Rotary Cutter Rotary Cutter Techniques

   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #1  

MikePA

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Joined
Apr 25, 2001
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Location
PA
Tractor
Had TC25D, now JD X310
Perhaps this is intuitively obvious /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif but having never done this, I thought I'd better ask in advance of learning the hard way. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

When you're cutting close to something like a fence, barn, etc. and you need to turn the opposite direction, e.g., the fence is on your right and you need to turn to the left, how do you do this without knocking the fence down? Back up to get farther away? Don't get so close in the first place? Thanks!
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #2  
<font color=blue>Back up to get farther away? Don't get so close in the first place?</font color=blue>

Yep, that's about the only alternatives I've found./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #3  
Mike,

I have to agree that turning with a rotary cutter is not <font color=blue>intuitively obvious</font color=blue>. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

If you reaaaaallllyyy want to have fun, try turning in a tight spot with your FEL AND a rotary mower. My garden fence has taken the brunt of this lack of sense on my part. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

What I try to do, is to begin my turn about the combined length of the tractor and implements. Then turn gradually. This will have the implement follow the original direction for a time and then swing away from the object to be missed.

Try this, take a pen and hold it in the middle (pivot point). Face the top of the pen away from you (front of the tractor). Now turn the pen without moving foward. The back end will swing around. Anything in the path of the rear of the pen will be struck. If you gradually begin to turn as your moving forward(moving either to right or left of the pivot point), the rear end will not swing out as much and tend not to hit the object your trying to avoid.

Hope this helps.

Terry
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks, Terry and Bird!
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #5  
Mike - I agree with Terry. You need to start your turns gradually, which starts making some "swing room" for your turn. What this really means though is that you need to be planning way ahead, so that by the time that you need to turn, you already have the tractor at an angle.

You'll find that you can get this method to actually work for you, as your cutter will actually swing into places where the tractor could not go (like under a tree).
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. /w3tcompact/icons/clever.gif
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #7  
Kind of like driving a boat, ain't it? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #8  
I find my rotary doesn't get THAT close to buildings, fences, etc. - maybe 6" away - so a very gradual peeling away works fine. If it needs closer trimming, I back in while watching it and let it rub a little, go forward, back further etc. I use this method until I knock something over /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #9  
rbargeron,

And I thought I was the only one who used that technique./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
 
   / Rotary Cutter Techniques #10  
Mike,
This is another place where I use my tractor brakes. I'll start to turn away and then use the tractor brakes to turn really sharp and go forward at the same time and swing the rotary cutter right into the corner where the fence is. I usually don't miss very much at all doing it this way. It takes a little practice but once you get it down it's pretty easy.
 
 
 
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