Sickle bar mower

[Stocker Steve]

The way some of the older sickle mowers hooked up they won't fit on the lift arms of newer tractors. Be sure it will work if you find one. Find a New Holland if you can. Around here one in real good condition is 1500 or so

Junky ones are as low as $300. Old timers run them up to $1000 to $2000 if the paint is good .

If you have good rhythm you can swing in and out to cut weeds between the fence posts!

The issue with a lot of the old timey hay equipment is they can not handle a good stand...

Double 9s are what the BTOs use here.

 

[callmefence]

A lil disc mower would be nice. But I dont think my lil 8n will run one. Even a small one. Price is a big deal too. New 7ft jd is 5k!! Not a disc mower, a sickle bar. Crazy!

You can run a little drum mower like the tar river 6' on a 8n. You don't need much hp or remotes. They will cut as fast as you can stay in the seat. I still have mine and still use it for trashy fields as it's pretty bullet proof.
Iirc 4300.00 new including shipping from sweet farm equipment in Kentucky.

 

[gcreekrch]

Any old self propelled in your area Murray? We cut for many years with a JD 800 with a ten foot header.

 

[JW IN VA]

I'm old enough to remember when almost everyone cut their hay with a sickle bar mower. Sure the Haybine was an upgrade most wanted but a lot made do for many years.
Somewhat like the disc mower conditioner of today compared to the older sickle bar Haybine. Would I like to have a Discbine? Sure. But until I get some other things fixed and upgraded, the old 488 is still cutting.
I've still got a 451 7' for mowing under trees and places a Bush Hog can't get.

 

[MurraysMutts]

You can run a little drum mower like the tar river 6' on a 8n. You don't need much hp or remotes. They will cut as fast as you can stay in the seat. I still have mine and still use it for trashy fields as it's pretty bullet proof.
Iirc 4300.00 new including shipping from sweet farm equipment in Kentucky.

I'm looking.
That is an interesting piece of equipment.
I like it!

 

[MurraysMutts]

Any old self propelled in your area Murray? We cut for many years with a JD 800 with a ten foot header.

Yes. I've found a couple pretty old jd swathers with like a 9 or 10 ft header. No cab(doesnt bother me) like a tricycle.
The one is 1000 dollars. And need work for sure.

 

[gcreekrch]

Yes. I've found a couple pretty old jd swathers with like a 9 or 10 ft header. No cab(doesnt bother me) like a tricycle.
The one is 1000 dollars. And need work for sure.

Yes, you either buy work or pay for it!

 

[tex452]

I mowed many a acre with a farmall A tractor with a sickle mower.
My grandpa done is work with mules most of his life that when he had farmall A and B tractors he figured what more could a man ask for.
We planted corn with the A tractor also. It was slow but we got the job done