Is a new International cutter worth this price?

[Cabinholler]

I can buy a new heavy duty 7 foot International brand rotary cutter lift type with 2 wheels on the back for $1500.00. Is this a good price or not on this brand of rotary cutter. Other brands of rotary cutters this size that I have checked on go for over $2000.00. Is a International brand rotary cutter a good cutter to buy. I know nothing about this brand of rotary cutter, and can't find a website, or anything about this rotary cutter on the internet.

Also, I would appreciate any replies about this brand rotary cutter, and price from anyone on this board. Thanks!

Cabinholler

 

[greg_g]

International has proven to be a sturdy dependable brand for me, although I have to keep a constant eye out for loose TPH bolts and lift pins. I had a 5 foot IM-500 ($600) and now a 6 foot IM-602 ($800). I know the price of steel has gone up, but I can't see that justifying almost a 2x price jump from a single wheel 6 footer to a twin wheel 7 footer.

$859 seems to be the prevalant price for a new six foot IM602 (40 hp/slip clutch). Seems a reasonable trade-off for only 15% less swath.

Is there a compelling reason that you need the twin rear wheels? And can your tractor handle something BIGGER than a 7 footer? Given the huge price difference between 72" and 84" Internationals, bigger might be more cost effective.

//greg//

 

[LMTC]

Where are you located? If by International, you mean International Machinery, aka WAC, yes, it is solidly made, poorly finished.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

What is the rated HP on the gearbox? That is one of the single biggest factors in the prices of mowers.

By the mere fact that you're pricing a 7'er, I'd assume that you have a tractor big enough to handle that size. How close are you to the rated HP? I'd make sure you have a 15 to 20 HP "fudge factor". Also, what is the guage of the metal used in the deck? Side supports?

International mowers seem to sell well around these parts. I use exclusively Woods mowers. I keep a small parts inventory, and want to stay with one brand, for the sake of parts commonality. I use either BB840 or a BB8400. There's a huge price difference in those 2 models. The BB840 will sell for nearly $3000 (with saftey chains and a single rear wheel) Bush Hog models equivilent are right about the same price.

I have tried dual rear wheels, and personally prefer singles. Not least of which is the fact that duals add a good bit of weight at the farthest point from the tractor. That makes for an unstable rig, or requires MORE front weights.

I do commercial bush hogging. I have for 30 years now. I have found that there is a reason why some brands are more expensive than others.... If you use your mower 40 hours a summer, you can get by with a lesser brand. If you use them 40 hours a week, DEFINATELY go with the "name brand". They earned their status in most cases.

 

[Cabinholler]

International has proven to be a sturdy dependable brand for me, although I have to keep a constant eye out for loose TPH bolts and lift pins. I had a 5 foot IM-500 ($600) and now a 6 foot IM-602 ($800). I know the price of steel has gone up, but I can't see that justifying almost a 2x price jump from a single wheel 6 footer to a twin wheel 7 footer.

$859 seems to be the prevalant price for a new six foot IM602 (40 hp/slip clutch). Seems a reasonable trade-off for only 15% less swath.

Is there a compelling reason that you need the twin rear wheels? And can your tractor handle something BIGGER than a 7 footer? Given the huge price difference between 72" and 84" Internationals, bigger might be more cost effective.

//greg//

USN (Ret)
KM454, JM254 (traded), YM240 (sold)

Greg at the present time, I don't not have any kind of a tractor, but I am going to buy a tractor in the 50s PTO range, or the lower 60s PTO range. The reason that I want a 7 foot rotary cutter with 2 wheels in the back is that a 7 footer will cut out the tracts of these size tractor wheels, and I just thought 2 wheels on the back of a 7 footer would be better than 1 wheel. On some brands of rotary cutters the price does jump a lot from a 6 foot to a 7 foot.

The reason that I wanted a lift type rotary cutter is that there are places on my farm that I cannot get a drag type rotary cutter in that I want to mow.

Thanks for your reply to my post about rotary cutters.

Cabinholler

 

[Cabinholler]

Where are you located? If by International, you mean International Machinery, aka WAC, yes, it is solidly made, poorly finished.

LMTC i am located in Kentucky. All I know at the present time is that this rotary cutter has the name International on it. I don't know if this is International Machinery or not. It is painted red. You say in your post that these International rotary cutters are solidly made, but poorly finished. Do you mean that these rotary cutters are made up with good heavy steel, but are poorly painted.

Also, I have found out on the internet that this brand of rotary cutter is made in Ohio, or is sold out of Ohio, but this might not be true. The company that sells these rotary cutters must not have a web site. If they do, I cannot find them on the internet, or anything about them.

Thanks for your reply to this post.

Cabinholler

 

[Cabinholler]

What is the rated HP on the gearbox? That is one of the single biggest factors in the prices of mowers.

By the mere fact that you're pricing a 7'er, I'd assume that you have a tractor big enough to handle that size. How close are you to the rated HP? I'd make sure you have a 15 to 20 HP "fudge factor". Also, what is the guage of the metal used in the deck? Side supports?

International mowers seem to sell well around these parts. I use exclusively Woods mowers. I keep a small parts inventory, and want to stay with one brand, for the sake of parts commonality. I use either BB840 or a BB8400. There's a huge price difference in those 2 models. The BB840 will sell for nearly $3000 (with saftey chains and a single rear wheel) Bush Hog models equivilent are right about the same price.

I have tried dual rear wheels, and personally prefer singles. Not least of which is the fact that duals add a good bit of weight at the farthest point from the tractor. That makes for an unstable rig, or requires MORE front weights.

I do commercial bush hogging. I have for 30 years now. I have found that there is a reason why some brands are more expensive than others.... If you use your mower 40 hours a summer, you can get by with a lesser brand. If you use them 40 hours a week, DEFINATELY go with the "name brand". They earned their status in most cases.

Indydirtfarmer I do not know the rated PTO horsepower, or the gauge of the steel on this rotary cutter, but I am going to find out. I will be using a tractor for this rotary cutter in the 50s pto range, or in the lower 60s range. The only reson that I wanted 2 wheels on the rear of this rotary cutter is that I thought that 2 wheels would be better than 1 for this size rotary cutter.

Thanks for your reply to this post.

Cabinholler

 

[LMTC]

The IM702 has a 75hp gearbox/slip clutch dual tailwheels, weighs 1270#. Your IM602 weighs 810# or 975# if it has the 75 hp gearbox. If you can get a dual tail wheeled 702 WITH a slip clutch pto for $1500, you need to buy it and don't look back. I can't imagine anyone selling the standard 602 for $800 after the repeated increases last year....more like $899 or better. THe 702 wholesales for literally twice as much as the 602. Find the 702 here for $1900
http://www.cheinc.net/Mowers.htm

 

[BobG_in_VA]

I have one of those twin tail 7' Internationals. Heavy good working machine. I paid $1495 for it over 2 years ago and I got a good deal then. I understand that they are about $2K now. Get it before they change their minds. By the way, I think you get a much "neater" cut with twin wheels over a single as the tail end stays "constant". Oh I also have the 5 ft IMC 500 for the "small" tractor. they are all heavily built. I think I could use the 7 foot for a anvil if need be. BobG in VA

 

[Cabinholler]

LMTC I thought that $1500.00 for this new 7 foot International rotary cutter was a good price, but one post didn't think so. Also, this dealer has a used 7 foot rotary cutter that is just like this new 7 foot that looks real nice that I can get for $1000.00. A farmer traded this in to the dealer for a 10 foot drag type rotary cutter.

Thanks for your post.

Cabinholler