SCUT mower. Rotary cutter, mid-mount, or mid-mount mulching?

[plowhog]

Now that I have the Massey GC1710 in the garage, it's time to get ready for work!

I have two acres to mow, which are mostly barren now from drought and winter but will begin sprouting vigorously in Spring. I have irrigation water rights and can flood irrigate the entire two acres. I presently don't have any crop or horses or animals. I will need to mow occasionally mostly for fire prevention.

I know the rotary cutter will work. Woods makes a nice 48" cutter to fit my SCUT. But I know little about the mid-mount mowers, other than they seem more suited for lawn than pasture. I intend to do periodic maintenance on the pasture using a landscape rake to keep the rocks minimized. The property it is on only a slight slope with uniform gradient. I can mow in any direction without tipping concerns. In other words, no ditches, swales, fences, trees, or obstacles to try to mow around or avoid. Just a big open 2 acre pasture.

Do you think a mid-mount mower would be better for me than a rotary cutter? What would they do differently? My tractor salesman who delivered the tractor believed a mid-mount would work well. He was at the property and saw the conditions. I have also heard the mid-mount mowers have a lot of power due to the higher RPM used. Finally, I know little about a mulching mower although Axlehub has one of these that serves him very well. My tractor salesman felt my SCUT would have too little power to use a mulching mower in my pasture?

I'm hoping some veterans with experience will chime in. I haven't used any rotary cutter or mid-mount mower of any kind ..... thanks!

 

[bcp]

Without walking over your field to see it, I think I would use a rotary cutter with sharpened blades, for grass, instead of the normal blunt edges.

Second choice would be a 3pt finish mower.

The advantage of a 3pt cutter or finish mower is that it isn't specific to one make and model of tractor, like most mid-mount mowers are. If you change tractors, you can keep the same implement. And it will probably be easier to remove and attach when not mowing. And 3pt implements are easier to find used on Craigslist, etc.

Bruce

 

[jeff9366]

Unless your proposed field is pretty flat a Rotarty Cutter will be better.

More robust - One of the most unbreakable of PTO powered implements.

MMM is prone to scalp in less than level conditions.

BCP has given excellent advice, above.

 

[jenkinsph]

With flood irrigated land you should be able to use a rotary cutter or mid mount mower. Almost all of my work is on this type land with most of it being laser leveling or finish grading along with planting.

A less costly 4' rotary cutter should last a long time on two acres. Don't see the need to buy the best for a small pasture.

 

[plowhog]

Thanks for the great responses. If I use a rotary cutter with sharpened blades, is that something you do (blade sharpening) after purchase? Using a grinder or ??? Or is that a typical add-on or option-- choosing regular vs sharpened blades? I haven't seen this referred to while shopping for the rotary cutters? Thanks!

 

[DK35vince]

Mid mount mowers and rear finish mowers work great on lawns and shorter grass , but work terrible for deep field grass IMO.
Rotary cutters not so nice of cut for lawn type grass, but have no problem in deeper field grass.

 

[jeff9366]

Thanks for the great responses. If I use a rotary cutter with sharpened blades, is that something you do (blade sharpening) after purchase? Using a grinder or ??? Or is that a typical add-on or option-- choosing regular vs sharpened blades? I haven't seen this referred to while shopping for the rotary cutters? Thanks!

Factory new Rotary Cutters come with "sharp" blades. They will cut grass and other soft vegetation quite cleanly.

Once used to cut saplings, the blade leading edges round fairly quickly. This is not a disadvantage when clearing brush, as splayed stubs die more consistently than smoothly sliced saplings, which tend to grow back. Many users do not sharpen blades for years. Within reason, a Rotary Cutter will still cut soft vegetation but the result is ragged in appearance.

Rotary Cutter blades are usually sharpened with an angle grinder with the cutter tilted up, then blocked or suspended so cutter cannot slip. Blades always have nicks and gouges randomly spaced, which need to be blended in.

Hitting a rock or heavy piece of iron can bend a blade so that it must be replaced.
Actually removing/replacing blades can be dificult, indeed, requiring MAJOR leverage on the pivot bolts. I have the tractor shop, which has the proper equipment, replace blades. Too much for me. Too much chance of injury.

Practically all Rotary Cutter blades are imported from either China or Brazil.

Generic replacement blades are available from Agri Supply and TSC much cheaper than 'brand' replacements.

 

[GManBart]

You could also go with a flail mower that would give you the ability to cut the heavy stuff without problem, not overload your tractor, and do a pretty good job of mulching the grass/brush/weeds. I've had rotary cutters, rear finish mowers, and a flail mower, and unless you need to cut stuff over 1" in diameter, the flail does the best job.

I had my wife shoot a quick video of me running through one of our fields that I let grow pretty high...as you can see, the flail takes it right down with easy...engine hardly loads once it's rotating at speed.

 

[plowhog]

Thanks for the great video. I appreciate it. That mower rocks!! I will definitely price and consider one.

Is a flail mower equally tolerant if you hit a rock, or would using one require a higher vigilance to keep the pasture as clear of rocks as possible?

 

[jenkinsph]

Curious who makes a good flail mower for a 15 to 20 pto hp. tractor?