Which type 3pt mower??

   / Which type 3pt mower?? #1  

Pirate

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I have a 20HP Nortrac (Jinma). I have a small (1 acre) field we just cleared, vines, brush, etc. I want to keep it looking nice. Which type of 3pt device should I look at for my machine? I want small, as small as I can. Is there a difference between finish mowers and bush hog types or is it just a different type of blade? Can one machine do both?

Thanks.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #2  
I have a 20HP Nortrac (Jinma). I have a small (1 acre) field we just cleared, vines, brush, etc. I want to keep it looking nice. Which type of 3pt device should I look at for my machine? I want small, as small as I can. Is there a difference between finish mowers and bush hog types or is it just a different type of blade? Can one machine do both?

Thanks.

How often do you want to mow it? With a brush hog you can mow it four times a year and get by. With a finish mower you will have to mow more often because it won't mow the heavy stuff.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #3  
Rotary cutter (generically called "bush hog") is a coarse cut machine. Finish mowers are fine cut, similar to a riding mower. Your Nortrac can marginally handle a 4' rotary cutter or a 5' finish mower, as long as you follow the recommended cutting schedules for your geoloco. I'm just north of you, and can suggest - in growing season - no less than 2x/yr for rotary cutter, no less than 1x/mo for finish mower.

Rotary cutters are blunt instruments, capable of getting rid of brush too. That's probably how you got the property cleared in the first place. I'm guessing you'll be more interested in keeping it nice looking with a finish mower. Alternatively, you might consider a flail mower (with finish knives).

//greg//
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #4  
Flail mowers do leave a nicer cut than a rotary cutter. Maybe a good compromise between a rotary cutter and a finish mower. A flail is a bit more expensive to purchase.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #5  
Rotary cutter (generically called "bush hog") is a coarse cut machine. Finish mowers are fine cut, similar to a riding mower. Your Nortrac can marginally handle a 4' rotary cutter or a 5' finish mower, as long as you follow the recommended cutting schedules for your geoloco. I'm just north of you, and can suggest - in growing season - no less than 2x/yr for rotary cutter, no less than 1x/mo for finish mower.

Rotary cutters are blunt instruments, capable of getting rid of brush too. That's probably how you got the property cleared in the first place. I'm guessing you'll be more interested in keeping it nice looking with a finish mower. Alternatively, you might consider a flail mower (with finish knives).

//greg//

Great advise!:thumbsup:

Just curious, don't flail mower require more power?

My vote would be to find a small finish mower and cut it a little more often. I think you'll be happy with the look. The finish mower can handle alot as well, you just need to slow down.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #6  
How rough is the field? First off, I wouldn't reccomend clearing brush with anything other than a brushhog/rotary cutter. It can be hard on the cutter, and the BH is built to handle that. Once the vines and brush are cleared, a fairly regular mowing will promote grass with the occasional broadleaf control. Once the heavy stuff is done, a little touchup to the blades(1/8" cutting edge) and a brushhog can give a suprisingly good cut on grass, as long as it is run at it's full RPM. If it is used like a finish mower with mowings frequent enough before the grass gets too tall, the clippings will mulch in evenly. If done less frequently, the taller grass clippings clump and smother the grass giving a real rough looking area, bare patches that fill in with weeds ect... It is basically just a real big single blade lawnmower with comparable tip speeds(13000-14000 FPM) which is what does the cutting. The problem is that a big 4' square(or larger) mower deck on a 3PH dosn't follow undulating terrain as well as a 2' X 5' finish mower would. I have 7 1/2 acres about half in timber. Still "parking" quite a bit of it which the brushhog is good at, but the cleared areas that are in grass now, I also mow with the hog and it does a fair job, faster with less fuel burnt than my 48" rider will...

A flail mower would follow terrain well as it is not very long, but if you hit something, or when worn, sharpening the flails is a LOT of work, and replacing a set costs a small fortune... For cut width, I don't think they really take any more HP...
 
   / Which type 3pt mower??
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I'm thinking finish but I am also thinking that any size 3pt device may be just to big for this area, and there is some steepness to deal with. Perhaps I should just go with a riding mower and be done with it.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #8  
We have a Gravely 16-G riding tractor. It would handle an acre easily.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #9  
I have a King Cutter Stump jumper that is 5ft, that I use behind a 2N ford (16hp). It does a real good job at keeping a maintained (yard) if you cut it regular so it doesn't get to tall. On the other hand my father in law had a 4ft bush hog that cut horrible, it left streaks real bad even after new blades. It didn't matter how high the grass was. We put chains on the stump jumper from the top link to the base pins to keep the correct height, with the 2N's lift system you are either up or down no real in between. Just another idea to mull over.
 
   / Which type 3pt mower?? #10  
Great advise!:thumbsup:

Just curious, don't flail mower require more power?
That's would required a very involved answer. Rather than going into all that detail, let me just say that it takes more care to match a flail with the job than it does a RC or a finish mower. You need to take into consideration what it will be cutting, plus the type and number of knives/hammers. When the proper combination is used, no more horsepower is required. Match things up wrong, and you might erringly conclude you need more hp.

//greg//
 

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