Sickle Bar Sickle Bar Mower - Best Brands?

[40_acre_mule]

Howdy,

I'm looking to get a sicklebar mower. I will be cutting along the edge of a lake and a ditch. I also want to run it in the vertical position to act as a hedge trimmer along the sides of a walking path.
The one made by Befco seems to have the features I want, but I am unfamiliar with their products/quality/customer service.

What do y'all have? Are you happy with yours?

Appreciate the input...

 

[Farmwithjunk]

"BEst brand" or models IMHO, are New Holland 451 or Deere #350. But they won't cut with cutterbar fully raised. .

The Deere dealer just up the road from me has a new ROWSE brand. It features hydraulic bar lift, and uses a knock-off of the New Holland gear box. Looks quality... Looks EXPENSIVE.

 

[gordon21]

Have you checked the prices yet of new ones? They start at $3000 That is why I ended up buying a used one for $600. I only trim the sides of the 1.5 mile shared road going up the mountain. I figure at 4 mows per year over 3 years, that is still costing me $50 every time I use it. The good news is that I will be able to sell it in years from now and get my full $600 back.

 

[Chuck_Lind]

Been looking for a "fairly inexpensive" sickle bar mower for my farm for years. There IS NO FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE sickle bar mower on the planet!!

Probably the best...new or used, is a New Holland 451.

What used to be an inexpensive item is now very expensive.

Rowse?? Very good mower = very expensive, like $5800 for a new one.

"Keep on lookin'..is all I can say. And I'm still looking..after 4 years in this business.

Best of luck everyone!!!

 

[JoeinTX]

"I'm looking to get a sicklebar mower. I will be cutting along the edge of a lake and a ditch. I also want to run it in the vertical position to act as a hedge trimmer along the sides of a walking path.."

I haven't really looked at any of the other sickles, but our AC sickle will not cut in the vertical transport position. It is a towed versus 3pt model, but, I don't really know about the other makes because this one is 40 years old and still as good as new and I've found zero need for any further use for it.


The whole sickle-bar situation today is a little weird to me..........why they are so desired and expensive isn't right. A rotary cutter does the job of pasture maintenance EXPONENTIALLY better. A swather or disc moco is better and faster for haying. When you can have either for the same price, new and used, why not go with them?

A sickler requires much greater awareness of what you are cutting, has a lingering tendancy to clog much easier, and requires more maintenance than either alternative.

Hey, it beats a scythe, but only in light of today's advancements.

 

[McRancher]

I have been looking for one too, and they are hard to find. You can look on the equipment locator sites, Iron Search, Tractor House, etc and they have quite a few used ones for around $1000. There was one place I checked into that had an IH 1300 for about $1000, but it was going to be another $300 for shipping (Kentucky to Colorado).

I did find a MF 41 at a local tractor dealer for $450, but it needs some work. The connector is missing, the tension pulley is frozen up, needs a belt and the bar shows quite a bit of wear. After searching for parts for who knows how long and spending who knows how much, I might get it to work.

I am beginning to appreciate someones comment about how they looked for years before finding the right sickle mower.

 

[chadincolo]

Been looking for a "fairly inexpensive" sickle bar mower for my farm for years. There IS NO FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE sickle bar mower on the planet!!

I wouldn't say that, you just need to look where they are commonly used. Admittedly if they weren't commonly used in your area, they will be harder to find and more expensive. I got my New Idea pull type for $75. I've mowed with it for 2 years now, and had to buy a new sickle for it this year, so I'm up to $150 for it.

 

[Chuck_Lind]

I wouldn't say that, you just need to look where they are commonly used. Admittedly if they weren't commonly used in your area, they will be harder to find and more expensive. I got my New Idea pull type for $75. I've mowed with it for 2 years now, and had to buy a new sickle for it this year, so I'm up to $150 for it.

The Amish folks around here use sickle bar mowers, but they're the older horse-drawn type on steel wheels that drives the sickle blade. They had a big auction near Punxsutawney a week or so ago. Lots of equpment...but generally for the horse-drawn types.

 

[Graemet]

I like the idea os an FEL bucket mounted sickle bar for hedges as you can see whats happening along with steering. I thought an old IH somehow mounted with a hydraulic motor to drive it. Cheers Fords are best.

 

[mdross1]

We bought our Dedier sickle bar mower 20 yrs ago it was on a 318 John Deere.I modified the mounts slightly and moved the pump around to be driven off belly PTO on a John Deere 400.Spent the time and fit the knife keepers so mowing river saw grass was much easier.
Plan to remount this mower on our 855 hope to leave the loader and backhoe on.Looking things over all that would be needed is a couple of tabs welded to the backhoe mount.We will see this summer.