If you have small acreage and thinking of cutting hay... Drum Mower

Texasmark · Jun 13, 2014

Tx Jim said:
I didn't know one could buy anything made out of metal for $ .25 cents this day & age especially cutter blades. I wish my Vermeer 7030 only cost that much but they're about $3 apiece

I buy them from Phil in the 100 count box for $25. The ones he sells fit more than his mowers.

He has a WWW. SFI. There are several sites. The first one doesn't work but the second one does. He is not too far from you.

Mark

Bigfoot62 · Jun 13, 2014

Jim,

I buy Kuhn brand blades from the local tractor dealer and they are $1.40 each. I've found that they last longer than the generic ones.

Last week, we used both mowers to cut 52 acres. I had a set of generic blades on one mower and Kuhn on the other. I had to turn the generic blades over after 40 acres. The Kuhn blades were still good to go. That was the last of the generics. I won't be buying any more of them.

Texasmark · Jun 14, 2014

Tx Jim said:
I didn't know one could buy anything made out of metal for $ .25 cents this day & age especially cutter blades. I wish my Vermeer 7030 only cost that much but they're about $3 apiece

The MFGR/number of the blade is SMA 798-RM15

They fit Phil's mowers and also subs for:

NH 495808
Hesston 6616924
Bugatis 147040
Zweegers OM 15

Double sided so that you can use them twice (left drum and then right drum) and tempered.

HTH,
Mark

norgeman · Jun 13, 2015

Dave, after a couple of years I was wondering how your drum mower is holding up, as I have just purchased a Galfre 130. Thanks

DaveOmak · Jun 15, 2015

It's working very well.... I just cut a lodged field of alfalfa/grass... it was flattened pretty good with all the rain and how tall it was before it rained... the only "missed" cuts were where I had to drive over it before cutting....

bjr · Jun 15, 2015

I'm gonna try to ted with my Morra rotary rake. I'll remove the shield panel that normally makes the windrow and see if the hay will just get thown off to that side and sorta spread out. I've had a little trouble picking up with the baler where a windrow was made on top of a cut row that never got swept with the rake and was kinda mashed down in the stubble. My SFI drum mower has been working good, but, I'm gonna be a little more picky about where I buy the replacement blades as those A&I blade wear down too quickly. There's suppose to be a place called Sickle Service that sells a good blade. Has any one had experience with Sickle Service or their blades? bjr

DaveOmak · Jun 17, 2015

I bought an extra pack of 25 blades and belts from CCM machinery when I ordered my mower.... still using original blades... even hitting rocks etc. I can find no damage on the blades... they are hard, hard, and hard... good quality steel...

cat fever · Jun 17, 2015

Hi Dave, I just come across this thread and find it very interesting. I have an older NH 488 haybine, it works good but more costly repairs are certain to come. I will be looking into a drum mower within a few years. Here is a picture of a field I cut last night. It was very thick, but I cut 5 acres in 3 hours.