Mower Confusion

[BFPGW]

I'm the first generation in my family raised off the farm, but spent plenty of time in my youth on my grandparent's farm. However, during that jaded youth my curiosity never caused me to ask about the varieties of mowers.

Recently we purchased a new '04 JD 790 4WD with loader, scraper blade, and a King Kutter carry-all. My intentions are to move the garden tractor/mower with grass catcher to only working around the house and use the JD for the rest of the three acres. I want to keep the clippings as invisible as possible but not spend the time messing with dumping bags.

On to my confusion. What the heck do all the various terms used to describe mowers mean? I see rotary cutters, rotary mowers, finish mowers, grooming mowers, etc.

Somebody help me with which to get or better yet, what does each do different from the others so I can make up my own mind?

I know I will want a rear discharge as those look like they don't create windrows like my garden tractor/side discharge mower does without the bagger. Any help is appreciated. I have time as our bank account is healing from the tractor purchase. Probably purchase the mower over winter or in spring.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

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On to my confusion. What the heck do all the various terms used to describe mowers mean? I see rotary cutters, rotary mowers, finish mowers, grooming mowers, etc.
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Rotary Cutter = a rough cut mower for cutting fields, the cut quality is marginal, it will however cut saplings, brush, etc

Rotary Mower, Bush Hog, Brush Hog, Slasher = same as Rotary Cutter


Finish Mower = lawn mower for cutting grass only, cut quality is very good. Come in 2 basic forms: MMM = a Mid Mount Mower, or perhaps more correctly a Mid Mount Finish Mower. RFM = a Rear Finish Mower that mounts onto the 3pt hitch.

Grooming Mower = same as Finish Mower, same thing different name.

 

[BFPGW]

Thanks for the explanation Bob. I realized when reading your reply I should have told you it was for the 3pt, not a belly mower.

Sounds like I want a finish mower. Any tips on who's to avoid or value (cost vs. quality/durability) choices?

 

[LMTC]

Many good ones, a few outstanding, and a few not so good. If value (cost vs. overall quality) is the issue, Sitrex is at the top IMO.

 

[Tom_H]

Go to this thread. Scroll to the second post. There you will find links to numerous threads about all types of mowers.

 

[GaryM]

One of your main decisions is to decide between SIDE DISCHARGE and REAR DISCHARGE.

Side discharge may leave windrows of grass if it's long. This makes it easier to pick up the grass if desired.

Rear discharge is much less likely to leave visible clippings, plus you have the advantage of being able to mow close to objects on either side.

I have a Landpride rear discharge and like it fine.

 

[wushaw]

I had a 60" Bush Hog brand RFM that did a great job and was very well built.

 

[JoeL4330]

If you want invisible clippings, you want a mulching mower ...mine is a Befco cyclone ...look at the one that is appropriate to your tractor and then look at accessories ... <http://befco.com/products/cyclone/c30-ceoptionals.html> for example: see the mulching kit.

Downside is the muching kit makes the mower very obstacle-unfriendly ...and, top mowing speed is 2mph (because you essentially cut the grass twice) ...and you can't cut down too much on a pass (nor should you, anyway), but if you keep after the grass it works just as advertised, no windrows, no visible clippings.

 

[cchoate]

One other mower is the reel or gang reel mower. It doesn't use any power other than the tractor pulling it (no PTO). You see golf courses use them in large gangs. Great cut and very little clippings seen at all.

The big downside is you have to keep cutting the grass everytime it grows an inch or 2, reels don't work well in tall, wet grass.

 

[keeney]

Actually,

High-end golf course reel mowers used on fairways, teeboxes, and greens, typically are powered. Usually by hydraulic motors. They spin at fairly high RPM's. The large number of blades and the high RPMS produces more of a machining operation on the very low grass surface than a cutting. The resulting cuttings are more of a granular green powder. Cut heights are measured in 64ths of an inch. The amount of power required to spin at these higher RPM's would necessitate too much weight and traction to get it from the wheels. Plus, it would mar the delicate surface.

There are also powered reel mowers designed for turf grass heights of around 2 inches, typically used on the rough at nicer courses, and anywhere the very finest turf cut is desired, for example pro baseball infields.

The un-powered pull-behind reel types that spin due to the tractor pulling them along are typically used maybe for the rough and driving range. They are also used for non-golf applications like city parks, and sports fields and large commercial campuses where the turf is longer and more robust. These units have fewer blades and spin slower, using more of a slicing action.

The nice thing about ganged reel mowers either powered or unpowered is that each unit is fairly narrow (24 or maybe 36 inches) and they all float independently, rolling on their own rollers. This allows them to conform to the contours without high spots or scalping like a rigid 72" multi-blade rotary deck might have.

The rollers on the reel mowers leave a nice stripe pattern that can be very pleasing as well.

- Rick

 

[DmaxEter]

Wow, that brings back memories. I worked on the golf course that I now live on for three years while in high school. I worked there longer than anyone else so I got to move up through the ranks. I spent many months operating all the equipment. I remember one summer pulling a 12 gang mower behind a 60hp john deere. Man that was fun. It was powered by the wheels. All the other reel mowers were hydraulic powered units. Nothing sounds better that a reel unit that has just been back lapped cutting grass. The only thing about those big gang mowers on the course is sprinkler heads. If you catch a head that isnt set right, the bed knife pulls it right out of the ground. Kinda cool actually.

 

[keeney]

That reminds me of the big negative of reel mowers - very high maintanence. The knife distance needs to be frequently adjusted as the blades wear. The bed knife itself would need frequent attention. Then periodically, the reel blades need to be "back-lapped" Also, lots of lubrication points on the reel, rollers, height adjust, and knife adjust mechanisms.

Hydraulic powered units also have all the headaches of hydraulics. Leaks can be an issue. Slower leaks would just leave little drip marks here and there. However if you had a full-pressure pinhole stream that wasn't noticed right away, you would get this nice pinstripe trail of dead grass showing the exact mowing pattern on one or more greens.

- Rick

 

[DmaxEter]

Boy I remember that to. Constant adjustments and back lapping. One time, we had a jacobsen greens mower blow a hose at the motor in the middle of the Bent grass green. That sucked big time. Hydraulic fluid will turn grass yellow.