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Starting Member
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Last Login: 9/25/2009 6:25:15 PM
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| Can sickle bar cutters be shortened? How can it be done? If it is shortened; can it require less horsepower to run after shortened?
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Senior Member
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I think they can be??? I know you can take sections out. I haven't touched a sicklebar mower in 20 years so I am not really sure.
But I am wondering if you are getting some friction from a lack of lubrication and that is what's robbing your tractor of horsepower enough to mow your field (assuming of course you did not too big of a mower for your tractor).
Maybe WOS will know, he might be better informed then me on SB Mowers...I'm a haybine guy myself! (LOL)
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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Average Member
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Last Login: 11/1/2009 6:18:12 AM
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| I don't know about cutting them down. BUT I do know that the township pours veggie oil on theres each day to keep it lubed up. The trouble with the Cycle bar is that you can't hit anything harder than a blade of grass. The blades tend to twist on hardwood sticks and wire.
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| What i am trying to do is take a five foot model and cut it down to 4 foot to use on my subcompact. I'd like to use it on the pond and other tight spots. Great idea on the veggie oil with the going green times.
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You can mow saplings down, you just got to slow right up and creep through or you will snap sections. (You probably already figured this out).
I would have to see it myself to see if it can be cut down. I think you can, but maybe its all one casting and cannot be. Its been years since I have seen one. Sorry I am no help to you.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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LOL.. going green heck! it's just less messy. The Township men didn't want to get dark oil on things like mail boxes ect. But you'll find that something natural won't do damage or stain.
I've done SOME small saplings, but unlike a brush hog or a more... tolerant tool, The cycle bar just isn't as forgiving. This is clearly something I am basing off my own understanding.
They have some wonderful features like not tossing hay all over and doing a neat and clean job when well maintained. The Amish around here still use them.
I'm just saying in my experience, they don't take as much abuse.
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The sicklebar mower has its place, its the bushog that should be outlawed. (LOL)
With its whirling blade, it doesn't cut very cleanly, and when it does it takes weed seeds and scatters them over gods creation. You see so many fields go to nothing but weeds because people bush ho their fields for a few years and basically are seeding it down with weeds using their bushogs. But with a bush hog you also have to drive over where you mow instead of being offset to the right, and when it does cut saplings, its not a very clean cut.
The sicklebar on the other hand, well that just cuts the grass off nicely, lays the grass over rather gently and keeps the weeds from going all over your neighbors field since its not carried on the wind. It also dries out faster then mulched hay in thick clumps and it is offset to the right, does a heck of a job going around obstacles (like ponds) and they cut cleanly. Unfortunately, they just work very slowly.
Everything has its place, like the flail mower or flail chopper, and of course the haybine...the latter being great at hay fields, but its not particularly robust.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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Average Member
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I agree.
If one used a cycle bar regularly to keep things clear as our small town ship does in town (because the other mower is to risky) then you are going to be fine. What I see much of the time is a lack of week to week maintenance.
your comment on weeds applies here as well.
Keep the weeds cut many times a season and the will not get to weeds in the first place. But so often we don't watch this, get behind on our hay or other work and neglect the pasture.
WE have just picked up a 10Foot brush mower, and once a year we hire a massive mower to come in as well. My hope is to keep all things cut down, and encourage grasses to grow better.
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| Sounds great. I think if I get a cheap deal I will try to shorten it and won't be out too much. I'll put my inner hillbilly identity to work. Thank you all.
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