If you have small acreage and thinking of cutting hay... Drum Mower

[SPYDERLK]

Thanks guys. I think Ill get in the market for one. Does it leave cut hay well spread or sorta make a windrow between the 2 spindles?

 

[atgreene]

I told the salesman at the Zetor dealer that it seems too good to be true. He laughed and said there's a reason Zetor gives a 3 year warranty, their's nothing to go wrong. I'm definitely going to buy one, just not sure on the brand yet.

SPYDERLK, every one that I have seen leaves it in a narrow windrow between the drums. I'm doing haylage, so it won't matter. For the small amount of squares I do we'll tedd it.

 

[DaveOmak]

Thanks guys. I think Ill get in the market for one. Does it leave cut hay well spread or sorta make a windrow between the 2 spindles?

 

[Creamer]

That really looks backwards with the heads lying the against the direction of travel.

 

[DaveOmak]

The seed heads are in the direction of travel... the cut ends are pointing where you just came from.... Dave

 

[bjr]

Good Morning to you DaveOmak. Have you experienced any problems raising the mower in the cutting position. I have the same mower as you and I am still dragging the cutting head at full lift. My tractor is a Jinma JM354. Also on the last cutting of the year, I was scalping the grass hay and the only thing I can think of was I might not have had the Top Link adjusted to level the mower ( it looked level to me). I've heard there are "spacer shims" available for these mowers do you know about or had any experience with the "spacer shim"? bjr

 

[DaveOmak]

bjr, morning.... Raising the mower...... I adjust the right side lift arm... I raise it up so the mower lifts almost level... I don't want it to raise level so it will still follow the contour of the ground if I encounter a downward slope.... The top link..... I adjust it so the discs are slightly upward tilted at the front edge of the disc..... this gives me about a 1 1/2" cutting height... I'll be cutting my last cutting for the year today, hopefully, and I'll take pics of the mower set-up....
No, I haven't heard about spacer shims.... that would be interesting to see what they do and where they are inserted....

 

[DaveOmak]

Well, I guess I forgot to take a pic of the right side lift bar screwed up to level the mower when it was in the lift position.... I works for me.... There is the forward/back tilt shown using the top link.... you can see in the view of the swivel, it is tilted back when the mower is level.... I think that is so it swings back easily, when you hit something, and the spring tension break away lets go.... Dave

 

[flusher]

Well, I guess I forgot to take a pic of the right side lift bar screwed up to level the mower when it was in the lift position.... I works for me.... There is the forward/back tilt shown using the top link.... you can see in the view of the swivel, it is tilted back when the mower is level.... I think that is so it swings back easily, when you hit something, and the spring tension break away lets go.... Dave

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Really nice mix of vintage and modern equipment--I like that :thumbsup:
Makes me want to get a drum mower like yours and operate it with my MF135 diesel. If fertilizer weren't so expensive, I'd put another hay crop on my 6-acre field just to have fun with that mower.

 

[DaveOmak]

I fertilize once a year... the pay backs are worth it... healthy crop and the tonnage stays up pretty good... Very few weeds... folks drive by and see the crop and I have no problem selling it for a good price... fertilizer runs about 5-10% of the sale price of the alfalfa, depending on the soil analysis every couple years...