# Reel Mowers vs Rotary Mowers



## GrassDaddy (Mar 21, 2017)

Hey hey hey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMdeuuV1lDE

Special thanks to Redtenchu for the clip!


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Nice video GrassDaddy! :thumbup:


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## j4c11 (Apr 30, 2017)

So is it ever a good idea to use a reel mower - say a gas powered one - on grass kept at 3"? Or does it not even go that high?


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Most greensmowers barely go over an inch. I've never tested max height on my TruCut but I'd be surprised if it went to 3"s. I'll report back later


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

It looks like the MAX HOC for TruCut mowers is 2-3/8".


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## GrassDaddy (Mar 21, 2017)

I was wondering about that. the Fenway guy has a reel mower but also a lawn tractor mower.

but I think the infield is cut low and outfield high (in his book he even talks about modifying the grass height based on who they are playing against so it messes them up lol)


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## lewb (Apr 13, 2017)

Just my opinion; reel mowers probably work best below 1.5 to zero inch, Definitely a cleaner cut for sure than a rotary blade. 2 inches and above a rotary is going to do a decent job as long as you have a sharp blade. A power reel mower is pretty complicated compared to a 300.00 rotary anyone can buy at Walmart and will cut the lawn pretty good. I tried to take some grass down to 1 inch with my Lawn Boy that I put mulch on instead of getting a sod cutter. Not good, hard to even get the mower to move, any dip it would scalp of course I did not care but I could never see anyone using a rotary to cut a lawn below 2 inches. Toro makes hydraulic drive reel mowers that should have a large range of heights to cut, I know many soccer fields use these type to cut the filed below 2 inches which is where most soccer players like the height to be.


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## CH3NO2 (Apr 19, 2017)

Scott's Classic push reel goes to 3". Clean cut. And I believe some of the old Locke mowers went to 3" as well. Fiskars push reel goes to 4".


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

HOC vs clip rate is the biggest factorfor a good cut with a reel, IMO.

The lower your HOC, the more blades and higher clip rate is optimum.

The higher the HOC, the less blades and lower clip rate is optimum.

I don't know the exact recommended clip rates for each HOC, but the above is the raw basics of HOC/Clip rate.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Redtenchu said:


> HOC vs clip rate is the biggest factorfor a good cut with a reel, IMO.
> 
> The lower your HOC, the more blades and higher clip rate is optimum.
> 
> ...


Ideal conditions exist when clip rate = HOC. :thumbup:


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

I should've said faster clip rate, higher clip rate is confusing.

Here is a quick animation from Jacobsen about clip rates (frequency of cut).

https://youtu.be/UEex4Rt4qGs


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