Sickle Bar Mower

[flusher]

I'm looking for a Sickle Bar Mower in Oregon or Washington that will fit my Kubota BX2300. If you know of one for under $4000 let me know.

SFI has a line of sicklebars for SCUTS that might work for your jobs and fit your budget.

Mini Hay Balers and Compact Hay Balers | Small Farm Innovators

Good luck.

 

[sweettractors]

I'm looking for a Sickle Bar Mower in Oregon or Washington that will fit my Kubota BX2300. If you know of one for under $4000 let me know.

We have several used 6 ft mowers that are cat 1 and should fit ok. Ken Sweet

 

[bjr]

Uh, I'm not sure of the Kabota 2300 hp/size, but the SFI outfit that Flusher suggested also sells Drum Mowers as well. I bought one of their smaller units a DM2555 and have used it two years now and really like it. It was right at $3000 brand new. The fellow at SFI answers his own phone and honestly tries to help a person. There's NO plugging and the blades (6) change out in about 15 minutes. I do have to keep the belts tight but other than that it's a Blow-n-Go show. I think Agri-supply May sell sickle bar mowers as well. Talk to the owners of Sickle bar mowers to see what kind of maintenance is required before you make up your mind. bjr

 

[Sodo]

I have a, 3-pt 7 foot sickle (Massey Ferguson model 31) on a B2710 (a little bigger than a BX23). No problem with the horsepower, but its a pretty heavy offset weight. Even set for the narrowest tractor its could come in about 12" more to fit the B-2710 properly. With the sickle on the downhill side it gets dicey if you have to lift it over something. Kinda needs a counterweight on the other side.

MOST of the time I like the way a sickle cuts.

 

[flusher]

I have a, 3-pt 7 foot sickle (Massey Ferguson model 31) on a B2710 (a little bigger than a BX23). No problem with the horsepower, but its a pretty heavy offset weight. Even set for the narrowest tractor its could come in about 12" more to fit the B-2710 properly. With the sickle on the downhill side it gets dicey if you have to lift it over something. Kinda needs a counterweight on the other side.

MOST of the time I like the way a sickle cuts.

I had that same sicklebar mower. Used it with my 55 hp Mahindra 5525 tractor. It's pretty heavy for a 25-30 hp SCUT.

 

[powerscol]

At that price range you could get a new double action one from Enrossi and others. just google double acting sickle mowers. they make some small units that would fit your needs perfectly.

 

[tfa]

They work fine if you keep them very sharp and have your machine properly adjusted. I cut 40 ac. with a 1960s ford 501 w 7 FT. bar I paid 500.00 for it on c/l . prob ably a little too much . I spent 2 days breaking everything loose and adjusting what I could . I bought over priced reprint manuals from ebay and I had to fabricate one piece that was missing. I also bought a belt for it. Then I cut hay. The machine I got had very little use . It is a nice tight machine. But it probably sat around for 30 yr. all of the adjusting bolts were rusted / froze up . It cuts very good .way better than my no. 9 john deere, my last yr.s mower buts that is another story If your buying used , make them put it on a tractor and put the power to it before you buy

 

[powerscol]

Also consider some of the drum mowers that are out there.They are also in your price range.

 

[/pine]

I have a, 3-pt 7 foot sickle (Massey Ferguson model 31) on a B2710 (a little bigger than a BX23). No problem with the horsepower, but its a pretty heavy offset weight. Even set for the narrowest tractor its could come in about 12" more to fit the B-2710 properly. With the sickle on the downhill side it gets dicey if you have to lift it over something. Kinda needs a counterweight on the other side.

MOST of the time I like the way a sickle cuts.

I have similar experience...a MF 41 on a B1700...HP is not a problem but the cutter is heavy and a strain on the 3ph...(mainly on the right side arm)...I would not recommend one of the older heavy sickle bars for a BX...

I mostly use mine in the vertical position...usually once a year to trim the sides of the road...I bought a cylinder to control the bar but have not had time to fabricate the mounting brackets etc...

 

[MMagis]

Also consider some of the drum mowers that are out there.They are also in your price range.

This is worth repeating, over and over. Short of mowing over ditches or creek banks, I can’t think of one reason to choose a sickle bar mower over a drum mower. I really can’t even believe there’s enough market that they still make them new.
If you can’t tell, I grew up running a sickle bar mower. I despised that thing. Even when it worked perfectly, it was a PITA.