Did We Buy the Wrong Mower for Our Farm? | John Deere/Frontier Finish Mower

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Video fixing this mower: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXe6oZlvpL6Irdk This is our Amazon store with affiliate links to the products we use on the channel. It doesn't cost you anymore and it helps support the channel, THANKS! www.amazon.com/shop/pineygrovehomestead-tractorsandoutdoors Some of our favorite products on Amazon: Proven Industries Trailer Lock: amzn.to/3WVzytv Flex Tape: amzn.to/3R4MdWm Mechanix Leather Gloves: amzn.to/3HjoZZf Titan Post Hole Auger: amzn.to/3toHEx2 Ratcheting Fence Tensioner: amzn.to/3aEfSX0 Pope and Pipe Level: amzn.to/3tqUhHX Fence Post Puller: amzn.to/3QbcNhy T Post Manual driver: amzn.to/39dwt3J Come Along Winch: amzn.to/3aQMqND Clip bending tool: amzn.to/3xlqrG0 Mechanix Leather Gloves: amzn.to/3HjoZZf 6’ Digging and Pry bar: amzn.to/3vH5Agx Dewalt 20V ½” Impact Wrench: amzn.to/3UOcXNH Dewalt 20V brushless Leaf blower: amzn.to/3zwJcYm Dewalt 20V brushless ½” drill: amzn.to/3HGXJ7z Welcome to our channel! 🎥 What to Watch Next: Fixing Leaky Pond: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHbahIedZsaCjcU Transforming Our Property: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5uleHiPf8qUZ7s Clearing Thick Brush with Mini Excavator: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4exmqqFfbiKmtE Mowing Large Acreage: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYm5Znadh9hmpM0 ➤FOLLOW US on Social Media: Facebook - facebook.com/PineyGroveHomesteadAndMiniFarm/ Instagram - instagram.com/pghomestead/ TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@pineygrovehomestead Our Story: We are five years into a seven year effort of transforming 20 acres of "Piney Grove" in Northwest Florida into our dream homestead/mini farm to be filled with animals and joy. We plan to have a variety of miniature critters on our pastures, raise free-range chickens, grow fish in our pond, garden, plant fruit and nut trees, and harvest wild game. Our goal is to escape the stresses of corporate life and embrace all that country living has to offer as we enter the next chapter of our lives. Follow along on our journey! Thanks for watching and please Like and Subscribe to help our channel!! Brad & Deb

[@wildbill23c]

Something most people don't mention is a finish mower, brush hog, and a flail mower many times is rear discharge. a regular lawn tractor and some finish mowers as well as most zero turn mowers do side discharge....so with those you have to cut close to stuff with only one side of the mower deck, where the rear discharge mower decks you can cut up close to stuff with either side of the deck, which is a great timesaver.

[@tlm3574]

I agree completely. I mowed some subdivisions where new homes were near. As soon as I bought my first rear discharge my collateral damage went down to zero. I could mow closer without buying thermopane windows or vinyl siding repairs. Also on a windy day the side discharge covered me with debris. The rear discharge put the debris way behind me and shattered it with no windrowing. A no brainer and you can mow in both directions.

[@rfb7117]

I'm been using a 6' flail mower for over 20 years around our farm. I sold my bush hog years ago and have never looked back. The flail mower is a mower with a cut between the bush hog and the finish mower, but tends to distribute the grass more evenly out the rear and is much easier to change cutting height for longer or shorter grass. Bob

[@rfb7117]

Instead of spending all the time mowing, have a near by neighbor come in and make it into hay. It may provide a little income and less work you guys. Just a thought.

[@tlm3574]

I have mowed with about every mower but after I dug a steel post out of my rear wheel I would never own or operate a flail mower. They are dangerous as is a brush hog. The safest by far is the rear discharge finish mower.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thanks for watching. Here is our hay baling video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpXcioavapWWnac

[@aaronburford5701]

Great video, information, content, commentary! Love the Piney Grove channel and journey! Great Job!

[@kevinbrewer2141]

I use a Wood's 6 ft with side discharge on a 25 hp kioti. I've mowed grass that was a foot and a half, maybe two feet tall. The only time it bogged was going uphill. I have a brush hog at dad's for woody trails and fields.

[@tlm3574]

If you had a rear discharge you'd park the side discharge

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I believe Woods made this Frontier GM3072 for John Deere. Thanks for watching.

[@donatasvigilita9908]

I plan to use 7ft finish mower with side discarge for tree line mulching. Almost no videos on youtube for such kind of operations. Can you say that with tall enough grass it can leave thick 3" or more and about 1 feet wide straw line ? Thanks

[@kevinbrewer2141]

@donatasvigilita9908 I'm not sure . But I know my mower creates a lot of air from the discharge. I used it this fall to blow leaves from my backyard . Never needed to use a rake.

[@donatasvigilita9908]

@@kevinbrewer2141 Thanks,i believe it will work for me even if it spreads grass wide. but can you tell me if you cut tall grass does it spread grass very wide and far or it can leave big chunks of it near discharge?

[@40gritgarage67]

Finish Mower! They do such a wonderful and clean job over Bushog which was designed for heavy brush stuff. I'm using a FDR1672 Landpride behind my Kubota L2501. I find myself mowing more often than I did with the Bushog. Also using a Kubota GR2120 4WD mower for the smaller and tighter jobs around the property.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Land Pride is good stuff! We went the budget route with this old JD/Frontier machine...so far, so good. Thanks for watching.

[@SpynCycle57]

The brushhog will rip the grass instead of clean cutting the grass blades. Moisture gets into the end of the grass blades causing rotting, which inhibits growth. The finish mower with sharp blades will clean cut the individual grass blades, supporting more growth.

[@carmenmariacortesmarin2664]

It's a pleasure watching both of you enjoying your toys...tools 😊

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We mowed some today! Finally some great "cooler" weather in Florida. Thanks for watching.

[@coltsfan357]

This past mid summer, I bought a used Woods PRD7200 for my L2501 here in east central Indiana. I mow 5 acres and it does great. I was using my 60" JD commercial stand up and did so the last 6 years. Just nice to sit now and not get roughed up by the old hay field. Enjoy the content.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Woods makes (or made) this mower for John Deere. We put some new innovative blades on it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYTNYXVoqMyljas

[@coltsfan357]

@PineyGroveHomestead i see your video on these. I've been looking for a different blade with more cutting edges for some hard stem weeds that take an extra swipe to cut. May have to try these.

[@tlm3574]

I've owned and operated several brands finish mowers. By far the best was the Rhino brand FM-72. They made a heavier duty Turbo model that was taller and heavier(but I didn't like it) so I went back to the simple FM-72(always rear discharge).

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We love that rear discharge. Wanted that in our Zero Turn, but it's rare (and expensive)!

[@chriselliott2364]

My dad has had one of those finish mowers from frontier for years, only had to replace belt, and blades, and one wheel on it!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I just need to stay away from the edges....I think I bumped a stump. Thanks for watching.

[@benkanobe7500]

That is one beautiful hunk of land. Congratulations.

[@PeeksPeakHobbyHomestead]

I have to say, I'm a fan of the finish mower for the rear discharge as much as anything. Nice piece of equipment.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Nothing runs like a..... I can't even type it!

[@tonyparris5278]

We have a land pride 72-inch finish mower. I like the cut, but we have large water oaks, and I found if you snag one of those roots wrong, it just folds those casters over. So I bought a z930m 54 inch just because of it being a little more nimble to go around the trees and roots, houses, buildings, etc.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We bought an anti-scalp kit for it....haven't found time to put it on yet. Thanks for watching.

[@allenbartlett3567]

don't stop doing your videos I in joy them

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We've got a lot more to share. Thanks for watching.

[@gavinsinclair3805]

We use a Finishing mower here on our place for a great look and we also use for maintaining large areas at our local cemetery as we are in a small town here in Australia 🇦🇺.

[@wildbill23c]

I mowed 2 acres for 21 years with a Craftsman GT6000 garden tractor with a 44" mower deck. No tractor and finish mower needed. Usually mowed once a week. Occasionally with rain or irrigation I'd have to skip a week and I'd end up mowing grass that was 2 feet tall. The garden tractor handled it just fine, but without the rear discharge, the side discharge would windrow the clippings making it really nice to rake up afterwards. Not sure having a finish mower is really needed in many applications, but if you have a large lawn or a clean pasture to mow, they're fine...would I rush out and buy a tractor just to use a finish mower, no....but if already got the equipment then a finish mower or flail mower would be ideal. Flail mower is far more forgiving if you hit something. Change out the flail you damaged and keep going, flails are cheaper than mower blades LOL. Nice thing too with either mower, keep a spare set of blades or flails and just swap them out when they get dull, and sharpen the dull ones later on when you have a few minutes....sharpening the flails don't take long, a bench grinder works wonders and makes quick work out of that chore.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

So far we like this mower...we don't like sharpening blades after 5 acres though. There has to be a solution for that. Thanks for watching.

[@wildbill23c]

@@PineyGroveHomestead With the finish mower, get the blade size and center hole size, and order some Oregon Gator G5 or G6 blades for it, you'll cut your sharpening time way down. If you can get G6 blades they are infused with carbide and hold up even longer than the G5's. I only mow an acre now, but I put G5 blades on my lawn tractor and I'm just coming to the end of my 4th mowing season with them, and haven't had to sharpen them, or replacement.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

@@wildbill23c We are running a test on these now for Cutlass blades: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYTNYXVoqMyljas

[@Syddybear1]

Great video!!!!! I learned lots of good stuff! Thanks.

[@donaldcapistran9123]

I love my finish mower like you got same thing but newer it's very dependable sure I have it I have about acres to do.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

It's a good mower now that I've refurbed it! that video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXe6oZlvpL6Irdk

[@wraith3951]

I’m using the GM1072r behind a previous 1025r and now a 2025r. It cut down in my mowing time considerably! I could cut grass as high as yours but I would have to go very slow, that 2025r only has about 18hp at the PTO. Great Content, keep dropping videos!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

That's working those tractors! Here's our compact tractor playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLG5yS75HLzo3RVqEuA0f6IioXV6FtFhHW

[@brianpuckett137]

I first had a really old 5’ brush hog that had 3 blades on it. Got it for $75. That did an amazing job but I hated how big and old it was. So I sold it for $600. Then bought a used 5’ hammer blade flail mower. I like it… but doesn’t give nearly as good of a cut. Like you said I probably could sit and sharpen all of them but idk. I may sell it for a big finish mower. All my trails are pretty much established. But I do still mow them. Lately I’ve been using my 54inch mid mount mower on my tractor but that’s extra wear on it. A 3pt finish could be wider so it gets done faster. Plus rear discharge could be less dusty.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Rear discharge is so nice!

[@tractortalkwithgary1271]

That has to be frustrating Brad. A rotary cutter is the best choice for my needs. I have an older brush hog. SouthEast is the brand name. I thought I would like a flail mower but decided against it for the very reasons that you stated. I think you made the right choice for your needs. That rear discharge is the cats meow Very nice Brad. Looks great

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thanks Gary. It's leaving a nice cut.

[@gazphillips7747]

you should try atomic blades on your zero turn far less windrows as they mulch as you cut

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We put some new Cutlass blades on it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYTNYXVoqMyljas

[@russ0520]

I am curious what model of tractor you have? I have a B3030 (30 hp) with a 6' mid-mount. It does an excellent job but I've often wondered if I could add another 6' rear offset finish mower, to mow light grass with a 12' swath.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

There are so many variables with that, but the biggest one would be how tall and tough the grass is. Our tractor is a L3901 with 38hp at the engine and 30hp at the PTO. In that tall grass in this video, it was the tractor could handle.

[@outsidewithrodney8240]

Awesome video! Do you ever think you will put a gate opener on your gate?

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

It's on the list! But that will be after we get the new house built.

[@outsidewithrodney8240]

@@PineyGroveHomestead do you know what kind you may get?

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

@@outsidewithrodney8240 I'll have to research them again when we get ready to install. Technology changes so fast!

[@rhaltunen]

What should a person do if they don't want the grass clippings all over (for a golf course driving range)?

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Mow more often or catch the clippings while they mow, I guess?

[@rhaltunen]

@@PineyGroveHomestead , that’s pretty much what the dealer told me a bit ago. Pricing out an 84” Frontier so I’ll see what happens…

[@donaldcapistran9123]

My mower I love a GM1072E

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

It's been doing OK after a lot of repairs! Bought it used and it wasn't taken care of! We put these great blades on it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYTNYXVoqMyljas

[@ritterjon]

I think a 6 foot flail would leave you a nicer cut. Contact Machio and see if they’d be willing to work you. 🤷‍♂️ *Keep on tractoring!*

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thanks for watching Jon! We are getting lots of recommendation to try a flail.

[@lightning7582]

I wonder how it would do with gator blades on it🤔

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We have Cutlass blades on it now: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYTNYXVoqMyljas

[@rhaltunen]

Just ordered one Friday. $6100 plus tax for anyone curious. Not cheap. I’m guessing they were under $5k a few years ago…

[@Bvinson0879]

I bought a GM 3060 when I bought my 3025e back in 2021, worst money I have ever spent on an absolute POS of equipment I could ever imagine owning. Within a week it through a belt, the actual salesperson came out to repair that because they wanted to keep that under the radar, this of course raised a red flag. Not three weeks later the wheel caster you mentioned here broke off, my neighbor rewelded that as the scumbag at the dealership felt this was clearly just a normal thing to have happen, and I refused to pay $200 for a two month old mower. Not two months after that yet another one of those casters broke off, same exact outcome, and yet again, scumbags at the dealership claim it was definitely not the crappy Chinese welds. THEN…..the blade spindle housings started to break. I replaced one, and since it broke and wore the bearings out I replaced the entire internals at yet another $300 in parts, and MY OWN LABOR, as I wasn’t about to pay those thieving scumbags at the dealership another $300 in labor. Three months later, the pulley and spindles started all of a sudden started free spinning and the blades would lose speed when mowing, which you could visibly see. Once again, replaced the pulleys and once again it heated up the bearings, so those got replaced as well. At one year all three spindles and housings have been replaced once, two wheel casters have been replaced and the front the deck has become permanently tucked inward thanks to the cheap Chinese garbage stamped steel deck. BE GLAD YOU GOT THAT USED, you actually paid what that POS is worth based on my experience thus far. As of today, 3 years of ownership, all three of the spindles and bearings have been replaced twice in total, and the key stock and pulleys have been replaced because the key stock is apparently able to melt away the hardened internal shaft housing before the soft zinc does, and before the belt slips. To this day I am very grateful the POS salesperson didn’t upsale me the zero turn mower I asked him to quote instead of this POS finish mower. I have enjoyed putting $2k in parts into a 2k mower that can’t mow close to trees or anything for that matter.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I think it's a nice mower but overpriced because it's GREEN!

[@georgewest2096]

i have tried all of those and use a 72' 1445 John Deere lawn mower i got used from a golf course

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We felt wrong towing JD green with Kubota orange, but it works! Thanks for watching.

[@SpynCycle57]

@@PineyGroveHomestead Kubota owners would say that is the best thing to ever happen to a John Deere piece of equipment. LOL!

[@donaldcapistran9123]

I don't go that fast went I mow

[@666bruv]

B'hah, dropped the fel, you mean

[@tbjtbj4786]

We just use a bushhog

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We've done that too! Here's last year: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWm7k2aqpr-sZ5I

[@billshafley6048]

only wrong tool I see is that shitty kubota