Expectations of a Flail Mower

[Creightone]

Purchased my first flail mower this year. Does a great job cutting but it does not do a very good job of dispersing the cuttings, they tend to be in clumps. Have I not set up the mower properly or does one expect clumps with a flail mower?

 

[Mtsoxfan]

What brand did you buy? They may have a tutorial out, as the one I bought (soon to be delivered) did.

 

[Creightone]

Beco, 78 inch with hammers

 

[scootr]

I have a 78" Bestco HD with 3" hammers. Put the rpms up, tilt the front of the mower up, and slow down. Clumps do happen in very heavy brush that slows the hammers down (belts slipping) but it is not the normal result.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I'm expecting my Betsco 68" with Y blades on Monday. the field I'm cutting is an old hay field, no brush. I do have a brush hog for the very few areas with small saplings. I Expect a cleaner look. They have videos online as tutorials.

 

[1 Old Man]

........ Put the rpms up, tilt the front of the mower up, and slow down. Clumps do happen in very heavy brush that slows the hammers down (belts slipping) but it is not the norm.

This ^^^^^

 

[scootr]

I'm expecting my Betsco 68" with Y blades on Monday. the field I'm cutting is an old hay field, no brush. I do have a brush hog for the very few areas with small saplings. I Expect a cleaner look. They have videos online as tutorials.

That depends upon the size of the saplings and what the max cutting of the Y blades is, usually a finish mower is not going to cut small trees. But it might strip them of any branches and foliage lrding to their death.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

That depends upon the size of the saplings and what the max cutting of the Y blades is, usually a finish mower is not going to cut small trees. But it might strip them of any branches and foliage lrding to their death.

The Y blades are good up to 1". I plan on using the brush hog for anything bigger.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

This is from the Betsco website Q&A

Using a Flail Mower | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:

If you have never used a Flail Mower, you need to re-think how you mow. By definition, a flail mower uses banks of flails (or “knives”) instead of blades. A flail is a short piece of metal that operates by beating the grass (flailing it) and breaking it off. At high speeds, the job is

betstco.com

 

[Doug Vee]

My old Seppi has hammers and an adjustable rear hatch. I have the rear hatch wide open. I have the roller on the lowest setting, whereby the rotor is at its highest position. I also have the top link set pretty long, also raising the rotor. It seems to distribute the cuttings pretty evenly set up like that.

This is only the second season I have used it. I will try the hatch closed this fall and see how it works. In this position it mulches more and I assume will add additional load to the tractor, so I may have to go slower. And, it might clump some?

I really like the flail mower compared to my rotary cutter.