New Industrial Lawn Mower ? Help?

abnormalnorman

Hi,

Im looking at buying a new mower for my large garden (1 acre). I want a large walk-behind mower, like the Ferris or Scag, with 36" deck. I don't plan on mulching. No footpaths or drives to worry about blowing grass on.

My query is, which is best, the side discharge, or the rear discharge?

When i say best, i mean quickest, cleanest cut - least pressure on the mower, so i can just whiz around it, and it will look good. Wont be baggin it either.

_Brian

Have to ask.
Why not a ride-on

Defunkd

If you're not bagging, discharging from the rear means your legs will be in the line of fire for any stone, twig or flesh-tearing projectile your mower can lift. Letting grass fly works lovely when it's dry. It clogs when it's not dry. Do you think it'll be dry this year?☺

A 4,000m sq. lawn with a 36" mower means a lot of walking every 7-10 days. It might seem like a good idea to get extra exercise but some days you mightn't feel like it, or it'll rain.

abnormalnorman

_Brian wrote: »

Have to ask.
Why not a ride-on

Sitting down all day at work!!

my3cents

Rear discharge as the grass hasn't got to pass all the way from one side to the other to get out from under the blades so less clogging.

Much easier to get into corners and do around beds with a decent walk behind than a similar size ride on. You can turn a walk behind on its own access.

What is that is the &^%$^ obsession with ride on lawn mowers?

If you can afford it OP take a look at the likes of the Hayter Condor.

_Brian

Both lawns I’ve had have been similar size to OP.
When I started I had a self propelled and 80% of the time it’s grand and as stated it’s a bit of exercise.

However what I found with work was that if you were unlucky and got a few damp or wet evenings that stretches out the period between mowing, then a self propelled gets bogged down and getting an acre under control becomes a big deal.

We have quite a few grounds maintenance teams at work and it is a real problem if you get a stretch of bad weather. A ride on is a better machine to get things back under control than a self propelled.

If your intent on a self propelled we have a number of the high end Honda mowers and they are a savage piece of kit. Some on their 15th season and nothing but services.

https://www.clarkesofcavan.ie/Shop/Detail/Honda-HRD536-HXE

abnormalnorman

_Brian wrote: »

Both lawns I’ve had have been similar size to OP.
When I started I had a self propelled and 80% of the time it’s grand and as stated it’s a bit of exercise.

However what I found with work was that if you were unlucky and got a few damp or wet evenings that stretches out the period between mowing, then a self propelled gets bogged down and getting an acre under control becomes a big deal.

We have quite a few grounds maintenance teams at work and it is a real problem if you get a stretch of bad weather. A ride on is a better machine to get things back under control than a self propelled.

If your intent on a self propelled we have a number of the high end Honda mowers and they are a savage piece of kit. Some on their 15th season and nothing but services.

https://www.clarkesofcavan.ie/Shop/Detail/Honda-HRD536-HXE

Thanks for that. I agree. Iv been caut out before as my lawn is wet. Are you saying the ride on would travel better than the walk behind? Would it not be the other way around, as ride on would have extra weight of myself on it ?

CJhaughey

For wet grass I think its hard to beat an Etesia their grass chutes are much larger than any others that I have seen and this makes a huge difference in picking up wet grass.

_Brian

abnormalnorman wrote: »

Thanks for that. I agree. Iv been caut out before as my lawn is wet. Are you saying the ride on would travel better than the walk behind? Would it not be the other way around, as ride on would have extra weight of myself on it ?

Wider tyres, bigger grass box, manually emptying the clippings from an acre of wet heavy grass from a self propelled is no fun. There’s no point thinking it won’t happen because it does, and when it does a ride on makes it easier.

beertons

What about one that you stand up on? No idea what they're called, but they look deadly. Hustler maybe?

Doctors room ghost

A ride on with a mulching kit fitted all day long.cut wet or dry no bagging no stopping.half hour or less finished and head off somewhere for a nice walk then.

Discodog

CJhaughey wrote: »

For wet grass I think its hard to beat an Etesia their grass chutes are much larger than any others that I have seen and this makes a huge difference in picking up wet grass.

Nothing comes close. They are expensive, especially here, but nothing collects like an Etesia. The reason is no rear axle to get in the way. They have stub axles driven by a separate shaft. Very high quality build etc & resale value.