More Mower Questions

[Indydirtfarmer]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

Forget about a sickle bar mower. Aside from being nice on ditches, they are a bottomless money pit. One little cutting or maintenance mistake and you will be out big bucks for repairs. )</font>

Gotta take exception to that comment! On my farm, I have about 75 acres of (unused at this time) pasture land that's about worthless for crops. It's too shallow (topsoil) to even work up into hay ground. I just mow it, and let the deer roam around on it. I have several ways to bush hog this ground if need be. BUT.... It's easier on the tractor, and uses less fuel to mow it with a sickle bar. A GOOD sickle mower, with SHARP sections will give the quality of cut that most finish mowers would only dream of achieving. In fact, I spent Wed. evening, and most of the day yesterday mowing around the farm. I cut just about everything with the sickle bar.

It's just a tad "quieter" than a bush hog also. That helps when you're trying to blend in with nature...

A good (read WITHOUT PITMAN ARM) sickle mower can be had for around $400 (on up to $1750+) Anyone with average mechanical skills can learn to "re-section" a sickle bar knife bar. I've just rebuilt a New Holland #451 mower. I added new guards, ($4.19 ea., X 27) New sections, ($1 ea, average) and a new drive belt ($30) I expect to be able to mow the farm several times without any serious maint. issues.

This from someone who bush hogs for a living..... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MMM]

I reckon he;d have to invest in a swingblade for saplings though.
Brad, they develop stong Pitt-man arms.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

The New Holland #451 has a break-away bar. Most do.

 

[MMM]

No, Indy. The human powered one, aka sling blade.

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( A good (read WITHOUT PITMAN ARM) sickle mower can be had for around $400 (on up to $1750+) Anyone with average mechanical skills can learn to "re-section" a sickle bar knife bar. I've just rebuilt a New Holland #451 mower. I added new guards, ($4.19 ea., X 27) New sections, ($1 ea, average) and a new drive belt ($30) I expect to be able to mow the farm several times without any serious maint. issues. )</font>

I guess our ideas of "high maintenance" is a lot different. I guess you consider the above to be regular maintenance. I consider anything that gets my hands dirty as HIGH maintenance. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

All seriousness aside, I have only seen 5-6 different sickle bar mowers run in the past 15 years. They require little power, are pretty quiet, and do an excellent mowing job. However, IIRC, none of them finished the mowing job at hand. One 10 footer was borrowed by a friend from another fella, and it broke. Glad it wasn't me that borrowed it. I think it's good policy to "neither a sicklebar mower borrower nor lender be. " /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Next time I see one running, I'm going to stop and watch it to see if it finishes. I may be surprised! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( No, Indy. The human powered one, aka sling blade. )</font>

I want me some mustard with these here french fries. Umm huh. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( No, Indy. The human powered one, aka sling blade. )</font>


Oh... The Billy Bob Thornton type, as applied to Dwight Yoakum, as opposed to the New Holland as applied to hay type...... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I see.....Yep...yep....uhuh....uhuh..