What is a drum mower’s uses, and how does it work?

What is a drum mower's uses, and how does it work?

Typically, a drum mower is used for hay cutting, not finish or brush mowing. The standard drum mower has two counter-rotating drums that are powered from a gearbox above. Each drum is essentially a cylinder of 10-14 inches in diameter and length of 15-24 inches, with a large disc attached to the bottom. Depending on the model, either 3 or 4 free-swinging blades are attached to each of these discs. When in operation, the entire drum/disc/blade assembly rotates. This heavy rotating mass creates a great deal of momentum, which helps to power the mower through thick spots in the field. On the bottom of this assembly is a dish which is mounted on ball bearings. This dish does not rotate with the rest of the drum assembly, but rather slides along the ground and can rotate freely in either direction depending on the surface it slides over.

Drum mower advantages are:

• No hydraulic requirement. You do not have to have hydraulics on your tractor. For transport, the drums swing to the rear of the tractor manually.

• Durability. Drum mowers are easily the most rugged of the hay mower types. They rarely sustain damage even from striking an unmovable object. This makes them a great choice for contract cutting in unfamiliar fields or for mowing unruly pastures.

• High ground speeds. A drum mower can be run at even higher speeds than a disc mower, and double the speed of a sickle bar.

• Low power consumption. This feature is important particularly with older utility tractors of modest horsepower.