Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[DavesTractor]

I caught barbed wire one time really bad, took an hour underneath with nippers. Wound it so tight I had to unbend it after cutting.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

If you are near your shop, a torch makes quick work of wire. It takes little heat to cut wire. Consideration does need to be given to rubber seals in the area.

 

[sodamo]

If you are near your shop, a torch makes quick work of wire. It takes little heat to cut wire. Consideration does need to be given to rubber seals in the area.

Thanks.
This was before I had a torch would have been nice as the wire was so tightly wound to make getting a bite quite difficult.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[Kodiak45]

It was a combination of some sort of .5" metal strap, similar to what you would use to secure pallets, and a tie down strap. It took about 2 hours, but it is such satisfaction when complete. I had to take the bearing housing nuts off one at a time in order to get the metal strap out.
I'm hoping to get the welding done tonight and do some paint prep. My new blades will be here Monday and I hope to cut on Tuesday.

 

[CTWright]

I am in the process of cleaning up my JD 25A. I ordered new blades. The blades that were on there were all bent, its no wonder it wouldn't cut anything. I was going to disassemble the shaft bearings to clean everything up and remove the cutting shaft and roller now that I have all the blades and bolts out. Anybody know or have any estimate on how heavy either one are? Its hard to tell while they are assembled. I don't want to get hurt or have to ask anyone to help me. Just curious if it is something that I can maneuver or at least handle without getting hurt by myself. I ordered the blades from hardhitter as flailmaster wanted an extra $40 for the same order and I didn't like the Tennessee sales tax addition also. They told me that it's mandatory, but if I phoned my order in then I wouldn't have to pay it. It just rubbed me the wrong way. Either way hardhitter was cheaper.

I removed and reinstalled mine by myself with a floor jack and some 2x4s when I replaced both bearings.

 

[ovrszd]

I suggest you start @ post #1 and read ALL 223 pages. You will find that no one here is trying to get anyone to buy or use a flail. We are here because, for our own reasons, we are tickled spitless with our choice of implements and want to share our experiences and knowledge with others. In another thread you stated you got your Ford 917 free from a friend. If it needs repair then the cost to put it back in good working order is most likely less than what many of us paid for our flails - the flail you have is built like a tank and will take a lot of abuse. If it doesn't work out for you then you can sell it on craigslist and make some quick money.

Okay.

You will NEVER go back to a rotary cutter after using a flail mower .

I don't want my rotary anymore. Matter of fact, it already has a new home.

I have a $1700 finish mower and a $900 rotary cutter. I'm going to shop around this spring and see who'll take them both in trade for a flail

Agreed. I have a $1700 finish mower and a $900 rotary cutter. I'm going to shop around this spring and see who'll take them both in trade for a flail

I like what I have and would not go back to a rotary mower for anything.



I got those comments all from 2008. I didn't bother reading more. Sounds like hype to me. No flame intended to anyone I quoted.

Eagleview gave the best description of what a Flail Mower is about. He barely got acknowledged for his experienced statements.

The limitations he quoted I've also noted in my limited use. But what do I know. :confused3:

 

[IslandTractor]

Okay.

You will NEVER go back to a rotary cutter after using a flail mower .

I don't want my rotary anymore. Matter of fact, it already has a new home.

I have a $1700 finish mower and a $900 rotary cutter. I'm going to shop around this spring and see who'll take them both in trade for a flail

Agreed. I have a $1700 finish mower and a $900 rotary cutter. I'm going to shop around this spring and see who'll take them both in trade for a flail

I like what I have and would not go back to a rotary mower for anything.



I got those comments all from 2008. I didn't bother reading more. Sounds like hype to me. No flame intended to anyone I quoted.

Eagleview gave the best description of what a Flail Mower is about. He barely got acknowledged for his experienced statements.

The limitations he quoted I've also noted in my limited use. But what do I know. :confused3:

Given your statements are based on "limited use" I don't take them too seriously. However, did you ever wonder why virtually all highway mowers are flails? Did you ever wonder why there are virtually no "rotary" mowers such as Bush Hogs in Europe or other densely populated areas?

I don't know why you are talking about "hype" and then referencing Eagleview. Eagleview is an experienced flail user and knows the advantages and disadvantages well but there is nothing I can find that he posted that was somehow unique or ignored by others. We've all discussed the relatively high maintenance requirements compared to rotary mowers and most of us simply see that as more than made up for by the safety and versatility of flails. If you bought a flail before considering such issues perhaps you should simply relist it on CL.

 

[whirly]

I've owned brush cutters for decades. Several brands.

A friend gave me a Flail this Summer. It's a Ford 917 6ft'r. I've used it several times cutting road banks and open grassy areas.

I'm still on the fence. It does a much cleaner job of cutting. But there is a LOT more going on with a flail, than a brush cutter. I think long term maintenance will be much higher. I wouldn't even consider cutting "brush" with the flail. But then, I have 2 brush cutters to use for that purpose.

Bottom line, I think a Flail is best suited to cut relatively smooth, grassy areas, that you want to keep clipped short. I think a Brush Cutter is best suited to cut rough terrain areas with a wide variety of plant life.

First, my main point of my post was that you haven't read ALL of the posts to get the FULL feel for the thread. From the quote above you obviously have not read much of this thread. If you had, you would have noticed that many of us, myself included, routinely (ab)use our flails in heavy brush and tall grass. We've complained about hitting rocks and stumps and other unseen nasties in a field. We have talked about replacing bearings, belts, knives and sheet metal repairs. There has been no effort made to hide the cost or the very few cutting tasks flails can't do. As far as I can tell, no poster in this thread has any financial interest in whether you own a flail or not.

Secondly, if for some reason you took this thread as a promotional for generic flail mowers and felt you just had to have one, then talked your friend into giving you a really nice flail (regardless of condition) then found you were unimpressed .... suck it up buttercup - you were GIVEN the flail so you have no money into it but that which you CHOOSE to spend to fix it. (see above quote from another thread) You have no downside and this thread is not the cause of your misery.

 

[ovrszd]

Why are you guys so defensive?? You seem to take anything said negatively as an attack?? Not sure I understand that.

IslandTractor, I have never saw a Flail Mower being used in the States I've driven thru for highway maintenance. Everything I see is Rotary. And I have travelled a lot of Europe and don't use them as a barometer of what I should do here. I used Eagleviews post as an example of a honest, comprehensive description of a Flail with it's limitations. Lastly, I didn't ask you to take me seriously or any other way. I simply commented. Take it any way you like.

whirly, you are correct. I have not read all 2247 posts in this thread. I'm not sure why that matters since they are spread over a 7 year span. I realize no poster in this thread cares whether I own a flail or not. I'm not sure why it's so important to you? I'm also not sure why you turn my comments into a personal attack against me. You know nothing of my friend or his decision to give me a flail beyond the 8 word sentence I posted about it. So you result to calling me names like "buttercup". That's very mature on your part. Lastly, I am suffering no misery. I simply have stated my thoughts about flails in general. As I said to IslandTractor, take them any way you like. :confused3:

 

[KenB2920]

Why are you guys so defensive?? You seem to take anything said negatively as an attack?? Not sure I understand that. IslandTractor, I have never saw a Flail Mower being used in the States I've driven thru for highway maintenance. Everything I see is Rotary. And I have travelled a lot of Europe and don't use them as a barometer of what I should do here. I used Eagleviews post as an example of a honest, comprehensive description of a Flail with it's limitations. Lastly, I didn't ask you to take me seriously or any other way. I simply commented. Take it any way you like. whirly, you are correct. I have not read all 2247 posts in this thread. I'm not sure why that matters since they are spread over a 7 year span. I realize no poster in this thread cares whether I own a flail or not. I'm not sure why it's so important to you? I'm also not sure why you turn my comments into a personal attack against me. You know nothing of my friend or his decision to give me a flail beyond the 8 word sentence I posted about it. So you result to calling me names like "buttercup". That's very mature on your part. Lastly, I am suffering no misery. I simply have stated my thoughts about flails in general. As I said to IslandTractor, take them any way you like. :confused3:

Well, I have read all the posts on every page and I can tell you I don't remember 3 pages ago.

1) All flails are not equal (I'll get back to this)

2) As for municipalities it seems to be a tough split in the Oakland, Macomb Lapeer counties. All up and down M53 (21 mile- 32 mile) they've been using New Hollands with 15' bat wings. It appears Sterling Heights in there retention ponds also uses rotary bat wings (I believe subcontracted) As for the City of Sterling Heights they appear to have a new flail set up. Wings on both sides and a flail on the rear (sweet setup).

In Oakland county I've seen New Holland with rotary cutters on side Arms. In Macomb county for the country roads it's been side mount flails.

So essentially a great mix from what I've seen. ( I can always get photos if anyone cares)

As for my person experience. I've only been using flails this year but have since cut multiple types of ground cover, and lots of acres using different flails. Let's just say all flails are not built equal. Although horsepower DOES make a difference, it DOES NOT change how a flail works. I've used a mott/alamo 6' finish mower a 6' Ford 907 and a 8' Ford 918H.

Although these mowers are fantastic, they do NOT replace a rotary cutter. Yes, 80% of the time I will now use a flail instead of a rotary but it's just an added took. Flails leave a much better finish. With different knives they have different capabilities. The mott will cut grass almost as good a a zero turn. This could easily be used as a primary mower for someone's lawn.

The ford with duck foot knives is a bit tougher and will cut some thicker weeds and also cut grass leaving a good finish.

The 918h is a monster. Cuts grass well, tall weeds and even some good brush. This will most likely be the main go to machine. I was still able to break a flail by hitting a rock. This same size rock would of most likey busted a shear pin in the rotary but then in would of moved on. The brush hog definitely takes in thicker brush hands down and is capable of backing into areas. No really the same with a flail.

Great tools that all intertwine but none of them replace the other.

 

[KenB2920]