Another flail topic

Code54 · Jul 8, 2015

Long story short - thinking of giving a flail mower a try again (yes you guys got me thinking again). Had one for a short time a few years ago but it had fine cut blades and it really didn't do what I needed so I sold it off for a bit more than I had in it and moved on. Been doing a lot of reading about them again because I am near homes a fair amount and sometimes along roads and my Bush hog does spit a tree or two out now and then.
The one I had was extremely heavy, and took a lot of HP to run, It made my 50hp machine work on the hills with a 5' flail mower ( Where as my 6' brush hog is fine)

When I mow I am often in rough areas and need to be able to shred 2-2 1/2" material (not super often but now and then, mostly up to 1"). I am not concerned with a golf course like cut, I am not unhappy with the bush hogs cut if that gives you some idea, but wouldn't mind a bit more shredding action.
I would like a 72" (or close) and don't really want a new one, a older used one is fine. I been looking at Motts and sort of like them.... I will be running it on a MX5100 (50hp) and again be in mountains at times so the short length is also a big perk to me.

Can a Motts do what I want? Is there a certain model (Motts or other make) that is better? is an occasional 2.5" tree too much? (I could cut it first if needed but prefer not too)
I am guessing I want Hammer knives, correct?

Any other thought are welcomed

leonz · Jul 8, 2015

Code54 said:
Long story short - thinking of giving a flail mower a try again (yes you guys got me thinking again). Had one for a short time a few years ago but it had fine cut blades and it really didn't do what I needed so I sold it off for a bit more than I had in it and moved on. Been doing a lot of reading about them again because I am near homes a fair amount and sometimes along roads and my Bush hog does spit a tree or two out now and then.
The one I had was extremely heavy, and took a lot of HP to run, It made my 50hp machine work on the hills with a 5' flail mower ( Where as my 6' brush hog is fine)

When I mow I am often in rough areas and need to be able to shred 2-2 1/2" material (not super often but now and then, mostly up to 1"). I am not concerned with a golf course like cut, I am not unhappy with the bush hogs cut if that gives you some idea, but wouldn't mind a bit more shredding action.
I would like a 72" (or close) and don't really want a new one, a older used one is fine. I been looking at Motts and sort of like them.... I will be running it on a MX5100 (50hp) and again be in mountains at times so the short length is also a big perk to me.

Can a Motts do what I want? Is there a certain model (Motts or other make) that is better? is an occasional 2.5" tree too much? (I could cut it first if needed but prefer not too)
I am guessing I want Hammer knives, correct?

Any other thought are welcomed

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A scoop knive flail mower will not be up to the task.

A forestry mower mounted on the front of a tractor will be heading towards
120 horsepower driven off the front flywheel with a reverser or a PTO shaft
from the rear with a reverser.

The new land pride flail mowers which are a rebranded Italian Maschio hammer flail mower have
the cast hammers. There was one that had been used once and was placed on auction time
over ten days ago. It may still be there.

The land pride units have a trash door that will let you change the hammers without crawling
under the flail mower and I believe the trash door can be left open to prevent plugging in heavy brush mowing.

Also take a look at the Caroni B units with the two rows of side slicer knives for your type of mowing.

The knife pairs and the knife hangers will fall back if they impact an object.

They will not massacre a 1 inch-2 inch sapling without sacrificing pairs of knives so your going to

have to carry your chain saw in a tool carrier when you have saplings to deal with. The good thing is that

the B unit will manage mowing the same area the next year with few issues.

It might be worth your while to rent a tracked skid steer and flail forestry mower for a day or two to knock down heavy

brush areas before mowing with a flail mower of some type.

Code54 · Jul 9, 2015

Thanks for the response!
Renting in our area is pretty much a no go - I tried to find a 3pt mulcher and no one even had a clue what I was talking about. The bad thing about living in smaller towns....

I also take down material in this size range a few times a year so I really want to have something sitting in the barn ready to go when needed. I may also start looking into some side mowing jobs when I retire so that is why I am looking to just buy something and have it on hand.

I read something about guys flail mowing 2" branches and thought they did this with the Caroni unit but am still looking into that and may be thinking of something different.
I was thinking about stopping down at the Dept of Highways garage and seeing what they had to say and recommend. I know they cut some heavy brush in some really rough areas and wanted to see how the mowers are holding up.

Again, thank you for your input and information is always appreciated

leonz · Jul 10, 2015

Code54 said:
Thanks for the response!
Renting in our area is pretty much a no go - I tried to find a 3pt mulcher and no one even had a clue what I was talking about. The bad thing about living in smaller towns....

I also take down material in this size range a few times a year so I really want to have something sitting in the barn ready to go when needed. I may also start looking into some side mowing jobs when I retire so that is why I am looking to just buy something and have it on hand.

I read something about guys flail mowing 2" branches and thought they did this with the Caroni unit but am still looking into that and may be thinking of something different.
I was thinking about stopping down at the Dept of Highways garage and seeing what they had to say and recommend. I know they cut some heavy brush in some really rough areas and wanted to see how the mowers are holding up.

Again, thank you for your input and information is always appreciated

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I would check on auction time to see if the Land Pride unit is still for sale.
The cast hammers on the Land Pride units are something that you should
consider along with a Caroni to have the best of both worlds.

Code54 · Jul 12, 2015

Thanks - I will check that out

Is anyone running a older Mott/Alamo mower with Hammers and if so how is it doing on brush? What size are you comfortable mowing?

rgr33 · Jul 12, 2015

Can't speak for the hammer blades, but my favorite mower of the four I own, is my 20 year old Mott. Just cuts all day long, belts last forever.

Code54 · Jul 12, 2015

That is the thing that interests me the most - I figure if it can live on for years cutting highways/right of ways/etc they must be pretty darn tough!

leonz · Jul 12, 2015

Please check to see if that Land Pride unit is still on Auction Time
as it was used only once according to the description of it.

The Land Pride/Maschio units are built tough for shredding
both orchard and vineyard pruning's as well as heavy brush mowing.