Who needs a Finish mower, I hogged my lawn, pic.

[MrSteve]

There has been post here and there to what kind of cut you would get if you used your brush hog to cut your “non pasture” grass. So I went out today, sharpened the blades, set the mower so the blades were about 6” off the ground and started cutting at 540rpm 1st gear, high range.

This section of my land (a bit under 2ac) would have taken me almost 3hrs to do on my riding mower, I was done in around 1hr with using the tractor. No more riding mower for me, 6’ brush cutter is all I will be using.

Here is a picture of how it came out…

 

[EddieWalker]

That sure did a good job!! What I'm really suprised about is there are no trials or piles of cut grass. Did you rake? Or were the cuttings thin enough to disapear?

Eddie

 

[MrSteve]

No I didn't rake. There is grass there, the pic isn't showing it, but yes nothing like a trail that the riding mower would make. I guess the grass was only around 3" or so higher before the cut in that photo. There is one thing that is different on my Kodiak brush mower then most mowers, I have a opening in the front and back (see my photos in link below), maybe that has something to do with it. Grass comes out from back and front? One other thing, I also had the mower close to level front to back as I could get it, so I was cutting in the front and back of the mower, instead of letting the front do all the work.

 

[PineRidge]

Good looking job MrSteve. My neighbor also uses a rotary cutter to mow his lawn and is very happy with the results.

When we 1st got our property a rotary cutter was all we used here for several years. Then I broke down and got a RFM and although the property looked good using the rotary cutter it looks even better using the RFM.

 

[FamilyFarm]

Thanks for the picture and tips on removing the front and rear guard and setting the cutter level. One of these days, after rocks are removed, I plan to have the same situation on about 6 or 7 acres of my property. Right now, I have a front and rear guard as I am clearing land and don't want things thrown too far in either direction

 

[Billy_S]

I wish my grass looked that nice. I have reclaimed, former horse pasture. I really should till it up and start over, but I am not that motivated.

 

[MrSteve]

Good looking job MrSteve. My neighbor also uses a rotary cutter to mow his lawn and is very happy with the results.

When we 1st got our property a rotary cutter was all we used here for several years. Then I broke down and got a RFM and although the property looked good using the rotary cutter it looks even better using the RFM.

I wanted a RFM, but the wife said "You can make this one work for a $1,000 less". I still want the RFM!

Thanks for the picture and tips on removing the front and rear guard and setting the cutter level. One of these days, after rocks are removed, I plan to have the same situation on about 6 or 7 acres of my property. Right now, I have a front and rear guard as I am clearing land and don't want things thrown too far in either direction

No problem... I have never had guards on mine, really never needed them here. ALL of my 11ac was cut with the Garden Tractor "after the 1st bush hogging.

I wish my grass looked that nice. I have reclaimed, former horse pasture. I really should till it up and start over, but I am not that motivated.

I know what you mean, above is a picture of my front yard. I have horses on the other ac and it looks nothing like above.

 

[joerocker]

MrSteve,

11 acres cut with a GARDEN tractor? Are you kidding? That must take forever and eat up a ton of gas. I get MAYBE an acre, probably closer to 3/4 out of a tank of gas on my Sears tractor. That same gallon of diesel will get me something like 2 hours and over 2 acres.

That must be some SMOOTH ground.

 

[MrSteve]

MrSteve,

11 acres cut with a GARDEN tractor? Are you kidding? That must take forever and eat up a ton of gas. I get MAYBE an acre, probably closer to 3/4 out of a tank of gas on my Sears tractor. That same gallon of diesel will get me something like 2 hours and over 2 acres.

That must be some SMOOTH ground.

Yep, that is how I did it. My tractor is a Sears as well, it is 4 years old this summer and take a guess how many hours are on it... 465 hrs, just broke the drag link on it 2 days ago, waiting for it to come in, lol I broke a drag link on a garden tractor.

I really never watched the time it took me, lol didn't want to. I can tell you this I never did it all at once, I just couldn't. So what I would do is a section at a time and when I got done with all the sections I would have to start all over again in 3 days. Gas in the Sears... Around 10gal to do all of it. Fuel in the 1533 to do this place is around 5 to 6 gals.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Steve,
Real nice job with that Kodiak. I think the big thing for you doing it that way is keeping those blades good and sharp !!! Just remember that when you hit a rock you need to resharpen

Nice job just the same !