Sickle or disk mower

[sweettractors]

We have sold untold hundreds of the Fort/First Choice Disc Mowers with no problems, if the customer reads him manual or buys from a dealer to show/tell him how to set it up initially. We stock all parts for Fort/First Choice disc mowers. We usually have good used parts in stock also. Used parts are 1/2 price of new. Ken Sweet

 

[foreman Etexas]

I bought the VICON, the three blade system allowed me to go a wider cut with what hp I have

They only way it will throw anything on you,is if your cutting with the cover up..

 

[doohicky]

We have used both the sickle bar mower/conditioners(Hesston & New Holland) and an older Vicon discbine(KM321) with crimper rolls. I really wasn't impressed with this discbine(maybe because it was older) but the Hesston haybine did a better job. As for the expense of repairs, the regular haybine is MUCH cheaper. If you have 1 bearing go out in the bottom of the discbine expect to replace EVERYTHING! Ours went out 2 times and we had over $1k each time in the bearings and gears, the third time was the charm, the junk man is getting it.

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

A friend of mine had a rock (soft ball size) total out a discbine. All of the gears driving the turtles run in the same oil. Metal went through the whole bar. $14,000 estimate to repair. My old NH 489 sickle cut might of needed a guard and section replaced for hitting a rock like that.

 

[Joseph Musil]

I am in the same situation with my Vicon KM321. I am going to fix it if I can for the 3rd time. One bearing went out and it ruined 4 gear shafts and 8 of the intermediate gears. Do you still have your KM 321? I would like to buy your cutter bar for parts if you still have it or if you know of anyone else including your junkman who might have parts.

Joe Musil 319 389 0158 Leave message

 

[codybigc]

We have a Massey/hesston rotary good mower however it seems to be hard on even our big tractor, if we had a caddy not so much. We have just purchased a tm800 and the first thing I saw was how easy it was to change blades. About 15 min for the Vermeer and 45 min on our Massey. Second I bought it used for 6500 and the darnd thing cutts like my a champ. U can see everything you mow . Have not tried it on our little tractor yet but it seems like I can go as fast as the field will let me. I will be cutting a very smooth field in about one hour and we will see how fast I can go . For right now I know the thing can handle 7-8 mph quite easily.

I am thinking about getting a "new" mower and I would like some opinions. I currently have one double 7' Kosch sickle and one 9' JD sickle mower. I am possibly haying by myself this year, so speed is important, and here is what I was thinking about as far as choices. I have varying types of grass, a lot of lowland/thick (if it would ever rain), and some very thin, mostly flat ground. I only go over about 900 acres or so a year. The two choices below are basically about the same price.

A Kosch double 9' hydraulic drive sickle mower. This is similar to a Rowse mower, but I will not buy any Rowse product no matter what.

A Vermeer TM800 disc trail mower 10.5' cut. I don't know anyone that has a disc mower, and I know little about them. I thought I heard that you could mow faster with them. If so would it be possible to mow about as much ground (in the same ballpark or close) as the 18' sickle?

I don't want a mower conditioner, anyone I've seen with those the hay gets moldy before it's dry, even when they turn the row over. I don't want a drum mower, I don't think there are any of those around.

Thanks.

 

[blaze 57]

I am thinking about getting a "new" mower and I would like some opinions. I currently have one double 7' Kosch sickle and one 9' JD sickle mower. I am possibly haying by myself this year, so speed is important, and here is what I was thinking about as far as choices. I have varying types of grass, a lot of lowland/thick (if it would ever rain), and some very thin, mostly flat ground. I only go over about 900 acres or so a year. The two choices below are basically about the same price.

A Kosch double 9' hydraulic drive sickle mower. This is similar to a Rowse mower, but I will not buy any Rowse product no matter what.

A Vermeer TM800 disc trail mower 10.5' cut. I don't know anyone that has a disc mower, and I know little about them. I thought I heard that you could mow faster with them. If so would it be possible to mow about as much ground (in the same ballpark or close) as the 18' sickle?

I don't want a mower conditioner, anyone I've seen with those the hay gets moldy before it's dry, even when they turn the row over. I don't want a drum mower, I don't think there are any of those around.

Thanks.

I have used both a double action sickle mower and a disc mower and to tell you the truth the double action sickle mower can mow just as fast as the disc mower in the tall thick pain in the butt grass. I would go with a 9 ft double action sickle mower over a disc mower plus I think the regrowth is much better when using a sickle mower compared to a disc mower. I notice this as a side by side comparison when using both the sickle mower and disc mower on the same field. Also fuel consumption is WAY WAY less with the sickle mower...they take little HP to run.,

 

[sweettractors]

I have used both a double action sickle mower and a disc mower and to tell you the truth the double action sickle mower can mow just as fast as the disc mower in the tall thick pain in the butt grass. I would go with a 9 ft double action sickle mower over a disc mower plus I think the regrowth is much better when using a sickle mower compared to a disc mower. I notice this as a side by side comparison when using both the sickle mower and disc mower on the same field. Also fuel consumption is WAY WAY less with the sickle mower...they take little HP to run.,

I have a employee that owns a double action sickle mower and a disc mower. He mows just as fast and with virtually no clogging with the double action mower. People see him mowing a field and later ask him what the H--- is that machine you are mowing with. Call us sometimes and ask for Kenny, he will give you first hand knowledge of disc mowers and double action mowers. He and I have over 100 years of combined experience operating mowers of all types. Ken Sweet