We are looking for a mower for mowing our jump field. We have a tractor pulled PTO bush hog type mower, but I want something that does a neater job and also mulches. The grass in our jump field is more like lawn grass than pasture grass.
What is your experience, oh COTHers, with finish type mowers?
TIA
I use my Hustler zero turn lawn mower to mow my ‘manicured’ fields, granted it’s commercial grade. It will cut 5" high and does a great job. We also have a flail mower that we can use behind the tractor, it does a great job of mulching and is very neat, although not technically a finishing mower.
If you already have a tractor I’d get a PTO driven finish mower as wide as your tractor has the power to run. I’m sure the DR works too, but it will cost more and give you one more engine to fuel, service and repair.
I agree with tangledweb…a finish mower for your tractor would be my first choice. Otherwise, I’m a fan of ZTR mowers. Mine is a SCAG, but similar to SoutherYankee’s Hustler.
Thank you all!
I have had two finish mowers, a Befco and a Ford 930B. You can set the height on them, they have multiple blades to make a nice looking cut. Both had side chutes to throw grass, so no windrowing behind you like a brush hog.
I sold the Befco, though it did a nice job it was more work to change settings. The Ford is older, in good shape with individually adjustable wheels that just clip in with spacers for height changing. No tools needed. It also has “floating arms” for the 3PT hitch that let the mower self adjust behind tractor over rolling ground, More just towing the mower, than being a giant tractor-mower combination machine. The arms floating allow mower to be the same height all the time on the four corner wheels.
Both of them ran off the PTO, and needed the covers removed to blow out stray clippings that got in the belt drive area. Easy to do, only takes a few minutes to then put away a clean mower. I keep the Ford set at 5" and the fields do look like lawn. It doesn’t say it mulches, but the cut parts are spread in a nice pattern on the field, not noticeable as they dry and work down into the grass roots. I consider them organic matter, good for the soil. Experts say leaving the clippings on the soil is equal to a free fertilizer application on the land each year. My grazing looks NICE.
I really like the Ford 930B finish mower, easy to use, does a very good job for me on nice fields. Not a rough brush cutter machine, but my fields are finally nice looking so I don’t need the brush hog to mow them these days.
I have a used DR weed trimmer, when it works it is wonderful. But we have not been happy with the DR folks in getting parts sent and cost of their shipping. “Sale” trimmer string was half price at $15 the coil, with $15 shipping in an envelope! These were regular flat coils, not giant sized. It was OK string, but not that much better quality, to buy more at THAT PRICE!! Ordering parts for the used trimmer took a long time to receive. Trying to go thru the mower repair place, they NEVER got the ordered parts at all! We have not had good luck calling, almost never is anyone there to answer the phone. I am about to dump my DR trimmer because I can’t use it. My Sears trimmer is doing all the work cleaning fencelines this year, lots easier to get parts for, though not as heavy duty as the DR.
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