Field Mowing Pattern - Side Discharge

[Tinhack]

I don't mow in the dark.

Too many animals out in the back corner that can eat me.

 

[zzvyb6]

I have used Google Earth to establish the central turning point for the Zamboni cut in a hay field. (Frank J. Zamboni & Sons, Paramount CA. Makers of Ice Resurfacing Equipment). But lately, I've been STARTING in the center and moving outward in order to cut for 20 minutes and quit. In my fields, with my 9' mower and baler, this gives me 56 - 64 bales that fit on my 1012 Stack Wagon and gets picked up by 2 gals who can pack that load on a pickup truck and drive away.

 

[rick480]

I change my pattern every time I mow to keep from having wheel ruts by mowing the same way every time.

 

[SDT]

NO - I round the corners on the meadow I mow. I mow in an ever tightening spiral. From the outside to the center. One time clockwise - next time counterclockwise.

Your field must be "pool table smooth" if you plan on/want to go 9 MPH. I would be thrown out of the seat - long before I hit 5 MPH.

Agreed.

9 MPH is fantasy land.

SDT

 

[Midniteoyl]

(Watch as people explode... )

How would you mow an isosceles shaped field with a 20% difference in side lengths in the dark?

Whats the side length difference in full sunlight?

 

[CH4Ohio]

I notice that there's some speculation in the UFO thread that ET may actually be here. Since they must be highly advanced, I hope when we finally make contact that someone has the presence of mind to ask them how they'd mow this odd-shaped field.

OK. I know i'm poking fun. But there's only one approach that makes sense and there's no way to end up with a single strip of grass that's exactly 90% the width of your mower deck on the last pass. I'd suggest grabbing a beer or listening to tunes or the news or whatever on your headphones and just mow till all the tall grass is short grass.

I always thought of mowing as "decompression time". No BS. Relaxing. Shouldn't really be too intellectually stimulating.

 

[repete]

Hard to say Midniteoyl. When the sides get too long you have to figure in the curvature of the earth. It is no longer a straight line between two points.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Hard to say Midniteoyl. When the sides get too long you have to figure in the curvature of the earth. It is no longer a straight line between two points.

So it grows in the sun..

 

[repete]

So it grows in the sun..

I believe my pasture does expand in the heat. Today it was 108 degrees and it sure seemed a lot longer to get from one side to the other.

 

[scaredychicken]

So, currently 'cutting in' the perimeter, as non-discharge side allows, then counter clockwise in shrinking perimeter. I wanna' go the 9 miles an hour.
Problem is the corner radius does not work, pass to pass. Even a wide swept corner eventually becomes too tight a radius to cut., This leads to either K turns, 270's, or wide-swinging that leaves what becomes 'lobes to be cleaned up every few passes.

On 'paper', I think a short interior pass, K turned to another, and again eventually becomes a radiused rectangle for speed later in the day.

Like hdbikercouple suggested: Mowing - Efficient mowing pattern? anyone familiar?

BX23, 54 belly mower, right side discharge

Zamboni style maybe ?