Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Racenut]

Nova MFZ135 53" 53" unit with side shift

If I do not get a side-shift model, will I regret that later? (I wanted to stay somewhere in the $2700-$2800 area.)

My property looks similar to yours in some places. I went with Novatractor because it had the meanest looking hammers I found. I was telling my wife we need to take better pics and video of what we're doing with it because so far all I find online is people just cutting grass lol. This thing eats twigs, small branches, saplings and pine cones like nothing. This was 15 minutes and was easy stuff compared to some.

Also, the sideshift has been great! I have the MFZ155, my tractor is 66 inches wide. So it's 60" cut doesn't quite cover the tires but I didn't want to go wider because it can be tricky to maneuver between the trees. The sideshift lets me reach a little as well as letting me get it out of the way when turning or up against the fence line. I am glad I went with a slide model.

I was a bit leary about getting one that seems almost nobody has heard of, but they've been on the market for at least a few years so hope they will be around when I need something. I do have a few spare hammers. And as I saw someone else mentioned, the back panel on the Novatractor opens up for inspection and maintenance and makes it much easier to deal with.

 

[toolslinger]

I'm only semi qualified to answer this since I'm still slowly getting my flail put back together... So this is from lots of other mowing experience...
If you're struggling to get your Ingersoll through the rows, I would suggest you might try to convince your wife to go a bit wider on that next year... I hated trying to work between tight rows my father used to put in. Even if it was ok early in the season, later in the season, I had to give up with the tractor, and just resort to a walk behind machine. (we usually just tilled between rows, rather than mowing)
For any other kind of mowing, I would either want tread width at a minimum, or a side shifter. My family went from a 5' rotary behind an 8N set at 5' to a 4' finish mower behind the same tractor over 20 years ago. As a result, the edges of the fields have been creeping in for years. We don't need the field space, but what crept in was briar and rhododendron. I'm in the slow process of putting a flail back together, 6' behind a 6' MF 135. But before I finish that, I'll get the rotary back in service, and between that, and a loader, push back, and chop up that bloody briar. I'd have preferred a wider, offset, or side shift flail, but the price was right on what I got for a test case... (needed more work than anticipated unfortunately)

 

[papachaz]

I paid $20 au each papachaz. How much were yours?

I ordered them straight from them, at palletforks.com set of 5 was $54.99.
back to the on going saga of different weight blades. I have run it a few hours with the heavier blades out on the ends, there is a little bit of vibration, and I don't want to run it that way. I contacted Betstco today and explained that I need some hammer blades because I can't find any to match their weight, and that I wasn't thrilled that these appear to be cast iron and not forged. I have broken two more, and had to stop mowing, AND the angle iron piece that bolts on to scrape the rear roller to keep it clean, broke loose from the welds on one end, and I had just took it off, ground it down and rewelded it myself. (not the prettiest welds but I bet it will hold better than what they sent me)

The customer service guy is sending me 12 new hammer blades, and a belt set for my trouble, so I can't complain! I won't have the time to use it again before they get here next week anyway, so I'm good to go. I figure I'll use it a lot this summer, I'll take the Titan blades back off and order some more to go with that to complete the set for when I replace the whole set. I honestly wish I had gotten the Y knives on it from the factory, and just ordered the hammers from Titan

 

[gcagle]

I'm sure this is asked and answered, but sorting through 700 pages of this wonderful thread? Crikey!

After one season of mowing with my wonderful new flail mower, the grass and weeds are not coming out with a clean cut anymore. Sure, I'm going to raise it up and grind the Y knives (or reverse them), but while I'm at it I'd love to get a better knife set. Something hardened, that will cut better, and for longer before needing another sharpen. Would like your advice on what to buy, and from where?


Flail: Del Morino Funny Top FT158C 62", 24" manual offset option. Stock Y Knives. (happily purchased from Good works tractors, replace the frequently failing stock belts with kevlar, never replaced another belt since.)

Tractors: I alternate between my 1025r and 2025r, depending on what's attached already.

Mowing: 15 acres of grass, wildflowers and weeds. Nothing thick enough to need a hammer. Over the next few years most of the fields will be nothing but white clover and a few wildflowers.

To see example of the grasses in the fields, view of video or two here:. https://m.facebook.com/cordolake

 

[JWR]

You pose an interesting question ... based on the smoothness of cut being worse after some wear of the knives. First, I think brand new blades always cut cleaner no matter the machine. That is true of my midmount mowers on Kubota lawn tractors, my 4 , 5 and 7 foot bush hogs and my flail cutter. It's always true. The question is how much degradation is too much and what can be done to minimize it.

With rotary cutters the answer is periodic sharpening and avoiding anything (like too much heating from grinding or welding, etc.) that would cause loss of hardness. With flails (my SHD88 has 44 pairs...) sharpening them is no simple task and I have yet to find it worthwhile.

With the Y flail knives I think the best you can do is reverse them after you become unsatisfied. By the way, check the rpm of the rotor and knives and make sure you are running at rated full rpm. Obviously they cut cleaner when going faster.

It is very possible that you may find harder more durable knives than the ones you have. I do not know if stainless or serrated knives are available. Compatibility issues may leave you with not many choices. Good luck.

 

[Lnk]

I'm sure this is asked and answered, but sorting through 700 pages of this wonderful thread? Crikey!

After one season of mowing with my wonderful new flail mower, the grass and weeds are not coming out with a clean cut anymore. Sure, I'm going to raise it up and grind the Y knives (or reverse them), but while I'm at it I'd love to get a better knife set. Something hardened, that will cut better, and for longer before needing another sharpen. Would like your advice on what to buy, and from where?


Flail: Del Morino Funny Top FT158C 62", 24" manual offset option. Stock Y Knives. (happily purchased from Good works tractors, replace the frequently failing stock belts with kevlar, never replaced another belt since.)

Tractors: I alternate between my 1025r and 2025r, depending on what's attached already.

Mowing: 15 acres of grass, wildflowers and weeds. Nothing thick enough to need a hammer. Over the next few years most of the fields will be nothing but white clover and a few wildflowers.

To see example of the grasses in the fields, view of video or two here:. https://m.facebook.com/cordolake

If all you are cutting is grass and weeds, and not brush. There is a blade between hammers and y blades. Scoop blades make a nice level cut at the expense of being as durable as heavy y blades. You only need half as many as they present a horizontal cutting face to the grass. I had them on my dandl 9' flail, but I needed Y blades. If I ever need to go back I can. They do move more air as well so they tend to lift the material to be cut better. You just won't be cutting up 1-2" brush with them.

Let us know what you do.

So you can download their catalog

Flail Master

 

[JethroB]

I purchased all new Y blades recently from Flail Master for my Caroni. They do offer a hardened blade of some sort. They didn’t have them in stock and I believe Carrie of FM said someone made them for them vs. made in-house. I went with what they call Extreme Duty being the most common they sell. $1.85 each.
I’m hoping once the tough stem-y winter weeds die out the cut will be better.

 

[gcagle]

I'm sure this is asked and answered, but sorting through 700 pages of this wonderful thread? Crikey!

After one season of mowing with my wonderful new flail mower, the grass and weeds are not coming out with a clean cut anymore. Sure, I'm going to raise it up and grind the Y knives (or reverse them), but while I'm at it I'd love to get a better knife set. Something hardened, that will cut better, and for longer before needing another sharpen. Would like your advice on what to buy, and from where?


Flail: Del Morino Funny Top FT158C 62", 24" manual offset option. Stock Y Knives. (happily purchased from Good works tractors, replace the frequently failing stock belts with kevlar, never replaced another belt since.)

Tractors: I alternate between my 1025r and 2025r, depending on what's attached already.

Mowing: 15 acres of grass, wildflowers and weeds. Nothing thick enough to need a hammer. Over the next few years most of the fields will be nothing but white clover and a few wildflowers.

To see example of the grasses in the fields, view of video or two here:. https://m.facebook.com/cordolake

Here is the condition of my knives after about three full mows of 15 acres.

Bottom is the business edge.

 

[Alien]

I have touched up the edge of my hammers 3 times in 4 1/2 years but only as a maintenance precaution. I mostly cut grass but a lot of twigs and small branches that are constantly falling off dead trees. Also occasionally lantana bushes. Hammers make a real nice cut on grass. As above, I bought a new set of hammers but it will be a long time before I fit them due to the excellent condition of the originals. Knives may be more forgiving if you hit a stump and a lot cheaper to replace if you hit a rock. I have sandstone rocks and the hammers can handle hitting those reasonably well as they are not as hard as granite. I still try to avoid them. So for a nice lawn finish, my vote is hammers.

 

[JethroB]

Here is the condition of my knives after about three full mows of 15 acres.

Bottom is the business edge.

Maybe just sharpen them? Not a chore I’d want though. Here’s a new and old from mine. The old pasture cut is now better but not what I’d call WOW. Maybe we expect too much.