Here is our new cutter running this week.
Just turn your head sideways... I was going too fast to remember to turn the phone or look back.
https://www.facebook.com/sean.mcgrath.1485/videos/10155964693764624/
This was greenfeed at 10mph. I got onto a hayfield after and averaged 12.5.
Since we moved to a discbine, I will never go back to a regular cutter bar. I can change the entire length of knives fort less than the cost of a single guard on our old haybine, and if the field is smooth you can really motor. If it is not smooth I have to slow down to 6 mph.
After wrecking our JD this summer, I upgraded to this new Pottinger. It was less than 1/2 the cost of a JD, and is built at least equally as well, and the conditioner is a lot better. Has an extra bar behind the cutter head for rock protection.
That said, we have had not a lot of rain this year and dad has been cutting prairie with a David Brown and a NH sickle mower. I think at 81 years old, the nostalgia makes it his happy place. The Massey rake is a 1955 (I think) that is worth exactly the same amount of cash as the day it was new. It looks pretty good compared to the 1/4 to 1/2 bale per acre on the tame stuff.