Rotary Cutter New to rotary cutters, have questions, help please

[StrangeRanger]

Hi,

I've acquired an OLD, about 4' rotary cutter and have questions. Once I clean it up a bit I'll post pics. It's literally got weeds and stuff growing on it so I can't even begin to imagine what brand or model it is. But it looks old.

The PTO shaft looks like it drives a pully/belt system that in turn drives the gear box. I'm thinking I can clean this up, grease the zerks, dress the belt and see what happens. I'm planning on the belt breaking so I'll simply replace it when it does. For now I've rigged up basically a bungee cord for a belt tensioner.

But the PTO shaft that was w/ it is too short. So I'm assuming I can replace this w/ an extendable shaft (assuming I can fit the plastic housing between the braces). That shouldn't be a problem right?

It looks like it might have had a gerry rigged rear wheel at some point in its life, but it is long gone. Any reason I can just run it w/out a wheel. I'm simply using it to cut down mostly weeds along the drive and in a field. So I figured I can just set the height w/ the 3pt and leave it there.

The blades are beefy, but basically square they're so un-sharp. But do you really need sharp blades for something like this? Will it be sufficient to clean them and the underside of the deck up and go?

If anyone has experience reconditioning old equipment like this I'd love your input. It's a relatively small little cutter and I'm thinking my L3400 should have no problem w/ it. Assuming I can find a PTO shaft to fit.

Thanks!
j

 

[N80]

I've never seen a belt driven rotary cutter....but there's a lot I've never seen. Are you sure this isn't a finish mower? How many blades does it have?

As far as the PTO shaft, you can get one at TSC and cut it too length with a hacksaw. Just make sure you leave plenty of overlap and enough room for extension.

You 3400 should be able to handle any 4' implement just fine.

A typical rotary cutter without a tail wheel would be usuable but you'd have to be watching it pretty constantly.

It would be very helpful to see some pics.

 

[StrangeRanger]

Like I said, I think she's old. I'll take some pics tonight assuming the weather holds and I can play outside to clean it up.

You can simply cut down a telescoping PTO shaft? Huh... who'dathunkit? But dang, how long does it take to get through w/ a hack saw?

j

 

[N80]

Like I said, I think she's old.

Sounds like it. Can't wait to see it, it sounds interesting.

You can simply cut down a telescoping PTO shaft? Huh... who'dathunkit? But dang, how long does it take to get through w/ a hack saw?

j

Don't know. That's another one of the many things I've heard tell of but have never done myself. My B-I-L farmer cuts them down all the time.....but he may have something better than a hacksaw.

 

[N80]

Here is a new rotary cutter that is belt driven. Although, it seems more like a cross between a finish mower and a rotary cutter.

Woods Equipment Company - D80 & DO80 Belt Driven, Twin Spindle Rotary Cutters

 

[sunspot]

I don't know how long it would take with a hacksaw (I retired mine) but with an electric reciprocating saw, it takes 2 minutes or so.

 

[StrangeRanger]

That's what I was thinking, use a sawz-all. I'm assuming you cut down the part that slides over the inner tube? Or does it matter?
j

I don't know how long it would take with a hacksaw (I retired mine) but with an electric reciprocating saw, it takes 2 minutes or so.

 

[sunspot]

Both sides have to be trimmed.

 

[firemanpat2910]

bush hog blades that are sharp create sharp pointy stumps that eat tractor tires, if you are not gonna cut any brush you can sharpen them but IMO you wont get a finish mower cut out of a bushhog. With out a tail wheel its gonna be pretty hard to mow at a set height unless you live on FLAT ground. I would use a turn buckle or a garage door spring before I would trust a bungee cord.

 

[StrangeRanger]

Good point about pointy stumps. But I'm not really cutting any brush/trees, it's literally just tall grass/hay/weeds. But very good point so I don't think I'll really sharpen them.

I'm not looking for anything close to a finish cut. I simply want to whack the weeds down so I can see out of our drive!

A garage door spring is very long so I don't really see how I could use that. And how would a turn buckle work as a tensioner as it has no give. But again, I see your point. And the bungee was kind of a joke, it's just holding the pieces together until I get a decent spring on there. But I'd like to hear how you've used turnbuckles if you have.

Thanks,
j

bush hog blades that are sharp create sharp pointy stumps that eat tractor tires, if you are not gonna cut any brush you can sharpen them but IMO you wont get a finish mower cut out of a bushhog. With out a tail wheel its gonna be pretty hard to mow at a set height unless you live on FLAT ground. I would use a turn buckle or a garage door spring before I would trust a bungee cord.