions at a price, also again at a price are machines like
bloomin great strimmers on wheels but I think self propelled models
will be outside your budget.

=================================================

Rod

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