Finish mower vs brush hog?

[screamin400]

Always looking for implements that I can make money with. I have a chance to purchase a used bush hog rd6 in nice shape for 800. I have read it can mow a sapling of one inch. I always keep an eye open for a brush hog but nothing so far. Which one would get the most use for hiring out? I have nothing to mow here. I am not sure I am interested in mowing down trees larger than 1 inch so wondering how many do that? I would think the brush hog can do all the finish mower can and then some but none are avail at a good price. Thought?

 

[CCWKen]

I have both a rotary cutter for high grass/weeds or saplings and a flail mower with folded spoons that gives a finish mower cut. The rotary is great for over-grown pastures or for opening new ground where a finish mower just isn't going to hack it. On areas I've let go too long, the rotary is a life saver but isn't going to leave a "finish" cut. If I want grass to take over or to get it growing again, I go back over it with the flail mower and/or keep it cut with the flail mower.

In some of the back areas where I only cut once or twice a year, the rotary is the only way to go. Most of the time I have to back into some of the wicked growth or first run the dozer through it with the blade up to knock down the blood weed that can get 10-15' high. This year has been unusually wet so there's good stand back there I haven't touched. I may just let it die out during the winter and wait till spring to clear it.

All I'm saying is that I have a use for both and couldn't live without either. If all you do/will do is mow grass every couple of weeks, you may not see a need for a rotary cutter. But if you open your jobs to prepping fields or clearing fields, a rotary is a necessity.

 

[4570Man]

A bush hog is going to be more likely to make you money. Anything that can be cut with a finish mower can be cut faster with a cheaper lawnmower.

 

[screamin400]

Thanks guys. I am thinking a brush hog first before a finish mower but wondered if the finish mower would be good enough. Sounds like it has its's limits.

 

[screamin400]

Hmm, I am thinking I goofed up like an newbie. The rd6 is a rotary mower. Pics were not that good and I goofed up. It appears the rd6 is a very light weight rotary mower that can mow up to 1 inch saplings. I only have 32 pto hp so probably heavy duty enough for me. It appears they come with a sheer pin which I am not a fan of but is what it is. 800 seems like a good price for one hardly used. What do you guys think?

 

[4570Man]

Don't waste your money on very light duty equipment. It's quickly mangled up.

 

[CCWKen]

Yeah, if you plan on clearing high growth fields for people don't bother with the wimpy cutters. There's no telling what you'll run into out in an unknown field. Unless you walk every square foot of it, you could hit rocks, fence posts and all manner of abandoned equipment or tools. The entry level cutters are meant for the metros that rarely see more than crab grass interrupting their lawn. :laughing:

 

[screamin400]

I was thinking along the same lines as you fellas. This would not be my pick of mower but the price was calling to me. I am going to pass on it.

 

[CCWKen]

I've already told the story of my bad neighbors. I've hit cinder blocks and old car parts along my fence adjoining a mobile home park. I have an old Ford 954 rotary that just smashes the stuff and keeps going. Even hit a few 4-5" logs out there. It's the stuff you can't see that posses the worst hazard. It's hard on any equipment but the "yard" equipment just won't last.

 

[MF283]

I worked some on another farm years ago, rotary cut better than a finish mower(intended use) & as stated, a lawnmower(ZTR) worked even better on the finished part(15 acres).

 

[FreedomFamilyFarms]

This thread on Flail Mowers is Epic. You might check it out before committing to a rotary mower.

 

[MESSMAKER]

A rotary mower will make more money than any other implement. You can pick up a decent medium duty cutter for less than $1200 new. It will pay for itself in the first year and last 3-4 years with hard use.

 

[kthompson]

A rotary mower will make more money than any other implement. You can pick up a decent medium duty cutter for less than $1200 new. It will pay for itself in the first year and last 3-4 years with hard use.

For a good quality mower how much are you running it to last 3-4 years?

 

[MESSMAKER]

For a good quality mower how much are you running it to last 3-4 years?

I mow about 250 hours a year. A good portion is building lots and code violation. I would think most people will not mow more than 50 hours a year.

 

[LD1]

250hrs per year.......3-4 years.....

I wouldnt say that a mower that lasts 750-1000hrs is of good quality. Unless it is abused. (running over tires, fence posts, boulders, cinder blocks, etc).

 

[LD1]

The heavy bushhog in these pictures is a bushhog model 306. I acquired it maybe 4 years ago. ITs a model from the 1980's. IT has mowed ~700 acres for me over the last 3-4 years. And I am sure it has sever hundred if not thousands of hours of life left in it.

 

[IslandTractor]

For mowing irregularly maintained areas that involves saplings and unseen debris, it's hard to imagine anything lighter than a medium duty rotary would be practical. Only exception I can think of would be a medium or heavy duty flail which will give a nicer cut but will cost more to buy and take more time and money to maintain.

I'm a big flail fan and own a Caroni TM1900 medium duty flail but I still keep a Woods 600 BrushBull for first mowing of unknown areas or for quick mowing of brush when I don't care what the field looks like afterwards. Occasionally I'll hit the field with the Woods first and then clean up with the flail but more often I just do the second cutting with the flail a month or two later.

 

[screamin400]

The flail mower thread sure is interesting. I certainly did not read it all. I have not seen one in person as they do not seem to be a big seller here. I have no interest in knocking down trees and cutting them up so the flail looks like the way to go if the price is the same.

 

[IslandTractor]

The flail mower thread sure is interesting. I certainly did not read it all. I have not seen one in person as they do not seem to be a big seller here. I have no interest in knocking down trees and cutting them up so the flail looks like the way to go if the price is the same.

You can get a flail for roughly the same cost as a bush hog of the same duty rating and width.

 

[screamin400]

What would the down fall of the flail be? I remember flail choppers when I was a kid. Long time ago. I believe maintenance would be more? Wondering if a client would pay more for a nicer job or not care. Is the flail slower?