Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino)

   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino) #1  

BGigHarbor

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Joined
Jun 11, 2013
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434
Location
GIg Harbor ish
Tractor
.l5460, bcs 725, 852
I am considering buying a gas bcs 823 with maybe 6.5 x 12 x 23 inch wheels and some sort of brush mower. Localish dealer only carries the bcs mowers while I see earth tools seems to like the zannon super heavy duty. Is the Zannon better built?

I am in the process of buying a 22 acre lot. Not flat and lots of brush and grass and scotchbroom and blackberries to conquer (although I may hire a bobcat with a big brush hog to get me started).


Probably start with a brush mower and maybe get a flail at some point.

Any advice/opnions is welcome, as it's uncharted territory for me (although I have had a bcs 730 tiller for maybe 15 years and love it as a tiller).
 
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   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino)
  • Thread Starter
#2  
Also I see on the earth tools site they recommend a debris screen for use with the brush mower. Is that an OEM bcs item or something ET has come up with?

And when do folks use wheel weights?
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino) #3  
I am actually trying to sell my whole BCS setup, but I have owned the BCS brush hog and the sickle bar, and can say I used the sickle bar more than the brush hog. The sickle is much faster and still cuts thin "weeds" pretty well. It REALLY shines in thicker stuff like 1" saplings. The brush hog was slow due to the 20" width, but I it would do better for maintaining small areas or paths.
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino)
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I am actually trying to sell my whole BCS setup, but I have owned the BCS brush hog and the sickle bar, and can say I used the sickle bar more than the brush hog. The sickle is much faster and still cuts thin "weeds" pretty well. It REALLY shines in thicker stuff like 1" saplings. The brush hog was slow due to the 20" width, but I it would do better for maintaining small areas or paths.

If I go the 823 route I may end up buying a sicklebar, too.

Can I ask why your are selling your whole bcs setup?

Anyone familiar with both Zannon super heavy duty brush mower and regular bcs/del marino one and have an opnion if the zannon is more durable?

Thanks for any help.

I plan to buy some sort of used bigger tractor at some point and run a bigger brush hog to keep things under control once I have the brush knocked down by hired big guns. But given the terrain and smaller areas (and trails) I intend to mow I think a smaller 2 wheel mower will be useful.
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino)
  • Thread Starter
#5  
In trying to find prices of larger wheels for bcs, I got to wondering if I bought an 823 with the 6.5 x 12 x 23 inch wheels, would I need a pto extension to run either the bcs brush mower or a flail mower?
 
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   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino) #6  
If I go the 823 route I may end up buying a sicklebar, too.

Can I ask why your are selling your whole bcs setup?

Anyone familiar with both Zannon super heavy duty brush mower and regular bcs/del marino one and have an opnion if the zannon is more durable?

Thanks for any help.

I plan to buy some sort of used bigger tractor at some point and run a bigger brush hog to keep things under control once I have the brush knocked down by hired big guns. But given the terrain and smaller areas (and trails) I intend to mow I think a smaller 2 wheel mower will be useful.

I just do not use it as much as I should after I bought the Kioti. I may wind up keeping the sickle bar though, that is handy. I think you would be fine with bigger tires, there is a lot of clearance. If you are going to be mowing trails, the BCS would be great to have.
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino)
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Sort of considering a BCS 852 instead of an 853 in case I ever want to use a sulky. At this point I don't think I"ll ever till with it, just mow and maybe chip.

For tilling I've been happy with my 730 and plan to just keep using that.
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino) #8  
I am considering buying a gas bcs 823 with maybe 6.5 x 12 x 23 inch wheels and some sort of brush mower. Localish dealer only carries the bcs mowers while I see earth tools seems to like the zannon super heavy duty. Is the Zannon better built?

I am in the process of buying a 22 acre lot. Not flat and lots of brush and grass and scotchbroom and blackberries to conquer (although I may hire a bobcat with a big brush hog to get me started).


Probably start with a brush mower and maybe get a flail at some point.

Any advice/opnions is welcome, as it's uncharted territory for me (although I have had a bcs 730 tiller for maybe 15 years and love it as a tiller).

You don't mention mower size. Because your property is so big, I think it would be a mistake to get anything smaller than the largest size (32 inch). Is the ground rough at all? The twin spindle Zanon will likely be shorter from front to back than the BCS unit, so it may be less likely to hang up on you.

Also, if you think you will end up with a flail mower later anyway, I would suggest to buy the flail mower right away and skip buying the rotary mower at all. If you have the flail, I think you can mow anything the brush mower can mow. I just bought a Berta 34 inch flail mower from Earth Tools a few weeks ago, and so far I am pretty impressed with it. It mulches very evenly, and because it has a heavy roller, it also creates a striping effect that is visually appealing. According to Earth Tools, if you remove the baffle, it can move forward at high ground speed, similar to a rotary brush mower. So far I have left the baffle in and put it in low gear, so I can't vouch for that.

--McKenzie
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino) #9  
Hi,


Considering a Grillo 107d to cut down 2 acre old farm field pasture that we some day plan to build on. So this is flat field, but has not been worked for years so is somewhat bumpy, and is growing just old field grass. Thoughts on best mower type to get for the Grillo? Flail, bush cutter?

Thanks!
 
   / Need some advice on bcs style mowers-zannon vs bcs (del marino)
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Here's a more straightforward question about the bcs 26 and the zanon 28 rotary mowers.

What is the max cutting height of each? I have seen the bcs (delmarino) listed at 4, 4.5, and 5 so I don't know which is correct. And looking at the zano pdf it looks like it is saying the max height is 8 cm which seems too low.

Anyone know the max heights of these brush mowers? For me, the higher the better.
 
 
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