Fenceline Mower

Fenceline Mower FENCING Miscellaneous 19-4-3 "I built it to keep the electric fence surrounding my apple trees free of weeds. It makes the job easy and is fun to operate," says Harold Smith, Muscatine, Iowa, about his unusual double-decked fenceline mower fitted with a "one-hand" handle. The 32-in. self-propelled mower has two decks mounted side-by-side and fitted with 16 1/4-in. blades belt-driven off the engine crankshaft. The mower's carried by two 10-in. wheels and a low-profile 4-in. dia. rubber-covered roller that mounts behind the outside deck. The roller was made by covering a wood roller with rubber pipe. The mower's single handle swings to either side or can be adjusted up and down by loosening allen set screws. It's fitted with a squeeze-type clutch control and throttle. The single front wheel is chain-driven off a right angle gearbox. Smith used 14-ga. steel plate to make the deck. A 3 1/2 hp Briggs & Stratton engine bolts on top. "I've used it for two years with no problems," says Smith. "I have a 3-ft. high electric wire on each side of a row of apple trees. I mow about 6 in. high under the fence. I can work the throttle, put the mower in gear, and steer all with one hand. It's handy to be able to swing the handle out to either side. If the mower doesn't have enough traction, I just lift up on the handle to put pressure on the front wheel." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold L. Smith, 3404 Tipton Rd., Muscatine, Iowa 52761 (ph 319 263-6132).

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