Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[def38]

I've driven past that plant many times travelling between Chattanooga and Huntsville. My neighbor in Chattanooga was a nuclear project engineer with TVA before they outsourced the project function. He took early retirement and went back to work as a contractor in the same desk the next week.

Are you in N. AL def38? I now live in Shelbyville, TN which is 1 1/2 ~2 hours drive north of you. Come on up and we'll get your welding done.

Blount County, AL about 30 miles No of B'ham, rural, about the 282 MM, I-65. Thanks for the welding offer. My grandson is a welder so, I may illicit his skills.

 

[hairyapple]

I had a flail mower on my old massey ferguson, gas powered 4 cylinder Continental engine, I think it was, in any case it took a lot of power-probably more than that tractor had to give. My 2010 ex3200 cub/yanmar, has 32 hp diesel. I wonder how that would handle a flail mower

 

[def38]

I had a flail mower on my old massey ferguson, gas powered 4 cylinder Continental engine, I think it was, in any case it took a lot of power-probably more than that tractor had to give. My 2010 ex3200 cub/yanmar, has 32 hp diesel. I wonder how that would handle a flail mower

Folks are mowing with flail mowers with less HP than your Yanmar. What are you cutting?

 

[ronjhall]

I had a flail mower on my old massey ferguson, gas powered 4 cylinder Continental engine, I think it was, in any case it took a lot of power-probably more than that tractor had to give. My 2010 ex3200 cub/yanmar, has 32 hp diesel. I wonder how that would handle a flail mower

My 30 HP diesel tractor with 22 HP PTO. Handles a 62H Woodmaxx flail with no problems. So well I wish I had gotten the 78" flail mower.

 

[bkrgi]

I had a flail mower on my old massey ferguson, gas powered 4 cylinder Continental engine, I think it was, in any case it took a lot of power-probably more than that tractor had to give. My 2010 ex3200 cub/yanmar, has 32 hp diesel. I wonder how that would handle a flail mower

Here is my 19.5PTO HP running a woodmaxx FM62H to give you a idea

 

[Milo]

Here is my 19.5PTO HP running a woodmaxx FM62H to give you a idea

Thanks for posting because I've been toying with buying that exact model but was concerned if I had enough power. I wouldn't be cutting anything heavier than you did in the video so I may go ahead and order one.
In the video is it at its highest setting? And are you using the standard Y blades?

 

[bkrgi]

Thanks for posting because I've been toying with buying that exact model but was concerned if I had enough power. I wouldn't be cutting anything heavier than you did in the video so I may go ahead and order one.
In the video is it at its highest setting? And are you using the standard Y blades?

It is set at about 3" and I'm using the hammers
More video if it helps you further

 

[Milo]

Thanks...... that convinced me, what you're cutting looks almost exactly what I have to cut and with a very similar tractor. I take it you are pleased with it? The hammers seem to give a good enough cut and I like how it almost mulches up the material opposed to what a rotary cutter leaves. Did you order it with hammers or did you get them in addition to the standard Y blades? Would you recommend ordering any extras?

 

[bkrgi]

Thanks...... that convinced me, what you're cutting looks almost exactly what I have to cut and with a very similar tractor. I take it you are pleased with it? The hammers seem to give a good enough cut and I like how it almost mulches up the material opposed to what a rotary cutter leaves. Did you order it with hammers or did you get them in addition to the standard Y blades? Would you recommend ordering any extras?

Very pleased with it. There is no comparison to the finished product of a flail vs rotary ....in fact with this property it was for sale for ages and the owners had me come in and 'clean' things up and basically it sold very very shortly thereafter.
I ordered it with hammers in order to better handle woodier type material vs straight grass where the Ys would do better...hammers do not like rocks though.
Only thing I would watch for is when you adjust the rear roller to your desired cut height watch that you don't let it smash the zerks off each side...you'll see what I mean when you get it. Adjust the slip clutch accordingly and a hydraulic top link helps adjust things easier as well if you have 2 remotes.
Just understand in thick wet heavy tall grasses you may use up HP quick otherwise accordingly the flail works awesome behind 19.5 PTO HP..

A before pic
DSC01085 by richardktm300, on Flickr

after

DSC01096 by richardktm300, on Flickr

 

[def38]

Only thing I would watch for is when you adjust the rear roller to your desired cut height watch that you don't let it smash the zerks off each side...you'll see what I mean when you get it.

I don't understand why the flail manufacturers don't orient those rear roller Zerk fittings so they don't get damaged during use. My Chinese flail was replaced for just that reason...Zerks ground off due to ground contact during mowing. I have since rotated the rear roller bearing housings 90 degrees to eliminate the chance of damage.

 

[Milo]

I'll order mine with hammers too, probably order 6 spares along with an extra set of belts. Thanks for the tip I'll be sure to note the zerks.

 

[Fallon]

Spotted this flail on the way to work a few days ago. Two of these and not much more on a 53' flatbed. If you had the HP this would make short work of most pastures.

Those are almost assuredly crop choppers rather than mowers based on the size. Basically the same thing, but they are designed for flat fields & mulching corn stalks or whatever crop residue is leftover after the harvest.

If you are mowing wide with flails they usually have several 8' wide flails hanging of the sides & back of the tractor. Several not to wide units follow terrain better when it's not perfectly level.

 

[Lnk]

I have to agree with Fallon, my 9' flail is right at the limit of width. If it were any wider, it would miss a lot more. Fortunately what it does miss is of no concern to me as it discourages golfers from playing on my land:goat::whiteflag::cool2:

 

[dieselscout80]

I have to agree with Fallon, my 9' flail is right at the limit of width. If it were any wider, it would miss a lot more. Fortunately what it does miss is of no concern to me as it discourages golfers from playing on my land:goat::whiteflag::cool2:

What brand is your 9’ flail.

 

[leonz]

Spotted this flail on the way to work a few days ago. Two of these and not much more on a 53' flatbed. If you had the HP this would make short work of most pastures.

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What you see there are two beautiful MASCHIO orchard and vineyard flail shredders going to a Maschio dealer.
They are most like going to be used in a vineyard or orchard but can be used as mowers as well.

Flail crop shredders do not have a rear roller. They are designed to be used on ridge tilled acreage as well as flat land prior to the ground being tilled the next season. If a rear roller was used on a crop shredder it would plug up with the shredded crop residue.

 

[bdhsfz6]

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What you see there are two beautiful MASCHIO orchard and vineyard flail shredders going to a Maschio dealer.
They are most like going to be used in a vineyard or orchard but can be used as mowers as well.

I bought their little "cousin" last spring for mowing shoulders & ditches along a mile of private road. I also mow perpendicular to the ground line for branches & brush encroaching on the roadway. The hammer flails make short work of anything up to a 3" diameter.



Maschio makes a good product and so far, I'm happy with the implement.

 

[Lnk]

What brand is your 9’ flail.

It is a dandl. The company has either been bought out or out of business for a long time. It is a very heavy duty unit though.

 

[DavesTractor]

Those are almost assuredly crop choppers rather than mowers based on the size. Basically the same thing, but they are designed for flat fields & mulching corn stalks or whatever crop residue is leftover after the harvest.

If you are mowing wide with flails they usually have several 8' wide flails hanging of the sides & back of the tractor. Several not to wide units follow terrain better when it's not perfectly level.

In orchards we often see mowers that are 12-14' wide. This works as the floors are kept flat. I run a 10' in my pistachio orchard and it works fine. When farmers buy a flail from us, they often have a very specific mowing task and want a mower to minimize passes over the orchard floor for both compaction reasons and cost of fuel/manpower. You don't want to take two 10' passes and be left with a 2' strip in the middle that is not mowed, requiring a third pass. We do occasionally see mowing widths up to about 20', and that is done with a trailing mower (behind the first large mower) that is hydraulically offset for width. I've never sold one of those monsters, so I am not exactly sure how all of it works as far as getting power from one mower to the other, driveshaft angles and such.

 

[leonz]

In orchards we often see mowers that are 12-14' wide. This works as the floors are kept flat. I run a 10' in my pistachio orchard and it works fine. When farmers buy a flail from us, they often have a very specific mowing task and want a mower to minimize passes over the orchard floor for both compaction reasons and cost of fuel/manpower. You don't want to take two 10' passes and be left with a 2' strip in the middle that is not mowed, requiring a third pass. We do occasionally see mowing widths up to about 20', and that is done with a trailing mower (behind the first large mower) that is hydraulically offset for width. I've never sold one of those monsters, so I am not exactly sure how all of it works as far as getting power from one mower to the other, driveshaft angles and such.

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Hello and good morning Dave,

The wider folding flail crop shredders and mowers use high horsepower one to one gear boxes and propeller shafts that have to be at ground level to be used or in the case of the INO or Wessex mowers or other brands there can be a mower mounted up front and there are one or 2 mowers mounted on the rear to permit full shredding width.

With a towed three gang crop shredder the center mower is used to carry the folding mowers.

My old lap top is broken and I have all my flail mower information on it :^( so its harder to describe with out pictures but the INO flail shredders are well described on youtube shredding corn and sunflower crops that were allowed to maturity and later shredded.

I have uploaded many pictures and videos of them working or posted links in the past.



Ino Brežice - Industrijska oprema Brežice - Kmetijska mehanizacija, kmetijski stroji in dodatki za traktorje

 

[ramptester]

Update on previous threads re: gearbox issues with older Alamo (Mott Hammer flail model 60)
I was able to source a gearbox from a farm implement salvage yard for less than $400 shipped. These things are heavy!! Got it installed, and it is working well now. Much quieter at working rpms. Hopefully as little as we use it, it will hold up indefinitely. Will most likely see about 30 hours of use a year, just enough to cut our property 4 times a year. The fine cut really does a nice job keeping the grass uniform.

Interesting aside, did anyone see the auction on govdeals that had some spare Alamo parts and 2 gearboxes but no actual mowers or frames? Went for about $1900 plus buyers premium or tax.