Your Advices for New Rotary Cutter Design

[ptsg]

Very impressive looking rotary mowers there, ptsg!

The work they do it's equally impressive. I've mowed things so thick that I thought it would do it.

I can see where this would ride over the rough terrain good but it should float like the King Kutter Flex Hitch. That way it could twist independent of the tractor.

Also, the shoes are not rounded on the bottom for turning. Swinging the deck sideways would slice off any hump of dirt or sod.

It's not that big of a deal really. Anyway, most of the tractors here have floating lift arms. You can lock or unlock it as desired. I'll attach a picture from the manual on mine.

As far as swinging the deck sideways, it's only a problem on really tight turns, and for that, you will most likely lift the mower slightly. At least I do. To take unnecessary side load on the arms and mower. It doesn't do any good swinging that big implement sideways.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I wish you luck. But...Bush Hog, Woods, Land Pride, etc...have been making cutters a long time. Add to that more regional units that are stamped with the logo of the day, IMHO, the competition is too fierce to enter this market.

There is nothing revolutionary out there that will make a rotary cutter better than what is out there unless you can offer something that is 20% or so under the current market price. Everything Attachments started making cutters in the 5 and 6 foot size that IMHO offers a very good value.

Many years ago I worked on a project with a designer that was working on herbicide application with the cutter. Something like that to differentiate you from others on the market is what you need to be looking at. You can have the finest cutter on the market but if it costs considerable more than the others on the market it won't sell.

There is a great looking 10 foot Brown cutter that has been listed on Craigslist in my area for over 4 years. The seller is asking $6500. If you are clearing right of ways and heavy brush it's worth it. However it's been for sale a long time due to the high price. Would it sell at 5K? Who knows. It takes a lot of tractor to pull a 3K pound 10 foot cutter.

 

[dieselscout80]

Build a mower like the Woods RM990 & RDX990 which have swinging blades, but in a batwing so it follows the ground.

That cuts at least 90 wide maybe up to 10?

Also make it so it will run on 32 PTO HP or less.

Cutting heights oh 2 - 12?

This type cutter would be perfect for smaller places that need to maintain pastures without spending all day cutting pastures.

A towed cutter followed the terrain better than a 3 point mounted cutter.

 

[ArlyA]

I agree, it might be a tough market to compete in, at least here in north America. But the OP never asked that question......

I wish you luck. But...Bush Hog, Woods, Land Pride, etc...have been making cutters a long time. Add to that more regional units that are stamped with the logo of the day, IMHO, the competition is too fierce to enter this market.

There is nothing revolutionary out there that will make a rotary cutter better than what is out there unless you can offer something that is 20% or so under the current market price. Everything Attachments started making cutters in the 5 and 6 foot size that IMHO offers a very good value.

Many years ago I worked on a project with a designer that was working on herbicide application with the cutter. Something like that to differentiate you from others on the market is what you need to be looking at. You can have the finest cutter on the market but if it costs considerable more than the others on the market it won't sell.

There is a great looking 10 foot Brown cutter that has been listed on Craigslist in my area for over 4 years. The seller is asking $6500. If you are clearing right of ways and heavy brush it's worth it. However it's been for sale a long time due to the high price. Would it sell at 5K? Who knows. It takes a lot of tractor to pull a 3K pound 10 foot cutter.

 

[airbiscuit]

....

1- Half round skid plates. This works very nice and will prevent the grooves and collecting of all kinds of stuff in front of it.

View attachment 606366 ...

I can see where this would ride over the rough terrain good but it should float like the King Kutter Flex Hitch. That way it could twist independent of the tractor.

Also, the shoes are not rounded on the bottom for turning. Swinging the deck sideways would slice off any hump of dirt or sod.

I really like the profile of those skids. If it had a tail wheel, they not be meant to drag on the ground all of the time, but rather to minimize the gouging if they do contact the ground in rough terrain. When I am brush hogging, the front is slightly elevated by the 3pt hitch, and the rear is elevated by the tail wheel. That's all well and good on level surfaces, but it all goes out the window when the tractor is rocking and rolling on uneven terrain (which is usually what I am on). I wish the skids on my Kingkutter had that profile.

 

[Zebrafive]

I suggested making the skids out of tubing or pipe to minimize digging in.

 

[Shaneard]

I suggested making the skids out of tubing or pipe to minimize digging in.

The only problem with that is they will get a hole worn in them, rotting them farther and also digging in.

 

[muddstopper]

I got a buddy that goes thru bushhogs like candy. Bushog brand, International brand and a few others. I have had to fix many a tailwheel for him. I finally got to see him do a little mowing the other day. I had just built him a new tailwheel to put on his almost new Bushhog brand mower. He took off to mow a place about a half mile from me so I decided to just drive down and watch. What I seen in 5 min of mowing explained to me all his problems. Front of mower to low and digging into the ground. The tailwheel carrying all the weight of the mower and he doesnt lift mower when making hard turns. Speed was way to fast leaving streaks of uncut grass. Now if the op can design a mower that will withstand my buddy, he can probably corner the market on brush cutters. A few modification I have made to my buddies owe at his request. I have cut and rounded the front edges so they dont dig into the ground. I have also sloped the back corners of the deck to allow better discharge. I used 1 1/2 in shaft for making the pivot for the tailwheel and boxing the axle frame above the tailwheel to hopefully prevent it from bending sideways. Then I gave some advice, slow the heck down, its a brushcutter, not a zero turn. Level the deck out by raising the tailwheel, there are adjustments built in already, learn how to use them. Lowering the backend by raising the tailwheel will help prevent the front corners from plowing ditches thru the field. Most importantly, lift the cutter when making tight turns, this will reduce the sideways stress that is always bending his tailwheel framing. And one other thing, stop trying to back over trees, its a brush cutter, not a hydroaxe. Maybe the best improvment the OP can make to any brushcutter is to write a good instruction pamplet with proper instructions on the use of the brush cutter. Write it in big letters so its easy to read.

 

[John0829]

Maybe the best improvment the OP can make to any brushcutter is to write a good instruction pamplet with proper instructions on the use of the brush cutter. Write it in big letters so its easy to read.

But then he must teach them HOW to read.

 

[Oldoak]

I suggested making the skids out of tubing or pipe to minimize digging in.

The only problem with that is they will get a hole worn in them, rotting them farther and also digging in.

Not if they used schedule 80 pipe for those skids. Everything adds to the cost. How much are people willing to pay?

Although rotary cutters should not be riding on any skids. Rotary cutters should be properly adjusted so they they are not continuously dragging on the ground.