Educate me please

[handirifle]

Looking for a 3pt mower for my MF1010, Cat I. I have found a reasonably priced one but it is a finish mower, What is the difference between that and a rough cut mower? I have 3 acres, one of which is developed, the other two are tall field grasses and heavy weeds. Do not have an issue with saplings, but there are occasional broken limbs from my trees.

Would a finish mower do it for me?

 

[crusty 1]

Looking for a 3pt mower for my MF1010, Cat I. I have found a reasonably priced one but it is a finish mower, What is the difference between that and a rough cut mower? I have 3 acres, one of which is developed, the other two are tall field grasses and heavy weeds. Do not have an issue with saplings, but there are occasional broken limbs from my trees.

Would a finish mower do it for me?

A finish mower should work well.Keep it a little higher till you get the heavy stuff down first then you can lower it to lawn hieght,and mow slower to start:thumbsupave

 

[leonz]

Depends on your pocket book;

Look at the Caroni flail mowers on Agri Supply - Farm Supplies, Tools, Lawn Mower Blades, Cast Iron Cookware then
look at the lets talk flail mowers thread(all 93 pages)
a small flail mower with the Finish cut rotor would be fine for 3 acres and less work.
and will not have issues with heavy growths of grass and weeds

leonz

 

[kebo]

To answer the OP's question.... a finish cut mower gives a nice level cut for lawns. They are NOT intended (or designed) for rough cutting such as in brush or the woods. Rough cut mowers, on the other hand, are designed for cutting in brush/woods/heavy grass. They are built with a much heavier construction to take the extra abuse.

 

[Scotty370]

Ditto to Kebo......Guess we always want to strech capabilities, when, what you really need is two implements!! The 'finish-mower' is for lawn areas. Can ya cut like a Brush Hog? Well, high, maybe, but my sense is you'll beat it up! ~Scotty

 

[crusty 1]

I was assuming you,d pick up the branches before mowing.I,v mower a bunch of tall heavy grass with my JD garden tractor,just started high and kept lowering.Two acres handly seems like a very spendy mower is justified.Dave

 

[handirifle]

A flail mower, any size, is way out of my budget. I have not seen one, even used, that is in the three figure price range, even used ones here are over a grand.

That said, I have been searching all the local, and not so local listings even for an upper teens or low 20 something HP riding mower. As I mentioned there are no saplings and the worst issue is some tractor ruts causing uneven ground. Other than that, its a pretty flat lot. In fact I have been grading it off and on to try and make it even flatter. I don't own a lot of property (3 acres) and it has about 200-250ft road frontage, and I am trying to make it look as nice as possible.

I realize the rough cut mowers were meant for brush etc, I have no brush, or saplings, or heavy wooded areas to contend with. I really just need the equivilent of a heavy duty riding mower. Would the finish cut mower meet this level of performance? I hate to spend $500-1000 on a used riding mower when all I need is an attachment for the tractor.

To be honest, I am looking at a finish mower from Harbor Freight. It's on sale for $499. I have experience with HF's tools, and am well aware some stuff is decent, some isn't. For me, this would see use about 3-4 times a year. For the "lawn" areas, I have a walk behind mower that will work perfectly fine. This is just to keep the weeds from making it to the 3-4ft level, and keep the field grass cut down.

By the way, at $499 that is probably slightly above my budget limit, and I think my chances on a new one, even from HF are better than buying a used one, that's been beat up, for the same price.

 

[handirifle]

I was assuming you,d pick up the branches before mowing.I,v mower a bunch of tall heavy grass with my JD garden tractor,just started high and kept lowering.Two acres handly seems like a very spendy mower is justified.Dave

Yes I would pick up any heavy ones, ones that I probably wouldn't run over with a walk behind. Yea I cannot justify spending a lot of money, besides I don't have it to spend anyway.

 

[handirifle]

Actually, now that I look closer, I'd need the drive shaft also, another $70, plus shipping. That's over my budget by a lot. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[jmc]

I've never used a finish mower but heavy weeds with a brushcutter generates a lot of debris. Would a finish mower's discharge chute handle it all?

John

 

[bp fick]

I mow about the same size property as the OP.

I need the comfort of mowing with my Kubota. (back issues). Harsh riding lawn tractors are a killer for me.

As long as you aren't trying to cut stumps or saplings and the rough ruts gets raked out a little, a finish mower is what you want. I wouldn't let it get over 6" high and there'd be no need to allow it get that bad.

I did a thread here:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/175916-so-you-considering-rear-finish.html
You might enjoy it.

 

[handirifle]

I've never used a finish mower but heavy weeds with a brushcutter generates a lot of debris. Would a finish mower's discharge chute handle it all?

John

The one from HF seems to have a fairly large opening, with chain guard installed.

5 Ft. 3-Point PTO Finishing Mower

 

[handirifle]

I wouldn't let it get over 6" high and there'd be no need to allow it get that bad.

I did a thread here:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/175916-so-you-considering-rear-finish.html
You might enjoy it.

I used to live in Ohio (born there) and the big difference is here (central coast of CA) the rainy season is in the winter. It also causes the grasses (this is field grass, mind you, not lawn) grow fast, and the soil is too wet and soggy to mow for several months. That is my main concern, if the field grass and weeds get to 24" or so before it dries enough to mow, would a finish mower do the job? I notice this one says to 4 1/2" high, but looking at the design, I could modify the support arms for the wheels and bring that to 6" easily. I don't really need it as a "lawn" mower. I'll try to post a pic of my field.

 

[beppington]

Actually, now that I look closer, I'd need the drive shaft also, another $70, plus shipping. That's over my budget by a lot. Thanks for the feedback.

If a 70 dollar shaft is bustin' yer budget, I think you're gonna have a difficult time with tractor ownership.

Seriously, though, if you're willing to pick up most/ all of the branches, either beforehand or as you go, & you set the finish mower to its max height for your first pass, it might work OK.

 

[handirifle]

If a 70 dollar shaft is bustin' yer budget, I think you're gonna have a difficult time with tractor ownership.

Seriously, though, if you're willing to pick up most/ all of the branches, either beforehand or as you go, & you set the finish mower to its max height for your first pass, it might work OK.

Well being retired, and considering the mower is $499, plus 70 for the shaft, plus about $129 for shipping we're sittin on $700 real quick, then throw in another $46 for tax, well that $500 mower just got to 750 real fast. That's also why I bought an old MF1010. At $4000 (with MF1014 FEL and Gannon rotating box scraper) it was pretty much my limit also.

Here's a pic of my "yard". The tall brown things are a type of cattail. Yes it does get soggy down there in the winter.

 

[KU Gator]

The finish mowers like that are very much like a mid mount (belly) mower on some tractors or similar to what you would find on a garden tractor. They would have usually 3 blades which are connected to the gear box by a belt. To do a decent job, the blades need to be relatively sharp. The blades are basicly a heavy lawn mower blade, so they will cut some pretty heavy stuff, but subject to damage it you hit a rock or something. The weight of the mower is just carried by the wheels on all the corners and adjusting them is how you adjust the cut height.

The rough cut mower in the size for smaller tractors has one gear box spinning a spindle with an oval shaped plate. Attached to it is two much heavier blades. The blades are spun out by centrifical force from the plate and really end up acting like one big blade. They rely on a very fast blade tip spinning and the heavy blade to cut. Because the blades are heavier, they can cut heavier material without damage but if you try, you can do it. Most smaller rough cut mowers have just one wheel in the back, sometimes 2 and the weight in the front is carried by the 3 pt hitch.

As others have said, if you can cut it reasonably frequently, once every 3 weeks or so, you would probably be ok with the finish mower. Maybe can borrow a rough cut mower to initially get it under control.

Also, maybe watch craigs list, or check at some of the local farm stores. Can maybe pick up a mower and avoid the shipping.

 

[zman007007]

Maybe I am reading the ad wrong, but doesn"t it say the driveshaft is included? :confused2:

 

[Johno Geo]

Replying to all.. I would use the finishing mower to cut grass, the Brush Mower for anything more.You can cut grass with a Brush Bull, but it is a rough look, not like a finish lawn.
I use the Garden Tractor to mow, the utility tractor to clear brush..

Johno Geo

 

[handirifle]

Maybe I am reading the ad wrong, but doesn"t it say the driveshaft is included? :confused2:

It does say this "Includes quick-coupler PTO driveline shaft" (which I missed:confused2. Looking at the description, it DOES include the "extendable driveline shaft". duh. Thanks.

I have been looking at craigs list and other local listings for months. I have seen a few, but either over priced ($800+), or too large for my MF1010.

I will continue to do so. I may still order this one even though it is a finish mower, since I have mowed a good portion of this before with my walk behind Hushvarna self propelled. I am aware of the potential for damage as well.

 

[LD1]

I am not sure I understand completely what you are wanting to do.

You currently own 3 acres and keep 1 acre as a mowed lawn and the other two goes to tall brush/weeds.

Are you wanting to turn the 2 overgrown ares into a lawn that you mow as often as the 1 acre?????OR are you only wanting to knock it down a few times per year????

If you want it as a managable lawn, then a finish mower is what you want. It will be slow going for the first few mowings, but once established as a lawn, it will be fine.

If you are only wanting to mow a few times per year, I think you are going to want a rotary cutter/rough mower/bushhog. They are a lot faster than a finish mower on just about everything over 8" and or thick weeds. If you plan on waiting on it to be between 12-18" or taller, a bushhog will save you a ton of time. And when it is that tall, even a finish mower won't leave a very good looking yard/field when done.