Cut Quality

[Richard]

I've got a field I cut. I use my JD 430 with mower. It went down for 2-3 weeks so I put my Woods 72" finish mower behind the JD tractor (not the 430).

What I noticed is the Woods RFM (with new blades I might add) left a LOT of clumpage, windrowing, especially in a certain area where I already know there is a difference in the grass. Maybe it's more dense, maybe it's got more weeds??

Yesterday, the 430 was back up & running so I cut the field again (and this has pretty new blades too).

The cut quality of both is "good" however, the cut quality when using the 430 is more along fantastic. Much more even cut (fewer sprigs that got bent over still get cut whereas on the Woods, they SPRING back up when I'm gone). The JD will still have some sprigs pop up but it's one here & there. The Woods simply doesn't have as refined of a cut as the 430.

That got me wondering.... since the Woods is a "finish" mower..... is it going to be expected to give as refined of a cut as a garden tractor with belly mower?


THEN.... I got to thinking.... (takes me about 1 1/2 hours to cut this field so I have plenty of time to mentally dawdle)

Anyway, then, I got to thinking of brands. If the JD mower design creates this nice of a cut, would/could/does that also translate over to the engineering of their other mowers in the 15' width variety?

No, I don't EVER expect a 15' rotary cutter to compete with a finish mower or a garden tractor with belly mower. What I'm wondering is how would a Deere 15' cutter compare to the other brands 15' cutters?

At this level, the proof is in the pudding and easy to see. (430 vs Woods) It even had me wondering if I should simply sell the Woods.

(and no, I don't want this to be a brand pissing contest)

I'm looking down the road for when I replace my current 15' cutter, trying to get educated about them before it matters so I have no rush when it does matter.

Do you care about the quality of a 15' cutters cut, enough to compare brands, or do you want it to be heavy duty enough to not break and the cut is 'good enough' irrespective of how another cutter might do? (I fall into the if I'm going to cut the field then I'd like to leave it as nice looking as I can BUT, I don't lose sleep over how it ends up)

 

[mikester]

When I cut the back forty its to keep weeds and tree seedlings under control. I'm looking for good enough, doesn't need to look like a golf course.

My preference is to minimize time cutting grass.

 

[Tinhack]

Meh, you probably had the finish mower set too low. I started cutting along my driveway with my new Bad Boy Maverick. It left a clumpy and uncut path until I raised the deck and opened the shoot. It performed great after that. It just couldn't get the heavy and damp grass out from under the deck before the adjustments.

It beats my old Ford 954 rotary cutter for finish but can't handle the mesquite saplings and high weeds. The rotary will cut anything I can drive over or back into. And that thing is built like a tank. I typically use it for the last cut of the winter or the first cut of the spring and in the back woody areas.

If I'm looking for a good field finish, I bring out the old Caldwell Barracuda flail mower. It will cut up to 1' high grass and weeds and leave a golf course finish. The front field looks like a manicured lawn after using that. Then I let the spring wild flowers take over again.

 

[Richard]

When I cut the back forty its to keep weeds and tree seedlings under control. I'm looking for good enough, doesn't need to look like a golf course.

My preference is to minimize time cutting grass.

I get that.... in my case, my logic is if I have to drive over every square inch then why not do it in a way that makes it nicer looking.

Side story: When I was 12/13? I cut the back yard with a push mower. One time, to make a change, I cut it in sections. So I took a quarter of the yard and just went in a circular pattern, went to next quarter did same, next, same... My mother came home and hit the roof. Yard looks terrible (nobody can see this from the road by the way) and wanted me to immediately go BACK out there and recut the lawn "normally". I don't recall that I actually did that but the next time I cut it and from then on, I went from border to border instead of sections.

Today, I kind of "get it". If I look out my window or go to back side of the farm, it's nice when it looks nice. So why not make the long straight lines (blah blah blah) and when the time comes to replace 15' cutter (which is what I use.....to minimize cutting time although I actually enjoy it as it's my 'quiet time' from my normal activity)

Anyway, that's what's got me wondering about the cut quality of the brands. If one leaves a cleaner/nicer cut, that issue doesn't impact the time spent doing it.

Never thought about the cut height. Both are in fact, pretty low (don't scalp though) the Woods is a rear discharge and the 430 is a side discharge so I would have expected the woods to not be as congested.

 

[Ford850]

A belly mower has the advantage since only the tractor's front tires are compressing the grass/weeds before the deck. A mower on the rear of the tractor has a tougher time pulling up the tall stalks after both the small front and larger wide rear tires pack everything down.

 

[4570Man]

A belly mower has the advantage since only the tractor's front tires are compressing the grass/weeds before the deck. A mower on the rear of the tractor has a tougher time pulling up the tall stalks after both the small front and larger wide rear tires pack everything down.

I’ve had 2 rear discharge finish mowers. One did a good job distributing the grass, the other left windrows if the grass was very thick. Also the one that didn’t scatter as good had discharge chain guards and the other didn’t. Maybe that was the difference.

 

[Randy Gann]

I wonder if the cut quality is related to blade speed. Does a mid mount mower on the JD 430 have a faster blade speed than a rfm?

 

[TractorGuy]

I think one problem with finish mowers is the lack of blade speed. I put a larger pulley on my gearbox to increase the blade speed. I also run my tractor RPMs a little higher than the 540 PTO line. I might try pulling the chains off and see if that makes any difference.

Not sure how the topic went from JD430 & 72" Woods to 15'? Do you have a 15' mower? How does it compare?

The 54" deck on my JD F725 has always disappointed me in cut quality. My wife used it in the front yard last and the cut was a lot cleaner looking than I remember it ever being. Not sure if she ran over everything three times or how that happened.

The last mowing and the the one coming up our grass is higher than I like to let it get. I know it will have clumps due to the overgrown grass.

 

[TractorGuy]

I’ve had 2 rear discharge finish mowers. One did a good job distributing the grass, the other left windrows if the grass was very thick. Also the one that didn’t scatter as good had discharge chain guards and the other didn’t. Maybe that was the difference.

I pulled the discharge chute off of my 6' Agmate to try it today and it does distribute the clippings more evenly. I have often wondered why the rear discharge mowers tapered the discharge chute as opposed to having them come straight off the sides.

 

[Richard]

I think one problem with finish mowers is the lack of blade speed. I put a larger pulley on my gearbox to increase the blade speed. I also run my tractor RPMs a little higher than the 540 PTO line. I might try pulling the chains off and see if that makes any difference.

The RFM has historcially been attached to an aged IH-444. Aged meaning probably tired and could use some form of overhaul.

Tractor doesn't burn/use oil to speak of.... The Tach does NOT work and it just feels that at full throttle, it's not going as fast (RPM's) as it should.

When (my wife's cousin next door) got his new JD tractor, I was a bit elated as now we'd have a fully powered machine yet, I still get the same 'vibe' from the new machine.

So in a sense, I agree about the lack (or perceived lack?) of blade speed. It seems as though the deck on the 430 is just busting loose and blowing everything out the side discharge whereas it feels like the Woods is just loafing with its blade speed.

Both do the job but the 430 does a distinctly and noticable nicer job. This is why I'm noodling about in the head wondering if I get a new flexwing to cut the rest of the place, will brand "X" leave a nicer cut than brand "Y" or not. In the end it doesn't really matter but if all the effort to cut the place is the same, why not try to opt for the nicer cut if it's no more work/effort.

Question is, do the brands differ like that. I don't think I've ever really read about that.

 

[Williy]

Nobody said anything about how fast the tractor was
going as it has a great deal about how the cutter works!

willy

 

[ShowroomShine]

A good 15’ batwing from any brand will cut grass as good if not better than a RFM. We have a 12’ Woods and it’s amazing how well it cuts.

 

[workinonit]

I'm confused. I am asuming you have a 430, a Woods fimish mower and some sort of 15' batwing. Likely a 15' bush hog.

I have a 20' batwing finish mower that cuts better than any zero turn will. I cut grass at 1.5".

 

[Richard]

Not sure how the topic went from JD430 & 72" Woods to 15'? Do you have a 15' mower? How does it compare?

Sorry, just noticed this.

Not trying to compare those specifically....

"in the realm of finish mowers" 430 "finish mower" does a distinctly better job than the Woods "finish mower" which got me to thinking in the realm of flexwing mowers, how different brands might cut verses each other.

I wasn't comparing the finish to the flexwing.

That said, I've also used the flexwing on the same field. It scalps here & there....but frankly, it leaves a nice looking cut too, if not a bit long. Nothing that I own beats the 430's cut. When the time comes to replace the flexwing, I'd like to have one that via engineering I suppose, also has an inherently "nice" cut. (some of the fields are within view of house and I try to keep them groomed. The hidden sides of the farm are the ones that grow higher and I worry less about.

 

[workinonit]

What 15' flex mower do you own? Is it a finish mower or a bush hog?

 

[IndyJay]

Nobody said anything about how fast the tractor was
going as it has a great deal about how the cutter works!

willy

Sure they did. Haven;t you ever heard, "It's not how fast you mow, its how well you mow fast".

 

[stevem5215]

Fact is that some mower decks just cut better than others. Some mid mount decks are terrible and others are good. Some Rear decks are good and other terrible. It's just how it is. Find yourself a deck that cuts like you want and use it. That's the best you can do.

 

[dodge man]

This is just comparing mid mounts. I had a Kubota BX and now own a JD 2025r, both 60” decks, both have mulch kits. The JD cuts better. Not a huge difference but the Kubota always left a little windrow of grass on the right side of the deck. I’d say this has to do with the design of the mulch kit but am not sure.

Without knowing pulley size and actual blade RPM’s it’s tough to say why one cuts better than another. I always figure that’s why high end zero turns cuts better, the deck is hanging out there and no wheels mash down the grass.

 

[Grumpycat]

If there is a windrow of uncut grass, plus a mulching kit has been fitted, I would suspect the wrong mulching kit put a smaller blade on somewhere.

Is common with the best mowing decks to leave a windrow when making a sharp turn in the wrong direction. One blade spindle is in front of other(s) to create overlap going straight, so the blades do not hit each other. Turn into the direction of the front blade is fine but turn the other way opens the gap between the two blades. With 3 blades you are SOL, turn with the wrong radius will leave a windrow.

 

[Tinhack]

Nobody said anything about how fast the tractor was
going as it has a great deal about how the cutter works!

willy

With my Ford 3910, third gear and low range. I'm too lazy to look the speed up but it's moving pretty good. Up in the woody areas (trees and scrub brush) I drop down into second gear, low range. There's more turning and dodging up there.