Over grown grass RANT!!!!

Eric McCarthy

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Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
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Richmond Va
I need to get this off my chest and you gents love to hear stories. Lately I've been doing a fair amount of mowing work on larger then normal lawns and fields. This is where having the B6100 and Landpride finishing mower comes in handy in my business. All of the lawns and fields I've done so far this year have not been mowed at all in quite sometime. Trying to explain to home owners that when I mow an over grown yard with the tractor its going to look like a hay field for a little while until it has been mowed sever times to get it back into shape. I'm not going to waste all day mowing the same yard 4, 5 and 6 times over. It needs to be spaced out and let the clippings die down some.

3 weeks ago I went over to a friends house across town and mowed several acres of fields for him with the finishing mower. I've told him numerous times that the finishing mower is built like a heavy duty cutting deck similar to a riding lawnmower but meant for a tractor. Well for some reason he can't seem to grasp the concept of mulching blades. First off I've told him that when you have me cut a field that's thick and over the hood of the tractor even a bush hog will make it look crappy at first until its been gone over several times and back into shape.

He seems to think that his Crapsman mower does a better job at mowing, which it does since I'm struggling thick crap with mulching blades that do not like thick tall grass to begin with. But he also fails to see why his Crapsman mower keeps dying on him and he has to do major repairs every so often. He got into a slight argument with me asking why would I put mulching blades on the tractor. Well dude when I bought it 12 years ago before I ever met you I was doing alot of large lawns on a weekly or biweekly basis and the mulching blades are ideal for that kinda of routine mowing.

A flail mower has crossed my mind alot lately, knowing it would be the right tool for mowing both fine lawns and rough cutting fields. But I'm holding out for the time being and seeing if it would be justifiable buying one, may not ever need it again next year.

OK that ends my rant. Just irritating as hell when you tell people on how the outcome of something will turn out and they still bitch anyway!
 

seanbarr

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B7100DT (sold) - Branson 3520H
Feb 1, 2013
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Deer Park, WA
Remind me to post some pictures of results using my flail mower. It's shocking to me how effective this machine is!
 

Eric McCarthy

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Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
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I've seen vidoes of a flail mower in use on Youtube. It's night an day difference in cut quality from a flail mower versus a finishmower or bushhog. They really are a 2 in 1 tool. I came across this company on the web lastnight too. They seem to be built fairly well and affordable.

I know I know, you get what you pay for in life but I'm not opposed to trying out an off brand thats affordable. If it turns out to be complete junk then lesson learned. Don't buy it again!

http://www.value-leader.com/categories/Mower/
 

seanbarr

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B7100DT (sold) - Branson 3520H
Feb 1, 2013
384
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Deer Park, WA
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373317081.816340.jpg

Granted, it isn't a true implement but I've tried hunting for a PTO flail mower and it was as common as a hen's golden tooth! Found this up in Bonner's Ferry and thought this would do. It was a former rental equipment and VERY heavy. I believe this is a "fine cut" version due to the high number of blades. It's a 48" cut and I used my ATV to pull it. The previous owner had the engine well taken care of that it fired up before I could finish pulling the cord!

Here's the cut, this was cut just over a month ago. The first is a single pass on one trail I created. The second has a few passes and was made wider. It's approximately 8 ft wide.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373317390.815807.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373317415.481408.jpg

Me thinks I should go into a little business with this thing as it was so easy to operate & use!
 

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85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
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Bedford - VA
Eric,

I feel your pain, it isn't like it has rained here in VA lately eh? I cut grass about once a week on average, with this #@$@#$ rain, I have had to cut almost three times a week, if I miss once, and I have, I too have a hay field - and even my 42" mulching craftsman gets its butt whipped! As forest gump said, stupid is as stupid does! I hope you get paid well, from your friend!
 

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
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SW Pa
Yep rain heat and the stuff goes nutz. Im thinkin I just might go see my bud and have him bring up a dozen lambs and turn them loose, either that or start bailing this stuff
 

Shauney22

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Kubota B8200 HST
Jun 29, 2013
29
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Summerstown Ontario
I need to get this off my chest and you gents love to hear stories. ...when I mow an over grown yard with the tractor its going to look like a hay field for a little while until it has been mowed sever times to get it back into shape. I'm not going to waste all day mowing the same yard 4, 5 and 6 times over. It needs to be spaced out and let the clippings die down some.!
Um, AHEM!! Girl here!

I have something to pitch into this one. I beg to differ on the spacing out of mowing when it comes to a field like that. Unless you're going to go over that same lawn/field everyday to mulch up the grass with a finishing blade, spacing it out isn't, in my humble opinion, going to do the trick. The grass underneath still grows, adding to the dry clippings already on the grass. Unless there is a mighty Kansas wind that scoops up that "hay", it just sits there and builds up more. I have tried all season (except that week where the tractor was out of order and the piercing blah blah blah) but still can't get a handle on that field. I was nearly 3 weeks behind in mowing because my Farmking mower was at the welder. However, I appreciate your rant Eric! Pi** off doing someone a favour, only to have them b**ch :rolleyes:
 
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Eric McCarthy

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Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
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Richmond Va
Yes Ma'am my appologies, I wasn't aware of you being here when I said "gents".

For me I've had better luck waiting a week or two between mowings and let the clippings dry out and mull them down to nothing. Most of the time when a yard is over grown it takes several mowings to get it back into shape.

Seems to be all I'm doing these days are lawns that are way over grown and need to be cleaned up. I have a new customer to do tomorrw after noon. And some jackwagon idiot calls me today at 3pm wanting to know if I could come today to handle his yard. Yeah NOT at 3pm when I'm already booked and busy I can't!
 

Eric McCarthy

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Kubota B6100E
Dec 21, 2009
5,223
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Richmond Va
A flail mower has one long drum with several knives that are attatched to it. Basically the grass and over growth gets cut alot easier and dispurses better with a flail, also with it spinning in a cicurlar motion the thength of the drum it wont throw trash and debris way out into left felid like it will with a finish or bush hog. Less likely to put out a window with a flail mower.