Rotary VS Finish Mower

[Surewhynot]

SWMBO has granted permission to purchase a 6' cutter tomorrow. I have decided on either the Land Pride RCR18 rotary or the FDR16 finish mower. I am cutting 6 acres of grass and weeds. No brush or trees and mostly flat land with some holes from badgers and groundhogs. SWMBO says the rotary cutter would be less maintenance and would hold up better than a finish mower. I know I can get a fairly finished look from a rotary cutter, so my question is, seeing it is not a golf course, would the rotary be the better purchase? Thanks in advance for any inputs. I already have a small 4' cutter for brush and nasty weed work.

 

[John861]

Clearly the right answer is a flail mower. But given the two options you mention, either should work fine. If you don't mow regularly, the rotary cutter may handle the tall stuff a little better. Otherwise, I'm sure you would be happy with either. I'd probably go with the finish mower since you already have a rotary cutter if things get too thick.

 

[CDsdad]

If you plan on keeping it mowed like a yard, get the RFM. If not, get the bushhog. I'm not saying the finish mower won't cut foot high grass, it'll just take longer and will be tough on your mower and your tractor.

 

[MarkLeininger]

Bush hogs and finish mowers also have different cutting height ranges. A finish mower generally won't mow taller than about 5"; a bush hog will usually mow about twice that high depending on brand. If you have horses, mowing as tall as possible will keep the grass healthier and stop the weeds. If you don't have horses a shorter cut looks nicer to most people.

Another option would be a trail mower pulled next to your 4' bush hog, that would give you about an 8' cutting width allowing for some overlap. I pull a 5' swisher trail mower next to my 5' bush hog, so the total cut is a little over 9' with overlap. I also have 6 acres. If you have many trees, forget this suggestion, it's not easy to manuever and impossible to back up. Downside of trail mower is it's another engine to take care of and it's more expensive than a PTO driven device, but it cuts your mowing time about in half.

 

[rayh76]

I have both the LP rotary and LP finish mower. I have only had the rotary for a little over a week and used it on my back pasture (fescue I think) that hasn't been mowed in who knows how long. Last year, I mowed a couple of strips with the finish mower and it did ok. I took it slow and I definately didn't mow down any saplings. With the rotary, I was able to mow fairly quick (probably could have mowed quicker but didn't want to run into something I didn't know was there). Also went over some 1"+ saplings pretty easily.

As someone has mentioned, if you only want to mow is a couple of times a year, get the rotary. If you want to keep it mowed, rent (or borrow) a rotary to get it short, then finish mow it and keep it mowed. I am not sure what you mow your yard with, but the 6' LP finish mower will probably make short work of that also.

 

[Surewhynot]

I have both the LP rotary and LP finish mower. I have only had the rotary for a little over a week and used it on my back pasture (fescue I think) that hasn't been mowed in who knows how long. Last year, I mowed a couple of strips with the finish mower and it did ok. I took it slow and I definately didn't mow down any saplings. With the rotary, I was able to mow fairly quick (probably could have mowed quicker but didn't want to run into something I didn't know was there). Also went over some 1"+ saplings pretty easily.

As someone has mentioned, if you only want to mow is a couple of times a year, get the rotary. If you want to keep it mowed, rent (or borrow) a rotary to get it short, then finish mow it and keep it mowed. I am not sure what you mow your yard with, but the 6' LP finish mower will probably make short work of that also.

I use my BX1500 with a 54" belly deck right now. I want to shorten mowing time and increase my comfort in the seat, i.e use the L3240 with less bounce and more cutting per run. I am going to look at the two today and will end up with one, I lean toward the finish mower, SWMBO leans toward the rotery cutter. I will let you know which one I get an how it works for me. Thanks.

 

[have_blue]

Good choice on the RFM!

Something to remember: "The shorter you mow, the faster it grow".

Cutting low stimulates the grass to grow very quickly. Although a RFM will cut as low and smooth as a good lawn mower, it's not practical on 6a of land. Cutting the grass higher will result in slower growth, and you may get away with 3 week intervals in peak growing season... not much worse than a bush hog actually.

Another thing, tall thick grass prevents weed seed germination. At the end of summer, you will have only grass, further reducing the need to cut often thereafter. When your field is pure grass, you can snip 2" off the top and leave ~6" grass, and you can really fly with the RFM.

Good luck on your decision.

 

[rayh76]

Let us know what you get and of course, post some pictures before you get her dirty.

 

[Surewhynot]

In an amazing feat of magic, the $5.00 a gallon diesel price turned my new 3pt Land Pride finishing mower for the L3240 into a new set of Gator mulching blades for the BX1500 MMM Oh well, new blades and a tune up and I still get seat time I will still keep my eye out for a good used deck for the 3pt. Now are these Gator blades as good as they say they are? Even if they are not...lie...I am still not happy about not getting the LP.