OK, so maybe I'm stupid....

[Anonymous Poster]

OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

So I'm sitting here, happy as a clam with my new L3410, thinking about the 4.5 acres of lawn I'll have when I'm done clearing these nasty swamp birch, and it hits me.

I've been told a power rake is the greatest invention since sliced bread, and it is the tool for prepping soil for seeding a lawn. But the wife wants a garden......why can't I use the rear 3pt hitch tiller I'm probably going to buy anyway and get the same results??? I rent the Power rake = $600/week. The tiller ~ $1000 - that I have forever. Am I loosing my mind, or do I not understand the implements?

Questions #2 - My owners manual says I can put up to a 72 rotary cutter behind that L3410. Yet everyone I speak to recommends a 60"??

P.S. - These are great problems I have..

 

[hazmat]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

The tiller will work. I've used a walk behind troy built many times for setting up lawns. But, you'll also need to a landscape rake to pick up all the debris.

The power rake combines both functions in one & is the choice for pro landscapers.

 

[GSS]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

Can't really speak to the tiller vs power rake, but your 'Bota has about the same HP as my Cub 7360 (36 HP) and I have zero issues running a 72" mower. This is a finish mower though. If you mean "brush hog" by rotary cutter, then ignore this post... ; )

- G

 

[MDNick]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

Dazed,

I have an L3010 and use a 72" RFM. It is nice that it covers a LOT in a pass, and sticks out nicely beyond the tires. The only reason the narrower mower would be nice is in the uneven areas. A 5 footer would better follow the contours. Personally I wouldn't put a 5' behind your tractor. I think a 5' model would look to dang small. But if you mow ditches, swales, uneven areas, the 5 footer may be just the ticket for you.

Nick

 

[TxSam]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

Dazed, on the rotary mower you should have no problem with a 72" and you would be able to handle an 84" finish mower. Generally, a rotary mower needs more power because of the amount of rotating mass is greater than for a finish mower. This is due to the rotary having one gear box and spindle swinging those large blades around as compared to a finish mower that would have three smaller blades and spindles run by belts.

Of course the rotary can handle larger brush, which generally requires more hp, whereas the finish mower is strictly for grass.

On the power rake, I don't have any experience, but I suppose it may depend on how deep the rake would work the soil. If it were me, I would probably buy a tiller and a regular rake so I could use the rake for other purposes if needed.

 

[tc35dforme]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

Dazed,

A power rake is a serious hunk of machinery. From experience ... experience is the key to getting good results. I would strongly recommned that you do the initial prep, rough grade and grub it out, then hire a landscape guy to do the power raking. If he's a good guy he'll toss you a discount if you follow and pick up the windrows of rocks.

I think the power rakes do a better job than a 'rock hound' which has the basket. Just personal preference.

Do you have big rocks ?? If so you'll damage your equipment. Pay someone to wreck their stuff. Its cheaper in the long run.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

According to the Woods brochures, the depth of both the tiller and power rake are the same. This area is overgrown with 20'-30' swamp birch and poplar, it is a former hay field that grew up over 13 years. In the spring I will bring in the dozer to remove all the small stumps and get close to my final grade. Then the tiller or power rake followed by a landscape rake and broadcast spreader.

As for the Rotary cutter, I meant brush hog type implement. I was going to knock down the field, but then thought, why not wait until spring, let it die, and then start the dozer work? This way I don't have to buy something I may never use again. As for the rear discharge finish mower, I can use a 84" but I'm concerned about scalping.
My terrain over the 4 acres doesn't have a total of 15' of elevation change. For all intents an purposes, it's flat for upstate NY. Additionally does anyone around here (Upstate NY) have a First Pride finish mower?? I would love to take a close look at one...in action.

 

[BeeBop]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

The powered Rake is only good for 1.5'' to 2'' depth, tops as where the tiller will go much deeper but then you're comparing apples and oranger. The powered rake can't be beat for landscaping as where the tiller can do the Landscaping as well but must be followed by pulverizers and a landscape rake.

 

[cisco]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

Um, as to the power rake - it is not a tiller, and visa versa. A tiller, especially a reverse rotating one, will dig much deeper. If you want to prepare a small field for planting each year, & have to annihilate corn stalks and roots or similar, the tiller is the best option - but the post about rocks is true - if you have a bunch of rocks, especially big ones, forget the rake or the tiller for the first pass - have someone do it for you, and spare your equipment.
Now, as to the cutter. I've a 3410 GST (so, few more pto HP than a HST, & same if DT). I had to clear some pretty thick stuff (2-4 inch saplings - hard wood, lots of brush) and over some very irregular land (so, the brush cutter "leveled" lots of small dirt mounds). My 3410 had all it could handle with a 60" brush cutter - that said it was the "medium duty" Woods, that weighs over 1100 lbs and is meant for commercial applications - anything less would have been broken before I got the initial clearing completed. If you're going to have a dozer do the heavy stuff, and just be left with brush, weeds and the like on reasonably flat property, a 72" standard duty brush cutter would be just fine - though you might bog the engine a bit in heavy, tall grass - most brush cutters sold are "standard duty", though they don't say such. As to 84", fine - but don't tackle heavy weeds or tall, thick grass, at least not with a full width of the brush cutter - the engine rpm will plummet (especially if you're going up hill), and then it'll stall if you don't feather the clutch (just read the Woods or similar high quality equipment HP recommendations) - for a lawn with grass growth of a foot or so, yeah, OK.

 

[BB_TX]

Re: OK, so maybe I\'m stupid....

I run a 6' rotary cutter behind my JD 950 with 27 hp PTO with very little problem. Normal pasture grass no problem at all. However, if I let it get a foot or more tall, especially when it is really green, thick, heavy, and growing fast, I have to slow down a little to keep from bogging down. At the same time, I can cut 3' to 4' tall weeds in my lower pasture with less effort that it takes to cut the 1" tall heavy grass.
I also mow over 3' to 4' tall hardwoods and 4' to 5' tall cedars.