sicklebar mower

[raptor]

RichZ

There maybe one safety issue regarding a sickle mower you may not be familiar with. Watch were you place your hands when you lift the bar to secure it for traveling. DO NOT place your fingers between the teeth and guards, the section WILL shift/slide and you'll be without some of your digits.

By the way, my cousin and his neighbors annually put up 12,000 (yes 12,000) square bales with a Farmall 'A' and PTO baler, also using a sickle mower, and rake. I'm not saying it's the most efficient means to do that must baling, just that it CAN be done. Stay safe.

Terry

[MarkV]

Are there any rules of thumb about sizing a sicklebar mower to a given size tractor. I would like to find a used workable mower to cut ditch banks. What I don’t know is how big of mower my B21 with loaded tires could pull.

MarkV

[radman]

Doesn't take much power to run a sickle mower. Minimum probably 15-20 hp for a 7-9' bar. A B21 should be ok. I would strongly recommend a 3pt type for roadsides. Then the mower doesn't have to travel down the rough edge of the road and the bar is easily lifted to hang over the edge of the road.

[cowboydoc]

Mark,
Radman is right you should be fine for an older sicklebar mower. They don't take much hp.

[jdkid]

Hi ya
yep ya right bout the folding of the bar about 16-18 years ago i gave a mate a hand mowing a field when finshed we packed up the pitman was not in the right place so i could not fold he put a spanner under it and jumped on it well they are fast cutting and the only thing i felt was a bit of numbness and blood running down my arm ,the scar is still there 9 stiches but they could not get the nerves to mend ,good point ya make...like the old saying "keep ya fingers out of the fingers!!"
catch ya
JD Kid

[raptor]

Sorry to hear that JD Kid. My uncle was crushed to death under his farm truck, so I try to keep my head screwed on straight around my tractor - sometimes I even manage too. Take care, and stay safe.

raptor

[s1120]

<font color=red>and the other item is cost... dirt cheap that is workable</font color=red>

Sounds like my budget.[img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img] I tend to be a bottom feeder, You got a POS that needs a ton of work, and you want to get rid of it? I’m you guy. Luckily I love fixing things. I don’t know what I would do with something new, I would be board. So if anyone has an old tractor out there that needs a LOT of work…………..[img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[RichZ]

Paul, you're right. You can sometimes get great deals on used stuff, and if you're lucky, it may not even need work. I can't afford most new stuff. So far I've gotten my tractor, and half my implements used. I haven't had to put any work into any of them (Although, eventually my tractor did need a minor repair to the 3 point hitch), and I've been extremely satisfied with them all.

I just used my new (to me) manure spreader this weekend. It's an old John deere, form the 60's but in great shape. In fact when I was using it, 2 neighbors saw me from the road, and came over to check it out. They said most new manure spreaders don't work as good! And they were both lifelong farmers, so I'm pretty satisfied!

Rich

[s1120]

Sometimes I think I like working on them more then using them. But I am a little strange.[img]/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif[/img]