Farmall Cub

First after many weeks with no Cub earlier I think most of the bugs out.
I am doing more Garlic and after a hard year did grow a large stock worthy of seed for a good acre or two.
I am first wondering the height I could set the sickle mower, to cut the scapes that grow in the early summer.
A foot and a half is what I would need it to set too to drive along and cut the scapes (perhaps 3 feet to the highest).

Thanks
I did learn that next year single rows.

Rocket Man

Rocket Man wrote:First after many weeks with no Cub earlier I think most of the bugs out.
I am doing more Garlic and after a hard year did grow a large stock worthy of seed for a good acre or two.
I am first wondering the height I could set the sickle mower, to cut the scapes that grow in the early summer.
A foot and a half is what I would need it to set too to drive along and cut the scapes (perhaps 3 feet to the highest).

Thanks
I did learn that next year single rows.

Rocket Man

What were you using, wide bed? I grow several things, including onion, in two rows six inches apart and it works quit well. Three six inches apart do not. Too difficult to weed. Sorry I can't help you with your question. Vern

Don't really have an answer either. Just throwing out thoughts.

The bar has a tendency to bow some what when elevated off the ground in the horizontal position. Depending on row width you would be cutting at desired height next to tractor and perhaps several inches lower at the end of the bar

Mowers are used to detassel seed corn, but these machines are to tall for your intended use.

Two wheeled garden tractors have short bars, around 3 feet in length. Depending on manufacturer and design the bars are either supported in the center or on both ends. Problem here is obtaining the necessary height because most sickle bar mowers are built to cut just above ground level. Might be possible to mount one on a home built frame.

ATV tow behind mowers with engine. Probably the easiest to convert to get the necessary height.

Make small outer wheel support to hold outer end at needed height!---used to have a clamp on one for 7 foot mower and they work good! thanks; sonny

Trying to cut a foot and a half off the ground is going to be a challenge. The mower wasn't designed with that in mind. One problem is that the outer end of the bar goes way higher than the inner end when it is raised. Depending on how level you need the cut, that may not be critical. If it is, you MIGHT be able to lengthen the gag link a LITTLE BIT to bring the outer end down some. You can't go too far as you need to keep the pitman in near alignment with the knife. The other problem is how steady the height will be when the mower is hanging from the lift rather than running on the shoes. If the exact height isn't that critical and you are not trying to set any speed records, that may not be a problem. If it is, support wheels similar to what Sonny mentioned could work. IH made wheels like that, but I don't think they were designed for anything near 1 1/2 feet.

What were you using, wide bed? I grow several things, including onion, in two rows six inches apart and it works quit well. Three six inches apart do not. Too difficult to weed. Sorry I can't help you with your question. Vern[/quote]

Vern thanks
I got my Cub in the late spring so the garlic was in,
I did set the rows up though for the cub to do the paths but had 4 rows per bead(never again but the garlic looks great).
What cultivators do you use and do you lift the onions with the cub.

Next year I will try single row seems to be the best
and at $100 an acre for lease I can spread right out.,
I will other questions and am looking for threads relating to vegetables.
As it seems to be the perfect match for my acre.

Maybe it's because my sickle is very worn and all the joints are real loose but......... I sometimes mow along a gravel road with the "sholder" about knee high above the road bed cut. The sickle won't lift high enough to keep the bar out of the rocks lying up on the sholder so I shorten up the lift chain quite a few links and raise the bar. Usually have a helper to lift the sickle while I shorten the chain if nobody to help lower the sickle onto a stump, log, floor jack, or a pile of rocks, etc and shorten up the chain. Just remember the sickle will not make it to the ground when it's lowered and will have to be readjusted to mow regular. Never really paid much attention to being level or floping around but I have a 4.5' bar so not really noticable anyways.

Rocket Man wrote:I will other questions and am looking for threads relating to vegetables.

Check with your local University Extension office or on line. They have vegetable planting charts and a planting calendar.

Local farmers market. Might want to talk to the venders to see what sells and what they can grow.

I don't cultivate and that might be a problem trying to ramp up the way I grow onion. I only grow a few in the garden. I simply pull them which will be soon, they are beginning to go down. Vern

My "new" cub and sickle will sit at knee high AND perfectly level,---NOW,---you should be able to adjust yours that way too!!!---make a skid shoe and mount it out towards the end of the bar and sickle should be steady, (cub runs too fast, but I think it will still work!) thanks; sonny

The sickle on my mower is a 5' cut, ( the one I had 20 years ago was a 4' cut and worked much better) the 5' is too much on a cub! ---I-just looked at mine and it would be real easy to make an adjustable link to set the level and height of 18 to 20 inches would not put anything in a bind. (at least mine would set that high and actually "clip tops") thanks; sonny