Flail Mowers

[wirlybird]

40hp L4060hstc, 1,500lbs 7.2' wide Peruzzo Brush Bull 2200 (green).

It's a bit big for my machine & I wish I had more HP. But it does the job fine, if a bit slowly in heavier grass or brush. The weight is as big of an issue as the width. If you lack HP you just do half width cuts or go slower.

32hp on the old L3200 with a much lighter old Ford 917 (beat up yellow). Slow but got the job done as well. Better than a skinny flail & driving fast over rough ground to cover the same acres per hour.View attachment 740834View attachment 740835View attachment 740836

What blades are you running on the 917?

 

[Fallon]

Y side slicers. Mostly replacements from flailmaster. They cut well, but struggle with brush thicker than your fingers.

The old beat to hell (bought it for $100) 719 still works but has been parked for a few years. Replaced it with the much heavier & new Peruzzo a few years back.

 

[DieselBound]

I wouldn't have my flail if it took me twice as long to mow as with my RC. I suspect that it's grass type and blades where people have struggles. I have hammer flails, so maybe that's why I can mow faster? Cut quality is about as good as the RC, and better overall without clumping. And when mowing along ditches there's no comparison- RC sucks, flail with side-shift makes this easy and fast.

Summary:
Tractor: Kioti NX5510 - 55hp, PTO 43hp
Fail: Nova Tractor MXZ220 - 7', 1,200 lbs
RC: 6' Bush Hog 286(? escapes memory right now- it's an older one) approx 1,000 lbs

 

[leonz]

Please explain why.

Good Morning Cahaba Valley Farm,

A 48 inch finish cut flail mower is no different than a 72 inch finish cut flail mower because they use a high centrifugal speed of 2,200 RPM +- to mow and recut brush, grass or when recutting grass clippings.
A finish cut flail will have 4 rows of side slicer knives to finely clip the grass/brush and recut the brush/grass as it passes over it by creating the pressure gradient/suction to lift up the grass and brush as it passes over it.

A 72 inch rotary mower will only being using 36 inches of cutting edge at any time to tear the grass blade off.
A finish flail mower with 4 rows of side slicer knives will make use of 48+- inches of cutting edge per foot to clip the grass blade to accomplish the same job. A 2 edge side slicer knife will give you 96 inches of cutting edge per foot.

 

[JWR]

40hp L4060hstc, 1,500lbs 7.2' wide Peruzzo Brush Bull 2200 (green).

It's a bit big for my machine & I wish I had more HP. But it does the job fine, if a bit slowly in heavier grass or brush. The weight is as big of an issue as the width. If you lack HP you just do half width cuts or go slower.

32hp on the old L3200 with a much lighter old Ford 917 (beat up yellow). Slow but got the job done as well. Better than a skinny flail & driving fast over rough ground to cover the same acres per hour.View attachment 740834View attachment 740835View attachment 740836

Hey Fallon -- what's with the big hole cut across your yellow flail cutter? Is there a story that goes with it ?

 

[JWR]

I wouldn't have my flail if it took me twice as long to mow as with my RC. I suspect that it's grass type and blades where people have struggles. I have hammer flails, so maybe that's why I can mow faster? Cut quality is about as good as the RC, and better overall without clumping. And when mowing along ditches there's no comparison- RC sucks, flail with side-shift makes this easy and fast.

Summary:
Tractor: Kioti NX5510 - 55hp, PTO 43hp
Fail: Nova Tractor MXZ220 - 7', 1,200 lbs
RC: 6' Bush Hog 286(? escapes memory right now- it's an older one) approx 1,000 lbs

It probably varies with what you are cutting (obstructions, having to go slow in awkward places, etc.) as to speed.

I use an 88 inch flail part of the year over the same pasture fields that I cut with an 84 inch Bush Hog. Pretty much apples and apples comparison, especially in the grassy non-brush areas. I find the flail noticeably faster (maybe 20% faster?) out of proportion to the extra few inches of width. I'm using a MF2660 81 horse tractor which handles either one with equal ease. I find the flail faster with the same tractor and same grass/weeds. This may be in part because it seems more comfortable to run a little faster ground speed with the flail than the hog ?

 

[Fallon]

Hey Fallon -- what's with the big hole cut across your yellow flail cutter? Is there a story that goes with it ?

I paid $100 for it... the back of the hood was dented pretty badly & it was missing some knives. Pretty sure they had been removed intentionally due to hitting the hood. I cut out the bad parts in back then welded a patch over the hole.

Hood is still cracked along the braces on one side & I never bothered repairing that. Roller height adjustment had been welded in place years before I got it.

Rotor bearings failed a year or 2 before I replaced the unit. Gearbox was leaky & I put pourable grease in it rather than replace the seals. Probably $500 into it total for 5 years of light commercial use. I upgraded to a MUCH more expensive & beefy Peruzzo a few years ago. The old beatup Ford flail was a great start but I've upgraded. Still keep it around as a backup.View attachment 742072

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