Rear Finish Mower Finish Mower: side discharge vs. rear discharge

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color=blue>"Consider to set your new mower to mow part of the top first ( about half of what you need to mow )"</font color=blue>

You must mean just cut the top couple feet off./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Seriously, this has not seen a mower in at least two years that I know of (and, NO, I didn't own it then)./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif I'd have to build stilts for the wheels to only take off half./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif It'd look like my tractor was being chased by a hovercraft./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I guess I'm just going to set it as high as I can, mow it there and see what I get./w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif Needless to say, it'll be slow going, for sure.

 

[Golfgar4]

<font color=blue>"I'd have to build stilts for the wheels to only take off half."</font color=blue>

You might want to tie a 20' helium filled balloon to your ROPS so that if something happens, they can find you. The Ski Patrol in the mountains do that in case of an avalanche! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Brett, I just saw two ads in a local 'trader' type paper for used Woods RD mowers. They're each about the same $ as a new King Kutter SD. I'm going to go see one when I finish work today and may catch the other one that's out of town tomorrow morning if I need to. I'll keep you posted./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[hazmat]

Sounds like you might be better off renting a brush hog for the first go around. If you are doing a small area, a weedwacker might be an option.

I mowed plenty of overgrown lawns in my college days. One tip is to take a smaller "bite" (1/2 or even 1/4) width of the mower at each pass. Seems to work better than slowing down and taking a full bite.

Don't expect to see a manicured lawn when you are done. When the grass gets that tall, the bottom few inches isn't very lush. Kind of like a tree trunk vs. the leaves. It might take a season or two before it's looking like a putting green /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Good luck & enjoy getting your property back into shape!

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color=blue>"tie a 20' helium filled balloon to your ROPS so that if something happens, they can find you"</font color=blue>

Ahhh... Is that the same method you use on your golfcart for when you go in search of your ball for your second shot?/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

<font color=blue>"Is that the same method you use on your golfcart for when you go in search of your ball for your second shot?"</font color=blue>

Only when I have to drive into a pond!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Second shot?/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif It can be the 3rd and 4th shot too! /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Hazmat, I agree with you on the brush hog idea. The roadfront I have is a little over 500' and my "front yard" is about six acres so I'm not sure doing it with a weedwacker would be right up my alley./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

A brush hog is probably something I ought to own rather than rent, honestly (let the rationalizing officially begin/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif). I was thinking that I could use a brush hog on all eleven acres the first time (or two) to knock it down well enough that you don't look across it and expect to see Marlin Perkins sticking his head up in search of big game (Obscure Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom reference)./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

With that done, I could finish mow the front regularly to get it looking good but just brush hog back behind the tree line a couple times a season for now until I decide what I'm going to do out there.

 

[pieterv]

You have a HAY crop Gary ?
I assumed ( and we know what that does...) that the grass was a foot tall or so. As is, you may have some problem mashing the grass too much with your tractor cleats, also depending on the profile of the tires. This will depend also on how thick your stand is and how wet it is too.
When you mow, don't be in hurry.
I do not think you want a mower with rear deflector chain sets. My experience is more balling up. A sloped deck like First Choice will plug less is my experience.
Keep your RPM up, blades sharp and look for plugging Mr Hay Grower. After overcoming your initial mowing challenge you will look like a genius..!

Enjoy !

 

[Inspector507]

Yeouch...........That hurt
/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[wallysue]

Re: Finish Mower: side discharge vs. rear discharg

Owning an older Ford 930 five footer that is supposed to be a rear discharge can have advantages if one removes the side plates. That lets the grass fly out the sides and back when I let the grass go way too long like normal. The finish mower does take more power than the brush hog.