Sickle Bar More sickle bar mower questions

[Builder]

I mentioned in a previous thread that I would like to be able to use a sickle mower in the upright position to cut back a 1500' hedgerow and also use to cut some haygrass. I have looked at various models. Some are 3 pt, some have tires. One is a Gribaldi 7' model here:

NEW 7' Gribaldi & Salvia Superior 394 Sickle Bar Mower WARRANTY

The other is a pull type NH455 shown here: New Holland 7' pull sickle 455 Mowers for sale at Wengers of Myerstown

I have asked the dealer about the NH455 mowing in the vertical position. They said it would do it, but "it won't stay secure" in the vertical position? and "you would have to rig up a bracket" to hold it vertical, yet the pictures show it past the vertical position.
I don't understand this because if it has a hydraulic lift and belt drive, wouldn't it just be raised until it's vertical, then turn the PTO on and begin cutting?

Am I misunderstanding something? Is it something involving the spring that won't allow it to cut vertical?

Does anyone know of a model that meets the need for vertical/horizontal cutting?

I really like the used NH 455 over the Gribaldi. It fits my budget and it's heavy American steel. I just can't seem to get a 100% straight answer as to if/why it will/won't cut vertical.

Thanks.

 

[sandman2234]

I had a friend over the other day who expressed some interest in an old John Deere sicklebar mower I have out back. He deduced that it would not cut in a vertical mode, which is what he also was after. Double check the mowers, maybe have them demo them before laying down your hard earned money.
David from jax

 

[Builder]

I had a friend over the other day who expressed some interest in an old John Deere sicklebar mower I have out back. He deduced that it would not cut in a vertical mode, which is what he also was after. Double check the mowers, maybe have them demo them before laying down your hard earned money.
David from jax

Thanks. Everything I'm hearing is pointing to "no" the NH455 will not cut vertical.

But I don't yet know about the Gribaldi.

 

[Opti-Mist]

The primary thing that works against vertical mowing is the stuff to be cut itself. Compare to grass which is held secure by the soil within several inches of the cut. The hedgerow will "give", yield to the drag of the cutterbar, resulting in an irregular, untrimmed appearance. I've tried mowing along my lane in this fashion and not had good results owing to the light limbs tending to move with the cutterbar so the twigs and leaves tend to strip through rather than be cut.

 

[JDeerekid]

Check out the Befco http://www.befco.com/products/hayequipment/sicklebar

They can cut 90 degrees up and 75 degrees down. They are nice and some day I will have one to mow around my ponds and ditches along with the edges of the fields.

 

[Builder]

Check out the Befco http://www.befco.com/products/hayequipment/sicklebar

They can cut 90 degrees up and 75 degrees down. They are nice and some day I will have one to mow around my ponds and ditches along with the edges of the fields.

That's great. Just what I want. Any idea of cost?

I'll have to see if I can find a used one.

On edit: YEOUCH! expensive!

I'd have to live at the end of a long concrete driveway to buy one new!

 

[Builder]

The primary thing that works against vertical mowing is the stuff to be cut itself. Compare to grass which is held secure by the soil within several inches of the cut. The hedgerow will "give", yield to the drag of the cutterbar, resulting in an irregular, untrimmed appearance. I've tried mowing along my lane in this fashion and not had good results owing to the light limbs tending to move with the cutterbar so the twigs and leaves tend to strip through rather than be cut.

That's good to know.

What's the max diameter of material a sickle can cut? 1/2"?

 

[OrangeGuy]

I have a NH 451 sickle mower (3pt vs trailer type). I suspect the hydraulic lift on the 455 refers to lifting the sickle bar off the ground during operation; generally 12" at the base and 3 or 4 ft at the end. You have to manually fold the sickle bar back for transport. To achieve operation at a 90 degree position you would have to create some sort of bracket to hold the sickle bar there. If such a bracket was built, the 455 would operate in the 90 degree position. I have cut branches up to an inch with my mower.

OrangeGuy

 

[powerstroke444e]

I have used disc mowers that would do what you are asking, but they are more expensive and a lots heavier. I have been looking @ a samurai sickle to use around the pond and in a few ditches but I have not heard any feed back from anyone that has purchased one.
Sabre Samurai | Features

 

[Opti-Mist]

Good green saplings up to 2" at low ground speed just to make sure the cutter bar doesn't pull them out. It's the hardness that works against a sickle more than the thickness. The diameter limitation relates to the spacing of the rockguards (fingers) and what will fit between the ledger plates.

 

[Builder]

Just got an answer back on the Gibraldi sickle form the dealer:

The price for the 7' model with hydraulic lift would be $2900, plus shipping.
This will cut in a 90 degree vertical position, down to a -60 degrees. Thanks!

$2,900 is half the price of the Befco, but I would bet being Italian made it would be lighter duty.

These are both 3 pt models which I would think would feel "stiffer" of the tractor than the NH455 tow behind, but the tow behind is a lot easier to mount/dismount.

 

[sandman2234]

Just wondering what you plan on cutting with the mower in question. I have been known to cut a few things along the edge of the property line, trim a few trees, cut limbs from trees that were hanging too low and knocking lights off the semi trailer that I bring home occasionally. I use a rear mounted boom mower, similar to a backhoe with a heavy duty 4' flail mower mounted on it. With hammer knives on the flail, there isn't much it won't cut and with the versitility of the boom mower, not many places it won't cut. The boom mowers flair might be something you could adapt to your backhoe arm, as it is hydraulicly powered.
David from jax

 

[wrangler6831]

Go for the NH. It wouldn't be to hard to fab up the bracket to hold it at 90 degrees. The Gribaldi and Salvia mower is a double action which means that the knives go in one direction and the guards go in the other (think in terms of an electric knife) noisy to. If you just to use it in grass they are great mowers but the guards are only a little thicker than the knives, so if you hit anything of size it will break one or the other. To replace either you have to pull the knife and guards both out, not a quick job. The only advantage of them is that they will mow as fast as you care to run your tractor. Hers a good link of the same mower by another name.
YouTube - Tonutti Sickle Bar Mower FD- FB Series

Rich

 

[whitedogone]

Why not hire a hihoe for a half a day? Probably around $500. We "trim" hedges with them all the time. Works great and reachs high. Just reach max ht. and "rip" all the branches drown to the ground and push the pile up under the tree. WDO

 

[Builder]

Why not hire a hihoe for a half a day? Probably around $500. We "trim" hedges with them all the time. Works great and reachs high. Just reach max ht. and "rip" all the branches drown to the ground and push the pile up under the tree. WDO

I guess because I want to use it to also cut some hay grass, too. I think it will get a lot of useage.

 

[MarkV]

Watching the video of the sickle mower it looked to me that if it could cut in a vertical position it would not clear the tractor tire enough to be effective. Of course that may just be because of the size of tractor but worth looking at as you shop.

MarkV

 

[KennyV]

I have posted about my sickle 3pt AC on other threads but I have missed this one.
Get a good sickle it will definitely do what you are trying to get done. I jusst side trimmed my hedge row with mine yesterday. The only bad part is attaching it to my tractor. It is heavy and takes a little work... I'm trying to avoid all of that that I can, dose not seem to be working for me, somehow everything is more work than it use to be...
I can cut anything that will fit between the rock guards except steel T-posts.
Get a goos old sickle, you will love it and with very little care it will last forever.
A 3pt is handier to trim closely and maneuver around obstacles, a tow wheel mount is very easy to hook up... either one will cut grass or trim trees KennyV.

 

[aczlan]

I have asked the dealer about the NH455 mowing in the vertical position. They said it would do it, but "it won't stay secure" in the vertical position? and "you would have to rig up a bracket" to hold it vertical, yet the pictures show it past the vertical position.
I don't understand this because if it has a hydraulic lift and belt drive, wouldn't it just be raised until it's vertical, then turn the PTO on and begin cutting?

Am I misunderstanding something? Is it something involving the spring that won't allow it to cut vertical?

If it is anything like the Ford (probbaly about the same vintage) 3 point one that we have, there is nothing to keep the cutterbar from going "overcenter", thus you would need another bracket to keep it in a vertical position.

Aaron Z

 

[Builder]

I have posted about my sickle 3pt AC on other threads but I have missed this one.
Get a good sickle it will definitely do what you are trying to get done. I jusst side trimmed my hedge row with mine yesterday. The only bad part is attaching it to my tractor. It is heavy and takes a little work... I'm trying to avoid all of that that I can, dose not seem to be working for me, somehow everything is more work than it use to be...
I can cut anything that will fit between the rock guards except steel T-posts.
Get a goos old sickle, you will love it and with very little care it will last forever.
A 3pt is handier to trim closely and maneuver around obstacles, a tow wheel mount is very easy to hook up... either one will cut grass or trim trees KennyV.

AC meaning Allis Chalmers? Can you tell me what model you have, will it cut vertical and does it have a hydraulic lift so I can operate easily from inside cab?

Thanks, Kenny.

 

[KennyV]

AC meaning Allis Chalmers? Can you tell me what model you have, will it cut vertical and does it have a hydraulic lift so I can operate easily from inside cab?

Thanks, Kenny.

Yes it is a Allis-Chalmers 80-R3, It will cut vertical on down to below grade.
I did have to mount a hydraulic cylinder to let me control the cut angle from inside my cab.
The factory 3pt cable lift did not allow the range I wanted so after removing that part I modified the attachment point slightly to allow a cylinder to control the Sickle bar. Works great.
I have seen this model sell for $200 to $2000... They are very heavy duty sickle mowers. If you have an ex A-C dealership in your area, you will have quite a few model 80 mowers around you as they were very popular. Available in 3pt and trailer mount pull type, and I don't think they could ever be worn out, very well built. KennyV.