OP
Farmerford
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2006
- Messages
- 733
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
- Tractor
- Kuborta B2400, L2900, L4330; Caterpillar D3B, John Deere 455D
Thanks for all the comments. If any of you decide to take on the project I will be happy to tell you all the things I would do differently on the second try.
Note that the mower was designed specifically for the Kubota B2400HST with 18 pto hp, so the hydraulic pump is adequate to transmit about 18 hp. Had I known I might upgrade to a larger tractor, I might have chosen a larger pump that produces substantially more flow, and therefore transmits more horsepower.
However, to keep the mower input rpm at 540 (when the pto was also turning 540 rpm) I would have to have used a larger motor and therefore more horsepower would be transmitted to the gearbox. Although the Squealer gearbox is "rated" (whatever that means) for 40 hp, the present setup seems to me to put about as much load on the mower as it needs. So if I had gone to the larger system I would have reduced the maximum system pressure by adjusting the relief valve to keep the horsepower input to the mower to around 15-20.
I will try to answer your specific comments.
rback33 is right, safety glasses are advisable, and the one picture without them was my daughter just playing with the controls. She was not cutting.
schmism's point about the screen makes sense, but in actual use nothing comes back at the operator because it is deflected down to the ground . Very few pieces even strike the radiator guard. That surprised me, because I expected shrapnel to fly in all directions, but it does not. After a year of use, it has never thrown anything even close to the operator. Knock on wood.
jmc: the blades are 40-44 Rockwell C. I know that because about 40 years ago I was the plant manager/chief engineer for a local iron works that made (and still makes) OEM blades for Bush Hog, Woods, Servis, and lots of others. The blades drilled pretty easily with a 5/8" carbide "spade" bit and lots of cutting fluid. I did not tap the holes for bolts. The bolts pass through the blade and are held by a plate and hex nuts on the upper side. I torque the bolts to 250 foot pounds and then discard them after each use. Unless I hit a rock, the carbide teeth last for at least 30-40 hours.
I don't use the setup for routine mowing. I thought I could when I designed it, but when the FEL is put into float to let it follow the contour, the mower wants to lever back under the tractor and push the front end up (just like the bucket does in float). I plan to add two more guage wheels at the front and they may help it move along more easily.
If I were doing routine mowing, I think the stump grinder teeth would leave a pretty scraggly cut, and I would probably keep a second set of blades without the teeth on them.
dmccarty, I think you can get everything except the mower for $2,000 or less. I looked at the skid steer attachments at the time I planned this mower and they were all too heavy and required too much power for the Kubota B2400. There may be lighter and smaller ones availabe now. The LA 853 loader on the L4330 is rated for 2400 pounds at the pivot pins, and although the mower weighs only about 500 pounds, it is still a pretty good load when working on hillsides, around ditches where the ground is soft, and in other tight spots. Part of that is because the mower sticks out so far in front. I think it would take a much larger tractor than the L4330 (more weight, larger tires; the 39 pto hp of the L4330 is more than adequate) to carry the skid steer mowers I looked at. But in their defense they can cut much heavier brush than mine can. We wanted to save all the trees we could, so most of the clearing I do is to get rid of the thickets of small (1-3") pines and 1-2" hardwoods, together will all the briars and vines that grow up in them.
Thanks again for the nice comments.
Note that the mower was designed specifically for the Kubota B2400HST with 18 pto hp, so the hydraulic pump is adequate to transmit about 18 hp. Had I known I might upgrade to a larger tractor, I might have chosen a larger pump that produces substantially more flow, and therefore transmits more horsepower.
However, to keep the mower input rpm at 540 (when the pto was also turning 540 rpm) I would have to have used a larger motor and therefore more horsepower would be transmitted to the gearbox. Although the Squealer gearbox is "rated" (whatever that means) for 40 hp, the present setup seems to me to put about as much load on the mower as it needs. So if I had gone to the larger system I would have reduced the maximum system pressure by adjusting the relief valve to keep the horsepower input to the mower to around 15-20.
I will try to answer your specific comments.
rback33 is right, safety glasses are advisable, and the one picture without them was my daughter just playing with the controls. She was not cutting.
schmism's point about the screen makes sense, but in actual use nothing comes back at the operator because it is deflected down to the ground . Very few pieces even strike the radiator guard. That surprised me, because I expected shrapnel to fly in all directions, but it does not. After a year of use, it has never thrown anything even close to the operator. Knock on wood.
jmc: the blades are 40-44 Rockwell C. I know that because about 40 years ago I was the plant manager/chief engineer for a local iron works that made (and still makes) OEM blades for Bush Hog, Woods, Servis, and lots of others. The blades drilled pretty easily with a 5/8" carbide "spade" bit and lots of cutting fluid. I did not tap the holes for bolts. The bolts pass through the blade and are held by a plate and hex nuts on the upper side. I torque the bolts to 250 foot pounds and then discard them after each use. Unless I hit a rock, the carbide teeth last for at least 30-40 hours.
I don't use the setup for routine mowing. I thought I could when I designed it, but when the FEL is put into float to let it follow the contour, the mower wants to lever back under the tractor and push the front end up (just like the bucket does in float). I plan to add two more guage wheels at the front and they may help it move along more easily.
If I were doing routine mowing, I think the stump grinder teeth would leave a pretty scraggly cut, and I would probably keep a second set of blades without the teeth on them.
dmccarty, I think you can get everything except the mower for $2,000 or less. I looked at the skid steer attachments at the time I planned this mower and they were all too heavy and required too much power for the Kubota B2400. There may be lighter and smaller ones availabe now. The LA 853 loader on the L4330 is rated for 2400 pounds at the pivot pins, and although the mower weighs only about 500 pounds, it is still a pretty good load when working on hillsides, around ditches where the ground is soft, and in other tight spots. Part of that is because the mower sticks out so far in front. I think it would take a much larger tractor than the L4330 (more weight, larger tires; the 39 pto hp of the L4330 is more than adequate) to carry the skid steer mowers I looked at. But in their defense they can cut much heavier brush than mine can. We wanted to save all the trees we could, so most of the clearing I do is to get rid of the thickets of small (1-3") pines and 1-2" hardwoods, together will all the briars and vines that grow up in them.
Thanks again for the nice comments.
