Reese Mowers

[JoshuaGA]

Anybody have any experience with Reese drum mowers. Need a new hay mower to replace my sicklebar mower, and know full well not to buy a used disc mower. So, opinions needed. Also, can they be bought with a roller conditioner or easy to use on a pulled conditioner. Does hay cut with a drum mower even need conditioning. Can i use them to make windrows and just combine two rindrows into one. Dealing with burmueda grass, perrenial peanuts, and small amounts of clover and alfalfa. Want good mower, and Drum mowers look simpelist. Simplicity and relibality are most important to me. All opinions welcome.

JoshuaGA

 

[tom in.]

had a twin drum 6 foot 9 in.had 2 v belts at 100.00 each and did not last long .stoped up in downed crop. disc mower i now have never stops up hesston 6 disc

 

[Hay Dr]

If you are replacing a sickle bar mower then you likely don't have hundreds of acres of hay. There are other MFG's drum mowers that sell for half the price of a new disc mower. HayMAXX has new drum mowers that start below $3,000.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a Reese 3pt drum mower. Mine is the 2400 HL. I like the way it cuts. Once in a while if the crop is way too wet and way to tall, it will fold it over and not cut it off. But anything within reason for baling, it mows like crazy. You can mow about as fast as you want. The down sides are, it is very heavy. Not so bad when its down in the working position, but up in the transport position, you really notice how heavy it is. Book says 70hp will run it, but that is the bare minimum, 100 is better. On mine the blades sometimes hit each other and really beat them selves up. Parts and service from Tigerco are good. I'd consider one of their pull behind models in the future.

 

[Anonymous-0]

How tall is way too tall. I have been considering one, but I do have one field that has some canary grass that can get 6 feet tall.

 

[Anonymous-0]

What make and model was your drum mower?

 

[Gumby]

I have a drum mower very similar to the one in the picture below. It's a Zetor. The thing will mow through anything. I had the dealer demo the unit before I bought it. He was going through thick weeds at least 5'-6' tall with no problems. I was impressed. I've used it on very thick alfalfa/grass mix with no problems what so ever. The blades are really easy to change. Zetor gives you a little tool to lift up the spring loaded pin that holds the 6 blades in place.

Mine is only a two drum unit. I covet the 4 drum units like what Reese markets. I'm using an old Vicon disk mower conditioner now with roller conditioner that won't seem to die. It doesn't cut as close to the ground as the drum mower though. I keep the drum mower as a backup, because the disk mower will cut about a 2' wider swath and that means less time mowing.

Hard to beat the simplicity of the drum mower.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'm not sure if it was the height so much. I mowed some weeds and grass that were 5 or 6 feet tall with no problem. Seems like where I had trouble was with some clumpy grass that was wet and laying over. Even then it wasn't a huge problem, usually if you would just slow down a little it would clear out and start cutting fine again.

 

[JoshuaGA]

Thanks for the replies. I bought a sicklebar mower, but have not had great success. Considering the drum mowers because I can't swing one new, refuse to buy used,(Last one bought used locked up in the middle of a 50 acre hayfield, case was full of pinholes) and thought Drum mowers were the ticket. Think I'll try to get one, I like haying on my own time. When I have time, like square baling better than roung baling. thanks for the responses. I don't believe power or weight are a concern. I have a Massey 399 and Massey 1100 to run. Again, Thanks

JoshuaGA

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have had the opportunity to use a sickle mower, haybine, drum mower and disc mower. If you have time to let your hay cure I would buy a Vicon disc mower. It will cut anything including steel fence posts and is very easy to work on. If you are only going to put up square bales I would buy a New Holland haybine. Hay will cure faster, makes a tighter windrow when raked and will make a better bale. Both are very reliable.