Half Moons

[cperky]

Man I saw this girl and she was wearing one of those.....


Just kidding, I was bushogging today and when I would turn a corner sometimes I would end up leaving these half moons of uncut grass in the field. I guess they were more like crescent moons but anyway...After a few times I just started mowing to the end of the row and then backing and turning so that I could just go straight down the next side of the field. I started wondering which was quicker. The back and turn method or having to go back and cut the half moons. Any suggestions on how to not leave the half moons? The field was kind of shaped like a triangle so the closer I got to the center the the sharper the turns became.

 

[Sherweld]

Probably the best way is to experiment to find the best way for you and your field. Personally I try to always keep the tractor/mower moving forward to save wear and tear on the clutch, PTO, powertrain etc (not to mention that it is probably quicker in the long run than stopping and reversing).

When the field corners get cleared out, sometimes a straight loop (270 degrees), sometimes a figure that looks like the profile of a light bulb, sometimes just a straight turn like you are doing but sweeping out a bit to lap the previous turn, and sometimes even splitting the field by mowing up one side then over to the center for the return.

But then I stopped mowing fields quite a while ago, the only mowing I do these days is on a fancy golf course where they want it looking real pretty, with striping and the works which involves lots of fancy maneuvers and thinking ahead so as not to get a big gang set trapped in a place that the only way out is to take the gang apart and drag them out in the clear and reassembled.

 

[TedLaRue]

...Personally I try to always keep the tractor/mower moving forward to save wear and tear on the clutch, PTO, powertrain etc... ...sometimes a straight loop (270 degrees), ...

Once again, I think Sherweld is shrewd.

Recently, my clutch rusted to the driven plate so the clutch wouldn't release. I could get it started in neutral, drift down the hill and get it into gear, but then I couldn't easily stop or back up. Nevertheless, I managed to brush-hog my field, including trimming around some trees and mowing up into some narrow places. (And I don't recommend doing that; it's dangerous, esp. if anyone else is around.) It really didn't take much longer than usual.

From that experience I've concluded that it's best to minimize changing directions, and maximize keeping the mower in the grass. For example, if you need to make a 90 degree turn to the right, turn to the left, making 3/4's of a full turn (270 degrees as in Sherweld's post). That's faster and less wear and tear on the machine (and you) than stopping, backing up, and starting again at full engine speed).

Most insects jump to the remaining taller grass/weeds, concentrating them as the remaining patch gets smaller and smaller. So when the remaining grass/weeds gets down to a fairly narrow area, I usually mow through the middle of it to split it into two parts. That helps reduce the number of insects that are jumping all over me as I make the last couple of passes.

 

[Squeak n Itch]

Just kidding, I was bushogging today and when I would turn a corner sometimes I would end up leaving these half moons of uncut grass in the field. I guess they were more like crescent moons but anyway.

If I leave all of the crescents in a line or two then I can usually clean them at the end of the cutting with one swell foop.

 

[sixdogs]

I mow a few times around the edges and then mow "strips" back and forth like a farm field. It would work with a triangle field. Only a few "half moons."
I space those strips about 40 ft apart so I have room to turn without slowing down. Works for me.

 

[tinkertoys]

I want to talk about those half moons OYEA.

 

[JDeerekid]

I usually go around the outside of field a few passes first. Then I make a pass down the middle make a wide turn at the end and go back down the middle again. After a few passes when you come to the end of a pass just keep making left turns at the end off each pass and no half moons. When you have a wide field it seems like you are wasting time a fuel because you are going over stuff already mowed but it keeps the feild looking nice in straight lines. Just my $.02.