Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Ozarks Landowner]

Thanks for posting this. Ozarks Landowner might could benefit from trying this. Over the road truckers used to use something like this, I guess the glass beads with powder maybe, but I had forgotten all about that. Heck it might smooth mine down a bit also. Mine smoothes somewhere close to PTO speed and runs fairly quiet for an old Mott so I just thought it was one of those things it does when picking up speed.

I'm going to get it as close as I can with a static balance and see how it feels. I will do some research on this for sure.

 

[Greenland South]

On Sunday evening after the spouse left I figured I'd start cutting the other field. I cut until almost midnight, cutting around the bigger stuff. When I looked at the field the next day I was surprised to see well over half left do do. Out of about 24 acres there is about 4-5 acres of larger poplar and willows that will need to be cut down with the saw and picked up with the grapple before I finish with the flail. Not many people would consider this to be very entertaining, they have no idea what they're missing.

 

[leonz]

Glad to see your using the grapple in a lowered position to
protect the mule and the mower.


Keep looking for your missing shredder bars if possible.

Happy Mowing

 

[Ozarks Landowner]

On Sunday evening after the spouse left I figured I'd start cutting the other field. I cut until almost midnight, cutting around the bigger stuff. When I looked at the field the next day I was surprised to see well over half left do do. Out of about 24 acres there is about 4-5 acres of larger poplar and willows that will need to be cut down with the saw and picked up with the grapple before I finish with the flail. Not many people would consider this to be very entertaining, they have no idea what they're missing. View attachment 478098View attachment 478099View attachment 478100

When mowing that low how often does the knives get into the dirt? Mine does not have a roller but runs at a fixed height as it is a pull type.

 

[Greenland South]

When mowing that low how often does the knives get into the dirt? Mine does not have a roller but runs at a fixed height as it is a pull type.

About the only time I get into the dirt is if I happen to miss an anthill. Usually I see them and just lower the grapple and push through them. Some of them are over a foot high. On occasion there is also a hump in the field as well, I can usually feel those as the front wheels go over. I just back up, lower the grapple and push through those as well. Don't get me wrong, I have scalped the ground in a few places but I'm not to concerned. I have only clay under a thin layer of topsoil in the two fields, no rocks.

 

[Steave]

When mowing that low how often does the knives get into the dirt? Mine does not have a roller but runs at a fixed height as it is a pull type.

You may have already said and I missed it but how does your mower maintain its hight. Does it have 4 casters simular to a finish mower.? or wheels on each side of the mower.? like some of the pull type I've seen pictures of. Never seen one used but I do like pull behind attachments and like using them if I've plenty of time to get something done.

 

[Ozarks Landowner]

View attachment 469203View attachment 469204View attachment 469205View attachment 469206

Here are a few of the pics I took this morning.

Here are some pics I took way back on post 2955. This is when I was trying to figure out just what kind of flail I had. Still not sure but Leonz thinks it's a flail crop chopper.

 

[Ozarks Landowner]

The height adjustment is a top link mounted from the hitch to the shroud. It runs right under the pto in the one picture so it can't be seen. It's really a pain to adjust it like that. A person could run a cylinder too make it much easier.

I have connected it to my tractor drawbar and used the three point for height adjustments. works pretty good but I have to really pay attention and not lift it high enough to get into the pto.

On a good note I did work on this thing yesterday. I got the grass guards fixed on the ends of the drum and started trying to balance. I used the heavy weight that I cut off of it which I weighed at nearly 3 pounds. I did fine tune it's location a little over where it was before and welded it on. to my surprise the drum would stop at any location. I didn't put any of the other weights back on. I installed all the knives and got it spinning. Much better than it was but still seems to be too much vibration. I'm not sure how much is too much though.

 

[CCWKen]

The pictures are dark and hard to see but it looks like it has wheels in the back instead of a roller drum. And there's no 3pt. I don't know how you would keep that out of the dirt. ??? The front pull bars look like they aren't fixed and can move up and down. I think I would mount that up, set some front ground clearance and weld those bars. Or add some wide skids to the front edge. Then use the rear wheels to fine tune height.

Yeah, I don't think that flail is for grass. Probably for crop/stubble mulching. The flails are well used (up).

 

[Steave]

Here are some pics I took way back on post 2955. This is when I was trying to figure out just what kind of flail I had. Still not sure but Leonz thinks it's a flail crop chopper.

Thanks for your trouble. I missed that. Like you said you can't see the adjuster in the pix but now I think I know the type you're talking about. I see the tires at the rear that should make it move across the ground smoother than a steel roller. Where I cut the ground is never smooth and the mower bounces a good bit. I'm guessing the purpose of the roller, besides being the height adjuster, is for a manicured look.?

I know its all factory made for a reason but mine don't have any give at the top hitch connection. Just a hole for the top arm and no slot or no swing joint (or whatever you call that) I suppose it's OK because if going up a rise the whole mower will lift to keep from breaking something but when you get to the top and go over the rise the mower will be up off the ground. No way for it to go with the flow like my finish mower and I don't care for using a chain for the top link.

CCWKen's idea of making the pull bars rigid to the mower then using your 3ph for height adjusting seems like would work as long as it wouldn't interfer with the pto shaft.

Thanks for keeping us informed about your mower. It's different from the rest and very interesting to see it grow up:thumbsup: