RollerBlade and BladeRunner are both professional flail mowers for BCS motor mowers and walking tractors and have in common many components such as the blade rotor, the gear transmission with PTO brake and anti-drag freewheel, the PTO flange etc.
The cutting of brambles, shrubs, brushwood, pruning residues, etc. it is entrusted to movable 'Y' knives mounted on a horizontal rotor for an almost total cutting overlap.
However, RollerBlade and BladeRunner have some substantial differences:
1. The versions
The RollerBlade is available in 2 versions: with 75 and 90 cm working widths.
The BladeRunner is available in 4 versions: with working widths of 60, 75, 90 and 110 cm.
2. The weight of the knives
The RollerBlade knives weigh 60% more than those of the BladeRunner , and allow for even more heavy-duty work.
3. Aesthetics
The RollerBlade casing has a different shape from that of the BladeRunner to make its use more effective: the right side is in fact completely free from obstructions allowing you to operate close to walls and obstacles.
4. The front opening
The front 'mouth' of the RollerBlade is fixed, prominent forward and with movable protective blades. The one of the BladeRunner , on the other hand, is mobile, close-fitting, with a protective cover and bar.
5. The size and weight
With the same working width, the RollerBlade is more compact than the BladeRunner .
For example, in the 90 cm working version, the RollerBlade has a footprint of 105 cm wide (against the 113 cm of the BladeRunner ) and 75 cm deep (against the 91 cm of the BladeRunner ).
However, the BladeRunner is lighter: 94 kg vs 106 kg.
6. Roller vs wheels
The RollerBlade rests on an anti-scalp roller.
The BladeRunner is equipped as standard with pivoting front wheels while the anti-scalp roller is available as an option and allows you to work on difficult terrain, on slopes and with the presence of bushes without the aid of the wheels that can be raised and excluded.
7. The cutting height
The cutting height of both the RollerBlade and the BladeRunner is infinitely adjustable by means of a crank.
In the RollerBlade , the crank acts on the roller and adjusts the cutting height to a minimum of 0.5 cm.
In the BladeRunner the crank acts on the wheels and adjusts the cutting height up to a minimum of 2 cm. It can go down to 0.5 cm excluding the front wheels and mounting the anti-scalp roller.
8. Use
The RollerBlade is more stable on slopes, but more difficult to steer. For this reason it is easier to use on single-axle equipped with steering clutches. It was mainly designed to cope with heavy tillage on rustic soils and shredding shrub and woody stems.
The BladeRunner is easier to handle thanks to the presence of the front wheels and is ideal for use on level ground or on moderate slopes. It is a more versatile tool to cope with the mowing of weeds on already cultivated land.
Conclusions
The RollerBlade is extremely effective as a heavy-duty tool on rustic and previously untilled soils. The heavier knives make a 'clean sweep' and unhesitatingly chop even shrubs and woody stems.
Thanks to a lower casing design, it is also a useful ally for green maintenance workers as they can work under plants and close to bushes. Moreover, thanks to the presence of the anti-scalp roller, it is preferred for cutting grass on raised flower beds bordered by curbs.
The BladeRunner is the best choice for all types of mowing and shredding of weeds, weeds and scrub on already cultivated land. The large front opening allows you to mow even tall and dense material.
The front wheels make the tool more maneuverable and can be used on most BCS motor mowers and walking tractors. The smaller version, with a working width of 60 cm, also allows it to be used on machines with only 7 hp of power.