Hybrid Rotary Cutter Proof of Concept

[Runner]

Beautiful work!


Put that thing out front and you won't run over the grass before mowing it.

Compact Tractors are Designed All Wrong

Having some experience under my belt, I am even more convinced now than I was when I began looking at tractors a year ago that the design of compact tractors, for us weekend diggers as opposed to real farmers, is all wrong. It is a design that has devolved, in an anti-Darwinian fashion, from a...

www.tractorbynet.com

The 2520 has a mid PTO and front PTO quick hitch, so it would be pretty

easy to come up with a setup such as you describe. Well.....OK, not easy.

 

[EddieWalker]

I enjoyed the video and admired your skills fabricating the mower. I just don't see it doing anything in the video that looks like it cuts any better than a regular 6-foot cutter. Maybe a side-by-side comparison to show the improvement from your design?

 

[Runner]

Maybe a solution (for those of us with "clean" pastures, i.e., no big sticks or rocks) might be to just have a heavy-duty finish mower, but sitting on a rotary cutter type "chassis" so it can be run higher. That would work for me anyway.

If I could run my Frontier GM1072R finish mower at 8", I would use that to mow my the pasture, but it only goes to 5 or 5.5, something like that. I could get it done a lot quicker, that's for sure.

 

[D&D]

Somebody needs to make this design. What do you think?

I certainly can appreciate the time and effort invested in your project.
Why did you opt for a more rigid mount vs flex? Cutting time reduced by half? Is that because you arent cutting it twice to eliminate the highs and lows? From the video, it looks like you aren't taking advantage of that extra cutting width on each pass?

 

[dadohead]

Great comments! This is what a retired mower guy does.... ;<)

I just don't see it doing anything in the video that looks like it cuts any better than a regular 6-foot cutter.

Great point! Not easily done with just one tractor. It really cuts better (I think). Here is a little area I cut last year with my 5 foot single spindle (first Spring cutting so  wimpy grass).

This was cutting 20" to 4" with minimal overlap (2 1/2' cut widths)... no matter how hard I try, i still get into the rh tire track!

Same area this year, 20" to 4", cutting full width:

Just like you said though... a mower comparison should be done side-by-side, same HOC, same speed. Kind hard for me with one tractor though!

Ok, I did visit Woods. I sent them a longer version of the video; they invited me down. Wonderful people! Know that I dont want money... I just want somebody to improve their offerings! We spent the day talking and mowing. We did some side-by-side cutting in some of the toughest 24" fields I ever seen! Woods used their smallest tractor: a 24hp pto NH and a 6' HD single spindle and a 6' rear finish. I used my JD and concept mower. The finish mower could barely get through a pass. Their 6' single was impressive but still had rh tire track. My mower did great! They showed interest; especially with its lower power consumption. Electric compacts are coming people 8<(

 

[dadohead]

From the video, it looks like you aren't taking advantage of that extra cutting width on each pass?

I saw that too! It was the first time actually  using the cutter (other than 20' test passes). This year I'm getting better at cutting full width.

One thing I want to point out to everyone: many times a cut is masked by the discharge laying on top. This mower leaves 2 windrows behind. After a week, the cut shows through. Wife is very happy with the look.

 

[BnRidge]

Just like we used to design finish mowers, I started with no baffles underneath.... and just like every conventional rotation 2 spindle mower I've ever seen: the front spindle wanted to hand off all of its discharge to the back spindle! Baffles were needed. I started adding baffled using cardboard and duct tape and testing until the cutter started to behave. Then the baffles were reproduced in steel.

How did you go about doing that?
Looks like a fun project.

 

[D&D]

Wife is very happy with the look.

There you go, that's the only real result required

 

[dadohead]

How did you go about doing that?
Looks like a fun project.

I remember new engineers at Deere commenting "I went through 4 years of engineering school to play with cardboard???" Yup. I used to laugh and tell them "This is all covered in chapter 6 of my duct tape book. You'll be expected to read it." They'd just stare 8<[

Yes, ugly. Wish I had a "before" pic! You start by "shingling" the cardboard with duct tape. Shingled so airflow behaves like water down a roof... then shingle it onto the deck. I started with the bare minimum baffling... then into the grass for a test run. Soon it was apparent that full skirts would be necessary. Once the test cut looked good I went right off cutting a larger area... didnt hold up too well did it? ;<)

The baffles not only channel material, they add lift. Note the ring baffles were held just into the blade wing height. Just like radiator fan shrouds, maximum flow is found there.

 

[nyone]

A flail mower does alot better job than a rotory cutter on grass. Where they dont and a rotory shines is woody thicker material. I think you just have the wrong mower.