PaulB
Gold Member
Opinions please. Based primarily on advice offered through this board, I am going to get a rotary cutter this weekend, and I now need to decide how much and which one. To recap, I have a B1700, and I will be cutting 4 acres of strictly horse pasture, with grass only. The machine will never have to cut anything bigger around than a pencil, but with the rain we have had the grass is now 18 inches high. I want to spend as little as possible, but still get a tool that will do the job and not break down. I have looked at :
1) Bushhog squeeler 48 inch. Looks like my best bet, but at $850 is the most expensive. One dealer has a slightly used one (paint still scratch-free, blade still sharp) taken on trade for a 5 footer, at $750. If I buy used, no warrantee though.
2) TSC brand 48 inch. Somebody said it is a King Kutter under the red paint, but I don't know. Actually 50 pounds heavier than the Bushhog, but based on my experiences (had a mower fail catastrophically after 1 year, replaced under warrantee) and Birds experiences (2 rear box blades, both broke at welds) am reluctant to go with TSC brand. Cost is attractive - $519 - and maybe enough machine to do grass without breaking? What about parts in the future?
3) Same dealer with used bushhog has used Woods RM400 48 inch finish mower. This is a 2 rear wheel affair, and according to the dealer is therefore not a great finish mower, but a passable combo finish/roughcut mower. Asking $750, would likely go down a bit. Looks used but not abused.
What do you guys think??? any advice appreciated.
1) Bushhog squeeler 48 inch. Looks like my best bet, but at $850 is the most expensive. One dealer has a slightly used one (paint still scratch-free, blade still sharp) taken on trade for a 5 footer, at $750. If I buy used, no warrantee though.
2) TSC brand 48 inch. Somebody said it is a King Kutter under the red paint, but I don't know. Actually 50 pounds heavier than the Bushhog, but based on my experiences (had a mower fail catastrophically after 1 year, replaced under warrantee) and Birds experiences (2 rear box blades, both broke at welds) am reluctant to go with TSC brand. Cost is attractive - $519 - and maybe enough machine to do grass without breaking? What about parts in the future?
3) Same dealer with used bushhog has used Woods RM400 48 inch finish mower. This is a 2 rear wheel affair, and according to the dealer is therefore not a great finish mower, but a passable combo finish/roughcut mower. Asking $750, would likely go down a bit. Looks used but not abused.
What do you guys think??? any advice appreciated.