Flail Mower Considering Flail Mower

[BoylermanCT]

I switched from mowing my two acre field twice a year with my bush hog to every week with my trusty Craftsman lawn tractor. The field is a bit rough, and I think the Craftsman's life (and operator's) is being shortened by the bumps, jarring and bouncing. I mow on the highest setting (4"), and I like the finished look when I am done. There are no rocks left in the field (hit them with the bush hog and removed them prior to using my lawn tractor). I now have to mow the field each week or it will get too tall and thick for the Craftsman. I would like to get a different mower that will give me a lawn look but not require me to mow every week - I'd plan for every other or 3rd week at the most.

I have a Montana 2844 tractor, and am considering either a 72" finish mower or a 68" flail mower. My concern with the finish mower is I might smoke the belts if the grass gets too tall and thick, and with the rough ground, I'm concerned about the wheels and casters breaking. My concern with the flail mower is will I like the cut when done?

If the grass is 12" tall, can a finish mower cut it down to 5"? Can the flail mower do it? I know my bush hog can, but as expected, its a total hack job. My budget would be around $1500 for a mower. Any advice?

 

[allen in texas]

In my opinion, the flail with the grass blades outperforms the finish mower and is a ton tougher. Not too sure about your budget. I made the statement on another thread that my flail with the grass blades rivals or betters the cut of my reel mower. I stick by that opinion. I mow my lawn with my flail. I have pictures somewhere on here...

 

[ishiboo]

You will love the finish quality of the flail. It will take down tall grass no problem, but also leave a cut equal to the finish mower.

The only thing I don't like is there are like 156 blades, and if you hit something on a finish flail it takes quite a long time to change them out.

 

[leonz]

I switched from mowing my two acre field twice a year with my bush hog
to every week with my trusty Craftsman lawn tractor.

The field is a bit rough, and I think the Craftsman's life (and operator's) is being
shortened by the bumps, jarring and bouncing.

I mow on the highest setting (4"), and I like the finished look when I am done.
There are no rocks left in the field (hit them with the bush hog and removed them
prior to using my lawn tractor).

I now have to mow the field each week or it will get too tall and thick for the Craftsman.
I would like to get a different mower that will give me a lawn look but not require me
to mow every week - I'd plan for every other or 3rd week at the most.

I have a Montana 2844 tractor, and am considering either a 72" finish mower or a 68" flail
mower. My concern with the finish mower is I might smoke the belts if the grass gets too
tall and thick, and with the rough ground, I'm concerned about the wheels and casters
breaking. My concern with the flail mower is will I like the cut when done?

If the grass is 12" tall, can a finish mower cut it down to 5"? Can the flail mower do it?
I know my bush hog can, but as expected, its a total hack job.
My budget would be around $1500 for a mower. Any advice?

============================================================================

If your budget is only around $1500.00.
Your going to be buying a used flail mower.

I have no idea what a new 48 inch Vrisimo or Caroni flail mower
would cost but the Vrisimo prices are listed on their web site.

The 48 inch finish cut Caroni flail mowers are a special order as agrisupply
does not have them in inventory unless that has changed recently.

NOW a 48 inch Vrisimo flail mower is a vineyard duty flail mower and
is more than adequate for the work as they will mow heavy brush and
pruned branches.

With that in mind a used 7 foot JD25A flail mower is reasonable
for your mule as you have a 2615 pound rear lift capacity according to
the folks at tractordata.com

With a wider flail mower you will need to go a bit slower but it will leave
you with a golf course finish for 2 weeks or more.

My father used a Ford Jubilee gear tractor with a 7 foot JD25A finish flail mower
to reclaim old pasture that had 12-15 foot goldenrod and heavy underbrush.

If you buy a 48 inch finish flail mower will give you a cut equal to a reel mower after
a few weeks of mowing and the grass will not be as difficult to mow as the heavy brush is gone.

The flail mower will allow you to recut the clippings a second or third time when doing the
initial mowing and the clippings will dissolve quickly to mulch the ground.

There is a 1992 JD370 finish flail mower for sale at Z&M ag and turf in Oakfield, New York for $2,900.00
buying one of these units new will be almost 9,000+- with tax.

 

[TractorToolsDirect]

For your tractor, at 28 hp gross, you should be able to go with a 5 foot flail, Like the Caroni 1600 model. Even with the brush blades, it will give you a nice looking cut, probably as good as your craftsman and definitely better than any brush hog. And you have the option of cutting every week, once a month, or twice a year. It will look good, with no clumping. Regrowth is even. The price of flails has come down a lot, so they are a viable option for people wanting to mow grass as well as clearing brush. FYI, the Caroni 1600B flail mower has 24 mounting points, with two blades connected at each mounting point. The 1600P (finish blades) has 24 blades. Make sure you get the TM series and not the TL, which is a lighter duty machine.

 

[GManBart]

A flail will definitely cut low enough to do what you want. Below is a video with my new Phoenix/Sicma TE220 (87" cut). It has finish blades on it, and if you want, it will actually cut down until the flail leave a line in the dirt. As you can see, the weeds were a couple of feet tall, and it took them right down to the ground with no problem.




I think the quality is a bit better here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6uBp8X-Ts

 

[BoylermanCT]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking the 68" flail because the tractor is 64" wide at the rear tires. I realize I may have to go slow since I am running a 28hp tractor. But the field is rough enough I brush hog in 1st gear, so would expect to mow at the same speed. If my little Craftsman can mow it, my tractor should have no issue! Some of you mentioned a 48" or 60" mower. If these are offset, won't that mean I am not mowing my driving path? Or is it my budget that is driving the smaller mower? I was considering a Caroni 1900 or a Betstco 175 so I was cutting my tractor's width.

 

[GManBart]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking the 68" flail because the tractor is 64" wide at the rear tires. I realize I may have to go slow since I am running a 28hp tractor. But the field is rough enough I brush hog in 1st gear, so would expect to mow at the same speed. If my little Craftsman can mow it, my tractor should have no issue! Some of you mentioned a 48" or 60" mower. If these are offset, won't that mean I am not mowing my driving path? Or is it my budget that is driving the smaller mower? I was considering a Caroni 1900 or a Betstco 175 so I was cutting my tractor's width.

In many cases, people want to offset (typically to the right) so they can ride along with the left front tire on the line of your last cut. That eliminates the guesswork, which sometimes winds up leaving sections you missed.

 

[TractorToolsDirect]

The Caroni model 1600 has a 63" cutting width and is offset 4 1/2 inches to the right. That means it would extend beyond your right wheel but not the left. There is an additional offset position as well that will offset the mower 7 more inches to the right.

The model 1900 is another 12 inches wider. all 12 inches is added to the right of the hitch, giving you more reach to the right side.

 

[leonz]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking the 68" flail because the tractor is 64" wide at the rear tires. I realize I may have to go slow since I am running a 28hp tractor. But the field is rough enough I brush hog in 1st gear, so would expect to mow at the same speed. If my little Craftsman can mow it, my tractor should have no issue! Some of you mentioned a 48" or 60" mower. If these are offset, won't that mean I am not mowing my driving path? Or is it my budget that is driving the smaller mower? I was considering a Caroni 1900 or a Betstco 175 so I was cutting my tractor's width.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Save your money, call the folks at Z+M Ag and Turf and you will have a forever mower that you can
use with the next mule if you upgrade.