New sickle mowers

[pvcman1]

Hi. Looking at buying a new frontier sb3107 sickle mower,Wondered if anybody had one or new of them? I also have chance of getting a second hand as new enorossi bf270h sickle does anyone know about these? I am a bit confussed over sickles because some people love them and some hate them,do you think the people that hate them have older models that arnt set up correct and the people that like have new well looked after ones?Thanks.

 

[R W]

The SB3107 looks OK to me, don't take to much notice of the haters.

 

[bjr]

I tried find a decent sickle mower before I bought a brand new drum mower. All the used operating sickle machines around here were $1000 (don't understand why people were so proud of them) or more. Even the scrape yard machines were $300. I spent $3000 on a drum mower and don't regret it. I doesn't plug up and is very simple to change the blades on. I've read about the high maintenance sickle bar styles and when I was growing up can remember all the farmers constantly replacing the sections. I have to have something that I can just hookup and go-&-blow, no fussing around. I have no first hand sickle bar experience and don't miss it. bjr

 

[Verticaltrx]

Hi. Looking at buying a new frontier sb3107 sickle mower,Wondered if anybody had one or new of them? I also have chance of getting a second hand as new enorossi bf270h sickle does anyone know about these? I am a bit confussed over sickles because some people love them and some hate them,do you think the people that hate them have older models that arnt set up correct and the people that like have new well looked after ones?Thanks.

I can't comment on the new double acting machines, but the older standard sickle bar mower is what I mow all my hay with (20-30ac yr). Mine is a New Holland 451 and they are excellent mowers.

The people who don't like them often don't know how to properly run one or maintain one, it's a dying art. If you keep the mower in top condition and operate it properly you can mow a lot of hay with one. I can mow almost as many acres/hr with my 40hp tractor and 7' sickle bar as my father can with his 65hp tractor and 7'8" disc mower (and use a lot less fuel.)

Sure, they sometimes plug up and require more maintenance than a disc mower, but being able to run a relatively large mower (7-9') on a 40hp or less tractor is very appealing to me.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I'm a "hater" myself. BUT, I live in the Gulf Coast South and we have fire ant mounds and pocket gopher mounds. You can't go 100 yards without a sickle mower plugging up.

 

[powerscol]

Also take a look at what Rowse Rakes has to offer. Rowse Rakes

 

[flusher]

Hi. Looking at buying a new frontier sb3107 sickle mower,Wondered if anybody had one or new of them? I also have chance of getting a second hand as new enorossi bf270h sickle does anyone know about these? I am a bit confussed over sickles because some people love them and some hate them,do you think the people that hate them have older models that arnt set up correct and the people that like have new well looked after ones?Thanks.

Sickle bar mowers: I own three of them (one mid-mount, one 3-pt hitch style, one trailed mower) all vintage equipment, all PITAs.

That 3107 sickle bar has MSRP $4960 and is advertised at $4499. You can get a new 5-ft drum mower for $3K that will outperform a sickle bar hands down. If you don't like the fact that drum mowers tend to windrow the cuttings, then you can get the drum mower with a built in tedder option to spread out the cuttings similar to a sickle bar.

Good luck

 

[dan28040]

I've used sickle mowers and disc mowers. they both have there goods and bad. I just recently bought a ford 515 sickle mower for $50. the guy didn't know what he had, lol. good thing for me. it will cost me roughly 300 to get it in running condition. in my opinion if you take the time to use the machine correctly, then you will love it. if you don't set it up and use it correctly then you will be one of the many farmers that are cussing the machine and trying to find something else to use. my grandfather taught me how to operate one. and it has been very beneficial to me over the years.

 

[sweettractors]

We sell 300 to 400 new and used sickle mowers per year. The new double actions precision mowers are excellent for cutting grass and hay, however, I would not recommend them for rough applications. The New Holland 451, John Deere 350, Massey Ferguson 31 and 41, Ford 505 and International 1300 are some of the best conventional sickle mowers for haying or trimming in difficult mowing conditions. Drum mowers are good for hay and horrible for trimming. Ken Sweet

 

[keegs]

I'll second Ken's point on mowing in the rough, around the pond or along the gullies... you can't beat the sickle mower. They plug up though, especially in moist conditions. I have an MF 41 and an NH 450. They're both over 30 years old but still pretty easy to maintain.