Mower size?

[Autotech]

I have a JD 720 gas that I am shopping for a mower for. I have plenty of HP, and my gates are all large enough, so I have been looking at 7' brush mowers. This would give me a mower slightly wider than the tractor, making edging easier, and cutting faster.

However there is a SUBSTANTIAL price difference between a 5' or 6' mower, and a 7'. Recently a friend told me that most brush mowers can be offset - then I could still edge cut, but only on one side.

I've also considered buying 2 5' mowers and fabricating a gang mount. Even with the extra cost of the splitter gearbox I'd still spend less.

Anybody have any ideas, experience, input??

Thanks

Gregg

[egon]

The gang mower may present interesting drive solutions as one must follow for overlap and both have to be driven from the pto unless hydraulic motors are used.

Suggest the offset.

Egon

[Pat]

Egon, If he drives two rotating assemblies with a mechanical splitter the inter-blade timing is fixed if you have no independent slippage and have the clutch located where the torque path is serial rather than parallel. This would be like a twin rotor helicopter with overlapping blades. No need for one to "trail" the other. It would require the ambitious modifier to "merge" two decks into one. I could do this so it can't be all that hard.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[LazyJ_Arabians]

We want pictures the first time you bring 'the copter' up to PTO speed, uhuh.

720's are long, tall, heavy, and cool but a 7' cutter? Your gonna be stressing a venerable old motor. 6 footers cut prettier anyway if you got any terrain.

[Autotech]

Thats the kind of practical advice I'm looking for. The problem with being mechanically competent and handy with a welder is that almost anything is POSSIBLE, but not all of it is a GOOD IDEA!

I was considering a 7' based on the simple logistics of it fitting my facilities, having the power to drive it, and it being slightly larger than my tractors width. I also realize that bigger isn't always better.

Anybody else with any experience in this issue?

Thanks

Gregg

[Pat]

Gregg, I forgot to mention the need/desire for articulation. The two deck halves need to be able to move with respect to each other to better "track" the shape of the surface you are cutting.

If you have a putting green like area then forget articulation but if you have areas with relatively rapid inflections, especially if they are relatively small i width or length, then articulation will be required to rreduce "scalping."

A desirable degree of articulation would include some ability to fold a bit along the midline of the double deck. This may require pilot wheels fore and aft along the center line. Additional articulation which would allow the deck halves to "nose up and nose down independently would likewise reduce scalping in uneven terrain.

In general. the larger the brush hog the more scalping you get in uneven terrain. Since you would essentially have two approximately 3 3/4 ft brush hogs (allowing for some overlap) you would have a lot less problems than even a 5 footer while getting a 7 ft swath and being that very desirable "just a little wider" than the tractor tracks.

I don't think I have descriped anything above that you couldn't build with commonly available off the shelf components, given your mechanical aptitude and welding/fabrication ability.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[markct]

one nice thing about folding as you say is the ability to do ditchbanks if it is offset to one side some