Rotary Cutter What size/Brand to get

[Gary Fowler]

If you are going to be backing into trees like in the video, look for a very thick deck in the 1/4" or very near that range. Backing into brush is what bends up most light weight decks as they are not designed for that. If you fold the deck in, look out because the blades will tear it up badly before you can stop them.
Most any bush hog will cut a 3-4" sapling when it is bent over. Just like cutting a limb with your pocket knife, bend it and it cuts easily. The gear boxes on the ones I checked were the same HP rating on the light duty as the heavy duty. The cost difference is in the steel for the deck. I cut a lot of sweetgum trees with my light duty Howse by riding them over with the FEL/tractor and letting the bushhog shear them off and cut off the limbs. Mostly the main trunk, at least the largest part would just lie on the ground.

Shredding up 4" trees is not easy on the tractor though (or the hog) but it can be done by just easing into the tree after riding it over and shredding it off, then raise up the BH to work on shredding it by lowering it slowly back down on the tree body. I never sheared a pin, but did stall the engine a few times doing the larger stuff.

You might be money ahead just hiring a dozer to clear off the scrub and save the wear and tear on your tractor. I would still look at purchasing at least a medium duty bush hog for maintenance just because the deck wont rust out as fast as the 12 gauge light duty ones will.

 

[smstonypoint]

The OP said that he has honey locusts, but no one has mentioned the real possibility of tire punctures from the locust thorns if he is using a rotary cutter.

Steve

 

[runharley52]

The OP said that he has honey locusts, but no one has mentioned the real possibility of tire punctures from the locust thorns if he is using a rotary cutter. Steve

I like the idea of the bucket spade because of this. There's few enough that I could go around and dig them out. The honeysuckle and rose is too abundant and it would be nice to use the FEL and mower to tackle those. Or just hire it all out and be done with it!

 

[runharley52]

Found a bush hog 287 in my home town. Will my ford handle it fine with FEL on the front to knock down brush? Asking price seems steep at 2500 as well...

 

[2458n]

The thorns on the locust will get you as well as some of the cut off little sapling stubs. Figure in the costs of the tire, and a little dozer and a bunch of burn piles makes sense. Friend used two goats to clean up his back creek and brush line. Then comes along and uses them for a October cook out.

 

[jeff9366]

He ATE his FRIENDS?

 

[runharley52]

We had two goats last year and still working through them in the freezer. We like them but we need to improve fencing first to expand the operation

I'm listening to the advice here on the locusts and will hire that out. The bush hog would be for the timber which is pretty thick with honeysuckle. And then for the pastures when i get the locusts removed.

 

[runharley52]

I also called up Brown manufacturing today to see if there was a local dealer. No luck but he gave me a number for a distributor that travels through here. Really like the sound of their products based on feedback here.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I would buy a 6' med duty Woods Brush Bull... It's built heavy duty enough to take out anything you "should" be cutting with your size tractor and is in your price range.

It WILL be my next rotary cutter!

SR

 

[runharley52]

Bought it (bushhog 287). Little dusty in the picture from trying it out but put it to the test tonight with honeysuckle and it ate it right up. It's heavy and I feel it back there but my tractor seems like it handles it just fine. Probably helps to keep the FEL on.

Using the FEL to "feel" my way through through the brush and weeds works amazingly well. Now if I just had a grapple to lift up the brush and logs when I run into them... I smell another big purchase coming