Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[ukrkoz]

They will mount.

EF125 Mulching Blade Set |

Not sure about imbalance though. It may or may not be an issue. As far as I am staying with 50/50 and they are spread equally, that should be balanced, right?

Question to Leonz.
Apparently Betstco discontinued all blades.
I was going to order "wings" referenced to in my previous post, to get better horizontal cut. So here I am.
My Y blades are mounted on a horizontal bolt, with 2 metal sleeves on each side, between the mounting brackets. So I have quite a leeway in getting wider mounting surface hammers in or same mounting width horizontal blades.
I am mowing grass only on partially very uneven terrain, with plenty of small rocks. That's what soil here is - rocky clay.
I am not sure how many Y blades mounting points I have. Something tells me 54 but I might be wrong, it's Betstco 59 inch tow behind mower.
Any recommendation on horizontal blade then?

 

[leonz]

Hello and good morning ukrkoz,

As for Betstco no longer offering flail mower knives that hoovers as "Bucky Cat" from the "Get Fuzzy" comic strip would say.

I hope the weather is favorable for mowing today where you are.

Now on to business; Each of your mounting stations has 2 spacers to allow you to mount and use the side slicer pairs to mow and keep them centered in each mounting station.

If you have 3 rows of mounting stations you will have 18 mounting stations per row if the are linear meaning straight across.

The cutting width of the scoop knife is what is going to determine how many scoop knives you can mount per row. In a spiral mounting method on a flail mower rotor that will not be an issue as the cutting edges will overlap as the spiral twists in each orbit like a drill bit or an earth auger.


If you could upload a few picture images of the flail mower rotor that would help me and the members that have your flail mower in their stables as well.

The full width of the scoop knife is what will determine your number of knife edges per row of knife mounting stations if your flail mower rotor has mounting stations that are linear-straight across.

The scoop knife will be a lot more forgiving as far as terrain goes and will still give you a good cut but you will need to mow at right angles to get a better finish and reduce the amount of waffle cut look after you mow.

The scoop knife will be mounted in the center of the mounting station with the spacers on either side of the mounting hole in the scoop knife to hold it in place and prevent it from sliding back and forth.

If you can purchase the scoop knives from flailmaster or clean cutter for the flail mower you have all the better. I look forward to hearing more form you.

I always mention to the members that if they can replace the mounting bolts with fine thread allen head bolts and 2 allen spring washers all the better as it reduces the amount of bruised and bloddy knuckles and money going in to the swear jar. The main worry is whether you need 2 metric 12 point wrenches to remove the existing nut and bolt.

Using a long allen wrench allows you to place the box end wrench on the nut and just move the allen wrench until the box end wrench meets some resistance on the flail mower rotor shell. If you can wash it with very very hot water all the better as the dust and fine clippings will be washed away from the nuts and bolts.


I look forward to hearing more form you when you have the time to chat.


leonz


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Question to Leonz.
Apparently Betstco discontinued all blades.
I was going to order "wings" referenced to in my previous post, to get better horizontal cut. So here I am.
My Y blades are mounted on a horizontal bolt, with 2 metal sleeves on each side, between the mounting brackets. So I have quite a leeway in getting wider mounting surface hammers in or same mounting width horizontal blades.
I am mowing grass only on partially very uneven terrain, with plenty of small rocks. That's what soil here is - rocky clay.
I am not sure how many Y blades mounting points I have. Something tells me 54 but I might be wrong, it's Betstco 59 inch tow behind mower.
Any recommendation on horizontal blade then?

 

[leonz]

Hello Sidpost,

Its the one that they recommend for wet well grinders that do not have angle setting gauges on the tool rest.
If and when you call woodcraft and tell them what you need for the micromark sharpener that has no angle setting
marks for the tool rest and they will know which gauge you need.


It has been many months since I looked at the catalogs as the winter dreariness set in early for me and as I am
recuperating and stuck inside.




leonz

 

[hunt4570]

Lengthening the toplink forces the flail to rotate backwards which pushes the rear roller down and increases the cutting edge to ground distance.

Aaron Z

Yep, I understand that part, use the slot or just the hole?

 

[geblackwell]

Could you identify which model and make grinder you recommend. The one I found was a .7 amp machine for sharpening woodworking tools.

 

[ukrkoz]

Sorry, didn't get the joke. I am guy with accent, too deep for me.
I am firm hex bolts and nuts are easier to work with than Allen heads. And I work with Allen heads professionally, Velcro and Allen heads is my middle initial.

Anyhow. I have 4 rows 8 blade stations each. Not spiral arrangement obviously. Checker board.
yes, waffle effect is quite observable. Give it about 5 -6 days, and it clearly shows itself.

Also, pics of part of the property that is hills and valleys and wetland, for better understanding of what I mow. Needs dozer and nuking it into flat surface, except that wetland is not permitted to be changed. Plant on it, mow, sure. Nothing else.

So I am all for horizontal cut blades, just not sure which ones.

thank you.

 

[ukrkoz]

Could you identify which model and make grinder you recommend. The one I found was a .7 amp machine for sharpening woodworking tools.

Simply buy regular grinder cheap from Harbor Freight, buy can of tuna, give tuna to animal of your choice, clean empty can, fill with water and set next to grinder wheel. Dip blade into water, to cool it down, after every pass on the grinding wheel. No need to psend $200 onto a "specialty" grinder that has "coolant well" installed. I worked as tool and dye maker and have been sharpening my tools for decades. Water in any suitable vessel next to grinder works just fine.
Point is not to allow blade to turn blue or even brown/yellow. If this happens, it becomes annealed and softer. Then it's easier to be bent/damaged. Dulls faster. You could heat treat it yourself, no big deal really. Get blade edge white hot with a torch then dip into oil. Not water, it may crack. Then use same torch to heat it up till it starts turning yellow, like straw yellow. That should give you about 58-60 Rockwell scale hardness on carbon instrumental steel. I am not familiar with SAE steels classification, that's what we called them back in 'ol country. Higher carbon percentage. Though those blades are likely made out of what we called "construction steel", ST45. Has low carbon percentage, higher tensile resistance. So it is adequately hard yet plastic enough to bend, not to snap during impact.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I have the exact same wet well sharpener but with Craftsman name on it.

It's a fine sharpener for woodworking chisels, knives, maybe even occasionally axe and such but I would never even try to use it for flail mower blades or any mower blades for that matter.

It was intended for lighter duty sharpening and will do pretty good job at that.

Just my opinion based on personal experience on using one.

Delta also has similar in their GR050 Shopmaster Utility Wet Dry Grinder. I've had mine for about 15 years.

 

[leonz]

Hello hunt4570,

to maintain better control and cutting height for your flail mower you need to use the single mounting hole on the three point hitch.

 

[leonz]

Could you identify which model and make grinder you recommend. The one I found was a .7 amp machine for sharpening woodworking tools.

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

Good Morning Mr. Blackwell,

The micromark wet well grinder is item #86566 for $129.95 plus tax and freight; Ugh, They are not on sale now :^(

The Angle setting tool from woodcraft is the Tormek angle master #129354: $29.00; plus tax and freight.


I still use my 30+ year old WEN wet well grinder that has worked really well for me. Apparently it is no longer made :^((.

 

[dturco]

Hello all I have just purchased a Kubota Grand L3560-LE cab tractor. The L3560 is still in the shipping crate at the dealer waiting to be assembled. My Location is Eastern Shore Maryland.

I have been reading this site for the last three months to help determine the L3560 tractor as the size that would work for my uses. I have had a John Deere 790 gear transmission, which quickly was traded for a John Deere 3320 hydro unit 8 months later. I do not have either tractor currently sold them off during the great downturn back in 08. I used the 3320 to keep the growth down after a Takeuchi t-130 Track loader had been through with a brush hog to do the initial clearing. I have tried to hire out the first cut, but no one is willing to go into the woods as it is in a low lying area and everyone in town knows it is not a matter of if you will get stuck, but how many times, will you be stuck…and how bad will one be stuck.

It’s true you will get stuck. I hogged it many times. I only got stuck twice, used a com-along to get unstuck, because there’s no getting a tow truck to you and no one else near me has a tractor to help out.

My usage will be maintaining 11 acres of woods that was last bushhogged 12 years ago, 3 acres woods that was bushogged 12 years ago and my new home site of six acres that has not seen a tractor in over 30 years also wooded at the current time. I will also be maintaining the ditches that are around the 13 acres, both sides of the ditches, filled with water year round…nearly a miles worth when added together and my current cleared 1 acre around my home..

Which bring us to why the thread, I need a flail mower, using a rotary cutter was very hard to do between the trees, I managed to do it but it took way too long to do. Also I would like to have enough side overhang so I can mow the ditches, which have near zero banks, they are level with the ground, and the ground is soft-ish. I do not want a boom set up.

The Land pride Flail from Kubota is far too expensive. My budget is three thousand-ish.

I want a new mower; not used. I have narrowed down the players to be Bestco, Woodmax, Del morino (learned that was what land-pride painted, I mean imported, for their previous models here on this site.)
I want to do the first cut in all areas with this flail mower and then maintain all the acreage as well for the next five years when I will be selling all but the six acres for my new home. After that who knows. So I am looking for the best bang for the buck flail mower for my usage. Thoughts and recommendations appreciated within the constraints of budget and tractor.

 

[aczlan]

Yep, I understand that part, use the slot or just the hole?

It doesn't matter.
If you use a slot lengthen the top link so that the toplink pin is pushing against the back of the slot.

Aaron Z

 

[sodamo]

I’m thinking get Heavy duty with hammers from Betstco, same width as tractor, but with hydraulic offset.

 

[hunt4570]

Hello hunt4570,

to maintain better control and cutting height for your flail mower you need to use the single mounting hole on the three point hitch.

Thanks..

So then whats the purpose of the slot?

 

[Xfaxman]

--------------------

Anyhow. I have 4 rows 8 blade stations each. Not spiral arrangement obviously. --------------------

------------------------------------------------

Mine is a single spiral. The hangers are evenly spaced in the row:

Yours is a double spiral arrangement. Two hangers closer in the row, in a double spiral around the drum:

 

[ericm979]

I would like to have enough side overhang so I can mow the ditches

Sounds like what you want is a ditch bank mower. See betstco's site for example.

 

[Lnk]

Thanks..

So then whats the purpose of the slot?

I would think for more level terrain, like a large flat yard. But even then I would just use the hole. Good question. Maybe leonz would like to offer an explanation...

 

[dturco]

Sodamo Thank you for the response, tractor is 60'wide I was contemplating using 68" or 72" hydraulic shift so I could keep the Tires further away from the ditches. I am mildly concerned abut HP but not too much I think the tractor can turn the larger implements with out much trouble.

Ericm979 Thank you for your response. I thought about the ditch bank mowers but have ruled them out as too specialized for the remaining mowing chores on all of the lots.

 

[sodamo]

Sodamo Thank you for the response, tractor is 60'wide I was contemplating using 68" or 72" hydraulic shift so I could keep the Tires further away from the ditches. I am mildly concerned abut HP but not too much I think the tractor can turn the larger implements with out much trouble.

Ericm979 Thank you for your response. I thought about the ditch bank mowers but have ruled them out as too specialized for the remaining mowing chores on all of the lots.

What concerns do you have in the treed area? Choices are center mount or offset. I believe my 195 was offset 14 inches. What that means is total width is greater than tractor. Hydraulic shift will increase that offset as needed. With a center mount, less concern getting thru tight places, but still get hydraulic offset as needed.
Betstco lists HP requirements, Likely you are OK. In my own case, I down graded to the 155 length as I was gouging too much on our very uneven terrain.

 

[dturco]

What concerns do you have in the treed area? Choices are center mount or offset. I believe my 195 was offset 14 inches. What that means is total width is greater than tractor. Hydraulic shift will increase that offset as needed. With a center mount, less concern getting thru tight places, but still get hydraulic offset as needed.
Betstco lists HP requirements, Likely you are OK. In my own case, I down graded to the 155 length as I was gouging too much on our very uneven terrain.

I do not have many concerns for the woods. From memory it was just a pain to navigate with the machine and cutter. I keep the FEL on to help with extraction if I start to churn mud. I was not aware the offset models could be further shifted with hydraulics. That may give me 2 ft of side overhang, which might work.