BCS sickle bar mower wanted

   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted #1  

Hiptfarms

Gold Member
Joined
May 23, 2013
Messages
303
Location
Fairfield County, SC
Tractor
Kubota M6800 with BH FEL, Kubota L4400 HST with FEL, Polaris Ranger, BCS 720
I am interested in buying a used sickle bar mower for the 1997 BCS 850 I just got. I've been checking Craigslist but no luck so far. Anybody got one for sale? Any recommendations - oil bath versus grease zerk? Single versus double? I'm planning on mowing under my high tensile fence a couple times a year and around a small vineyard. Brambles and broomsedge - thick grass mostly. (I have no experience with these machines. I just got my unit a couple months ago and have only been able to use it a couple times with the 38" lawn mower due to weather conditions.).

Thanks
 
   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted #2  
For very occasional use, a grease-type is fine. Make sure you keep it greased every 5-8 hours of use If you were gonna mow a 2 acre hay field twice a year, and oil-type would last longer with less maintenance. Remember to run any single action mower at just above an idle. Anything past 1/3 throttle causes lots of vibration, which causes premature wear on both the machine and you.

The duplex mowers considerably lessen vibration and can be run up to half throttle. They are a bit more money, though. You're unlikely to find one used as they haven't been on the market long (less than 15 years). They're very good for large areas mowed often, like a 3+ acre hay field mowed 3+ times a year.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that you'll need to improve balance with that V-twin Briggs. The sickle mower isn't near heavy enough to stay on the ground. You'll need a couple PTO extensions, or you'll need to find a way to add weight to the mower bar. I've never done it myself, but Joel has told me the best way to add weight is to add another piece of thick flat steel on the bottom of the bar itself. You drill the holes that already are on the bar into the steel weight and use longer bolts.
 
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   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks for the insight. I'd like to go with an oil bath if possible. Just hope to find a used one in the near future. The hunt is still on....
 
   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted #4  
I have a 30" splined sickle bar mower I can sell, Have two, don't need but one. Contact me @ cmyoung_2@hotmail.com. I am on the road a lot for the next two weeks, so reply might not be fast.
Charles
 
   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Charles,

I appreciate the offer. Unfortunately I need a wider mower than 30".
Be safe out on the road.

Thanks again.
 
   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Anybody else got a sickle mower they aren't using? Let me know. Thanks.
 
   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted #7  
His price is a little nuts for a 725 (ok, a lot nuts). It comes with a 45" sickle mower. Maybe you can wrastle the mower from him. You'll need and adpter to fit you 850...

BCS Tiller
 
   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted #9  
Anybody else got a sickle mower they aren't using? Let me know. Thanks.

I have a 53" single-action oil bath cutter bar with less than 10 hours on it that I might be willing to sell. I bought it a few years back, and found that the skid shoes did not keep the blades high enough off the ground for my needs (and a blade or two got chipped from hitting rocks in those few hours' of use), so it has sat in the garage for most of its life. I actually just earlier today ordered the caster wheels for it from Earthtools, which will allow me to raise it. But I'm still not sure that it will do what I want, and am considering other mowing options for my steep, briary hills.

Once I pay for the caster wheels that are on their way, I will have ~$1450+ in this attachment. Would need something close to that to be tempted to sell. Msg me if interested, but if not, I'll try putting a few more hours on it and see if I like it better with the wheels.

-otus
 
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   / BCS sickle bar mower wanted
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Thanks for the offer otus branch but that's too rich for my blood. Looking for something more affordable.
 
 
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