Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[joemd11]

Hi guys,
Instead of starting a new thread I thought I would just ask my question here. I have a Caroni TM1900 flail and it is time to sharpen the blades. What is the best method to do this? I was thinking of blocking it up and then laying under it with my angle grinder to touch up the blades. Acceptable? Rather not unbolt all those blades.

Thanks,
Joe

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[IslandTractor]

Hi guys,
Instead of starting a new thread I thought I would just ask my question here. I have a Caroni TM1900 flail and it is time to sharpen the blades. What is the best method to do this? I was thinking of blocking it up and then laying under it with my angle grinder to touch up the blades. Acceptable? Rather not unbolt all those blades.

Thanks,
Joe

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

I would get an air ratchet and spanner, remove all the knives (probably 30 minutes, maybe 45). Then I would sharpen on a fixed grinder. When replacing I'd use all new bolts and locknuts.

It would IMO be a nasty nasty nasty (and unsafe) task to try to use a small hand held grinder while simultaneously trying to hold the blade in place while lying under the flail.

There are special grinder tools made just to use on flail mowers while mounted but those are very expensive and for practical purposes only useful in commercial operations.

 

[KRBrouwer]

WoodMaxx quality looks very good, similar to my Caroni TM1900.

Ken

 

[Thomabear]

The Woodmax idler pulley looks really small. The RPM will be screaming so it will likely produce some added heat and wear. Just my personal thinking...

 

[berserker]

The Caroni seems like a safe play, but I'm still thinking about giving the Woodmaxx a try. The idler will be moving at higher RPMs, but it seems like in many applications idlers are smaller diameter than drive pulleys.

I wish there was at least a video of it operating so I could see how it cuts. I would have less apprehension if I knew it would perform like the pictures I've seen Island post of the Caroni. One thing I noticed is that the Woodmaxx knives are bolted directly to the drum, where Caroni has the shackles connecting the knives. Not sure if that matters or if it affects performance. I thought I saw some mention of that somewhere on here once, but can't remember if there was a clear answer.

A benefit to the Woodmaxx is a 2 year warranty and parts ship in 24 hours. I've read where some people have been having trouble obtaining Caroni knives and shackles.

If anyone has actually seen a Woodmaxx perform, I'd love to hear about it.

 

[joemd11]

I would get an air ratchet and spanner, remove all the knives (probably 30 minutes, maybe 45). Then I would sharpen on a fixed grinder. When replacing I'd use all new bolts and locknuts. It would IMO be a nasty nasty nasty (and unsafe) task to try to use a small hand held grinder while simultaneously trying to hold the blade in place while lying under the flail. There are special grinder tools made just to use on flail mowers while mounted but those are very expensive and for practical purposes only useful in commercial operations.

Thanks Island. The more I think about lying there with a power tool while also holding a small and relatively sharp piece of metal doesn't sound like a good idea. Guess I'll be taking all the knives off.

Cheers,
Joe

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[IslandTractor]

The Caroni seems like a safe play, but I'm still thinking about giving the Woodmaxx a try. The idler will be moving at higher RPMs, but it seems like in many applications idlers are smaller diameter than drive pulleys. I wish there was at least a video of it operating so I could see how it cuts. I would have less apprehension if I knew it would perform like the pictures I've seen Island post of the Caroni. One thing I noticed is that the Woodmaxx knives are bolted directly to the drum, where Caroni has the shackles connecting the knives. Not sure if that matters or if it affects performance. I thought I saw some mention of that somewhere on here once, but can't remember if there was a clear answer. A benefit to the Woodmaxx is a 2 year warranty and parts ship in 24 hours. I've read where some people have been having trouble obtaining Caroni knives and shackles. If anyone has actually seen a Woodmaxx perform, I'd love to hear about it.

I know nothing about the Woodmaxx but can clear up a couple of things for you. The knife plus clevis arrangement on the Caroni TM1900 is designed to protect the blades when striking objects thicker than a blade of grass. It allows more movement of the blade. Lateral plus backwards rather than just backwards. The Caroni models designed for pure grass mowing, finish mowers, use a direct to rotor attachment like you describe the Woodmaxx does.

Caroni parts are easily available through AgriSupply. The only hassle I have had is identifying an alternative, cheaper source for the $7 a pop metric clevises. Knives are easily found elsewhere but SAE clevises are too big or too small and I have never found a source other than AgriSupply for those.

 

[berserker]

Thanks Island. With Woodmaxx's direct-bolt blade design, do you think Woodmaxx's duckfoot blades would be better than y blades for small brush? I will be doing both field mowing/driveway mowing and trail maintenance. Here's what Woodmaxx says about its blades:

DUCKFOOT OR REVERSIBLE Y- BLADES. OUR DUCK FOOT BLADES ARE 40CR, ALLOY STRUCTURAL STEEL. (AMERICAN STANDARD, AISI/SAE/ASTM STEEL NO: 5140) AND FORGED TO A TAPERED WEDGE SHAPE TO AVOID MATERIAL BUILDUP ON THE BLADES. CLICK FOR PICTURE. EACH BLADE WEIGHS 1 LB. 15 OZ. (CAST STEEL IS MUCH MORE DURABLE THAN CAST IRON) COMPETITORS USE FLAT FACE BLADES. CLICK FOR PICTURE. SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF WOODMAXX EXCLUSIVE DUCKFOOT DESIGN: PICTURE 1: PICTURE 2: PICTURE 3. THE REVERSIBLE Y- BLADES ARE M.32” 60SI2MN, SPRING STEEL, (AMERICAN STANDARD: A29M) FORMED, HEAT TREATED, AND QUENCHED IN OIL. THEY WEIGH 1LB 7 OZ. FOR THE SET. USE THE DUCKFOOT BLADES FOR CLEARING SAPLINGS, AND THE Y BLADES FOR GRASSES. CLICK FOR PICTURE

 

[RKJeepXJ]

I've also be looking hard at the Woodmaxx with the hydraulic shifting. The price is almost too good to be true. Can't find review from anyone who has actually used one though.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks Island. With Woodmaxx's direct-bolt blade design, do you think Woodmaxx's duckfoot blades would be better than y blades for small brush? I will be doing both field mowing/driveway mowing and trail maintenance. Here's what Woodmaxx says about its blades:

DUCKFOOT OR REVERSIBLE Y- BLADES. OUR DUCK FOOT BLADES ARE 40CR, ALLOY STRUCTURAL STEEL. (AMERICAN STANDARD, AISI/SAE/ASTM STEEL NO: 5140) AND FORGED TO A TAPERED WEDGE SHAPE TO AVOID MATERIAL BUILDUP ON THE BLADES. CLICK FOR PICTURE. EACH BLADE WEIGHS 1 LB. 15 OZ. (CAST STEEL IS MUCH MORE DURABLE THAN CAST IRON) COMPETITORS USE FLAT FACE BLADES. CLICK FOR PICTURE. SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF WOODMAXX EXCLUSIVE DUCKFOOT DESIGN: PICTURE 1: PICTURE 2: PICTURE 3. THE REVERSIBLE Y- BLADES ARE M.32” 60SI2MN, SPRING STEEL, (AMERICAN STANDARD: A29M) FORMED, HEAT TREATED, AND QUENCHED IN OIL. THEY WEIGH 1LB 7 OZ. FOR THE SET. USE THE DUCKFOOT BLADES FOR CLEARING SAPLINGS, AND THE Y BLADES FOR GRASSES. CLICK FOR PICTURE

The Y blades, when directly attached to the rotor via bolt are designed more for cutting grass. Small brush (1 year etc) would not be an issue so long as you are not bumping into stumps, rocks etc. The hammers are better for thicker brush.

I've never heard of Woodmaxx before the last day and in checking out their website it is pretty clear (to my wild azz guess anyway) that these are Chinese mowers. Certainly not a well established brand. The design looks fine and as it is probably copied from a major brand is likely fine. The concern I would have is the quality of the steel used in the rotor, the drive components and the hammers. Time will tell, they could all be just fine. Chinese factories produce whatever quality the marketing company (Woodmaxx) pays for. They can make rockets capable of reaching the moon and they can make complete crap. Depends really more on what Woodmaxx specified than anything else.