Disc Mower

tred

Hello, i was looking at buying a topper, but now i am thinking of paying the extra few bob for a 6 disc mower. Anyone got any advice or recommendations?

reilig

tred wrote: »

Hello, i was looking at buying a topper, but now i am thinking of paying the extra few bob for a 6 disc mower. Anyone got any advice or recommendations?

If you're just going to use it for topping, then buy a topper, its easier to run, doesn't need new blades constantly and gives less problems. But if you think that you will use it for mowing meadows as well as topping then it is a good buy - much better than a rotary mower, easier worked than a rotary mower and has an approximate life span of 12,000 acres if it is minded. A rotary has about 2000 acres before it gives trouble, and most are usually shot through before 4000 acres.

We have both a fleming 6 foot topper and a vicon 8 foot disc mower, never a problem with the topper since day 1, just a few shear bolts when you hit a stone or a log, sharpen the blade with the grinder about once a year. I'd say it cuts 150 to 200 acres a year for us.

So that's the pro's and the cons.

Regards

Dan

moe_sizlak

tred wrote: »

Hello, i was looking at buying a topper, but now i am thinking of paying the extra few bob for a 6 disc mower. Anyone got any advice or recommendations?

go for the disc mowers , toppers are no good , full stop , there yesterdays man

the best disc mower is probably a kuhn , a lely is good too
just make sure you keep away from either a morro or a fort , there the same mower and there dung

fastrac

KUHN

tred

fastrac wrote: »

KUHN

lads ball park on the cash to buy a new Kuhn or vicon,

Bitten & Hisses

2.8 metre Kuhn (9 foot) with conditioner, you're talking in the region of €12.5K, but they're way cheaper to source new in the UK

reilig

Your 6 disc mower would cost something in the region of €4000 - approx €3600 for the cheaper models like fort etc, €4200 for a vicon or lely or €4500 for a Kuhn.

A Fleming 6ft semi offset topper costs €800, a fully offset topper costs €1500 - that's a serious saving over a disc mower if you are only going to use it for topping - and it does a much better job (doesn't cut too low so you have much faster regrowth)

Dan

tred

Bitten & Hisses wrote: »

2.8 metre Kuhn (9 foot) with conditioner, you're talking in the region of €12.5K, but they're way cheaper to source new in the UK

not looking for conditioner....ur talking going on hire paying out money like that in my game

tred

reilig wrote: »

Your 6 disc mower would cost something in the region of €4000 - approx €3600 for the cheaper models like fort etc, €4200 for a vicon or lely or €4500 for a Kuhn.

A Fleming 6ft semi offset topper costs €800, a fully offset topper costs €1500 - that's a serious saving over a disc mower if you are only going to use it for topping - and it does a much better job (doesn't cut too low so you have much faster regrowth)

Dan

thanks Dan...pay for what you get they say.

reilig

tred wrote: »

thanks Dan...pay for what you get they say.

Yea, but buying what you need can save you money in the short term and long term.

Muckit

What did you buy in the end?

Tipp Man

Wow Muckit you've plucked this thread from the library

In our 3rd season with a Kuhn mower and can safely say that we will never ever purchase a topper again. The quality of the grass has improved no end as the mower actually cuts the grass as opposed to flattening it and tearing at it

Need to be careful with it though as it does take a bit longer for the grass to come back - topping every second paddock so far this year to reduce this risk

Muckit

Tipp Man wrote: »

Wow Muckit you've plucked this thread from the library

In our 3rd season with a Kuhn mower

Well Tippman have been toying with the idea of maybe buying a good sec hand disc mower and found this thread. Kuhn seem to be the 'Rolls Royce' of them alright. Vicon have always been up there aswel.

I'd be thinking more for cutting a bit of hay. Cheap and cheerful feed.

Have to say, very happy with my abbey topper

mattthetrasher

i traded abbey topper for claas 5,6 drum mower last year.ya its small but as tippman said grass quality is super and i can cut out paddocks for bales might have went for something bigger but cash was tight anyway drum mower is really robust went through 2 8 foot disc mowers before,that size and type of mower wont last at topping imo

5live

If you do go for a disc mower, get one that doesnt have bolts to rip before changeing blades. Its a right pain in the donkey trying to rip in the field when you could just slip on and off the blades in a few seconds. Man, i have no knuckles left:mad:

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

moe_sizlak wrote: »

go for the disc mowers , toppers are no good , full stop , there yesterdays man

not really, a topper is a lot better at "topping" than a disc. The disc is designed to cut meadow, so it leaves the the crop fully in tact, where as a topper will chop it up a bit. this mans the grass will break down a lot quicker. Toppers are a lot cheaper too, unless you want to cut meadow there is no point in buying a disc.

We use a fully offset 8" topper, great machine.

jeff greene

5live wrote: »

If you do go for a disc mower, get one that doesnt have bolts to rip before changeing blades. Its a right pain in the donkey trying to rip in the field when you could just slip on and off the blades in a few seconds. Man, i have no knuckles left:mad:

Why are you breaking blades?:rolleyes: Very rarely break them here, use a ratchet with an extension to keep the knuckles out of the way.

Collins Fast Between wrote: »

not really, a topper is a lot better at "topping" than a disc. The disc is designed to cut meadow, so it leaves the the crop fully in tact, where as a topper will chop it up a bit. this mans the grass will break down a lot quicker. Toppers are a lot cheaper too, unless you want to cut meadow there is no point in buying a disc.

We use a fully offset 8" topper, great machine.

I'm firmly in the disc mower camp anyway, faster, better cut, better regrowth, can cut silage. I use an 8' Taarup 336, bought of €1000 3 years ago, fast to hitch on, great job.

funny man

Collins Fast Between wrote: »

not really, a topper is a lot better at "topping" than a disc. The disc is designed to cut meadow, so it leaves the the crop fully in tact, where as a topper will chop it up a bit. this mans the grass will break down a lot quicker. Toppers are a lot cheaper too, unless you want to cut meadow there is no point in buying a disc.

We use a fully offset 8" topper, great machine.

a topper does what it's called top and the problem with that is it cuts too high up on the grass stem, the whole purpose of topping is to take out stem and this leads to a leafy sward, i bought a khun 5 years ago and i wouldn't waste diesel going around the field with a topper to make the field look good from the road, toppers are for cosmetics.

jm99

funny man wrote: »

a topper does what it's called top and the problem with that is it cuts too high up on the grass stem, the whole purpose of topping is to take out stem and this leads to a leafy sward, i bought a khun 5 years ago and i wouldn't waste diesel going around the field with a topper to make the field look good from the road, toppers are for cosmetics.

agree, bought a 8ft vicon 4 years ago. No bother yet. You have to cut low to get the stem. A little bit longer for regrowth but much better quality. Just get in as soon as you can after the stock are done. You dont want to be cuttin any regrowth. Toppers just make the field look better.

sea12

jm99 wrote: »

agree, bought a 8ft vicon 4 years ago. No bother yet. You have to cut low to get the stem. A little bit longer for regrowth but much better quality. Just get in as soon as you can after the stock are done. You dont want to be cuttin any regrowth. Toppers just make the field look better.

Yep have to agree, fields done by toppers look good from the road but when you compare it to a disc mower there is no comparison.

My topper gave up the ghost last month getting ready for a bit of reseeding and need to replace. it must be 16/17 year old at this stage. Owes me nothing but on the lookout for a small mower with topping skids now.

marknjb

used to work a semi offset topper up to two year ago the track mark of one wheel used to drive me mad . bought an old 8ft krone disc mower of done deal for 800 euro a great job way better regrowth even the old man was impressed

Tora Bora

Does the disc mower not throw the cut grass in a mini swath? Whereas the topper mulches somewhat, and spreads the mulches more evenly on the field, resulting in less blockage of light from new growth, plus quicker decomposition of the cuttings.

Not a topper owner myself by the way.

mattthetrasher

not if you get it grazed down tight and not just for the round you mow

raher1

Did you buy a topper or disc mower?