Tom_H
Veteran Member
Flail mowers come in light, medium, and heavy duty models. It can have sharp knives for fine cutting or dull hammers for breaking tough brush. Either is commonly Y or T shaped, possibly L. Light duty flail mowers have knives and are used for a fine turf cut; heavy duty units with hammers are for rough cutting.
Flails are for use in places where there may be bystanders. Standard mowers are cheaper for turf and rotary cutters (aka brush hogs, rough cutters) are cheaper for tough brush. The thing is, both of these are capable of launching life threatning projectiles (read rocks, glass, metal objects). That is a liability risk that highway departments and commercial businesses (which have people around) do not want to take. Flail mowers cost more, but by their design, they will not launch a rock at a car along the highway or at a child on a playground.
Rotary mowers and rotary rough cutters are cheaper than flails, and are far easier to maintain, as flails have many more moving parts, especially knives/hammers. If you have a place with no bystanders, use a rotary mower for turf and a rough cutter for brush. If you do have bystanders around, use a light duty flail or a reel mower for turf, and a heavy duty flail for brush. Medium duty flails are for in between situations.
Some of the earlier discussion about energy requirements did not take into consideration the differences between light duty (turf) and heavy duty (brush) applications. Brush cutters and all types of flails build a high degree of inertia in their high mass blades or axles. This kinetic energy is where the breaking power comes from to pulverize brush. A light duty rotary mower does not have the mass in its blades to build this inertia. It depends on the torque in the drive shaft coupled with sharp blades to cut the grass. Power must be constantly available in a rotary mower or it will easily stall if it meets resistance. Rough cutters and flails, with their high mass, can absorb and build energy in the form of inertia for several seconds when first engaged. If any of these hits an object, the pivoting connection allows the blade to deflec. There is far less chance of stalling due to both the high inertia and the pivoting blade deflecting.
Some flail units are on long multiple segment boom arms and can be lifted to considerable heights to give a nice haircut to the top of a large shrubbery hedge.
As to the original question, I speak only with opinion here, however I would think that a B3030 would be able to drive any of the type units discussed in this thread, other than the boom flail.
Flails are for use in places where there may be bystanders. Standard mowers are cheaper for turf and rotary cutters (aka brush hogs, rough cutters) are cheaper for tough brush. The thing is, both of these are capable of launching life threatning projectiles (read rocks, glass, metal objects). That is a liability risk that highway departments and commercial businesses (which have people around) do not want to take. Flail mowers cost more, but by their design, they will not launch a rock at a car along the highway or at a child on a playground.
Rotary mowers and rotary rough cutters are cheaper than flails, and are far easier to maintain, as flails have many more moving parts, especially knives/hammers. If you have a place with no bystanders, use a rotary mower for turf and a rough cutter for brush. If you do have bystanders around, use a light duty flail or a reel mower for turf, and a heavy duty flail for brush. Medium duty flails are for in between situations.
Some of the earlier discussion about energy requirements did not take into consideration the differences between light duty (turf) and heavy duty (brush) applications. Brush cutters and all types of flails build a high degree of inertia in their high mass blades or axles. This kinetic energy is where the breaking power comes from to pulverize brush. A light duty rotary mower does not have the mass in its blades to build this inertia. It depends on the torque in the drive shaft coupled with sharp blades to cut the grass. Power must be constantly available in a rotary mower or it will easily stall if it meets resistance. Rough cutters and flails, with their high mass, can absorb and build energy in the form of inertia for several seconds when first engaged. If any of these hits an object, the pivoting connection allows the blade to deflec. There is far less chance of stalling due to both the high inertia and the pivoting blade deflecting.
Some flail units are on long multiple segment boom arms and can be lifted to considerable heights to give a nice haircut to the top of a large shrubbery hedge.
As to the original question, I speak only with opinion here, however I would think that a B3030 would be able to drive any of the type units discussed in this thread, other than the boom flail.
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