Good advice. Once had a Squeeler bush hog , it was tough. Although we made some modifications used it till it wasn’t practical to fix. Keep in mind my dad once told me they are brush hogs you aren’t supposed to cut timber with them!
Hi Mike. I was very surprised this evening when I tune in to your latest video and saw you reading my letter about rotary mowers. Thank you for all the info and the replay to my letter. I visited my local tractor dealer today and asked if a new mower would give me a better cut. He said the same as you, probably not, it's a rough cut mower. Thanks again, Tom
#6, the best tip. Get a flail mower. They're safer, easier to store, and provide a better cut than a bush hog or finish mower and you can have both Y and hammer blades to replace both machines with one. Plus, no windrows
I was semi-unhappy for a few years with my brand new Land Pride 6' bush hog when I bought it. One day I decided to change directions and run clockwise and it was a night and day difference! Almost looks like it was cut with a mower.
I change direction each trip and over-lap to cut the tractor tire track that mashed down the vegatation on the previous round. Helps me to get amuch better cut.
Mike the newcomers to tractors and implement world should be THANKFUL having someone like you sharing your knowledge and experiences in these videos. I also find it interesting how often you reference the owners manual!!! As a retired CAT&CUMMINGS knuckle buster I often make the comment that the most unread piece of literature is the OWNERS MANUAL. Thanks for trying to educate PEOPLE Mike.
I use a 1974 John Deere 2240 pulling a 1963 John Deere Rotary Mower.... great combo for this rocky, hilly, cedar infested ground. Does a heck of a job!!!
Reset my Cutter height to 1 in lower in the front and the back at 4 in above flat ground. This is on a Land Pride 5 ft cutter. It cut much better leaving much uncut piles of grass.
I had a guy that I worked with say that his rotary cutter doesn't do a good job when cutting grass. I tried to explain to him that a rotary cutter (ie. bush hog/brush hog) isn't really designed for that. I had another guy talking about sharpening the blades and couldn't understand why I told him that he was destroying the blades by doing that. Mine does just fine (for me) when cutting fields of grass. Just run at pto speed and at a slower pace.
I cut fields for a living. In my bag of tools is a land pride RCR 2672 rotary and a Alamo SHD 74 flail. They are different tools for different jobs. I couldn’t do my job properly and efficiently without both of them. So I’m my opinion, use the correct tool for the conditions and desired end result.
Mike , I “raised” the rear guide wheel on my BH216. It now cuts much more evenly, doesn’t scalp the turf, and allows for cuttings to be discharged from the rear. Great advice. Thanks.
Tip 6 - didn’t hear you say slow ground speed down and keep pto at 540 rpm etc. - I find this helps when I want a better cut ie give the blades time to cut.
TC48DA w/BH 216 here. Sure glad this engine is no smaller or the cutter is no larger. If you expect to mow your lawn with this combo you'll be disappointed. But the thing is rated for 2" cut and the taller deck will handle cut material better than the "shorter" BH116. It's all about cutting the brush and discharging it a.s.a.p. Like you said, tip speed is key. Good video. If you want a good cut use a flail mower with "Y" blades for grass or cast "hammers" for the rougher stuff. A flail mower is more expensive than a rotary mower for a given width, but offers several advantages. It doesn't extend aft beyond the tractor nearly as far, which is good for turning close to obstructions (T-posts "murder" any mower...) and they don't pile all the cuttings against one side of the mower but distribute them evenly over the whole width of the cut. You always have to "deal with" that windrow of cut material that a rotary mower leaves behind, or you'll "mulch out" your grass (if you don't pick it up and move it) A "finish mower" is useless on all but lawns----all those spindles (usually 3 on a 5' machine), short blades that must spin at high r.p.m. for adequate tip velocity and double-reversing "Vee belts" (which don't "like" to be flexed one way and then instantly the other way) are detrimental to good service life or good results. And that belt costs $50--70! I once thought I wanted one but sold it the first season. Once you've experienced a properly-sized, well-built flail you'll never "go back" to a rotary cutter. The only reason I have a BH mower is that it came in a "package" and the dealer wouldn't discount the cost of it in the sale. It mostly just sits over by my fence line....unloved and unused. Again, a good and useful video for those just starting out. But I do not understand the popularity of rotary mowers (except they are comparitively inexpensive) Thank you for the video.
Been reading pro and cons on flail. I have about 600 acres of woodland in northern WI with ~4-5 miles of ~ 12' wide trails/roads to cut + clearings. Very rocky, in several areas, esp. after logging. Been using a 72" BH squealer pulled by a New Holland TC40DA but am considering a flail mower for improved cut. + the BH is about 20 years old, but still usable. Clearings have fewer rocks but some. I rotate BH blades, a real chore, esp. at age 67, but most of the time they get rounded fairly quickly. I do regularly remove rocks but they seem to grow faster than the grass/ weeds and become hidden. I enjoy my tractor time with the rotary cutter but would like a better looking cut , not merely knocked down grass. Is a flail a poor choice for rocky terrain? Can it be used raised up to avoid rocks? I could possibly use a flail for less rocky trails and clearings but changing PTO equipment is not a fun process. Thanks for any feedback.
Mike I owned a RZ60 several years ago now I have the SQ60 and the 296 72in I actually think the old cheap RZ60 gave a better cut than my other 2 newer ones
Good video young man!! I have a old topro 5ft rotary cutter was rough kinda bent up but that thing cuts almost as good as my finish mower does. I painted it up to match my kioti. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun
Hi Mike. On the tractor the lift handle has numbers on it. Is this an inch measurement? Not sure but I know the bottom position is the float mode and usually lets the bush hog drag the ground making marks in the dirt.
Part of the slower blade tip speed on lighter cutters, is to accomodate lower HP PTO output of smaller tractors. Lighter weight rotary cutters are safer on lighter weight tractors.
Would reducing travel speed improve cut quality, as the blade will strike the same plant several times as it moves over it. I find that the wetness of the grass and weeds also makes cut quality worse, Dryer is better, but when you have to do all your cutting work in the evening or weekends, you can't be picky.
Sharpened properly for a rotary cutter is not the same as for a finish mower. Leave them a little dull. More a chisle angle than a knife angle. I only grind off when the blades look chipped. Don't want a crack spreading.
Razer sharp blades please & use a slower ground speed for heavier material. Lower on the front by around 1.5". Go clockwise & overlap on the left so the blades are picking UP the laid down material by your right tires. My brush cutter blades turn counter clockwise.
Use my zero turn 48" mower close to the front of the pasture and 6 ft rotary cutter for rest of grassy area. I can cut faster on zero turn even thought it is 2 feet less cut per pass. That way it looks good when folks drive by my place.
This is what I do too. The section close to the road gets cut with my zero turn and then I use my 6 foot rotary blade for the of the pasture. I am the same way with zero turn. Would cut the whole thing with my Dixie Chopper zero turn but don't want to wear it out trying to cut 22 acres.
I use my bush hog to cut overgrown land. That’s what it is designed to do. It has nothing to do with a finished mover. The two are two completely different implements. Not sure why people always compare the two like they are transgender. A brush cutter is for men, a finish mower is for little girls 😮
Good advice. Once had a Squeeler bush hog , it was tough. Although we made some modifications used it till it wasn’t practical to fix. Keep in mind my dad once told me they are brush hogs you aren’t supposed to cut timber with them!
Hi Mike. I was very surprised this evening when I tune in to your latest video and saw you reading my letter about rotary mowers. Thank you for all the info and the replay to my letter. I visited my local tractor dealer today and asked if a new mower would give me a better cut. He said the same as you, probably not, it's a rough cut mower. Thanks again, Tom
#6, the best tip. Get a flail mower. They're safer, easier to store, and provide a better cut than a bush hog or finish mower and you can have both Y and hammer blades to replace both machines with one. Plus, no windrows
You beat me to it. I rebuilt a dilapidated JD25A flail mower several years ago. I haven't moved my rotary cutter since. Great cut quality.
I was semi-unhappy for a few years with my brand new Land Pride 6' bush hog when I bought it. One day I decided to change directions and run clockwise and it was a night and day difference! Almost looks like it was cut with a mower.
I change direction each trip and over-lap to cut the tractor tire track that mashed down the vegatation on the previous round. Helps me to get amuch better cut.
Mike the newcomers to tractors and implement world should be THANKFUL having someone like you sharing your knowledge and experiences in these videos. I also find it interesting how often you reference the owners manual!!! As a retired CAT&CUMMINGS knuckle buster I often make the comment that the most unread piece of literature is the OWNERS MANUAL.
Thanks for trying to educate PEOPLE Mike.
I use a 1974 John Deere 2240 pulling a 1963 John Deere Rotary Mower.... great combo for this rocky, hilly, cedar infested ground. Does a heck of a job!!!
I ordered my first item from your website. Just the grease gun and cartridges. I am a constant watcher and it is my favorite go to.
Reset my Cutter height to 1 in lower in the front and the back at 4 in above flat ground. This is on a Land Pride 5 ft cutter. It cut much better leaving much uncut piles of grass.
I cut in a clockwise direction, most of the material goes out the left side of my cutter. That helps some.
I don't have a Squeeler but....today I set up the Bush Whacker that the dealer just slammed on the back of my new tractor. It works great now! Thanks
I had a guy that I worked with say that his rotary cutter doesn't do a good job when cutting grass. I tried to explain to him that a rotary cutter (ie. bush hog/brush hog) isn't really designed for that. I had another guy talking about sharpening the blades and couldn't understand why I told him that he was destroying the blades by doing that.
Mine does just fine (for me) when cutting fields of grass. Just run at pto speed and at a slower pace.
Yep, slower the more finish look
I cut fields for a living. In my bag of tools is a land pride RCR 2672 rotary and a Alamo SHD 74 flail. They are different tools for different jobs. I couldn’t do my job properly and efficiently without both of them. So I’m my opinion, use the correct tool for the conditions and desired end result.
Mike , I “raised” the rear guide wheel on my BH216. It now cuts much more evenly, doesn’t scalp the turf, and allows for cuttings to be discharged from the rear. Great advice. Thanks.
I run a sq 160 on a 8n. Great on flat ground. Hills are scary
Gosh-what a nice easy to listen to common sense video from someone that knows what he is talking about- Thanks Mike!
Tip 6 - didn’t hear you say slow ground speed down and keep pto at 540 rpm etc. - I find this helps when I want a better cut ie give the blades time to cut.
Mike I have a question?? How come a used 12 foot batwing mower cost so much more than a 15 foot batwing mower
Great tips Mike. Thanks for sharing
TC48DA w/BH 216 here. Sure glad this engine is no smaller or the cutter is no larger. If you expect to mow your lawn with this combo you'll be disappointed. But the thing is rated for 2" cut and the taller deck will handle cut material better than the "shorter" BH116. It's all about cutting the brush and discharging it a.s.a.p. Like you said, tip speed is key. Good video. If you want a good cut use a flail mower with "Y" blades for grass or cast "hammers" for the rougher stuff. A flail mower is more expensive than a rotary mower for a given width, but offers several advantages. It doesn't extend aft beyond the tractor nearly as far, which is good for turning close to obstructions (T-posts "murder" any mower...) and they don't pile all the cuttings against one side of the mower but distribute them evenly over the whole width of the cut. You always have to "deal with" that windrow of cut material that a rotary mower leaves behind, or you'll "mulch out" your grass (if you don't pick it up and move it) A "finish mower" is useless on all but lawns----all those spindles (usually 3 on a 5' machine), short blades that must spin at high r.p.m. for adequate tip velocity and double-reversing "Vee belts" (which don't "like" to be flexed one way and then instantly the other way) are detrimental to good service life or good results. And that belt costs $50--70! I once thought I wanted one but sold it the first season. Once you've experienced a properly-sized, well-built flail you'll never "go back" to a rotary cutter. The only reason I have a BH mower is that it came in a "package" and the dealer wouldn't discount the cost of it in the sale. It mostly just sits over by my fence line....unloved and unused. Again, a good and useful video for those just starting out. But I do not understand the popularity of rotary mowers (except they are comparitively inexpensive) Thank you for the video.
Been reading pro and cons on flail. I have about 600 acres of woodland in northern WI with ~4-5 miles of ~ 12' wide trails/roads to cut + clearings. Very rocky, in several areas, esp. after logging. Been using a 72" BH squealer pulled by a New Holland TC40DA but am considering a flail mower for improved cut. + the BH is about 20 years old, but still usable. Clearings have fewer rocks but some. I rotate BH blades, a real chore, esp. at age 67, but most of the time they get rounded fairly quickly. I do regularly remove rocks but they seem to grow faster than the grass/ weeds and become hidden.
I enjoy my tractor time with the rotary cutter but would like a better looking cut , not merely knocked down grass.
Is a flail a poor choice for rocky terrain? Can it be used raised up to avoid rocks? I could possibly use a flail for less rocky trails and clearings but changing PTO equipment is not a fun process. Thanks for any feedback.
Mike I owned a RZ60 several years ago now I have the SQ60 and the 296 72in I actually think the old cheap RZ60 gave a better cut than my other 2 newer ones
Good video young man!! I have a old topro 5ft rotary cutter was rough kinda bent up but that thing cuts almost as good as my finish mower does. I painted it up to match my kioti. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun
You sure help me out.im going level.thank you and I am supporting you my friend
Good video.
Hi Mike. On the tractor the lift handle has numbers on it. Is this an inch measurement? Not sure but I know the bottom position is the float mode and usually lets the bush hog drag the ground making marks in the dirt.
I love my finish mower.
Part of the slower blade tip speed on lighter cutters, is to accomodate lower HP PTO output of smaller tractors. Lighter weight rotary cutters are safer on lighter weight tractors.
Would reducing travel speed improve cut quality, as the blade will strike the same plant several times as it moves over it. I find that the wetness of the grass and weeds also makes cut quality worse, Dryer is better, but when you have to do all your cutting work in the evening or weekends, you can't be picky.
How about sharpening those blades?
Sharpened properly for a rotary cutter is not the same as for a finish mower. Leave them a little dull. More a chisle angle than a knife angle.
I only grind off when the blades look chipped. Don't want a crack spreading.
Razer sharp blades please & use a slower ground speed for heavier material. Lower on the front by around 1.5". Go clockwise & overlap on the left so the blades are picking UP the laid down material by your right tires. My brush cutter blades turn counter clockwise.
Excellent explanation sir.
Good video. Thanks, Bob.
Did you say, slow down? Think of a rotary cutter like a power machete.
Use my zero turn 48" mower close to the front of the pasture and 6 ft rotary cutter for rest of grassy area. I can cut faster on zero turn even thought it is 2 feet less cut per pass. That way it looks good when folks drive by my place.
This is what I do too. The section close to the road gets cut with my zero turn and then I use my 6 foot rotary blade for the of the pasture. I am the same way with zero turn. Would cut the whole thing with my Dixie Chopper zero turn but don't want to wear it out trying to cut 22 acres.
It is claimed that the RZ60 was made in the US by a non disclosed company.
I run a jd 3038e and a jbar 4ft cutter. In general, how big a sapling can that thing cut and not shear a pin?
Thanks Mike!
Dis on?
Are you years old?
"Dis" is not a word.
I see there is already a # 6 so I will call this # 7---Slow Down! Somewhere in the four MPH range will help.
I dont likethe idea of mulching everything up...there is little or no benefit to the soil that way.
Most grass is healthiest if you don't cut shorter than 5 inches...
I use my bush hog to cut overgrown land. That’s what it is designed to do. It has nothing to do with a finished mover. The two are two completely different implements. Not sure why people always compare the two like they are transgender. A brush cutter is for men, a finish mower is for little girls 😮
Stay out of comedy…
@@hoovesandpawsanimalrescue stop the hormones